10 Most Unhealthy Meat & 5 Most Healthy Meat

Looking for the most unhealthy meat or the most healthy meat?

Then you’re in the right post because in this post we will be exploring a different range of meat to see which is safe and which is not, including processed meat.

Different researchers have reported that meat can be bad and can pose different health challenges, but I will tell you that meat is good.

What makes meat bad for you are specifically three things which are as follows;

The type of meat you eat
How you process the meat
The quantity or frequency of meat you take.

Let’s talk about this before we continue.

There are basically three types of meat you can eat with each of them having its pros and cons, there are also many sources of meat you can eat.

Out of all the three types of meat, the most recommended type is white meat for example chicken or turkey breast.

For the record, there are too many ways you can process meat for example smoking, toasting, etc, but from my research and finding the best way to process your meat is by cooking the meat.

Most other methods of processing meat have lots of disadvantages which is why people kick against them.

Eating a large quantity of meat per day is bad and can have a long time effect on your body as you get older.

According to British Nutrition Foundation, you should limit your meat intake to 70 grams (cooked weight) per day or around 500g per week to be safe.

Now we have cleared the air let’s get back to why you are here, which I believe is about the most unhealthy meat or the most healthy meat.

Table of Contents show

Most unhealthy meat

Here are the most common unhealthy meat;

1. Wild game

Wild game meat topped the list because they have a higher risk of disease factors.

Almost all wild game animals eat lots of things that are not even safe for humans, and wild game meat carries lots of diseases.

Why you should not get involved in wild game meat

Wild games are bad because they contain lots of diseases which are as follows;

Tapeworms
Hydatid diseases

Roundworms
Flatworms
Oral papillomatosis

Lyme Diseases
Cataracts
Bovine

Mites
Distemper

Processing wild game meat needs lots of heating and probably some treatments before you can say is safe for you but not good.

Generally wild game meat is unhealthy because they are easily contaminated with lots of diseases and parasites which may hurt humans.

Examples of wild games

Here are examples of wild game animals that are considered to be unhealthy for humans.

Wolf

Mule deer
Moose
American bison

Caribou
White-tailed deer
Rabbit
Wild boar
Elk
Venison

Pheasant

Summary

Wild game meats are classified as safe to eat but not good to eat, there is a difference between the two. And this makes them unhealthy because you will have to process to kill the diseases.

Processing meat at high temperatures has its own disadvantages. So stay away from wild game meat because they carry lots of diseases and they need lots of hygienic practices to be safe to eat.

2. Smoked Meat

Smoked meat is the result of a method of preparing red meat, white meat, and seafood that originated in the Paleolithic Era.

Smoking adds flavor, improves the appearance of meat through the Millard reaction, and when combined with curing it preserves the meat.

Due to the compounds formed during the smoking of meat, experts warn against eating lots of smoked meat because the EPA and DHA have been proven to be carcinogenic.

It’s much better to stay away from smoked meat as they are lots of reports that link smoked meat with cancer.

3. Underprocessed Animal Intestine

Animal intestines contain lots of loaded microorganisms that may be unhealthy for humans and most of these microorganisms can survive at certain processing temperatures.

Lots of experts warn against eating animal intestines, however, I can tell you that it’s much better to eat other animal organs like the liver, heart, etc than to eat animal intestines because they are unhealthy.

4. Sea Fish

Oceans, seas, and many waterways are very polluted, and this means so are the fish. Sea fishes have been reported to contain lots of unhealthy minerals that make them unhealthy for humans.

Most people overcook fish like salmon, destroying heat-sensitive oils that contain health-enhancing EPA and DHA.

Other seafood sources also come with various sets of cautions, for example, pregnant women and small children should not eat swordfish due to mercury concerns.

5. Lunch meats

Lunch meats are also known as cold cuts, luncheon meats, cooked meats, sliced meats, cold meats, and deli meats—precooked or cured meats that are sliced and served cold or hot. They are typically served in sandwiches or on a tray.

Disadvantages of eating lunch meat

Here are some disadvantages of eating too much lunch meat:

Lunch meats are quite processed, containing a lot of sodium which is not too good for the body.
Lunch meats may cause fluid retention and increase blood pressure.
It might put you at risk for foodborne illness.

Too much intake of lunch meat may cause cardiovascular disease.
It might increase cancer risk of thyroid cancer.
It may increase your risk for colorectal cancer.

It may increase your risk of diabetes. According to EATTHIS

6. Sausages

Sausage is a type of meat product usually made from ground meat, often pork, beef, or poultry, along with salt, spices, and other flavorings.

Other ingredients such as grains or breadcrumbs may be included as fillers or extenders. Some sausages include other ingredients for flavor.

Lots of unhealthy ingredients used in the production of sausages totally make sausages unhealthy for humans.

7. Bacon

According to Healthline, Bacon meat is unhealthy because the contains high levels of sodium, which can lead to high blood pressure.

Bacon is so delicious is that it’s loaded with saturated fat. Saturated fat is linked to heart disease and obesity.

8. Hot dogs

Hot dogs don’t have a reputation for being the healthiest foods on your picnic table. Their ingredients can vary by brand, but most nutritionists don’t have hot dogs high on their preferred food list said Healthline.

This is because hot dogs have been classified as foods that are linked to being carcinogenic to humans due to the ingredients and processing steps.

9. Liverwurst

Liverwurst, leberwurst, or liver sausage is a kind of sausage made from liver. It is eaten in many parts of Europe, including Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany.

Liverwurst may be the worst due to it being processed meat made from the organ that filters toxins from the body. Says Dr. Phil Maffetone.

10. Uderprocessed Lamb

Lamb is luscious, and like most things that taste really good, it’s bad for you. It’s a slice of red meat, and a particularly fatty one at that, which means it carries all the same risks as beef.

A recent 10-year study, the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), found that people who ate red meat like lamb every day were a third more likely to develop colon cancer than those who didn’t.

Not all part of the lamp is unhealthy.

More on meat:

6 Major Red Meat Sources You Should Know.

How Is Meat Bad For You: 10 Risk Factors You Should Know.
Which Meats Have The Most Protein: 23 Top Protein Meat.
How Much Smoked Meat Is Safe To Eat: The Bottom Line.

Most healthy meat

Here is the list of the 5 most healthy meat you can eat;

1. Chicken Breast

Chicken breast is considered one of the most healthy meat because it is an excellent source of lean protein.

Chicken breast is also a good source of vitamin B, vitamin D, calcium, iron, zinc, and trace amounts of vitamin A and vitamin C.

Chicken is the most common type of poultry in the world.

Owing to the relative ease and low cost of raising them in comparison to animals such as cattle or hogs, chickens have become prevalent in numerous cuisines.

2. Pork

After a long time of being a poor choice of meat, pork has increased its status a lot.

Some people say it’s a better choice than white meat than chicken, with the latest recommendation that it doesn’t have to be cooked to death.

Lard – is one of the best cooking fats, and bacon (without the chemicals and sugar) is great for traveling.

This is the most popular and most consumed meat in the world.

3. Beef

Beef is the culinary name for meat from cattle, particularly skeletal muscle.

Humans have been eating beef since prehistoric times.

Beef is a source of protein and nutrients. Most beef can be used as-is by merely cutting into certain parts, such as roasts, short ribs, or steak, while other cuts are processed.

4. Duck

The duck is generally known as a highly aerobic animal that has dark and savory flesh, especially its skin which is tasty and rich in nutrients.

If it’s not overcooked, it’s tender and juicy. Duck fat is excellent for cooking and adding to recipes, and duck soup and bone broth are also great healthy foods.

5. Turkey Breast

According to Healthline, Turkey breast is a particularly rich source of B vitamins, including B3 (niacin), B6 (pyridoxine), and B12 (cobalamin). Two thick slices (84 grams) of turkey pack 61% of the DV for vitamin B3, 49% for vitamin B6, and 29% for vitamin B12.

Healthy meats list

Here is the list of healthy meats;

Chicken breast
Turkey breast

Beef
Pork
Goat

Lamb
Bison
Liver

Shellfish
Veal
Canadian Bacon

Venison
Ostrich
Emu

Buffalo

The Healthiest meats and fish

Here is the list of the healthiest of all meat and fish;

List of the healthiest meat

Here is the list of the healthiest meat;

Chicken
Turkey
Beef

Pork
Bison

List of the healthiest fish

According to Healthline, here is the list of the healthiest fish;

Salmon
Cod
Sardines

Herring
Tuna
Mahi-mahi

Alaska Pollock
Arctic char
Rainbow trout

Perch
Mackerel

Here are some interesting topics about meat:

Does Red Meat Cause Colon Cancer: What You Should Know.
Why Red Meat Is Bad For You: 7 Things You Should Know.
Can Red Meat Cause Cancer: What You Should Know.

What meats should you avoid?

In other to be safe from all the dangers that come with eating meat you should avoid any form of processed meats, such as bacon, sausage, salami, and cold cuts, this is because they contain high levels of preservatives.

They contain a high level of sodium, and sodium, for example, raises blood pressure and stroke risk, while the body converts nitrates to cancer-causing nitrosamines. Lean or not, these products aren’t healthy.

Is lamb healthier than beef?

Both lamb and beef are good sources of nutrients like protein, vitamin B, zinc, iron, and selenium. However, lamb contains more fat than beef even though the majority of lamb’s fat is on the outside, and can easily be trimmed off, beef is still a better source of meat than lamb since beef generally contains less fat than lamb.

On the flip side since most cattle are fed grain and soy and pumped with hormones and antibiotics. These things tend to result in beef that is less healthy than grass-fed lamb.

However, if both the cattle and the lamb are grass-fed without any hormones or genetically modified genes, the grass-fed cattle meat is far better than grass-fed lamb meat.

Is pork healthier than beef?

According to WebMD, substituting lean pork for beef and chicken led to less body fat and better heart health, however, Pork is better than beef from a nutritional standpoint and pork is much more easily digested than beef, and pork also does not contain much of the precursors that once incinerated can cause cancer.

In the US and Europe, pork absolutely does not contain any parasites. In fact, the USDA has lowered the recommended temperature for pork to be considered done and ready.

A lot of cattle is genetically engineered than pigs in most parts of the world. However, some people do not consider pork to be clean but that is not generally seen.

General guidelines for purchasing and consuming ‘healthy’ beef or pork:

Buy from a reputable dealer

Some assurance of quality control and inspection is helpful. If you choose to purchase from a local supplier, visit the site and talk to the staff about their processes.

Choose fresh or freshly frozen beef or pork as often as possible.

Avoid processed beef and pork, such as sausages, bacon, ham, and deli meats. If you would like to roast beef, consider roasting it yourself to control the additional ingredients added.

Look for a high percentage of meat protein (around 20%).

It’s important to choose lean/low-fat meats which can be very controversial, and there is evidence for and against. However, beef and pork should be a source of high-quality protein.

Most nutritious meat

According to WebMD, beef liver is one of the most nutritious meats, this is because It’s a great source of high-quality protein, and the liver contains a large amount of vitamins A, B12, B6; folic acid; iron; zinc; and essential amino acids more than other parts of the meat.

The worst meat to eat

The worst meat to eat is red meat this is because red meat is considered to be very high in cholesterol and saturated fat, and eating a lot of it has been heavily linked to several chronic health conditions, including heart disease and type 2 diabetes, and can be carcinogenic when smoked because it forms PAHs.

10 Most Unhealthy Meat & 5 Most Healthy Meat