7 Reasons You Should Stop Eating Red Meat (3 of 3)

The production of red meat has a terrible environmental footprint.

You may not think about the journey and behind-the-scenes logistics it requires to bring that hamburger or steak to your plate. But it is just downright bad for the environment. And one of the ways it is harmful is the mere existence of livestock. In the process of digestion, livestock like cattle produce methane, or CH4. “This process represents almost one-third of the harmful emissions from the agriculture sector,” said Smith. And that sector specifically represents 9 percent of all the world’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Other things that you can eat instead of red meat:

To replace red meat as a staple, there are plenty of options to choose from. Bison is one of the best replacements if you still want to have something similar to red meat and lower the associated risks. Bison is much lower in saturated fat and calories. Another healthy option is Salmon, which is packed full of omega-3 fatty acids. Just three servings of fish per week can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Moving through the meat categories, chicken breast is another great replacement. With this option, you can easily meet your protein goals, all while reducing your fat and calorie intake. And if you can make the transition, cannellini beans and black bean burgers are an awesome way to replace meat all together and give your body a chance to recover and process.