Should red and processed meats be removed from U.S. dietary guidelines?(PRO & CON)

YES

The study by Ann Chao, Ph.D., et al. that recently appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association showing that red and processed meat consumption greatly increases one's risk of colon cancer is but one example of the problems with a meat-based diet. Multiple studies, as well as statements from the American Heart Association, the American Diabetes Association, and the American Dietetic Association, have recommended that people reduce their intake of saturated fat. Those recommendations specifically point to red meat.

I don't think there is any dissent in the literature against the idea that colon cancer is due to what you put in your colon. This is a disease of eating a rich diet, and the epitome of that rich diet is red meat.

There is cholesterol to consider in addition to animal protein, which is highly acidic and shown to be destructive to human bones. Red meat lacks dietary fiber as well as carbohydrates needed for energy. Meat also has high levels of environmental contaminants, such as DDT and PCB. Another problem with eating red meat is all the cross-infection that occurs, such as the infection humans can get from the dangerous kind of Escherichia coli, O157:H7.

Sometimes physicians just tell patients to cut down on red meat, but moderation is something that doctors shouldn't teach. Doctors have the responsibility of teaching what is right and not right. For example, most people would agree that doctors shouldn't say, "It's okay to smoke moderately or drink moderately." You don't get an alcoholic to solve his or her problem by switching to beer. People don't understand yellow lights; they understand red lights and green lights.

And sometimes people respond better to radical change. If you just tell people to "eat better" and they go to the store and learn to buy new foods, and then they look at the results and see that they didn't lose weight, and their cholesterol dropped by less than 5%. Well, whoop-de-do. When they do what I recommend--eat a diet based on starches with fruits and vegetables, their arthritis is much better, their cholesterol has dropped 60 points, they've lost excess weight, and they're living again.

If people are really serious about preventing heart disease or cancer, and if they want to change their lives, they need clear recommendations from professionals. It's our obligation to tell people that things like red meat don't support their health.