If you are watching your fat intake, reducing the amount of meat in your diet can help. However, you don't have to give it up completely because both beef and pork contain nutrients that are key to your overall health. Beef and pork vary in fat content, but choosing the right cut of either plays a role, as well. A serving of meat is generally 3 oz.
Cuts of Meat
The cut of beef or pork you choose plays the biggest role in how fattening it is. Look for cuts labeled "select," which are the lowest in fat content. Opt for round, chuck, sirloin or tenderloin cuts of beef, and tenderloin and loin chops when choosing pork, advises MayoClinic.com. Trimming fat before cooking beef or pork also allows you to keep the fat content under control.
Fat in Beef
Some cuts of beef tend to have more fat than pork. Beef is also higher than pork in saturated fat, which increases your risk of heart disease, if eaten in quantities that exceed the daily recommended intake of no more than 22 g for a 2,000-calorie diet. A 3-oz.serving of eye round roast has 4 g of fat, with 1.4 g being saturated; top sirloin steak has 4.9 g of fat, with 1.9 g being saturated; and round steak has 5.3 g of fat, with 1.9 g being saturated. Cuts that are more fattening include tri-tip roast, with 7.1 g of fat, of which 2.7 g are saturated; a T-bone steak contains 8.2 g of fat, of which 3 g are saturated.
Fat in Pork
Overall, pork is lower in saturated fat than most cuts of beef, but it contains similar amounts of total fat per 3-oz. serving. Pork tenderloin contains 3 g of fat per serving, of which 1 g is saturated; a serving of top loin chop has 5.2 g of fat, with 1.8 g being saturated; and a top loin roast contains 5.3 g of fat per serving, with 1.6 g being saturated. If you are watching your saturated fat intake, pork may be the better option for you.
Nutritional Benefits
Pork and beef are similar in the amount of fat they contain, and eating large amounts of either could be fattening. However, meat is a healthy addition to a well-balanced diet when eaten in proper serving sizes, despite the fat content. Pork and beef contain protein, B vitamins, zinc and iron, all of which play a role in your overall health, including that of your muscles, blood, cells, energy levels and immunity.
References
- MayoClinic.com; How Meat and Poultry Fit In Your Healthy Diet; June 2011
- Eating Well: Beef and Pork Buyer's Guide
- Ask Dr. Sears: Meat
- Cattlemen's Beef Board and National Cattlemen's Beef Association: Get the Skinny on Lean Beef
- National Pork Board: Compare Pork
- MayoClinic.com; End the Guesswork With These Nutrition Guidelines; Feburary 2011
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