Is Corned Beef Healthy For You ?

Last updated on July 5th, 2024 at 10:05 am

Eating corned beef is a very delicious experience for many of you. Though it’s tasty and sour, it has a place in your taste buds. But is corned beef healthy to eat?

Yes, this question possibly, obviously should arise.

It has some reasons. Not major, but the nutritional value it does provide is quite alarming.

Without delaying I will tell you why corned beef is healthy and dangerous at the same time.

Is corned beef good or bad for you?

Corned beef is one best dishes many people prefer in Western countries like the United States, England, and others. But as the name suggests, it has nothing to do with corn. Sometimes just the meat is treated with some corn.

It is the brisket form of meat which is cured with the salt. After being processed with salt it gives some salty or sour taste. So, it is a tasty dish. But do know that corned meat also serves some healthy benefits.

However, being a processed form of meat, it does not possess as healthy benefits as the raw form of beef. Plus being processed and that too in salt is an unhealthier one.

Keeping advantages and disadvantages into consideration let’s explore is corned beef healthy or not.

How much is corned beef healthy to eat?

If corned beef is healthy, how much and what kind of nutrition does it have? We must look into that. Here, the USDA provides the nutritional value of 85 grams of processed corned beef.

So really is corned beef a healthy dish?

So, if you want to know if corned beef healthy, you must analyze its nutritional value.

First of all, you can’t expect much about corned beef being so nutritious. But it provides some healthy components as we can see in the chart. So, let us analyze and dissect the nutrition and health benefits of corned beef.

1. It makes healthy red blood cells

Corn beef is a good source of vitamin B12, protein, and iron. Fortunately, these three components are essential to building red blood cells and also hemoglobin.

Let’s see it.

vitamin B 12

A deficiency of vitamin B12 causes anemia and some neurological disorders. According to American Family Physician, Vitamin B12 plays an important role in DNA synthesis and neurologic function. So, we can say that the deficiency of vitamin B12 leads to some hematological and neuropsychiatric disorders.

So, to restore the deficiency of b12 corned could be the best option for you.

iron

Iron, on the other hand, especially the heme form of iron is a vital component of your hemoglobin molecule. So, the sufficient intake of iron increases hemoglobin production. This in turn elevates the formation of red blood cells.

Protein

Protein in general is required for normal growth and repair of any cell including red blood cells. So, the protein component in corned beef is also going to help to form red blood cells.

2. Muscle maintenance and repair

Protein is called the building blocks for muscles. Muscle is the protein itself. Though not as rich a protein source as raw meat, corn beef also has a major amount of protein.

The research suggests that the increase in dietary protein also increases the muscle protein which leads to increased muscle mass.

3. Weight Management

Protein also helps in managing your weight. Several studies support that protein helps in reducing your body weight.

According to this study dietary intake of protein has a positive impact on weight loss strategy due to its higher satiety index than carbohydrate.

4. Helps to manage your Thyroid issues

Corn beef also has some amount of Selenium. Selenium is a mineral. Though it is less known, it has benefits in managing thyroid health. It is also essential for the metabolism of thyroid hormones.

According to a study, the deficiency in selenium mineral causes disturbances of thyroid hormone. Selenium deficiency along with iodine imbalance may develop a health condition called Cretinism.

So, studies also suggest that proper selenium intake is essential to thyroid hormone synthesis and metabolism.

5. Is corned beef good for high blood pressure?

Well, there is no chance that beef especially corned beef would be good for your blood pressure. The process of making corned beef involves the soaking of meat in salt solution which leads to significant absorption of salt in meat pieces. So, this process makes your favorite corned beef rich in sodium content.

Salt is surely not recommended for people having high blood pressure conditions. Salt increases the pressure on your blood vessels. The study suggests that consumption of dietary salt intake may increase hypertension.

6. Is corned beef kidney-friendly?

No way. There is not any scientific evidence that suggests that corned beef is suitable or has any benefits regarding kidney functions. The components found in corned beef are exclusively harmful to kidneys.

Especially, excess protein, and salt that corned beef has, are harmful to kidneys. These factors may compromise the functions of the kidneys.

• Proteins- Proteins are needed, but excess amount of protein intake may be problematic for kidneys. Especially if you are already suffering from any kidney disease.
• Sodium- As sodium increases blood pressure, it has also a negative impact on the kidneys. Increased blood pressure deteriorates or compromises the functions of the kidneys.

Corned beef has some nutrition and health benefits. But it is wise to consume it in moderate amounts as it also contains a dense amount of sodium.

Is corned beef good to eat every day?

Eating corned beef every day is a bad idea. It’s harmful. Nothing wrong with that, but just the way preservatives and sodium are used in it, makes it unhealthy.

We have seen the high sodium retention in corned beef is bad for people having high blood pressure. Plus, corned beef is a highly processed form of meat. This study revealed that the consumption of processed meat is highly linked with coronary heart disease and diabetes mellitus. Another study shows the correlation between the read processed meat and cancer.

So, tasting and enjoying the corned beef occasionally and in moderation will be the best choice for you. It will provide you with healthy benefits as well as will stop you from landing into another health crisis.

Conclusion

Corned beef has some nutrition and health benefits. But what the other side of corned beef suggests is also an important factor that we have to consider while consuming corned beef. Being highly sodium, preservative, and processed, the daily consumption of corned beef is dangerous for your health.

On the other hand, the consumption of corned beef in moderation gives you the full benefits of protein, selenium, and iron content it.

So, if you like corned beef, don’t hesitate to enjoy it without overconsuming it.

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