Contrary to common belief, both red meat and white meat like poultry impact blood cholesterol levels equally, reveals a recent study. Researchers were surprised to discover that high intake of either red meat or poultry led to elevated cholesterol compared to equivalent amounts of plant-based proteins. This held true regardless of saturated fat levels in the diet, which raised cholesterol uniformly across all three protein sources.
The meats examined were not grass-fed beef or processed items like bacon or sausage, and fish was excluded. These findings underscore that reducing all meat consumption—red or white—may be more effective for managing blood cholesterol than previously assumed. Plant proteins emerged as the healthiest option for cholesterol control.
The study also showed that high saturated fat intake boosted concentrations of large LDL cholesterol particles, which are less strongly linked to cardiovascular disease than smaller ones.
Both red and white meats similarly increased large LDL particles compared to low-fat diets. Thus, relying solely on standard LDL cholesterol tests—which primarily detect larger particles—may overestimate cardiovascular risk from higher meat and saturated fat consumption.
Red meat has faced scrutiny for decades over heart disease links, with guidelines promoting poultry as a healthier swap.
Prior to this research, no thorough head-to-head analysis existed on how red meat, white meat, and non-meat proteins (like those from vegetables, dairy, and legumes such as beans) affect blood cholesterol. Non-meat proteins demonstrated the greatest benefits, according to the researchers.
