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Lean red meat could support mental health as long as it’s part of an overall healthy diet, according to an exploratory new study.
Researchers at South Dakota State University (SDSU) analyzed data from the American Gut Project, a large, open-source microbiome initiative with over 11,000 participants.
Participants with higher HEI scores — regardless of red-meat intake — were less likely to report depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and bipolar disorder.
But those who ate red meat as part of a high-quality diet showed additional benefits.
Those benefits include higher protein intake; better adequacy of key brain-supporting nutrients such as zinc, selenium, vitamin B-12 and choline, which help regulate memory, mood, muscle control and other functions; and a more diverse gut microbiota.
Previous studies have found that gut bacteria produce neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine, which are central to mood regulation, cognition and stress response and resilience.
Lean red meat had a slightly less disruptive effect on the gut than chicken, Fox News Digital previously reported.
“What was really compelling was the significant nutritional benefit we saw in healthy eaters who consumed red meat,” Samitinjaya Dhakal, assistant professor at SDSU’s School of Health and Human Sciences, said in a news release.
The preliminary findings, he added, support a “less rigid” approach to healthy eating that focuses on dietary patterns rather than cutting out certain foods altogether, like red meat, which previous research has linked to cardiovascular disease and cancer.
“This suggests the public health message shouldn’t be about complete elimination — but about building a high-quality diet into which lean red meat can fit,” Dhakal said.
Yet experts warn that other research has tied red and processed meat to poor physical and cognitive health outcomes.
A 2020 United Kingdom study of adults aged 37 to 73 linked higher red-meat consumption to weaker problem-solving, short-term memory and planning skills.
And a 10-year study of over 133,000 U.S. nurses found that eating red meat — particularly processed types like bacon and sausage — was tied to faster memory decline and a higher risk of dementia.
“This study makes the important distinction of assessing red meat in the context of a healthy diet.”
“It’s worth remembering that we still have decades of evidence linking processed and high-fat meats to things like heart disease and diabetes,” noted Jenny Shields, Ph.D., a clinical health psychologist based in The Woodlands, Texas.
“This study makes the important distinction of assessing red meat in the context of a healthy diet,” she said.
The full study is currently under review for publication.
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