Beef consumption is a common metric often used as a proxy for the assessment of the healthfulness of a diet. The notion that red meat is consumed in excessive amounts is pervasive, and this belief shapes diet recommendations advising consumers to reduce their red meat intake.

A new factsheet, developed by the nutrition team at Canada Beef, challenges the belief that Canadians overconsume beef. In fact, research from various reviews and analyses indicates that red meat intakes in Canada are modest and in line with those of Mediterranean countries, an important observation since the diets of countries in the Mediterranean are often used to model healthy patterns of eating. The factsheet also highlights Statistics Canada data that finds many Canadians are not meeting minimum recommended protein intakes as well as studies finding higher red meat consumption is beneficial to health.

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