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Martin ClinicRed meatIs chicken healthier than beef?
Red Meat

Is chicken healthier than beef?

A plate of scrambled eggs, avocado and toast with a cup of black coffee
Part of Dr. Martin's guide to red meat. Every passage below is verbatim, with its episode number.

The short answer

Dr. Martin says no, and that it is not close. On his numbers beef carries 78 percent less omega-6 than chicken and 125 percent more creatine, and he still eats chicken, he just does not rate it above beef.

Dr. Martin comparing beef and chicken:

Beef, steak, has 78% less omega-6 than chicken. Chicken has a lot of omega-6. Now listen, like I said, do I like chicken? Yep, I do. Okay? Is it better than beef? It's not close. It's not close.

Dr. Martin, The Doctor Is In, Episode 1767

Hear it on the episode: YouTube, The Doctor Is In episode 1767

Why the omega-6 number is the one he leads with

Omega-6 is the figure he puts first, ahead of protein or fat or calories. He is not telling anyone to stop eating chicken, he says plainly that he likes it. The point is the ranking, and on his ranking beef wins on the things he measures.

The other reason he keeps going back to beef

The second reason is B12, and it runs through his whole answer on red meat.

If B12 is only found in red meat, you'll never being healthy without B12, not fully, you can't. Because your body relies on B12. Your nervous system relies on B12. Your immune system relies on B12. Your brain relies on B12. Your blood vessels rely on B12 because B12 helps open your blood vessels, relaxes your blood vessels in the form of nitric oxide. How on God's earth can red meat be bad for you?

Dr. Martin, The Doctor Is In, Episode 698

His full answer on B12, across seven episodes, is on his article on why people are so low in B12.

Dr. Martin
About the author

Dr. Martin

Host of The Doctor Is In. Fifth generation of the Martin Clinic, in clinic since 1911. Every passage on this page is his own recorded answer, with the episode it came from.

Other questions people ask

Is chicken healthier than beef?

Dr. Martin says no, and that it is not close. On his numbers beef carries 78 percent less omega-6 than chicken and 125 percent more creatine, and he still eats chicken, he just does not rate it above beef.

Does eating red meat cause gout?

No. Read his full answer on does red meat cause gout.

Does eating red meat give you diabetes?

Dr. Read his full answer on does red meat give you diabetes.