Red meat like beef isn't considered much of a health food these days. The fat, saturated fat and cholesterol content of beef keep it off the heart-healthy foods list. On the other hand, a wide range of beef products exist and you can find lower fat options that fit into a healthy diet.
Beef is high in protein but most people in developed countries get plenty of protein. Iron, zinc and other minerals found in beef are sometimes difficult to obtain, especially from vegetarian diets. Another important nutrient in beef is vitamin B12, a nutrient only found in animal products.
Other nutrients that are found in high levels in beef are selenium, phosphorus, niacin, vitamin B6 and riboflavin.
What to Look for
If you eat red meat more than occasionally, look for lower fat cuts of beef. According to the National Cattlemen's Beef Association website, popular lean cuts of beef that have less than 10 g of fat, 4.5 g of saturated fat and 95 mg of cholesterol per 3.5 oz serving include: shoulder pot roast, T-bone steak, top loin steak, tenderloin steak, tri-tip roast, top sirloin steak, top round steak, bottom round roast, eye round roast, eye round steak, shank cross cut, brisket flat cut and lean ground beef.
Keep food safety in mind when choosing and preparing beef. Beef and other meats are prone to bacterial infections and although meat producing facilities are regulated and inspected, contamination and eventual recalls of meat sold do occur.
To limit your risk, keep beef refrigerated until it is cooked, keep meat and utensils that touch meat away from foods that are not cooked, and once cooked thoroughly, keep meat hot or refrigerate the leftovers.
If you are concerned about the treatment of the cattle from which your beef comes, you can choose local farmers who you can become familiar with. You may also be interested in buying beef from producers who do not use antibiotics unless medically necessary and that use natural methods of feeding such as grass feeding instead of grain feeding and other industrialized processes.
Hormone use may be another concern. In the United States, beef producers use hormones so cattle grow more quickly to a size that is ready for slaughter. The safety to humans who eat meat from animals who received hormones is not established. If you are buying beef in the United States and prefer to eat beef from animals that have not received hormones, look for "no added hormones" or similar language on the label. Or, investigate producers to learn about their practices.
Organic beef means that the animals are not fed animal by-products, antibiotics or hormones. The animals are also raised under more humane conditions than what occurs in many large-scale industrialized meat production facilities.
Common Pitfalls
In the United States, ground beef will display its "percent lean" content. You might find ground beef to be anywhere from 70 percent lean to 95 percent lean. These high percentages may sound wonderfully low in fat. But realize that a package of ground beef that is 80 percent lean is also 20 percent fat. A 4 oz. hamburger will have over 20 g of fat, 8 g of saturated fat and around 60 percent of calories from fat.
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