Human Nutrition Research

The Human Nutrition Research program studies how to establish beef as an everyday part of a healthful diet through investigating its role in health and well-being. This includes beef’s role in improving vitality and stamina, increasing emotional and physical satisfaction as well as weight management, optimal body composition and metabolism, and beef’s positive contribution to diet quality, consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, with its natural nutrients and lipids. For example, research reviews (Red Meat & Cancer), fact sheets (different types of beef in the marketplace, grass finished vs. grain-finished and understanding the lipid profile of beef) and summaries of research projects are available.

Use the fly-out menu bar on the left to find Fact Sheets and other information on beefs role in a healthful diet.

A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (AJCN) in January 2012 provides strong scientific evidence that eating lean beef every day as part of a heart-healthy diet improves cholesterol levels. This research shows that adding daily servings of lean beef to the low saturated fat, high fiber, heart-healthy diet typically recommended by health professionals (such as DASH, Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) can lower heart disease risk by reducing levels of LDL "bad" cholesterol. Go to Beef in an Optimal Lean Diet (BOLD) to access the full study on the AJCN website.

Red Meat and Processed Meat Consumption and Cancer...A Technical Summary of the Epidemiologic Evidence

is a 94-page book examining the totality of evidence on the subject of red meat consumption and cancer.   

Copies are available through our Beef Web Store under the Nutrition Research/Materials tab or you may call our customer service department, 1-800-368-3138.  The price is $32.00 each, including shipping.  

Go to Technical Summary to download the full report.

Go to Executive Summary to read an overview.


In November 2009, an editorial was printed in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, which put into perspective the onslaught of health and nutrition research reported to the public on an almost daily basis.  The authors, Steven Woloshin, Lisa M. Schwartz, and Barnett S. Kramer succinctly clarify through examples the dubious conclusions that are often drawn from reports of exaggerated research findings.  This editorial helps both today’s health and nutrition professional and consumers put the latest “breakthrough research” into perspective.

Promoting Health Sekpticism in the News:  Helping Journalists Get It Right

Statement of Principles Regarding Nutrition and Health

Development and Validation of the Nutrient-Rich Foods Index:  A Tool to Measure Nutritional Quality of Foods

Frequently Asked Questions: Beef Checkoff-Funded Database Improvement Research

Experimental Biology Meeting