The Heme Iron Debate: Separating Fact from Fiction
For decades, red meat has been at the center of a contentious debate in nutrition and health. On one side, we have those who claim it’s an essential source of high-quality protein and nutrients. On the other, critics argue that it’s a major contributor to chronic diseases like cancer and heart disease. Initially, these concerns focused on red meat’s cholesterol and saturated fat content. However, as the case against dietary cholesterol and saturated fat has weakened, researchers and advocates of plant-based diets have shifted their focus to a new proposed culprit: heme iron. This form of iron, found predominantly in animal foods and especially abundant in red meat, has become the latest mechanism proposed to explain the purported health risks of red meat consumption. But what’s the...
