Surgeon shares how different meats impact your gut health: Is breakfast sausage not good for you?

Doctor shared a detailed breakdown of how your meat choices affect your gut health, influencing the microbiome significantly.

With protein being prioritised more often, many are increasing their meat intake, one of the primary sources of raw protein. But blindly piling up your plate with any protein is not sustainable; it can harm one of the vital systems in your body- the gut health, by taking a toll on the gut microbiome. This is where understanding which meat is actually healthy and which is not helps to make a big difference. The key is being selective in what you choose.

To reach protein intake, many add meat to plates. (Shutterstock)

UK-based NHS surgeon Dr Karan Rajan, who regularly shares health and nutrition tips on Instagram, posted on June 17 about the different types of meats and how they influence the gut microbiome, which is a complex community of trillions of bacteria, fungi and microbes living inside the digestive tract. They help support various health functions, from digestion, immunity to mood.

Dr Rajan identified each meat’s gut microbial influence based on a study which elaborated on the different types of meat and how they shape the diversity and balance of gut bacteria.

1. White meat

Chicken is white meat. (Shutterstock)

White meats are the light-coloured meat, like chicken, turkey, which commonly come from the poultry. Talking about white meat's influence, Dr Ranjan said, “If you eat white meat like chicken or turkey, it can shift around 36 gut bacterial species, but overall, your gut microbiome diversity remains stable.”

2. Unprocessed red meat

Steak is red meat. (Shutterstock)

Similarly, unprocessed red meats have a much darker red colour, hence the name, and they typically come from mammals. These include steak, lamb, goat, and pork. They shift the microbiome the least. Dr Ranjan noted, “If you eat unprocessed red meat like steak or lamb, it can shift around 14 bacterial species with some but minimal impact on your gut microbiome diversity.”

3. Processed meat

Sausage is a processed meat. (Shutterstock)

Lastly, processed meat like bacon, sausage, and ham are often chemically treated, processed and preserved. They also include additives. Their effect on gut microbiome is adverse, as Dr Ranjan said, “If you eat processed meats like sausages or bacon, it can shift over 300 bacterial species and significantly lower microbial diversity.”

Citing the study once again, Dr Rajan explained how the study showed that processed meats are harmful for gut health, spiking dangerous health parameters in the body, from insulin to blood pressure.

He said, “These results were from 10, 000 people, which showed that while white or unprocessed red meats have small microbiome effects, processed meats significantly and dramatically reprogram the gut, shifting it towards metabolic stress and inflammation with higher CRP, fasting insulin, glucose, triglycerides and blood pressure. If you enjoy meat, you don't need to go cold turkey, but the key is focusing on the type and volume of meat that you consume because the effects are dose-dependent. So the next time you are making pasta, switch it up and throw in some beans and legumes instead of the meat.”

So the takeaway for meat lovers is that while this is not a call to cut out meat completely, it is a wake-up call to be more mindful of the kind of meat you consume. Many plates casually include sausages or bacon, especially at breakfast, but it is vital to note that processed meats can negatively impact gut health.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.