The ribeye steak is a cross-section cut of the rib roast, and has natural tenderness and juiciness. Although the ribeye is not the healthiest meal you can eat, part of lifelong healthy eating is finding a way to work your favorite foods into your plan. With small portions, a ribeye won't throw you completely off track. Save it as a special indulgence in January and February, when rib cuts are priced lowest, suggests the National Cattlemen's Beef Association.
Fat and Calories
Keep in mind that a serving of steak is defined as 3 oz. -- much less than the typical 6- or 8-oz. steak. A 3-oz. serving of boneless ribeye typically has 260 calories and 20 g of fat, 8 g of which are saturated. Multiplied to apply to a typical steak portion, the fat content especially can be disconcerting. You can reduce those numbers by choosing ribeyes that come from naturally raised cattle. These steaks can be as low as 170 calories, with 10 g of total fat including 5 g of saturated fat per 3-oz. serving.
The Good Stuff
Steak is the star of a low-carb diet because as a meat, it is carb-free. It also contains 21 g of protein and 10 percent of your daily iron per serving. A naturally raised ribeye can have as much as 15 percent of your iron. Ribeye steaks don't contain any calcium or vitamins, but they are relatively low in sodium at about 55 mg per serving -- about 2 percent of your daily sodium allowance.
The Bad Stuff
The saturated fat content is a concern -- it provides 25 to 40 percent of the saturated fat you're allowed for the day, keeping in mind that you should keep saturated fat as low as possible. There is little you can do to reduce it -- trimming off excess outer fat before cooking can help a little, but most of the fat comes from the marbling that's responsible for the juiciness of the cut. The ribeye also contains 50 to 70 mg of cholesterol, about 17 to 23 percent of your daily allowance.
Make It Healthy
A ribeye steak will never be a diet food, but if you keep your portion small, it can be an occasional part of a healthy diet. Prepare it dry, either by grilling or broiling, and don't brush it with butter during cooking. Add flavor with pepper or spice rubs instead of high-calorie sauces, and trim off the outer fat before cooking. Although a perfect salt crust makes steak delicious, a ribeye is tender enough on its own. Skip the salt to keep the steak as light as possible.
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