How Much Red Meat Is Too Much?

Red meat has gotten a bad rap lately. Research suggests that eating too much of it has a link to diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers — not to mention the negative effects the production of red meat has on the environment.

But that doesn’t change the fact that red meat is a source of protein, iron, zinc, and vitamin B, all of which you need in a healthy diet. So, exactly how much red meat is too much?

Most dietary guidelines don’t exactly answer the question. Instead, they focus on specific food groups — proteins, grains, dairy, vegetables, and fruits—and promote maintaining an appropriate calorie level while limiting added sugars, saturated fats, and sodium. There’s no specific mention of how much red meat you should eat in particular, or any other food for that matter.

This is why we tapped two dietitians to help you better understand how much red meat meets a healthy level. Read on to find out how to calculate your nutrition needs and determine if you are, in fact, consuming too much.

How much red meat is too much?

In general, the consensus is to keep your red meat intake low. But there isn’t a universal recommendation for what “low” means or how much red meat you should eat, as it can depend on your age, weight, and activity level.

The guidelines adopted by the US Department of Agriculture don’t call out red meat specifically, but you can still use them to monitor how much red meat you eat. “The nutrient of interest here is saturated fat, and our recommendations from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans say less than 10 percent of your total calorie intake should come from saturated fat,“ says dietitian Whitney Linsenmeyer, an assistant professor of nutrition at St. Louis University.

If you eat about 2,000 calories a day, that’s about 200 calories or about 22 grams of saturated fat. This can look like a sausage, egg, and cheese biscuit (10.8 grams) for breakfast, two slices of ham and cheese on a roll (3.97 grams) for lunch, and a sirloin steak (4.33 grams) for dinner, which equals out to about 19.1 grams of saturated fats in one day.

While this is less than 10 percent recommended by the USDA, it doesn’t count any other foods you may eat throughout the day that also pack saturated fat, specifically any dairy products, baked goods, or fried foods.

Also keep in mind, certain cuts of red meat tend to be higher in saturated fat. For example, an 85g piece of T-bone steak has 3.91 grams, a braised pork chop has 3.82 grams, and a lamb chop has 9.1 grams.

Saturated Fat Content of Meats, Ranked

The issue with saturated fat is that it’s associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease, says Linsenmeyer. A review and meta-analysis of cohort studies published in *The European Heart Journal *in 2023 backs this up. The analysis associated eating processed and unprocessed red meat with higher risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Also, a study published in *The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology *associated regular consumption of 50 grams of processed meat and 100 grams of unprocessed meat in a 10-year timeframe with type 2 diabetes.

Eating too much red meat, especially processed forms, has also been linked to an increased risk for cancer (particularly colorectal), says Lisa Young, Ph.D., registered dietitian nutritionist, professor of nutrition at New York University and author of The Portion Teller Plan. This relationship has also been investigated through research, including a review and meta-analysis of prospective studies published in The European Journal of Epidemiology.

For these reasons you may find you might want to limit your intake even further than the 10 percent of total calories, when it comes to red meat specifically.

“For athletes, moderate red meat intake – around one to two servings per week (85-145g in total) – can provide essential nutrients without the risks associated with high consumption,” says Young. The American Institute for Cancer Research recommends the same – limiting your weekly intake to no more than 85-150g per week, or three small servings max.

Are there benefits to eating red meat?

As we mentioned earlier, red meat is packed with a lot more nutrients other than saturated fats. “Red meat is a rich source of protein, iron, zinc, and B vitamins, essential for muscle repair, oxygen transport, and energy metabolism,” says Young. These nutrients are especially key for cyclists, as they support endurance and recovery, she explains.

How can you reduce your red meat consumption?

If you’re interested in cutting back on your red meat consumption, it doesn’t have to be overly complicated. You can choose leaner cuts of meat or make simple swaps. Here’s how.

Monitor Your Saturated Fat Intake

One way to lower the amount of red meat you eat is by lowering your saturated fat intake or sticking to your daily needs. To figure out your personal limits on grams of saturated fat you’re going to have to do a bit of math.

Start by estimating your daily calorie intake. Linsenmeyer recommends a tool offered by the USDA which requires sex, age, height, weight, and activity level. Then to find your saturated fat limits, multiply your total daily calories by 10 percent (0.10), and divide that number by nine (the number of calories in one gram of fat).

For example, if your daily calorie intake is 2,200 calories, then you want to limit your saturated fats to 220 calories or about 24.2 grams.

Choose Leaner Cuts

If you want to avoid eating too much red meat, then pay attention to the type of red meat and the cut, as saturated fat levels can vary depending on those factors, says Linsenmeyer. For example, a piece of steak can contain more or less saturated fat depending on where it comes from in the cow, like the chuck which is toward the front of the cow, versus the sirloin, which is the cow’s low back.

In terms of beef, “leaner cuts of meat in general are the eye of round, round tip roast, top round, bottom round, top sirloin, and top loin,” Linsenmeyer adds.

Swap Red Meat for Other Foods

Here are a few alternatives to consider, according to Young and data from USDA: Chicken, fish, tofu, beans and lentils.

This article first appeared on bicycling.com

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