The red meat controversy is not new. As with dozens of other foods and beverages, there is an incessant flow of studies oscillating between the positive and negative effects on health.

We have seen it with eggs, we have seen it with alcohol, and now we are seeing it with red meat. Recently, there has been rampant publicity about a recent study linking red meat to cardiovascular disease which was further heightened in a New York Times publication.

Although this correlation certainly is not new, it does bring up several valid concerns.

The chemical found in red meat that has generated the health concern is an amino acid called L-carnitine. It is an essential amino acid in the fat-burning process, especially for athletes and those trying to lose weight.

However, carnitine has recently been linked to heart disease and diabetes. This has generated a public outcry against the consumption of red meat. As a vegetarian, I support the notion of avoiding red meat; however, the public outcry is for all the wrong reasons. The issue is not with red meat itself, but with the meat-processing industry.

Over the past century, our food consumption has grown progressively worse to the point that it is now disastrous. Many students saw the film “Food Inc.” in Family and Consumer Sciences in Middle School, which revealed the true nature of the food we eat.

Food factories have an utter disregard for the health and wellness of their consumers, instead prioritizing mass production and efficiency. As a result, the quality of the food, both in terms of health and taste has rapidly deteriorated. This at the root of the red meat controversy.

Data found by the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) ,including information from over 1,000,000 individuals, show an association of processed meat with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. However, no association was found for unprocessed red meat. Similarly, processed meat increased the risk of death while no effect was seen for unprocessed red meat.

The EPIC study shows that it is the production of the meat that results in health concerns, not the meat itself. Even if you are not eating fast food, you are still eating the meat itself.

In the 1970s, the top five beef packers controlled about 25% of the market. Currently, the top four control more than 80% of the market.

Birds are now raised and slaughtered in 48 days, compared with 70 days going back 50 years ago, yet they are twice as big due to being pumped with steroids and antibiotics. In 1998, the USDA implemented microbial testing for salmonella and E. coli 0157h7 so that if a plant repeatedly failed these tests, the USDA could shut down that plant.

After being taken to court by the meat and poultry associations, the USDA no longer has that power.

Irrespective of root cause, one thing remains clear: the current red meat on the market has several health concerns associated with its consumption. For the time being, the major food conglomerates will continue to control the meat industry, which means it is up to us, the consumers to become conscious of the food we eat.

We should prioritize sources of food that come from local sources and remain cognisant of the health risks of meat in the supermarket. Perhaps you should even try being vegetarian for a little while.