In 2018, the Research Center for the Study and Observation of Living Conditions (Credoc) announced that the French are consuming less and less meat. The consumption rate has fallen by 12% in ten years.
Is it reasonable? How much do you really need to eat to stay healthy? Focus on the subject!
PNNS recommendations
According to the National Health Nutrition Program (PNNS), a healthy diet should include one to two servings of meat per day. This food is indeed a better source of protein.
In addition, meat is rich in iron and vitamins. That said, one should not generalize. The quantity of meat to be consumed by each individual varies according to several criteria.
First, there is age. The portion of meat in a child's meal is different from that of an adult. Gender is another factor to consider. It must be said that the energy needs of men and women are very different.
Don't forget the lifestyle. A sedentary person only needs 0.8g/kg/ to 1.2g/kg per day of protein. On the other hand, a great athlete needs a little more. The morphology is not left out, because the protein intake of a tall person must be much higher than that of a rather small person.
The risks caused by excessive meat consumption
What happens if meat consumption is too high? Above all, it should be emphasized that a healthy diet is a varied and balanced diet. This means that it must contain all the nutrients useful to the body and that there are not only proteins. Also, the amount of each nutrient is limited.
Excessive consumption of meat is therefore harmful to health.
According to the World Cancer Research Fund ( WCRF), excessive meat consumption is the cause of colorectal cancer.
It also increases the risk of obesity and the rise in bad cholesterol levels in the blood, which causes cardiovascular disease.
The daily amount of meat to consume daily
For a healthy diet , excess meat is not recommended. Thus, it is necessary to limit oneself to a serving of 100 g to 120 g per day. The most appropriate would even be to consume meat 4 to 7 times a week only and to favor vegetable proteins.
The quantity of red meat, cold cuts, offal and game should be reduced. They are the main responsible for various health disorders to name only cancer. It is better to give preference to white meat and fatty fish. Indeed, meat or aquatic animal proteins are very beneficial for health.
