LIVINGLIVING MAKING CARBS COUNT
New research from the
Meat Advisory Panel
shows that when
surveyed less than half
of the respondents
correctly name pork as a type of red meat.
Almost half wrongly believe that spinach is
a better source of iron than red meat and
believe green leafy vegetables provide
vitamin D (when they contain none).
Women are also unaware of their greater
need for iron than men. The survey reveals
that misconceptions about meat may be
leaving us at risk of health problems. Less
than half (47%)of 2,000 respondents to
the Meat Advisory Panel survey correctly
named pork as a type of red meat and one
in five (22%) did not realise that lamb is
also classed as a red meat. But, with age
comes better culinary knowledge. Almost
all (98%) of those over 55 identified beef
as a red meat, compared with 82% of 18
to 24-year-olds.
Professor Robert Pickard, Emeritus
Professor of Neurobiology, University
of Cardiff and a member of the Meat
Advisory Panel commented on the
survey results, saying, "Lean red meat is
a valuable source of iron and vitamin D,
not to mention protein, zinc and other
important nutrients. But unfortunately far
too many people appear to be losing sight
of the importance of meat within a healthy
diet. This gap in knowledge could have a
detrimental impact on our health; a lack of
iron can lead to anemia, whilst a lack of
vitamin D is putting people at risk of bone
problems, including osteomalacia in adults.
A MEATY ISSUE
Red meat is another food stuff that has had bad press which
seemed to say that it was bad for us. But new evidence is showing
that a lack of red meat in the diet comes with its own risks.