In 1989, actress Halle Berry passed out while filming a television show. She woke up seven days later to learn she had Type 2 diabetes.
After her hospital discharge, Berry made some serious changes in her diet. One was to stop eating red meat.
At that time, research suggested that regularly consuming red meat was associated with Type 2 diabetes, and should be avoided. Now research suggests that eating any meat — chicken as well as beef, sausage, pork, lamb, etc. — is associated with developing the condition.
A new study published in the journal Diabetes has found that eating an additional 100 grams (about 3 ounces) of total meat or red meat daily increases your risk for developing Type 2 diabetes by 33% and 31%, respectively.
And if you're also eating 1.7 ounces a day of processed meat, your risk of diabetes increases by 46%.
Why? It may be that meat is high in saturated fat and cholesterol, which increase your risk for obesity, making you more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes.
Plant-based diets are the healthiest. If you don't become a vegetarian or vegan, you should still avoid red and processed meats, and limit your intake of lean, skinless chicken or fish to one 3-6 ounce serving daily.
And no fried foods. Stick with baked, grilled, steamed, or poached.
If you're worried about getting enough protein, remember there are many plant-based options — including quinoa, chia seeds, beans, legumes, nuts and tofu — that can provide you with all the protein you need.