Meat and fish are essential ingredients in a balanced, nutritious diet. Deprived of meat and fish, vegetarians must work hard to achieve a balanced diet. The USDA recommends that your diet contain 18 percent protein and 28 percent fat. Meat and fish offer you these nutrients. Almost all meats and fish are high in protein, while lean meats are low in harmful fat and oily fish is high in essential fatty acids.
Protein
Your body needs more than 10,000 proteins to build muscles, cells, tissues and organs and keep you alive, explains Iowa State University. Protein is made of 20 amino acids, and eight of them are available only through eating protein. Lean meats like turkey, skinless boneless turkey, extra-lean pork, flank steak and fish are the best because they come without the high levels of saturated fat found in red meat like beef. Avoid fatty cuts of meat. According to Weight Loss For All, roast turkey contains 28 g protein and 6 g fat, while grilled pork chops contain 28 g protein but 24 g fat.
Fat
Of the 28 percent of your diet made up of fat, no more than 10 percent of this should be saturated fat. Saturated fat creates low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, in your body. It clogs your arteries, leading to heart disease, explains the Mayo Clinic. The problem with fatty cuts of meat, like steak, and junk food, like burgers and hot dogs, is their saturated fat content. Unsaturated fat creates high-density lipoprotein, or HDL, which gets rid of your LDL and reduces cholesterol levels. Oily fish like trout, mackerel, salmon, sardines and anchovies are high in polyunsaturated fat, or omega-3 fatty acids, which help prevent heart disease. According to Weight Loss For All, steamed salmon contains 9.5 g unsaturated fat and just 2 g saturated fat, and it is also rich in protein.
Vitamins and Minerals
Oily fish are high in vitamin A, which helps you maintain healthy skin and teeth, aids your vision and heightens your immune system. Chicken and lean beef contain vitamin B, which gives you energy, produces red blood cells and helps you break down carbohydrates. Oily fish give you vitamin D, which strengthens your muscles and improves your skin. Chicken and fish give you vitamin E, which promotes heart health, and good circulation and nervous system. Fish, chicken and lean meats give you iron, which transports vital cells around your body, and zinc, which helps you grow.
Organic
Most supermarkets and farmer's markets offer organic meat and fish. They are generally more expensive, but they are believed to have health benefits. Organic meat and fish come from animals fed on natural crops, not crops chemically altered to make the animals fatter. Organic meat and fish are also free of chemicals that make them last longer on the shelf. The Organic Trade Association explains that organic foods are processed minimally and don't include artificial ingredients and preservatives that can harm you in large quantities, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
Considerations
Meat and fish are packaged and cooked in various ways. Grill or steam meat rather than frying. Avoid deep-fried food like crispy chicken or popcorn shrimp. Do not eat the skin of chicken or turkey, which is high in fat and low in protein. Choose fish tinned in water rather than oil.
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