The term “red meat” generally refers to beef, lamb, veal and pork. Although red meat often has a bad reputation, you do not have to cut it out of your life to have a healthy diet. Red meats are high in protein and valuable vitamins and minerals and contribute to a balanced diet. The key is learning how to choose the best types.
Protein
Red meats contain a significant amount of protein. For example, a 6-oz. porterhouse steak offers 38 g of protein. Plus, the protein is high in biological value. Protein found in red meat is considered complete protein, meaning it contains all the essential amino acids — the ones your body cannot produce on its own. Protein from vegetable sources is generally incomplete, meaning it is either low or completely lacks one or more of the essential amino acids.
Vitamins and Minerals
In addition to high protein content, red meats are also noted for iron content. Red meats are also rich in niacin, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12, zinc and phosphorus. A 100-gram, 3.5 oz. serving of red meat provides approximately 25 percent of the recommended dietary allowance, RDA, for these nutrients, according to the University of Wollongong. Red meats also contain approximately 10 percent of the RDA for riboflavin, selenium and pantothenic acid.
Fat and Cholesterol
The debate about the nutritional value of red meat is over its fat content. Some red meats are high in saturated fat and cholesterol. The same 6 oz. steak that offers 38 g of protein also contains 44 g of total fat, 16 g of which are saturated and over 100 mg of cholesterol. Eating too much of this type of red meat can increase your total and LDL cholesterol levels, increasing your risk of heart disease.
Choosing Red Meat
To reap the benefits from red meat without adding excess calories and fat to your diet, choose the leanest cuts. Words like sirloin, tenderloin, chuck and round indicate lean cuts, while tenderloin, chops and leg indicate lean cuts of pork and lamb. Pay attention to percentages on ground beef. Choose packages listing the highest percentages of lean meat compared to fatty meat. These packages are usually labeled 90 percent lean or higher. Quality labels like “Choice” and “Select” also indicate that the meat has less fat content. Choose these over labels listing “Prime.”
In addition to choosing lean cuts, you can also follow some tips to reduce the content of naturally fatty meats. Trim off any visible fat. After cooking ground beef, drain the fat and rinse the meat under running water. Pay attention to serving sizes as well. A serving of red meat is about 3 to 4 ozs.
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