Meat may be doing more than adding saturated fat to the menu. A huge international study involving nearly two million people found that regularly eating red and processed meat was linked to a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

So how much meat are we talking about? Researchers found higher diabetes risk associated with these daily amounts:

• 50 grams of processed meat a day, roughly two slices of ham: 15 percent higher risk
• 1.75 ounces of unprocessed red meat a day: 10 percent higher risk
• 3.5 ounces of poultry a day: eight percent higher risk, although researchers say this finding wasn’t as consistent

The takeaway probably won’t come as much of a surprise. Eating more fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains is already a well-established way to help lower your risk of type 2 diabetes.

Of course, no single food decides whether someone will develop diabetes, and the study found a connection rather than claiming that meat directly causes the disease. But with data from nearly two million people, it’s another pretty compelling reason to give plants the starring role on your plate.
Source: VegNews