A new study revealed that a higher intake of red meat and other animal products increases the risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D).
According to Science Daily, the study published in Nature Metabolism suggested that red meat contains heme iron, which is directly associated with T2D.
The lead author of the study, Fenglei Wang, explained, “Compared to prior studies that relied solely on epidemiological data, we integrated multiple layers of information, including epidemiological data, conventional metabolic biomarkers, and cutting-edge metabolomics.”
He further added, “This allowed us to achieve a more comprehensive understanding of the association between iron intake and T2D risk, as well as potential metabolic pathways underlying this association."
After long research, scientists found that participants with the highest intake of heme iron, red meat, and other animal products have 26% higher chances of getting T2D as compared to other people.
The corresponding author of the research, Frank Hu, Fredrick J. Stare, said, “This study underscores the importance of healthy dietary choices in diabetes prevention.”
Stare suggested, “Reducing heme iron intake, particularly from red meat, and adopting a more plant-based diet can be effective strategies in lowering diabetes risk."
