Eating suya increases death risk from nine major diseases

Suya

*Red meat raises mortality from illnesses including cancer, heart disease, stroke
Eating roast beef and lamb, popularly called Suya in Nigeria, increases your chances of dying from nine major diseases, according to new research.


Red meat raises the risk of death from cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease and diabetes, scientists have found.


Beef, lamb and pork also increase your susceptibility of stroke, infections and kidney, liver and lung disease.


Yet, regularly eating white meat may reverse the damage, the researchers added.

Those who frequently consume chicken and fish are 25 per cent less likely to die from various diseases than those who rarely eat white meat.


Results, published in the British Medical Journal, revealed that people who ate the most red meat were 26 per cent more likely to die of various diseases than those who consume the least.


The scientists added that heme iron, a type only present in animal meat, may contribute to the risk of dying from cancer or heart disease.


The researchers said: “The results show increased risks of all cause mortality and death due to nine different causes associated with both processed and unprocessed red meat.


“They also show reduced risks associated with substituting white meat, particularly unprocessed white meat. The effects of meat on human health may be due to ingredients such as heme iron, nitrates, and nitrites.”


They said: “High intakes of heme iron have been shown to be associated with cancer and cardiovascular disease. Nitrates and nitrites are added to meat during the curing process.


“Some investigators believe that nitrates from vegetable sources may have potential benefits, particularly for cardiovascular health, but nitrate/nitrite from drinking water and processed meat has been associated with increased risks of different cancers.”


Consuming a Western diet increases the risk of developing gout, a new study from Harvard Medical School reveals.


Researchers have discovered that people are more likely to have the painful condition if they indulge in red and processed meats, soft drinks and sugary treats.


Yet, a diet rich in fruit, vegetables, nuts and whole grains may protect against gout, they found.


The scientists believe healthy food helps to lower levels of a chemical called uric acid, which causes gout.


They hope the findings will lead to new gout treatments based on a diet of fruit, nuts and whole grains.


Researchers from the National Cancer Institute in Maryland tracked the eating habits of 536,000 men and women between the ages of 50 to 71 for 16 years.


They recorded how much meat the participants consumed, including processed and unprocessed red and white meat, as well as their fish intake.