To eat or not to eat meat: that is the question

Autor: Paloma Celada, Sara Bastida, Francisco J. Sánchez-Muniz
Jazyk: English<br />Spanish; Castilian
Předmět:
Zdroj: Nutrición Hospitalaria, Vol 33, Iss 1, Pp 177-181
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 0212-1611
DOI: 10.20960/nh.29
Popis: Meat is a well accepted food with appreciable appealing. Due to its high nutritional value it plays a central role in human development. Meat/meat derivates are important sources of proteins, minerals and vitamins. Their nutritional importance is paralleled to their economic impact. Paying attention to the social alarm originated by a recent publication of WHO about the relationship between red and/or processed meat consumption and cancer, this paper reviews the following aspects: a) the present consumption of meat/meat products in Spain; b) the contribution of their macro/micronutrients to the recommended dietary allowances; c) the obliged use of additives (e.g. nitrites and nitrates) to warrant the food safety, and their daily intake. In addition health risks derived from a high consumption, as well as the most appropriate culinary uses in order to reduce the formation of toxic products (e.g. N-nitrosocompounds) are commented. Due to the huge variety of available meat products, this paper concludes that any generalization should be avoided. We also emphasize about the advantages of consuming meat/meat products in the frame of a Mediterranean diet, rich in vegetables, fruits, and bioactive compounds.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals