Meat and its place in the diet

Abstract

Canadians are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of nutrition in their long-term health prospects. With this increased awareness, however, has come an abundance of misconceptions including the notion that meat is "bad" for you. In their haste to avoid saturated fat, physicians and the public alike have lost sight of the fact that lean meat in reasonable serving sizes poses no threat to health and is an extremely important source of many nutrients. The mistaken notion that only animal fats are saturated has resulted in a change in the source of fat but not the quantity. Health professionals must work together to educate the public about the many nutrient-dense, low-fat food choices available in a well-balanced diet.