Red meat raise the risk of heart disease, cancer and diabetes

A study by the NIH-AARP (American Association of retired people) diet and Health study showed that the risk of dying over 10 years, mostly of heart and cancer disease is 30% higher than those who ate the the least red meat.
This risk is coming from saturated fat which raise cholesterol in the blood which in term increase the risk of heart attack.

Relation of Colorectal cancer with higher red meat consumption is quite obvious. This can be explained by the fact that red and processed meat will produce N-nitroso compounds which are formed by combination of breakdown products of protein, e.g amides and amines and nitrites and heme iron in the red meat.

Red meat cooked under high temperature or grilled or barbecued meat can produce HCAs and Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)-- A mutagen which causes mutation in the DNA resulting in cancer.
The higher cancer risk may be found not only in the rectal areas but also in prostrate gland and pancreas.

The nitrites in the red meat may damage the islets cells in the pancreas. This resulted in type II diabetes