New study highlights role of lean red meat in gut and heart health as part of a balanced healthy diet

A recent study¹ from Purdue University scientists reveals following a consistent dietary pattern that features lean red meat can contribute to gut microbiota balance and support cardiovascular health. 

Balanced Diets with Lean Red Meat Support Gut and Heart Health 

Researchers in the study assessed the effects of adopting and then intermittently stopping a healthy U.S.-style dietary pattern that included three ounces of lean red meat (beef and pork) daily in healthy young adults, a process called, “dietary pattern cycling.” 

The goal was to understand how cycling on and off a balanced diet for three controlled cycles affects health markers, particularly gut microbiota diversity and cardiovascular indicators. 

“Each time participants adopted the healthy dietary pattern, their gut microbiota shifted to a beneficial composition, and cardiovascular markers, such as LDL cholesterol, showed improvement and were consistently linked with the changes in the gut bacteria,” explains Wayne Campbell, PhD, professor in the department of nutrition science at Purdue University and lead investigator on the study.  

These results may also suggest that the gut microbiota may play a significant role in how diet influences cardiovascular health and underscore that lean red meats, when eaten as part of a balanced, healthy diet, may not adversely impact gut or heart health.^2,3 

Consistency in Dietary Patterns Yields the Most Sustainable Health Benefits 

The study highlights two important takeaways: intermittent healthy eating can offer benefits each time it’s resumed, but maintaining a balanced diet over time may yield more stable outcomes. 

Returning to a habitual or “usual” diet that was unrestricted from the healthy U.S.-style dietary pattern effectively reversed beneficial microbiota changes and cardiovascular improvements within a few weeks. Notably, while the healthy dietary pattern improved serum lipid profiles quickly—within just three weeks—maintaining it consistently would likely be necessary to sustain these benefits. 

“It’s better to consistently consume a healthy diet to support long-term health outcomes,” suggests Dr. Campbell. Dr. Campbell explains that this is true especially if you already enjoy lean red meat daily as part of a healthy balanced diet. 

The study adds to a growing body of evidence supporting recommendations for consuming a balanced, healthy dietary pattern, that may include lean red meats, for long-term health benefits. 

About the Study 

Conducted at Purdue University, this study evaluated 17 healthy young adults over three, three-week cycles of adopting, stopping, and re-adopting a controlled healthy dietary pattern from a habitual, uncontrolled diet, to assess impacts on gut microbiota and cardiovascular health markers. Researchers observed that while intermittent healthy eating cycles were beneficial, the most sustainable improvements in gut microbiota diversity and cardiovascular markers, such as LDL cholesterol, were seen with consistent adherence to a balanced diet that included lean red meat from beef or pork.  

References 

1. Wang Y, Cross T-WL, Lindemann SR, Tang M, Campbell WW. Healthy dietary pattern cycling affects gut microbiota and cardiovascular disease risk factors: Results from a randomized controlled feeding trial with young, healthy adults. Nutrients. 2024;16(21):3619.

2. O'Connor LE, Kim JE, Campbell WW. Total red meat intake of ≥0.5 servings/d does not negatively influence cardiovascular disease risk factors: a systemically searched meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Am J Clin Nutr. 2017;105(1):57-69.

3. Wang Y, Uffelman CN, Bergia RE, Clark CM, Reed JB, Cross TL, Lindemann SR, Tang M, Campbell WW. Meat consumption and gut microbiota: A scoping review of literature and systematic review of randomized controlled trials in adults. Adv Nutr. 2023;14(2):215-237. 

About National Pork Board 

The National Pork Board has responsibility for Pork Checkoff-funded research, promotion and consumer information projects and for communicating with pork producers and the public. The Pork Checkoff funds national and state programs in consumer education and marketing, retail and foodservice marketing, export market promotion, production improvement, science and technology, swine health, pork safety, and environmental management and sustainability. For the past half century, the U.S. pork industry has delivered on its commitment to sustainable production and has made significant strides in reducing the environmental impact of pig farming. Through a legislative national Pork Checkoff, pork producers invest $0.35 for each $100 value of hogs sold. Importers of pork products contribute a like amount, based on a formula. For information on Checkoff-funded programs, pork producers can call the Pork Checkoff Service Center at (800) 456-7675 or visit www.pork.org. 

About The Beef Checkoff

The Beef Checkoff Program was established as part of the 1985 Farm Bill. The checkoff assesses $1 per head on the sale of live domestic and imported cattle, in addition to a comparable assessment on imported beef and beef products. States may retain up to 50 cents on the dollar and forward the other 50 cents per head to the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board, which administers the national checkoff program, subject to USDA approval. 

About The Meat Foundation

The Meat Foundation, formerly Foundation for Meat & Poultry Research & Education, is a 501c (3) non-profit organization dedicated to research, education, and scholarship.  Our mission is to advance scientific understanding, cultivate future leaders, and support continuous improvement in the meat industry.  Born out of the merger of the Foundation for Meat and Poultry Research and Education and the NAMI Scholarship Foundation in 2024, the Meat Foundation continues eight decades of commitment to the industry's future through developing future leaders and investing in research to advance the meat industry.