Protein is a crucial component of any healthy diet. And for many people, meat serves as their main source of this macronutrient. However, while there are plenty of healthy meats to choose from, it’s important to be aware of the fact that there are also a lot of unhealthy options you should make an effort to stay away from, especially if you’re trying to lose weight. As it turns out, there are a few types of meat that can be especially detrimental to your weight loss goals due to their inflammatory nature.
To discover a few of the worst, inflammatory meats out there, we spoke to dietitians Dana Ellis Hunnes and Catherine Gervacio from Living.Fit. They told us that red meat and lunch meat are a few of the biggest offenders of weight gain. Learn more about the risks of these meats below!
1. Red meat
From cheeseburgers to hot dogs to steak, red meat is a staple in the diet of many Americans. However, Hunnes warns that this type of meat is highly inflammatory and can lead to a range of health risks, including weight gain.
"[Red meat] increases inflammatory markers in the blood, including INF-1 and TMAO," she explains. When your levels of these inflammatory markers get too high, your risk of health issues such as heart disease and diabetes rises, and you may even run into metabolic issues that can make it difficult to lose weight.
Additionally, red meat can lead to an imbalance in your gut. "There are compounds in red meat (including the TMAO) that changes the acidity in the gut and therefore affects the microbiome," Hunnes explains. "In a way, red meat is somewhat toxic to good-bacteria in the gut (the microbiome)." Your gut health plays a major role in a range of functions; an unbalanced gut is another major culprit of weight gain and/or difficulty shedding pounds.
For this reason, it's best to choose lean protein such as chicken (or even plant-based options!) over read meat whenever possible.
2. Lunch meat
In addition to red meat, processed lunch meat is another highly inflammatory option that can cause a myriad of consequences. According to Gervacio, this popular sandwich ingredient (along with the bread you use) can be especially detrimental to your weight loss goals.
"Lunch meats and corned beef have a high amount of fat in them," she tells us. This is largely due to the processed nature of these meats, as they offer very little nutritional value for all the fat and calories they pack in.
"This jeopardizes healthy weight loss as the needed nutrients for daily function and metabolism can be affected," Gervacio warns. "It is best to still choose lean meats that are fresh off the market, have no visible fats, and are cooked with little or no fat." Got it!
While you're at it, you might as well choose some healthy bread for an all-around weight loss-friendly sandwich.
