(P04-034-25) The Effects of Daily Consumption of Beef or Plant-Based Meat for 8 Weeks on Cardiometabolic Risk Factors Among Women of Reproductive Age With Low Iron Stores

Objectives: Most guidelines emphasize the consumption of red meat to improve iron status; however, frequent consumption of red meat may be associated with cardiometabolic risk.  Our aim was to evaluate the effects of a daily meal containing red meat or plant-based meat for 8 weeks on cardiometabolic risk factors in women of reproductive age with iron deficiency. We hypothesized that meals containing red meat would have similar effects on cardiometabolic risk factors compared to the same meals containing plant-based meat.

Methods: In a randomized, double-blind, parallel-arm clinical trial, non-pregnant women of reproductive age (n=52, age 25 ± 7 y, BMI 22.8 ± 3.1 kg/m²) with iron deficiency (serum ferritin 13.8 ± 5.7 µg/L) consumed an iron supplement containing 32 mg elemental iron with a lunch meal containing either 4 oz. of unprocessed beef (red meat) or Beyond Meat (plant-based meat) once a day for 8 weeks. Meals were the same except for the addition of beef (meal composition: 475 kcal, 38 g carbohydrate, 41 g protein, 19 g total and 7 g saturated fat, and 5 g fiber) or Beyond Meat (meal composition: 474 kcal, 26 g carbohydrate, 46 g protein, 23 g total and 6 g saturated fat, and 8 g fiber). Participants completed 3-day food records each week throughout the study. Fasted measures of cardiometabolic risk were determined at baseline and endpoint. Within- and between-groups differences were examined using linear mixed-models with time, treatment, and their interaction as fixed effects.

Results: Cardiometabolic risk factors did not differ between groups at baseline. Mean intakes of energy, macro- and micronutrients over the 8 week study were similar between groups. Insulin (mean effect 0.38 µIU/mL [95% CI 0.15, 0.61], p-time=0.002) and glucose (mean effect 3.22 mg/dL [95% CI 0.43, 6.02], p-time=0.03) increased at 8 weeks regardless of whether meals contained beef or Beyond Meat. No between group differences were observed for BMI, fat mass, fat free mass, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, insulin, glucose, HOMA-IR, triglycerides, or total, LDL, HDL, and VLDL cholesterol.

Conclusions: Daily consumption of 4 oz. of beef or Beyond Meat for 8 weeks has similar effects on cardiometabolic risk factors in women of reproductive age with low iron stores.

Funding Sources: This study was funded in part by the National Cattleman’s Beef Association, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff.