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Red Meat: “Ask the Expert” Column
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By Liz Pearson
My family and I are eating a lot more red meat these days. What are my best and worst meat choices?
Red meat - which includes beef, pork and lamb - is an outstanding source of hard-to-get nutrients like iron and zinc. However, it’s important to make the right choices. Red meat, especially processed meats such as cold cuts, is linked to a higher risk of diseases like colon cancer and type 2 diabetes. Too much saturated fat from meat can clog your arteries, which leads to heart disease. Here are my rules for healthy meat eating:
Rule # 1 Beware of saturated fat
If you’re going to eat meat, it has got to be lean. Avoid porterhouse steaks and prime rib. Watch out for ribs in general. Did you know that just six pork side ribs can contain as much as 38 g of fat and 630 calories? Pre-made frozen burgers can ring in at more than 30 g of fat per burger – that’s half of your fat quota for the day! Choose loin and round cuts like sirloin steak, top round roast, beef tenderloin (filet mignon) and pork tenderloin. The leanest lamb cuts include leg, shoulder and loin cuts. President’s Choice Lean Burgers with 12 g of fat each are a good choice. Or make your own burgers with extra-lean ground beef. (Tip: add BBQ sauce to the mix for moist, flavourful burgers.)
Rule #2 Keep an eye on processed meats
Processed meats like bacon, hot dogs and cold cuts are often high in fat and almost always loaded with sodium. They also contain potentially harmful additives and preservatives, like nitrites and nitrates. Your best bet is to eat processed meats occasionally, not regularly. Avoid salami, bologna, bacon, sausages and hot dogs. Choose lean ham, chicken and turkey cold cuts. Consider Schneider’s Lifestyle line of cold cuts, which contain 35 per cent less sodium than regular cold cuts.
Rule #3 Know that portion size matters
Can you imagine a restaurant offering a 72 oz steak? There are a few that do. That’s 24 times more meat than you need at one sitting! Avoid hefty servings. Even if you order a regular restaurant steak, remember that most restaurants serve meat portions that are at least two to three times larger than the ideal portion size of about 3 oz. or 100g (about the size of a deck of cards), so ask for a doggy bag. Choose stir-fries, stews, kabobs or fajitas, where meat doesn’t have the starring role. Let other foods like veggies and whole grains take center stage in your entree.
Rule # 4 Cook safely
Some cooking methods can lead to the formation of cancer-causing compounds on the surface of the meat. If you use high-heat methods - such as pan frying, grilling and barbequing - minimize the formation of these compounds by: marinating the meat beforehand, using lean meat trimmed of all fat, flipping or turning the meat frequently, and removing all charred portions before eating.
Go for variety
Red meat can be part of a healthy diet. Enjoy it no more than about two or three times a week, and choose fresh meat over processed meat whenever you can. Serve up fish, chicken, or beans more often.
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