Daily beef consumption did not worsen blood sugar regulation, insulin function, or inflammation in adults with prediabetes, a new randomized controlled trial found. The study, published inCurrent Developments in Nutrition, challenges conventional wisdom about red meat's impact on cardiometabolic health.
Researchers determined that eating 6 to 7 ounces of beef daily yielded similar results to poultry in terms of pancreatic β-cell function and insulin sensitivity. This finding comes as more than 135 million U.S. adults either have type 2 diabetes or are at high risk, increasing demand for evidence-based nutrition guidance.
Beef and Cardiometabolic Health
“Results from this gold standard RCT build on existing scientific evidence that shows eating beef as part of a healthy dietary pattern supports heart health and does not adversely impact measures of blood sugar regulation or inflammation,” said Kevin C.
Maki, PhD, Adjunct Professor at the Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington and senior author. He added that beef can fill essential nutritional gaps without negatively affecting cardiometabolic risk compared to poultry.
The clinical trial involved 24 adults, both male and female, aged 18-74, who were overweight or obese and had prediabetes. Participants followed two separate 28-day diet periods, each preceded by a 28-day washout. During the interventions, subjects consumed two daily meals featuring either cooked beef or poultry, with each entrée containing 3.0-3.5 ounces of meat. Meals included dishes such as fajitas, burgers, stew, burritos, and stir fry.
Study Design and Funding
Indika Edirisinghe, PhD, Professor of Food Science and Nutrition at Illinois Institute of Technology, noted that the study's findings suggest regular beef intake does not adversely affect metabolic or inflammatory risk factors when compared to poultry in this at-risk population.
Researchers measured pancreatic β-cell function, insulin sensitivity, and glucoregulatory hormones before and after each dietary phase. These measures help evaluate how diets affect glucose regulation, particularly as type 2 diabetes often develops with increasing insulin resistance and impaired β-cell function. The study found no statistically significant differences between the beef and poultry diets in these areas.
Indika Edirisinghe, PhD, Professor of Food Science and Nutrition at Illinois Institute of Technology, noted that the study's findings suggest regular beef intake does not adversely affect metabolic or inflammatory risk factors when compared to poultry in this at-risk population.
The National Cattlemen's Beef Association, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, funded the research. The organization was not involved in data collection, analysis, or the publication process, beyond reviewing a draft manuscript.
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