A recent study 1 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
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.
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.
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
