Meat is an important part of our diet, but eating too much meat can cause a lot of damage to the body. You don’t need to cut meat out of your meals entirely, but try to understand the risks of eating too much meat so you know how to balance your daily diet.
1. Risk of kidney stones
Animal protein contains many compounds called purines. When broken down, this substance turns into uric acid, and when the body has too much of this acid, you can develop kidney stones. The advice for you is to limit meat consumption and drink plenty of water.
2. Dehydrated
Too much uric acid can also make you thirstier than usual. The kidneys need water to dilute toxic waste, so you should always take water with you.
3. Constipation
Meat foods are high in protein but not high in fiber. To add fiber, you need to add fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to your diet. Constipation and painful stools can be signs that your fiber levels are low. The solution for you is to increase your intake of vegetables and fruits.
4. Headache
Dehydration makes the blood thicker, which means less oxygen is delivered to the brain, which can cause headaches. However, some meat products like salami or hot dogs contain nitrates, which can increase blood flow to the brain.
5. Heart problems
The more fiber you eat, the healthier your heart will be. So when you focus only on meat, your body won’t get the amount of fiber it needs. In particular, red meat can triple your risk of heart problems and is high in saturated fat. Saturated fat increases bad cholesterol (LDL) levels.
6. You can be sick often
The saturated fats found in red and processed meats do not contain antioxidants that help the body fight inflammation. These antioxidants are abundant in fruits and vegetables. You should build a colorful diet because the color of the fruit is the pigment of the antioxidant group.
7. Bad breath
A diet high in protein and fat but low in carbohydrates causes the body to produce ketones. Ketones are released through breathing and smell similar to acetone. This is why many people on the keto diet experience bad breath. The advice for you is to incorporate carbohydrates into your diet.
8. Have hair and skin problems
Meat products rarely contain vitamin C. Vitamin C plays an important role in the formation of collagen, a protein that helps nourish your skin, hair, nails and bones. If your skin and hair are deteriorating more and more, you should reconsider your diet.
9. Weak bones
To have healthy bones, the body must have enough calcium. High protein intake can lead to loss of urinary calcium. The body does not produce calcium on its own, so you must get it through diet or supplements. Without enough calcium, your bones will weaken.
10. Feeling tired
Meat is much harder to digest than vegetables and fruits. The body needs more energy to digest meat. This is why you may feel a little lethargic after eating a heavy [meat] dish.
