People who eat red meat every day have a higher risk of suffering cancer or cardiovascular disease compared to people who eat less according to a new study.

Red meat refers to meat which is red-colored when raw, as contrasted with white meat. Read meat includes beef, mutton, duck, goose, pork and horse, while chicken and rabbit are considered "white meat".

In the study, a research team from the National Cancer Institute in Rockville, Maryland, looked at more than 500,000 people over a 10-year period. Those who ate the most red meat every day (about 62.5 grams per 1,000 calories per day, equivalent to a quarter-pound burger or small steak per day) had about a 30 percent greater risk of dying compared with those who consumed the least.

The American Institute of Cancer Research recommends that people consume less than 18 ounces of red meat (the equivalent of a child-size fast-food hamburger) per week to reduce the risk for cancer, and the American Heart Association recommends limiting saturated fats to less than 7 percent of total daily calories.

Red meat contains protein, iron, zinc, selenium, and B vitamins that are important to the body and help prevent nutrient deficiency, says Lona Sandon, R.D., a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association and an assistant professor at UT Southwestern in Dallas, Texas.

Sandon recommends that people replace high-fat red and processed meats with protein-rich foods such as poultry or fish, beans, eggs, and low-fat dairy. Also, she adds, filling half a plate with vegetables and a quarter with meat will help keep portions in control.