Key TakeawaysRed meat may be a dietary risk factor for type 2 diabetes.A new study found that swapping red meat for plant-based protein sources reduced the risk of type 2 diabetes in participants.If you do not want to give up red meat, just be mindful of the portion sizes and try eating it less often.

Key Takeaways

Red meat may be a dietary risk factor for type 2 diabetes.A new study found that swapping red meat for plant-based protein sources reduced the risk of type 2 diabetes in participants.If you do not want to give up red meat, just be mindful of the portion sizes and try eating it less often.

Just like studies that have come before it, a new study says red meat—both unprocessed and processed—is linked to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.

The new research from Harvard shows that two servings of red meat per week is linked to a 51% higher risk of diabetes.

Your risk of getting type 2 diabetes comes down to several factors. Some of them you can’t control, like yourgenes. But modifiable risk factors, like your diet and activity levels, also affect your likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes.

TheMediterranean Dietand theDietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH)diet are often recommended for people who want to lower their risk for many chronic health conditions, including diabetes.Foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, beans, nuts, and seeds are emphasized in these diets—and the Harvard researchers looked at how swapping these foods for meat can reduce diabetes risk.

“[Our findings] strongly support that limiting the intake of red meat and instead choosing mainly plant sources of protein will help reduce an individual’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes and its consequences,”Xiao Gu, PhD, first study author and postdoctoral research fellow of the Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, told Verywell.

How Much Does Red Meat Impact Diabetes Risk?

The study also showed that substituting just one serving of dairy per day for total, processed, or unprocessed red meat was linked to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes.

Should You Avoid Red Meat?

If you’re thinking you have to stop eating red meat if you want to lower your diabetes risk, experts say that the study had some limitations to keep in mind.

This study was observational in nature, precluding the ability to determine a cause-and-effect relationship between meat intake and diabetes risk.

Also, the researchers don’t distinguish between whether people chose lean cuts of meat over fattier options.

“Previous research has shown that diets high in saturated fat, like found in fattier cuts of red meat, increase the risk of type 2 diabetes,”Mary Ellen Phipps, MPH, RDN, LD, author of The Easy Diabetes Cookbook, told Verywell. “But other studies have shown lean red meats actually have positive health benefits.”

The type of fat content is a key factor when considering whether red meat could impact diabetes risk. Replacing saturated fat with “healthier” fats (like monounsaturated fat found in olive oil and tree nuts) significantly lowered glucose and hemoglobin A1c, according to results of a meta-analysis.

“Because of the vast differences in nutrition profiles between lean red meat and higher-fat red meat, the alternative protein options mentioned in the study would likely be more beneficial in reducing type 2 diabetes risk when used to substitute fattier red meats than lean red meats,” Phipps said.

One long-term randomized controlled trial showed that people can eat fresh, lean beef as part of higher protein diets that effectively support weight loss and manage type 2 diabetes.And in the context of generally healthy diets, substituting lean, unprocessed beef for carbohydrates is linked to positive heart health outcomes.

Gu acknowledged that their study’s findings do not mean that red meat should never be eaten.

“A large steak once a month or having smaller portions of red meat once a week would be consistent with a low risk of type 2 diabetes,” Gu said.

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Better Ways to Eat Red Meat

If you want to lower your risk of type 2 diabetes and still enjoy a steak or a burger occasionally, here are some tips to keep in mind:

What This Means for You

6 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Toi PL, Anothaisintawee T, Chaikledkaew U, Briones JR, Reutrakul S, Thakkinstian A.Preventive role of diet interventions and dietary factors in type 2 diabetes mellitus: an umbrella review.Nutrients. 2020;12(9):2722. doi:10.3390/nu12092722Gu X, Drouin-Chartier JP, Sacks FM, Hu FB, Rosner B, Willett WC.Red meat intake and risk of type 2 diabetes in a prospective cohort study of United States females and males.Am J Clin Nutr. Published online October 29, 2023. doi:10.1016/j.ajcnut.2023.08.021Imamura F, Micha R, Wu JH, et al.Effects of saturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, monounsaturated fat, and carbohydrate on glucose-insulin homeostasis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled feeding trials.PLoS Med. 2016;13(7):e1002087. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1002087Wood AC, Graca G, Gadgil M, et al.Untargeted metabolomic analysis investigating links between unprocessed red meat intake and markers of inflammation.Am J Clin Nutr. 2023;118(5):989-999. doi:10.1016/j.ajcnut.2023.08.018Maki KC, Wilcox ML, Dicklin MR, et al.Substituting lean beef for carbohydrate in a healthy dietary pattern does not adversely affect the cardiometabolic risk factor profile in men and women at risk for type 2 diabetes.J Nutr. 2020;150(7):1824-1833. doi:10.1093/jn/nxaa116Fleming JA, Kris-Etherton PM, Petersen KS, Baer DJ.Effect of varying quantities of lean beef as part of a Mediterranean-style dietary pattern on lipids and lipoproteins: a randomized crossover controlled feeding trial.Am J Clin Nutr. 2021;113(5):1126-1136. doi:10.1093/ajcn/nqaa375

6 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Toi PL, Anothaisintawee T, Chaikledkaew U, Briones JR, Reutrakul S, Thakkinstian A.Preventive role of diet interventions and dietary factors in type 2 diabetes mellitus: an umbrella review.Nutrients. 2020;12(9):2722. doi:10.3390/nu12092722Gu X, Drouin-Chartier JP, Sacks FM, Hu FB, Rosner B, Willett WC.Red meat intake and risk of type 2 diabetes in a prospective cohort study of United States females and males.Am J Clin Nutr. Published online October 29, 2023. doi:10.1016/j.ajcnut.2023.08.021Imamura F, Micha R, Wu JH, et al.Effects of saturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, monounsaturated fat, and carbohydrate on glucose-insulin homeostasis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled feeding trials.PLoS Med. 2016;13(7):e1002087. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1002087Wood AC, Graca G, Gadgil M, et al.Untargeted metabolomic analysis investigating links between unprocessed red meat intake and markers of inflammation.Am J Clin Nutr. 2023;118(5):989-999. doi:10.1016/j.ajcnut.2023.08.018Maki KC, Wilcox ML, Dicklin MR, et al.Substituting lean beef for carbohydrate in a healthy dietary pattern does not adversely affect the cardiometabolic risk factor profile in men and women at risk for type 2 diabetes.J Nutr. 2020;150(7):1824-1833. doi:10.1093/jn/nxaa116Fleming JA, Kris-Etherton PM, Petersen KS, Baer DJ.Effect of varying quantities of lean beef as part of a Mediterranean-style dietary pattern on lipids and lipoproteins: a randomized crossover controlled feeding trial.Am J Clin Nutr. 2021;113(5):1126-1136. doi:10.1093/ajcn/nqaa375

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Toi PL, Anothaisintawee T, Chaikledkaew U, Briones JR, Reutrakul S, Thakkinstian A.Preventive role of diet interventions and dietary factors in type 2 diabetes mellitus: an umbrella review.Nutrients. 2020;12(9):2722. doi:10.3390/nu12092722Gu X, Drouin-Chartier JP, Sacks FM, Hu FB, Rosner B, Willett WC.Red meat intake and risk of type 2 diabetes in a prospective cohort study of United States females and males.Am J Clin Nutr. Published online October 29, 2023. doi:10.1016/j.ajcnut.2023.08.021Imamura F, Micha R, Wu JH, et al.Effects of saturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, monounsaturated fat, and carbohydrate on glucose-insulin homeostasis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled feeding trials.PLoS Med. 2016;13(7):e1002087. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1002087Wood AC, Graca G, Gadgil M, et al.Untargeted metabolomic analysis investigating links between unprocessed red meat intake and markers of inflammation.Am J Clin Nutr. 2023;118(5):989-999. doi:10.1016/j.ajcnut.2023.08.018Maki KC, Wilcox ML, Dicklin MR, et al.Substituting lean beef for carbohydrate in a healthy dietary pattern does not adversely affect the cardiometabolic risk factor profile in men and women at risk for type 2 diabetes.J Nutr. 2020;150(7):1824-1833. doi:10.1093/jn/nxaa116Fleming JA, Kris-Etherton PM, Petersen KS, Baer DJ.Effect of varying quantities of lean beef as part of a Mediterranean-style dietary pattern on lipids and lipoproteins: a randomized crossover controlled feeding trial.Am J Clin Nutr. 2021;113(5):1126-1136. doi:10.1093/ajcn/nqaa375

Toi PL, Anothaisintawee T, Chaikledkaew U, Briones JR, Reutrakul S, Thakkinstian A.Preventive role of diet interventions and dietary factors in type 2 diabetes mellitus: an umbrella review.Nutrients. 2020;12(9):2722. doi:10.3390/nu12092722

Gu X, Drouin-Chartier JP, Sacks FM, Hu FB, Rosner B, Willett WC.Red meat intake and risk of type 2 diabetes in a prospective cohort study of United States females and males.Am J Clin Nutr. Published online October 29, 2023. doi:10.1016/j.ajcnut.2023.08.021

Imamura F, Micha R, Wu JH, et al.Effects of saturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, monounsaturated fat, and carbohydrate on glucose-insulin homeostasis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled feeding trials.PLoS Med. 2016;13(7):e1002087. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1002087

Wood AC, Graca G, Gadgil M, et al.Untargeted metabolomic analysis investigating links between unprocessed red meat intake and markers of inflammation.Am J Clin Nutr. 2023;118(5):989-999. doi:10.1016/j.ajcnut.2023.08.018

Maki KC, Wilcox ML, Dicklin MR, et al.Substituting lean beef for carbohydrate in a healthy dietary pattern does not adversely affect the cardiometabolic risk factor profile in men and women at risk for type 2 diabetes.J Nutr. 2020;150(7):1824-1833. doi:10.1093/jn/nxaa116

Fleming JA, Kris-Etherton PM, Petersen KS, Baer DJ.Effect of varying quantities of lean beef as part of a Mediterranean-style dietary pattern on lipids and lipoproteins: a randomized crossover controlled feeding trial.Am J Clin Nutr. 2021;113(5):1126-1136. doi:10.1093/ajcn/nqaa375

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