Red meat doesn't get much love from the medical community these days, but new research from an influential source is standing behind it. The Harvard School of Public Health, in a study published in May, found that the risk for heart disease and other maladies commonly linked to red meats may actually come from processed options like sausage, hot dogs and bacon. People who consumed 2 ounces of processed meat daily had a 42% greater chance of contracting heart disease and a 19% greater chance of being diagnosed with diabetes. Those who consumed 4 ounces of lamb, beef and other red meats showed no heightened risk. This leads researchers to believe the real culprit may be sodium, a flavor agent and preservative that appears in quantities four times higher in processed meats than in unprocessed ones.
This is news for consumers, and validation for retailers like Yoke's Fresh Market, where meat and seafood manager Ken Chapin uses nutrition labeling, signage and other marketing resources to let customers know meat isn't really so bad.
“We try and tell our customers that meat and protein are good for you, and that we have plenty of lean options available,” he said.
