New research suggests that current dietary guidelines should be revised to account for the dietary habits of modern populations from across the globe. Unprocessed red meat and dairy, for instance, should be included as part of a heart-healthy diet.

Share on Pinterest Dairy products, such as cheese and milk, and unprocessed meat may actually benefit heart health.

Many studies suggest that a diet that avoids red meat and dairy but is rich in fruit, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains is the best for heart health.

However, new research suggests that we should amend these guidelines.

The Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiological (PURE) study — which was led by Prof. Salim Yusuf, the director of the Population Health Research Institute (PHRI) at McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada — suggests that the results of these traditional studies may be biased and outdated.

Specifically, explain the researchers, such studies are based on the dietary habits of high-income countries and rely on data from decades ago. For these reasons, the new study aimed to make a more comprehensive analysis of people’s dietary patterns across the world.

Its findings were presented at the 2018 annual conference of the European Society of Cardiology, held in Munich, Germany.

The researchers have also published their results in the journal The Lancet.