Previous studies have claimed that eating red meat may increase the risk of cancer and heart disease. But for people who love red meat, is it really worth it to give up burgers and steaks?

A group of foreign investigators says probably not. The researchers say that the risks of getting a disease were low and uncertain. Thus, putting a curb on meat consumption is not worth it for people who love meat. It is claimed that other food and lifestyle factors could also be at risk and not only meat.

Many people who understand the extent of the risks would say “Thanks very much, but I’m going to keep eating my meat,” said McMaster University’s co-author Dr. Gordon Guyatt in Canada. It is the latest example of how controversial nutrition research has become. Uncertainties of such research leave the door open for conflicting advice. Critics say that findings are often not accompanied by strong evidence. Defenders argue that studies about nutrients may never be definitive due to the difficulty in weighing the effects of every food.

The researchers tried to determine the potential impact of eating less meat; they checked the average of two to four servings of meat consumed in North America and Western Europe. Thus, they found out that the proof of the risk was not convincing. It was discovered, for instance, that eliminating three red meat meals a week would result in seven lesser cancer deaths per 1,000 people.

Despite the idea that a panel of research claims, they still think that the advice to continue eating red meat is still weak and they failed to consider other factors such as animal welfare and the meat industry. The controversy on what and who to follow when it comes to red meat consumption is still stirring up among researchers. Dr. Guyatt said that he doesn’t think that red or processed meat has a significant health risk. But, he still refrains himself from eating out of habit and environmental factors.