What is the meat, really?

Meat is not a peculiar source of nutrients. You can often hear: meat is necessary for food, meat is indispensable, not a meal without meat ... But in reality? In fact, the meat is not any particularly useful, "a wonderful product," quite the contrary. Judge for yourself.

Animal meat, used for human consumption, contains 14-20% protein. According to this parameter is not meat records. Cheese contains 30% protein (about 25%), 18% low-fat cottage cheese, beans, on average about 20% (to 35% of the protein in soybeans).

"Experienced" meat-eating supporters say: "Meat protein very nutritious." Is this true?

Indeed, apart from the amount of protein in the product, important nutritional value of the protein. Proteins are made of amino acids. From food proteins are digested, not directly but only after expanding into their constituent amino acids. It is so important for the amino acid nutrition of the human body and determine the nutritional value of a protein. From the set of amino acids out eight "special", so-called "essential" amino acids: lysine, methionine, tryptophan, leucine, isoleucine, valine, threonine, phenylalanine. Essential amino acids can not be synthesized in the body of animals (not only human), and can not be replaced by other amino acids, so they must come from food. There are also amino acids, which are often (for whatever reason) are synthesized by the body in sufficient quantities, it is histidine and arginine. In turn, the amino acids cysteine ​​and tyrosine are formed only of the essential methionine and phenylalanine.

In debate on the need to use flesh to eat often refer to the amino acid composition of meat proteins. However, as seen from the table, the meat does not have any noticeable advantage in this area.

In addition to the amino acid composition, nutritional value of proteins depends on their digestibility. With these requirements in the best proteins are proteins of dairy products (milk, yogurt, cheese, etc.), and not the meat, as it is in the body longer to digest protein and less digestible.

In addition to protein, meat contains fat - a significant part of its substance. Components of fat - fatty acids - are divided into two types: saturated and unsaturated (ie the degree of saturation of acid molecules with hydrogen atoms).

Meat fats consist mainly of saturated fatty acids. The nutritive value of a saturated fatty acid yield unsaturated. In addition, the possible negative effects of saturated fatty acids on the fat metabolism and function of the liver. Also, saturated fatty acids increase the development of atherosclerosis.

Unsaturated fatty acids, prevalent in vegetable fats, on the contrary, strengthens blood vessels, has a positive influence on the metabolic processes in the skin and mucous membranes.

In addition to the lower nutritional value, fat meat is difficult to digest, and low-fat meat is digested worse.

Along with the proteins and fats in the diet of the important role played by minerals. The meat of minerals containing iron and phosphorus. Compare the amount of iron in meat and other foods (per 100 g): meat - 1.5-2.8 mg beans - 12.4 mg, buckwheat - 8.0 mg, seaweed - 16 mg, hips - 11.5 mg, peaches - 4.1 mg. Iron content, some cereals, fruits and vegetables are superior meat in 3-10 times. It's the same with phosphorus (numbers per 100 g): Meat - 130-210 mg, beans - 541 mg, peas - 226 mg, millet - 233 mg.

The most important component of the diet - vitamins. Needless to say that their main sources are plants. In meat food vitamins are scarce. Meat food boasts the only more or less is there in it vitamin B (100 g): B1 - 0,10-0,93 mg, B2 (riboflavin) - 0.15-0.25 mg, B4 (choline) - 80-113 mg, B6 (pyridoxine) - 0,3-0,61 mg. Also, meat contains nicotinamide (vitamin PP) - 2,7-6,21 mg/100 g, however, the meat does not have vitamin C, which is not synthesized in the body and does not accumulate, and vitamin A. The lack of these vitamins in causes severe human disease.

Vegetable and dairy foods are composed of B vitamins in no fewer than meat, for example (100 g): B1: Buckwheat - 0.43 mg, peas - 0.90 mg, 0.62 mg of wheat; B2: spinach - 0.25 mg, Beans - 0.12 mg, cheese - up to 0.5 mg. However, apart from this group of vitamins, vegetables and fruits contain a diverse set of other essential vitamins C, K, E, Group A. ..

Thus, the meat is not the source of any particular protein or fat, and the more minerals and vitamins. At best, the meat food may accept a mediocre source of nutrients, not create even the appearance of a full ration.