meatandeducation.com 2011 Meat and Health

meatandeducation.com 2011 Module focus Red meat contains high biological protein and important macronutrients, all of which are essential for good health throughout life. Most healthy balanced diets will include lean meat in moderate amounts, together with starchy carbohydrates (including wholegrain foods), plenty of fruit and vegetables and moderate amounts of milk and diary foods. This module looks at the role of red meat in the diet.

meatandeducation.com 2011 Getting the balance right This healthy eating model shows the types and proportions of food that comprise a varied, healthy diet. Meat can form part of a healthy diet.

meatandeducation.com 2011 Meat fish and alternatives This group is called: Meat, fish and alternatives. It shows that these types of foods should be included in your diet. For meat, this includes: beef: steak, mince, joint pork: ham, bacon, loin chops lamb: chops, mince, leg of lamb

meatandeducation.com 2011 Role of red meat in the diet Red meat contains high biological value protein and important micronutrients, all of which are essential for good health throughout life. Most healthy balanced diets will include lean meat in moderate amounts, together with starchy carbohydrates (including wholegrain foods), plenty of fruit and vegetables and moderate amounts of milk and dairy foods.

meatandeducation.com 2011 The advice is: adults who eat over 90g of red and processed meat a day should reduce their intake to 70g a day on average. Currently, 42% men and 12% women consume more than 90g/day (2000/01 NDNS data). How much red meat do we eat? The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) report Iron and Health (2010) led to new guidance on eating red and processed meat from the Department of Health (Feb 2011).

meatandeducation.com 2011 Energy and nutrients The amount of energy provided in meat is variable. In adults all meat (including poultry) contributes to 18% of total energy intake, of which red meat contributes to 12% of total energy intake. (2008/09 NDNS data) 1 gram of carbohydrate provides 16 kilojoules 1 gram of protein provides 17 kilojoules 1 gram of fat provides 37 kilojoules Meat provides: virtually no carbohydrate principally protein variable amounts of fat Meat with a high fat content will provide a greater amount of energy.

meatandeducation.com 2011 Macronutrient variation in red meat Nutrient (per 100g) Lean BeefLean LambLean PorkChicken (dark & light meat) Energy (kJ) Protein (g) Fat (g) SFA (g) MUFA (g) PUFA (g) Source: McCance and Widdowsons The Composition of Foods (6th edition)

meatandeducation.com 2011 Energy, fat and protein Energy, fat and protein content of lean and untrimmed cuts of red meat (per 100g)

meatandeducation.com 2011 Protein Dietary protein is essential for growth, maintenance and repair of the body. Protein is composed of chains of amino acids. Some amino acids can be synthesised by the body, while others – essential amino acids – cannot. Red meat is an important source of the eight essential amino acids for adults. It also provides histidine, which is considered to be an essential amino acid for children.

meatandeducation.com 2011 Protein Protein from animal sources provides all the essential amino acids needed by the body – this type of protein is said to have a higher biological value. Most plant sources of protein do not provide all the essential amino acids when consumed individually and are therefore said to have a lower biological value. However, when people following vegan or vegetarian diets combine at least two different sources of vegetable protein, the two sources will complement each other and the combined foods will provide all the essential amino acids needed by the body.

meatandeducation.com 2011 Fat Fat provides the richest dietary source of energy and supplied essential nutrients such as fat soluble vitamins and essential fatty acids. Red meat provides saturated fatty acids, the essential omega-6 (n-6) and omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids. The amount can vary widely depending on the type and cut of meat. It is now recognised that it is the type of fat rather than the total amount of fat that is particularly important for cardiovascular disease.

meatandeducation.com 2011 Changes in fat content Advances in food processing technologies, breeding programmes, changes in animal feeds and modern butchery techniques have led to a decline in the fat content of carcase meat. In the UK over the past 15 years, fat content has been reduced by: 30% for pork 15% for beef 10% for lamb

meatandeducation.com 2011 Red meat contains a number of B vitamins: thiamin (vitamin B 1 ) riboflavin (vitamin B 2 ) niacin (vitamin B 3 ) B 6 B 12 B vitamins help release energy from the macronutrients (carbohydrate, protein and fat) for the body to use. Meat and animal products are the only foods that naturally provide vitamin B 12. Vitamins

meatandeducation.com 2011 Iron is essential for the formation of haemoglobin in red blood cells. It also plays an important role in the immune system and is required for normal energy metabolism. Iron from meat is readily absorbed by the body. Red meat provides 12% iron for men and 9% for women. 46% year old girls have iron intakes below the Lower Reference Nutrient Intake (LRNI). Minerals

meatandeducation.com 2011 Zinc is essential for cell division and therefore for growth and tissue repair. It is also necessary for normal reproductive development, a healthy immune system and healing of wounds. Red meat contains substantial amounts of zinc and some cuts of beef and lamb can be classified as a good source and pork as a source. Red meat provides 32% zinc for men and 27% for women. 15% year old girls have intakes below the LRNI. Minerals

meatandeducation.com 2011 Beef

meatandeducation.com 2011 Lamb

meatandeducation.com 2011 Pork

meatandeducation.com 2011 Red meat and meat products can make an important contribution to nutrient intakes in the diet. Within the context of a healthy, varied diet lean red meat contributes protein, long chain n-3 fatty acids, and micronutrients such as iron, zinc, selenium and vitamin D and vitamins B 3 and vitamin B 12 ). Some of these nutrients are more bio- available in meat than alternative food sources, and some have been identified by SACN as being in short supply in the diets of some sections of the population (SACN, 2008). Summary

meatandeducation.com 2011 Activities Activities to be added from teachers guide. Meat and education/Interactives/Digi Bites Quiz 1 contains multiple- choice questions based on the first series of 15 digital videos. This series introduces the nutritional properties of red meat within the context of current drives to improve the British diet. The Beef report is a small website specifically devoted to the health benefits of eating beef as part of a balanced diet. Order free resources to support student learning, such as Pork Tales, Lamb Tales and Beef Tales with information poster looking at nutritional benefits and versatility of beef. Includes recipes, cooking tips and meal ideas.

meatandeducation.com 2011 For further information and support, go to: