Red meat has been given a bad rap as being an unhealthy food. The fact is, meat contains many nutrients that are essential for healthy body function. Several important minerals are found in red meat, and it is also a good source of protein. Limit your fat and calorie intake from red meat by controlling your portion sizes. In fact, you do not need to eat red meat every day to benefit from its nutritional offerings.
Types and Portions of Red Meat
According to MyPyramid.gov, you should eat 5 to 6.5 oz. from the meat and beans group each day. A small hamburger is about 3 oz., or you can enjoy a small 4 oz. steak. Select lean red meat to limit your fat intake. Examples of these are lean ground beef, round steak, beef tenderloin, sirloin tips and flank steak. You can reduce your caloric intake by using a non-stick spray, instead of oil, to cook your meat.
Saturated Fat
Animal proteins, in general, are high in saturated fats. Consuming too much saturated fat raises your LDL, or "bad," cholesterol and increases your risk for heart disease. You should limit your saturated fat intake to a maximum of 7 percent of your total daily calories. If you follow a 2,000 calorie diet, you can consume up to 15 g of saturated fat each day. Enjoy your steak, but keep your portion size to a minimum. A 4 oz. lean cut steak has nearly 6 g of saturated fat.
Vitamins and Minerals in Red Meat
Red meat provides several key vitamins and minerals. Vitamin B12 is used in your body to keep your cells and nerves healthy. You need 2.4 mcg of B12 each day, and a 4 oz. serving of steak has 1.8 mcg. The same size steak also provides .6 mg of vitamin B6, which is important for red blood cell metabolism as well as maintaining your nervous and immune systems. Each day, you should consume 1.3 to 1.7 mg of B6.
One 3 oz. serving of beef chuck contains about 3.2 mg of iron. Your body uses iron to deliver oxygen to cells, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements. Men need 8 mg of iron, and women need 18 mg daily. A 4 oz. cut of lean steak provides 5.6 mg of zinc, which is important for maintaining your immune system. You need 8-11 mg of zinc each day.
Protein Content
Red meat provides a large amount of protein, which your body uses to build muscle tissue. Skin, bones and organ tissue also utilize the protein you consume. You should consume 50-175 g of protein each day if you are following a 2,000 calorie diet, suggests MayoClinic.com. This accounts for 10-35 percent of your total calories for the day. A 4 oz. serving of steak contains 32 g of protein.
Additional Considerations
MayoClinic.com reports that consuming 100 g of red meat, which is about 3.5 oz., each day is not related to an increased risk of heart disease. The red meat you consume should be unprocessed cuts of beef, lamb, pork or game. Eating 50 g processed red meat daily, such as deli meat and sausage, can increase your risk for heart disease and diabetes.
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