Summertime means it’s time to eat. Actually, it’s time to eat all year round due to the holidays but summertime is when everything truly comes to life. From the food festivals all over the city, the evening carnivals, the funnel cake at the amusement park, or the best potato salad known to man that only your grandma can make and bring to the cookout, summertime is where the food is at! With that being said, the type of food and drinks you consume during summertime probably always has your mouth watering at the thought of it.
From the juicy burgers and charcoaled hot dogs fresh off the grill, to the corn on the cob, macaroni, and potato salad that you just can't pass up. Let’s not forget about the barbecue ribs, baked and jerk chicken and the yellow rice that seems to hit the spot every time! The drinks range from light and fruity to hardcore and a knockout on top of all the sweet treats to indulge in to help you cool down in the summer heat. It’s a great time to enjoy good company and great food but what happens when it becomes too much? Well, these delicious foods might be ruining your future.
These Cookout Staples Are Great But…
Think about summertime and all the foods you might eat. You’re picturing a burger and fries, right? Maybe some freshly baked cupcakes. What about that sweet and tangy lemonade or that delicious and sweet tea that only your mom can make? How about those alcoholic beverages that always tend to sneak up on you after you’ve been sipping for a while? That delicious oven-baked slice of pizza with the gooiest cheese you can ever imagine? Yes, all those sound great don’t they? You could probably go for a few of them right now come to think about it right? Well, that’s understandable but should you really have that slice or drink that jungle juice?
As delicious as these summer staples may sound, they can be extremely bad for your body if consumed too often, and knowing that it’s summer and you may want to hit the streets any and every time the opportunity presents itself to you, you’re going to eat and indulge. But too much indulging in unhealthy food and beverages can lead to a lifetime of health struggles.
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Why Red Meat Can Be Taxing On Your Body
A few favorites that you may (or may not) indulge in more so during the summer months are burgers, ribs and some type of pork. All these are a form of red meat and when it comes to red meat, it may be juicy and delicious to your taste buds but your body hates it.
In fact, red meat is one of the most challenging types of foods for your body to intake. Red meat can have some benefits to your body because it contains certain vitamins such as the B12 vitamin, iron, zinc, and protein. Your body needs all of these to help with muscle growth and maintaining that growth. Though this is for unprocessed red meat.
Though it has its benefits, it also has its downfalls. Red meat breaks down very slowly in the body causing problems with digestion. Consuming red meat too often can also cause long-term issues such as cancer or even heart failure.
RELATED: Do I Need To Give Up Red Meat?
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How This Affects Your Heart
There have been studies that show that red meat can cause a greater risk of death due to heart disease and failure. This is due to the processing of red meat.
Once red meat is cooked it can contain high levels of sodium, which can lead to high blood pressure, and because you can’t eat raw meat without getting sick, you have to cook it.
Oftentimes when you cook, you may add seasoning such as salt, seasoned salt, or any other type of seasonings to give the food flavor and that adds more sodium to your meal. Too much sodium can and will lead to heart problems in the future.
Let’s Enjoy It Without It Destroying Us Shall We?
Listen, if you want the beef burger, then go ahead and have it but remember to be active after you eat it and make sure you’re not consuming too much alcohol or sugary drinks while you’re enjoying it.
Also, make sure you’re not eating a bunch of different red meats at once. Try substituting beef and pork for turkey and chicken such as chicken sausage or a turkey burger or bacon. These are healthier alternatives that will have you still enjoying the summer cookout without the future health risk.
Make sure to stay hydrated, drink a lot of water and go to the doctor for regular checkups.
You can still have the summer of your dreams and enjoy good food without having to subject yourself to terrible risks. A simple substitution here and there and staying active can help you do just that!
