People are eating raw beef on TikTok. Here's why you shouldn't try it.

Daryl Austin USA TODAY

Published 5:05 AM EST, Mon January 15, 2024

TikTok has given oxygen to some truly outlandish dietary suggestions. Last year, the recommendation to cook one's chicken in NyQuil trended enough that it caused the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to issue a formal statement warning against the practice. "Healthy Coke" went viral as well after a TikTok influencer claimed that mixing sparkling water with salad dressing could create a healthy alternative to drinking Coca-Cola. Claims or recommendations like these often masquerade as "hacks," but they fly in the face of scientific research - or in most cases, even sound logic.

The latest such trend that's gone viral, thanks to TikTok influencers like Pauly Long and the Liver King, is the suggestion to consume raw meat, purportedly to increase energy and improve digestion.

Can you eat raw beef?

Such benefits aren't backed by science, however, and the recommendation to eat raw beef isn't supported by any health agency either. In fact, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) specifically recommends against the practice or even sampling small amounts of raw or undercooked meat.

Not only should you not eat raw beef, it's also important to be careful when handling it. "Make sure to wash hands, separate raw meat from other foods, and promptly store leftovers to ensure safe handling of all cooked foods," advises Audra Wilson, MS, bariatric dietitian at Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital.

What is dangerous about eating raw beef?

Failing to do so or choosing to eat raw meat despite warnings against the practice can lead to some potential consequences. Raw beef often contains harmful bacteria such as salmonella, campylobacter, listeria and E. coli - each of which can disrupt the body's digestive tract and cause foodborne illness. Such illnesses can lead to "food poisoning symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea," cautions Wilson. In the elderly, children, and pregnant women, she adds, such bacteria "can cause more severe illness or even death."

The only way to eliminate such risks and kill harmful bacteria associated with raw meat is by cooking it thoroughly, says Julia Zumpano, RD, a registered dietitian at Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Human Nutrition.

At what temperature is beef considered safe to eat?

That means cooking one's meat to temperatures that surpass even what some people order their steaks at in restaurants. "Rare or medium rare steaks still have potential for these bacteria," cautions Zumpano, "it's just much less when compared to raw beef."

To stay on the safe side, the USDA recommends cooking beef, bison, veal, goat, and lamb until it has an internal temperature of 145 degrees, then letting it rest for 3 minutes before cutting into it or eating. Leslie Bonci, a sports dietitian for the Kansas City Chiefs and founder of Active Eating Advice, says that ground beef and sausage needs to be cooked even longer, until it reaches an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees. "That's the only way to destroy harmful bacteria that causes food poisoning," she says.

And don't forget to use a meat thermometer when checking meat temperatures. "Accurately use a meat thermometer by inserting it into the thickest part of the beef," advises Wilson. "Using your eyes or nose alone are not effective ways to determine the doneness of meat."

People are eating raw beef on TikTok. Here's why you shouldn't try it.

TikTok上人们在吃生牛肉，为什么你不应该去尝试。

TikTok has given oxygen to some truly outlandish dietary suggestions. Last year, the recommendation to cook one's chicken in NyQuil trended enough that it caused the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to issue a formal statement warning against the practice. "Healthy Coke" went viral as well after a TikTok influencer claimed that mixing sparkling water with salad dressing could create a healthy alternative to drinking Coca-Cola. Claims or recommendations like these often masquerade as "hacks," but they fly in the face of scientific research - or in most cases, even sound logic.

TikTok为一些真正古怪的饮食建议提供了活力。去年用NyQuil（感冒药）炖鸡肉的建议非常火爆，以至于美国食品和药物管理局发布了一份正式声明，警告不要这样做。在一位TikTok网红声称将气泡水与沙拉酱混合可以创造出一种健康的可口可乐的替代品后，“健康可乐”也在网上疯传。像这样的声明或建议往往伪装成“黑客”，但它们在大多数情况下（甚至一些听起来很符合逻辑的）与科学研究背道而驰。

The latest such trend that's gone viral, thanks to TikTok influencers like Pauly Long and the Liver King, is the suggestion to consume raw meat, purportedly to increase energy and improve digestion.

最新的这类走红的的要属Pauly Long和Liver King这些TikTok网红，那就是建议吃生牛肉，据称能够增加能量以及帮助消化。

Can you eat raw beef?

能吃生牛肉吗？

Such benefits aren't backed by science, however, and the recommendation to eat raw beef isn't supported by any health agency either. In fact, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) specifically recommends against the practice or even sampling small amounts of raw or undercooked meat.

然而，这些好处并没有科学依据，也没有哪个卫生机构支持吃生牛肉的建议。事实上，美国农业部（USDA）特别建议不要采取这种做法，甚至不要对少量生肉或未煮熟的肉进行尝试。

Not only should you not eat raw beef, it's also important to be careful when handling it. "Make sure to wash hands, separate raw meat from other foods, and promptly store leftovers to ensure safe handling of all cooked foods," advises Audra Wilson, MS, bariatric dietitian at Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital.

你不仅不应该吃生牛肉，在处理时也要小心。“一定要洗手，将生肉与其他食物分开，并及时储存剩下的生肉，以确保安全处理所有熟食”，西北医学Delnor医院的减肥营养师Audra Wilson女士建议到。

What is dangerous about eating raw beef?

吃生牛肉有什么危害？

Failing to do so or choosing to eat raw meat despite warnings against the practice can lead to some potential consequences. Raw beef often contains harmful bacteria such as salmonella, campylobacter, listeria and E. coli - each of which can disrupt the body's digestive tract and cause foodborne illness. Such illnesses can lead to "food poisoning symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea," cautions Wilson. In the elderly, children, and pregnant women, she adds, such bacteria "can cause more severe illness or even death."

如果不这样做，或者不顾反对而选择生肉，可能会导致一些潜在的后果。生牛肉通常含有沙门氏菌、弯曲杆菌、李斯特菌和大肠杆菌等有害细菌，每一种都会扰乱身体的消化系统，导致食源性疾病。Wilson警告说这种疾病会导致“呕吐和腹泻等食物中毒症状”。对于老人，小孩和孕妇，她补充道，这种细菌“能导致更严重的疾病甚至死亡”。

The only way to eliminate such risks and kill harmful bacteria associated with raw meat is by cooking it thoroughly, says Julia Zumpano, RD, a registered dietitian at Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Human Nutrition.

消除这种风险并杀死与生肉相关的有害细菌的唯一方法就是进行彻底烹饪，克利夫兰诊所人类营养中心的注册营养师Julia Zumpano，RD（不确定是什么的简写，registered dietitian？）说道。

At what temperature is beef considered safe to eat?

多少高温下的牛肉是可以安全食用的？

That means cooking one's meat to temperatures that surpass even what some people order their steaks at in restaurants. "Rare or medium rare steaks still have potential for these bacteria," cautions Zumpano, "it's just much less when compared to raw beef."

这意味着烹饪肉类的温度甚至超过了一些人在餐馆点牛排的温度。“一分熟或者三分熟的牛排仍然可能有这些细菌”，Zumpano警告说，“只是与生牛肉相比，这种细菌要少得多”。

To stay on the safe side, the USDA recommends cooking beef, bison, veal, goat, and lamb until it has an internal temperature of 145 degrees, then letting it rest for 3 minutes before cutting into it or eating. Leslie Bonci,, a sports dietitian for the Kansas City Chiefs and founder of Active Eating Advice, says that ground beef and sausage needs to be cooked even longer, until it reaches an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees. "That's the only way to destroy harmful bacteria that causes food poisoning," she says.

为了安全起见，美国农业部建议将牛肉、野牛肉、小牛肉、山羊肉和羊肉烹饪至内部温度达到145度，然后放置3分钟，切成块或食用。Kansas城酋长队的运动营养师、Active Eating Advice的创始人Leslie Bonci说，碎牛肉和香肠需要烹饪更长的时间，直到内部温度达到至少160度，“这是消灭导致食物中毒的有害细菌的唯一方法”，她说道。

And don't forget to use a meat thermometer when checking meat temperatures. "Accurately use a meat thermometer by inserting it into the thickest part of the beef," advises Wilson. "Using your eyes or nose alone are not effective ways to determine the doneness of meat."

检查肉的温度时，要使用肉温度计，“准确的使用肉温度计，将其插入牛肉最厚的部分”，Wilson建议道，“单用眼睛或鼻子不能有效地判断肉的熟度”。

（这个建议要求是不是太高了点。。。。。）