Cooked meat bacteria endotoxemia- Inflammation and diet
Written By: Milos Pokimica
Medically Reviewed by: Dr. Xiùying Wáng, M.D.
Updated June 9, 2023The emerging role of chronic inflammation in modern society’s major chronic diseases has sparked research into the impact of nutrition and dietary patterns on inflammatory status. The majority of human studies have linked dietary intake to systemic inflammation markers such as high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (HS-CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-).
Significant dietary influences have been established for glycemic index (GI) and load (GL), fiber, fatty acid composition, magnesium, carotenoids, and flavonoids. Whole food plant-based diet or even a traditional Mediterranean dietary pattern, which typically has a high ratio of monounsaturated (MUFA) to saturated (SFA) fats and ω-3 to ω-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFAs) and supplies an abundance of fruits, vegetables, legumes, and grains, has shown anti-inflammatory effects when compared with typical North American and Northern European dietary patterns in most observational and interventional studies. There is a wide range of factors that influence inflammation caused by diet but a whole food antioxidant-rich, nutrient-rich diet may become the diet of choice for diminishing chronic inflammation in clinical practice.
Prolonged low-grade inflammation is linked to increased oxidative stress and altered glucose and lipid metabolism in fat (adipose) cells, muscle, and the liver. As a result, research indicates that certain dietary components can influence these key inflammatory pathways.
One of the factors that creates inflammation spikes after animal product consumption is a process known as endotoxemia. `Diet-induced metabolic endotoxemia has been proposed as a major root cause of inflammation, and these pathways appear to be detrimental to healthy aging.
We as humans, unlike carnivores species, have very low resistance filters meaning any live bacteria we eat will be creating inflammation, and diet can kill us if bacteria is dangerous. We cannot eat uncooked meat. Carnivorous animals have extremely corrosive bile acids that are able to kill any living microorganism and their digestive system is practically sterile. We as any other plant eater have mild bile acid and low resistance filters and have to cook meat and any other food item that has the potential to spread an infectious disease. For example, pasteurization is mandatory.
What people don’t understand is that even if we do cook meat we do not magically dematerialize all of the bacteria that were present in there. We only kill them by heat but they are still in there. Microorganisms are still in the meat just dead. They will not pose any risk of infection anymore.
But that does not mean that they don’t pose a risk anymore.
Even dead non-probiotic bacteria do count as toxins.
Some of the world’s most toxic substances are these dead meat bacteria endotoxins.
These substances known as endotoxins (Greek éndon within; cognate with Old Irish ind-) are thermally (250C) and chemically stable and extremely toxic. Endotoxin is a complex lipopolysaccharide (LPS) found in the outer cell membrane of gram-negative bacteria (E.coli, Salmonella typhi, Shigella).
Bacteria shed endotoxins in large amounts upon cell death creating an endotoxemia state in the body. Meaning, the bacteria can be dead or cooked for a long time, but their endotoxins are still there. Endotoxins are chemically very stable and can withstand our body’s best attempts at acid and enzyme degradation. One of the leading causes of hundreds of studies that display enlarged inflammation from animal foods, but not from most plant foods, maybe is a consequence of a toxic load of dead bacteria endotoxins in animal products. These bacteria shed endotoxins after death and then when we eat them they are absorbed into our system, leading to the endotoxemia inflammation we see after egg, meat, and dairy consumption, as well.
This would cause damage to our internal organs and the entire body and will increase the chances of chronic diseases (Ghosh et al., 1993).
If we already have an autoimmune disease such as atherosclerosis, for example, this will just agitate our immune system even worse and would create even more of an immune response (Stoll et al., 2004).
Here is one study that discovered a link between endotoxin exposure and diabetes type 2 (Harte et al., 2012).
What a low level of chronic endotoxemia inflammation does is that it causes damage like any other inflammation just in a prolonged period. What that translates to is faster and more noticeable DNA damage, a higher mortality rate from chronic diseases, and decreased longevity.
In contrast, plant foods do not show this trait, and actual consumption is correlated with the anti-inflammatory reaction after a meal because of the antioxidants and other anti-inflammatory phytochemicals. It would be interesting to see how much inflammation meat consumption causes in carnivorous species. So far I was unable to find research that looks into dead meat bacteria endotoxemia exposure in carnivorous species. This could be potentially interesting because if meat causes no inflammation in carnivorous animals, we might look at a way how to lower the same inflammation in our own bodies.
Consumption of meat, therefore, is associated with an increase in inflammation even if we disregard the risk of live infectious bacteria. This mechanism is natural and normal, and all of the carnivorous species had it to some extent but are more adept at coping with it.
A fresh hamburger contains approximately a hundred million bacteria per quarter pounder. Eating meals high in bacterial endotoxins could develop mild but systemic inflammatory episodes that predispose subjects to the development of chronic diseases.
The animal fat that comes in the same package may play a role in the pathogenesis of this after-meal inflammation. Endotoxins hold a powerful attraction for saturated fat, so they stick to it and then get absorbed through the gut wall and into the bloodstream (Erridge, 2011).
Would this happen if we eat food that is high in saturated fat from plant origin? It would, but the difference is that there are no high levels of these toxins in plant-based foods. For example, cocoa has a high fat content. It is one of the plants that has energy stored in a form of saturated fat, the same fat that is found in the animal kingdom. But cocoa also has a large number of antioxidants and in studies always decreases the level of C-reactive protein in subjects (a marker for inflammation) (Erridge et al., 2007), (Herieka et al., 2014).
The high antioxidant content of cocoa prevails and is able to neutralize the pro-inflammatory effects of endotoxins that are not present in the plants in high numbers, to begin with (Gu et al., 2014).
The problem with meat is a high concentration of bacteria. This means that eating a standard Western diet rich in animal protein and refined sugar and fat will require a much higher level of antioxidants to negate the bad pro-inflammatory effects.
The question will be where can we use these findings and can we diminish the bed proinflammatory effects of high animal protein meals with antioxidant-rich food. In other words, can we still eat meat but also add some high-antioxidant vegetables or fruits to the same meal to avoid the risk (Burton-Freeman, 2010).
There was a large number of studies done on a topic and the conclusion is yes, we can, but only to some extent. Avoidance of toxin exposure is our primary goal. If you really have to eat animal products then at least incorporate an adequate amount of anti-inflammatory food sources and calculate your optimal ORAC (Oxygen radical absorbance capacity) intake. You can find ORAC values here (ORAC Values). This would not completely negate the toxicity of dead meat bacteria endotoxemia exposure. These toxins are very potent and hard to detoxify. There are genetically susceptible individuals that have a harder time detoxifying these compounds. Antioxidant-rich food will lower the risk to a relevant degree and my advice is to optimize the antioxidant intake.
The best course of action would be to have a whole food plant-based diet that has an optimal level of ORAC units and a wide range of proinflammatory food sources with an adequate level of all essential micronutrients.
This is what the British Journal of Nutrition has to say about it.
“Postprandial (fed) state is a pro-oxidant state. The postprandial period is a time of active oxidative metabolism and formation of ROS (free radicals). There is increasing evidence that the postprandial state is an important contributing factor to chronic disease. Two main questions are posed: first, what is the role of plant foods, specifically fruits rich in complex and simple phenolic compounds in postprandial metabolic management; and second, does the evidence support consuming these fruits with meals as a practical strategy to preserve health and lower risk for disease? The collected data suggest that consuming phenolic-rich fruits increases the antioxidant capacity of the blood, and when they are consumed with high fat and carbohydrate ‘pro-oxidant and pro-inflammatory’ meals, they may counterbalance their negative effects. Given the content and availability of fat and carbohydrate in the Western diet, regular consumption of phenolic-rich foods, particularly in conjunction with meals, appears to be a prudent strategy to maintain oxidative balance and health.“
References:
- Ghosh, S., Latimer, R. D., Gray, B. M., Harwood, R. J., & Oduro, A. (1993). Endotoxin-induced organ injury. Critical care medicine, 21(2 Suppl), S19–S24. https://doi.org/10.1097/00003246-199302001-00005
- Stoll, L. L., Denning, G. M., & Weintraub, N. L. (2004). Potential role of endotoxin as a proinflammatory mediator of atherosclerosis. Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology, 24(12), 2227–2236. https://doi.org/10.1161/01.ATV.0000147534.69062.dc
- Harte, A. L., Varma, M. C., Tripathi, G., McGee, K. C., Al-Daghri, N. M., Al-Attas, O. S., Sabico, S., O’Hare, J. P., Ceriello, A., Saravanan, P., Kumar, S., & McTernan, P. G. (2012). High fat intake leads to acute postprandial exposure to circulating endotoxin in type 2 diabetic subjects. Diabetes care, 35(2), 375–382. https://doi.org/10.2337/dc11-1593
- Erridge C. (2011). The capacity of foodstuffs to induce innate immune activation of human monocytes in vitro is dependent on food content of stimulants of Toll-like receptors 2 and 4. The British journal of nutrition, 105(1), 15–23. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114510003004
- Erridge, C., Attina, T., Spickett, C. M., & Webb, D. J. (2007). A high-fat meal induces low-grade endotoxemia: evidence of a novel mechanism of postprandial inflammation. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 86(5), 1286–1292. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/86.5.1286
- Herieka, M., & Erridge, C. (2014). High-fat meal induced postprandial inflammation. Molecular nutrition & food research, 58(1), 136–146. https://doi.org/10.1002/mnfr.201300104
- Gu, Y., Yu, S., Park, J. Y., Harvatine, K., & Lambert, J. D. (2014). Dietary cocoa reduces metabolic endotoxemia and adipose tissue inflammation in high-fat fed mice. The Journal of nutritional biochemistry, 25(4), 439–445. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnutbio.2013.12.004
- Burton-Freeman B. (2010). Postprandial metabolic events and fruit-derived phenolics: a review of the science. The British journal of nutrition, 104 Suppl 3, S1–S14. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114510003909
Related Posts
Do you have any questions about nutrition and health?
I would love to hear from you and answer them in my next post. I appreciate your input and opinion and I look forward to hearing from you soon. I also invite you to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest for more diet, nutrition, and health content. You can leave a comment there and connect with other health enthusiasts, share your tips and experiences, and get support and encouragement from our team and community.
I hope that this post was informative and enjoyable for you and that you are prepared to apply the insights you learned. If you found this post helpful, please share it with your friends and family who might also benefit from it. You never know who might need some guidance and support on their health journey.
– You Might Also Like –
Learn About Nutrition
Milos Pokimica is a doctor of natural medicine, clinical nutritionist, medical health and nutrition writer, and nutritional science advisor. Author of the book series Go Vegan? Review of Science, he also operates the natural health website GoVeganWay.com
Medical Disclaimer
GoVeganWay.com brings you reviews of the latest nutrition and health-related research. The information provided represents the personal opinion of the author and is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The information provided is for informational purposes only and is not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider.NEVER DISREGARD PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL ADVICE OR DELAY SEEKING MEDICAL TREATMENT BECAUSE OF SOMETHING YOU HAVE READ ON OR ACCESSED THROUGH GoVeganWay.com
NEVER APPLY ANY LIFESTYLE CHANGES OR ANY CHANGES AT ALL AS A CONSEQUENCE OF SOMETHING YOU HAVE READ IN GoVeganWay.com BEFORE CONSULTING LICENCED MEDICAL PRACTITIONER.
In the event of a medical emergency, call a doctor or 911 immediately. GoVeganWay.com does not recommend or endorse any specific groups, organizations, tests, physicians, products, procedures, opinions, or other information that may be mentioned inside.
Editor Picks –
Milos Pokimica is a doctor of natural medicine, clinical nutritionist, medical health and nutrition writer, and nutritional science advisor. Author of the book series Go Vegan? Review of Science, he also operates the natural health website GoVeganWay.com
Latest Articles –
Plant Based News
-
Protein Found In Meat Linked To Increased Risk Of Arthritis
on April 12, 2024
-
Try This Easy Quinoa And Edamame Salad
on April 12, 2024
-
Switzerland’s Inaction On Climate Crisis Breaches Human Rights, Says Landmark Court Case
on April 12, 2024
-
Eat At Least 75% Plant-Based Foods, Say Germany’s New Dietary Guidelines
on April 12, 2024
-
Don’t Believe The Myths: The Horse Racing Industry Is Rotten To Its Core
on April 12, 2024
-
South Africa Rules That Vegan Meat Cannot Be Seized From Supermarket Shelves
on April 11, 2024
-
Kale Is One Of The Best Foods We Can Eat – 10 Recipes To Try
on April 11, 2024
Top Health News — ScienceDaily
- Inherited predisposition for higher muscle strength may protect against common morbiditieson April 12, 2024
A study showed that a genetic predisposition for higher muscle strength predicts a longer lifespan and a lower risk for developing common diseases. This is a highly comprehensive international study on hereditary muscle strength and its relationship to morbidity. The genome and health data of more than 340,000 Finns was used in the research.
- A novel machine learning model for the characterization of material surfaceson April 12, 2024
Machine learning (ML) enables the accurate and efficient computation of fundamental electronic properties of binary and ternary oxide surfaces, as shown by scientists. Their ML-based model could be extended to other compounds and properties. The present research findings can aid in the screening of surface properties of materials as well as in the development of functional materials.
- Scientists uncover a missing link between poor diet and higher cancer riskon April 12, 2024
A research team has unearthed new findings which may help explain the connection between cancer risk and poor diet, as well as common diseases like diabetes, which arise from poor diet. The insights gained from this study hold promise for advancing cancer prevention strategies aimed at promoting healthy aging.
- PFAS exposure from high seafood diets may be underestimatedon April 12, 2024
A study suggests that people with diets high in seafood may face a greater risk of exposure to PFAS — the family of human-made toxins known as ‘forever chemicals’ — than previously thought. The researchers stress the need for more stringent public health guidelines that establish how much seafood people can safely consume to limit their exposure, particularly in coastal areas where seafood is frequently eaten.
- Choosing sugary drinks over fruit juice for toddlers linked to risk of adult obesityon April 12, 2024
Consuming sugar-sweetened drinks in the first few years of childhood can be linked to poor diet patterns that increase the risk of obesity in later life, according to a new study.
- Melanomas resist drugs by ‘breaking’ geneson April 12, 2024
A study has disentangled the mechanisms behind one of the ways melanoma cancer cells develop resistance to treatment. The study found that, in response to some drugs, melanomas can ‘break’ parts of their BRAF gene, which is mutated in 1 in 2 melanomas. This helps the tumor create alternative versions of the protein which lack regions targeted by one BRAF inhibitors, one of the main drugs used to treat this type of cancer, making treatment less effective. The findings pave the way for […]
- Cells putting on a faceon April 12, 2024
Neural crest cells — embryonic pluripotent cells within the facial primordium — may be necessary for forming proper animal facial structures. Researchers have produced neural crest cell-rich aggregates from human pluripotent stem cells and developed a method to differentiate them in cell populations with a branchial arch-like gene expression pattern.
PubMed, #vegan-diet –
- Changes in the consumption of isoflavones, omega-6, and omega-3 fatty acids in women with metastatic breast cancer adopting a whole-food, plant-based diet: post-hoc analysis of nutrient intake data…on April 5, 2024
CONCLUSION: Transitioning to a WFPB diet resulted in significantly increased isoflavone intake and decreased n-6:n-3 ratio in women with breast cancer.
- A whole food, plant-based randomized controlled trial in metastatic breast cancer: feasibility, nutrient, and patient-reported outcomeson March 30, 2024
CONCLUSIONS: Significant dietary changes in this population are feasible and may improve QOL by improving treatment-related symptoms. Additional study is warranted.
- Restrictive Diets in Patients with Fibromyalgia: State of the Arton March 28, 2024
Around 20-30% of Fibromyalgia patients modify their dietary habits after diagnosis, including avoiding certain food groups such as cereals. In this systematic review, we used the PRISMA guidelines to select the main studies that have evaluated the effectiveness of restrictive diets, including elimination and vegetarian diets, in patients with Fibromyalgia. Data on vegetarian/vegan diets are more consistent than data on elimination diets due to higher quality and better results of the […]
- Dietary Intakes of Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Impulsivity: Comparing Non-Restricted, Vegetarian, and Vegan Dietson March 28, 2024
CONCLUSIONS: The significantly lower omega-3 LCPUFA dietary intakes in the vegan diets were associated with higher scores in the second-order attentional aspect of self-reported impulsiveness.
- Impact of iodine supply in infancy and childhoodon March 28, 2024
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To assess the most relevant articles on the impact of iodine supply in at-risk populations, namely infants and young children, pregnant and lactating women.
Random Posts –
Featured Posts –
Latest from PubMed, #plant-based diet –
- Fruit Quality Assessment of Novel Hybrid Pummelo × Sweet Orange and Its Molecular Characterization Using Acidity Specific Markersby Raushan Kumar on April 11, 2024
RESEARCH BACKGROUND: There is considerable diversity in newly developed pummelo × sweet orange citrus hybrids. Most hybrids showed lower peel thickness and high juice yield but there is a lack of information on fruit quality parameters and molecular characterization. Therefore, the aim of the current study is to determine the content of antioxidants and properties of the fresh juice of 24 new pummelo × sweet orange citrus hybrids (Citrus maxima [Burm. f.] Osbeck × Citrus sinensis [L.] […]
- Environmental conditions affect the nutritive value and alkaloid profiles of Lupinus forage: Opportunities and threats for sustainable ruminant systemsby Ana R J Cabrita on April 10, 2024
The identification of crops that simultaneously contribute to the global protein supply and mitigate the effects of climate change is an urgent matter. Lupins are well adapted to nutrient-poor or contaminated soils, tolerate various abiotic stresses, and present relevant traits for acting as ecosystem engineers. Lupins are best studied for their seeds, but their full foraging potential needs further evaluation. This study evaluated the effects of location and sowing date on forage production,…
- Stronger together than apart: The role of social support in adopting a healthy plant-based eating patternby Robin Ortiz on April 10, 2024
The influence of the social environment on health behaviors is well documented. In recent years, there is mounting evidence of the health benefits of a plant-based eating pattern, yet little is known about how the social environment impacts the adoption of a plant-based eating pattern, specifically. In this convergent parallel mixed-methods study, we analyzed quantitative survey data and qualitative focus group data to assess how social support impacted participants of a lifestyle medicine…
- Simultaneous detection of mycotoxins and pesticides in human urine samples: A 24-h diet intervention study comparing conventional and organic diets in Spainby Jose A Gallardo-Ramos on April 10, 2024
Pesticides and mycotoxins, prominent chemical hazards in the food chain, are commonly found in plant-based foods, contributing to their pervasive presence in the human body, as evidenced by biomonitoring programs. Despite this, there is limited knowledge about their co-occurrence patterns. While intervention studies have demonstrated that organic diets can significantly reduce pesticide levels, their impact on mycotoxin exposure has been overlooked. To address this gap, this study pursued two…
- Plant-based meat analogues (PBMAs) and their effects on cardiometabolic health: An 8-week randomized controlled trial comparing PBMAs with their corresponding animal-based foodsby Darel Wee Kiat Toh on April 10, 2024
CONCLUSIONS: A plant-based meat analogues diet did not show widespread cardiometabolic health benefits compared with omnivorous diets over 8 weeks. The composition of PBMAs may need to be considered in future trials.
- Adherence to the Mediterranean diet in two Moroccan populations living at different distances from the Mediterranean Seaby Mohamed Mziwira on April 8, 2024
CONCLUSION: The study data indicate that Mediterranean Diet is far from being a global pattern in this Moroccan population. The study draws attention to the need for a promoting intervention to maintain this pattern as the original diet in the region.