Meat and potatoes -- it's the all-American food combination. But some nutritional studies question whether eating red meat every day is good for your heart. Flank steak, a cut of red meat, contains a number of necessary nutrients as well as some less desirable ones. All red meat contains saturated fat, which may increase the risk of heart disease.
Definition
Flank steak, sometimes served as London broil, comes from between the hips and ribs of a cow, the area known as the flank. Flank steak, a long, thin piece of meat, contains large amounts of connective tissue, which makes it rather tough. Because of its toughness, flank steak is usually sliced on the diagonal to cut the tough fibers and make it easier to eat.
Fats
Much of the concern about red meat centers on its fat content. Flank steak contains 15 g of fat in a 3-oz. serving. Your daily fat intake should equal no more than 90 g per day, according to the Merck Manual of Medical Information, so a serving equals one-sixth of your daily fat requirement. Of those fats, 6 g come from saturated fat, the type most likely to raise cholesterol levels and cause plaque to form on the inside of blood vessel walls. Saturated fat intake should remains below 30 g, according to the Merck Manual, so one serving of flank steak supplies 20 percent of your allowed intake. Much of the saturated fat in meat is stearic acid, which doesn't raise lipid levels, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health reports.
Benefits
Flank steak is an excellent source of protein, with 23 g of your daily 60 g allowance in one serving. Flank steak also supplies 15 percent of your daily iron intake. A recent Harvard School of Public Health study found that, while eating one daily serving of processed meats such as bacon, cold cuts or sausage raise the risk of developing heart disease by 42 percent and the risk of developing diabetes, also associated with increased risk of heart disease, by 19 percent. Dietary intake of unprocessed meats like flank steak did not increase the risk of developing heart disease or diabetes. Most studies don't separate processed from unprocessed meat when assessing risk factors, according to the Harvard study.
Risks
Several large studies have found an increased risk to frequent consumption of red meat, according to a report published by Johns Hopkins. A 1984 study reported that men who eat red meat three times a week doubled their risk of heart disease, while the 1999 Nurse's Health Study found an increase in heart disease in women who ate more red meat than fish or poultry also had an increased risk of heart disease. Heme-iron, the type found in red meat, has been associated with increased coronary heart disease as well.
Considerations
Flank steak, like other red meat, can be part of your heart-healthy diet. While consuming fish and chicken several times a week to avoid eating red meat every day may be prudent, at least one new study shows that unprocessed red meat does not increase the risk of developing heart disease as much as older studies may have indicated.
References
- Nutrient Facts: Flank Steak Nutrition Facts
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health: The Relationship Between Meat Intake and Cardiovascular Disease Thomas P. Erlinger, MD, MPH
- The Washington Post: Daily Red Meat Raises Chances Of Dying Early
- O Chef: Are Flank Steak and Skirt Steak Identical Cuts?
- Harvard School of Public Health: Eating Processed Meats, but Not Unprocessed Red Meats, May Raise Risk of Heart Disease and Diabetes
- Merck Manual of Medical Information: Overview of Nutrition
