Healthy meat
Meat is an important source of protein. Healthy meats include beef and poultry while unhealthy meats include processed meats.
When navigating the world of healthy foods and diets, meat and the amount that should be eaten often come into play. Which is the healthiest meat, though, and what if you are trying to lose weight? The following guide can help.
Beef: Beef has had a love/hate relationship with dieters for years. However, this red meat is now a common addition to dinner plates of health-aware eaters and dieters too.
Of course, not every cut of red meat is the best. You should account, for instance, for grade: the amount of fat or marbling in that particular cut of meat. The grade is solely based on fat content and not how it was raised. If the grade of fat is higher, there will be greater tenderness. The three most common grades are prime, choice, and select. Select is leanest, while choice is moderately fat, and prime is most often used in restaurants due to its high-fat content.
Beef is mostly protein and, depending on the cut and grade, varying amounts of fat. A 100-gram, 3.5-ounce serving of broiled ground beef has about 26 grams of protein. It is also a great source of numerous vitamins and minerals. Beef is, for example, a good source of vitamin B12 and iron, which helps with red blood cell creation. It also contains zinc and selenium, and it helps to boost immunity to many diseases.
Poultry (such as chicken and turkey): Both chicken and turkey are considered to be healthy options when compared with red meat. Generally, they are leaner, but particular cuts and cooking styles can still make them bad for you, sometimes even worse than red meat.
When you are choosing different types of poultry, consider calorie and fat content. Usually, white meat like wings and breasts has fewer calories, cholesterol, and fat. Darker cuts like thighs and legs are somewhat higher in fat and calories. Boneless and skinless cuts are a healthier choice, as long as the meat is not fried.
Interestingly, some studies have indicated that the elevated risk of diabetes that accompanies eating some meatsdoes not appear to apply to poultry. Studies have also shown that a diet with chicken that is balanced in a healthy way can be useful in managing diabetes.
Pork: Previously marketed as the other white meat, pork is actually classified as red meat. We associate it with breakfast meats like sausage and bacon, which are known to be high in fat. However, just like poultry and beef, the cut of pork is very important when determining healthiness. Pork tenderloin is the leanest cut of pork. Ham legs, pork chops, or pork roast can also be healthy. You should select a center cut over regular bacon or Canadian bacon.
Pork is a good source of vitamin B12, phosphorus, thiamine, and niacin. Lean pork is also low in fat and high in protein. A 3.5-ounce, 100-gram serving of ground pork has 26 grams of protein.You will find healthy amounts of zinc and selenium in this serving, as well as amino acids and antioxidants.The niacin, thiamin, and vitamin B levels in pork can also be higher than in other types of meat.
