Researchers Proved Meat Can Make You Gain Just As Much Weight As Sugar

Let's talk about moderation, shall we?

When it comes to nutrition, too much of anything you put in your mouth could hurt you. We already know this applies to sugar, but did you know the same moderation principle applies to meat?

After looking into what causes obesity in 170 countries, researchers found the two major culprits are sugar (which you could have guessed) and the fat and protein found in meat.

Yep, meat and sugar consumption are equally guilty in contributing to obesity all over the world, no matter the differences in the regions' calorie consumption and levels of exercise.

And it's not just the fat that's causing the problem. The protein is an issue, too.

We already know good fats are fats that actually help you with weight loss (looking at you peanut butter, olive oil and avocados). But fat from meat is not a good fat.

And apparently, the protein in meat (you know, the part that's supposed to be good for you) can be just as bad as the fat.

You see, your body processes meat protein later than carbs and fats, leaving you with a lot of extra nutrients.

If you don't exercise, the proteins in meat can't do their job, which is to repair muscle. And if the protein has no muscle to repair, the protein gets stored as fat.

Professor Maciej Henneberg, one of the authors of the study conducted at the University of Adelaide, explains where this situation can begin to improve.

He says,

In the modern world in which we live, in order to curb obesity it may make sense for dietary guidelines to advise eating less meat, as well as eating less sugar.

Some research has proved the fat in meat is actually worse for you than sugar. That's pretty crazy, since we've always been told sugar is just the worst.

Researchers at Glasgow University also evaluated 132,000 people in the UK and found that obese adults see the most weight gain from eating more fat, not just sugar. The study also showed sugar makes up a smaller portion of the diet for many overweight people than it does for healthier individuals.

Don't cry just yet, though. Some meat is leaner than others and is still OK to eat (in moderation, of course).

Turkey, chicken and fish are considered lean meats with low-fat content, so go ahead and eat a healthy amount of those.

But, it's a different story for beef burgers, ribs, steak and the like.

Sorry, summer barbecues, but you just got a lot less mouthwatering.

Citations: Why MEAT is as bad for your waistline as sugar (Daily Mail)