Choosing
the best meat for healthy eating
Choosing the right meat and poultry
products can be one of the most difficult parts of cooking and eating for
better health. Meat, seafood and poultry
are important sources of protein, iron, vitamins and minerals, but they are
often laden with undesirable qualities such as saturated fat and cholesterol as
well. Choosing the best, leanest cuts of
meat is important to any health conscious shopper.
One of the most important things to know
when choosing meat, seafood and poultry products is that less is often
more. That means buying meat, seafood
and poultry products that have been processed as little as possible. The past few years have seen quite a jump in
the number of convenience foods, but these foods are often much less healthy
than their fresh meat counterparts.
One reason why this is so is the need
preservatives, sodium and other additives.
Foods that are frozen, microwavable or ready to eat often contain large
amounts of sodium, often more than you need in several days. While it is fine to keep a couple of these
convenient foods on hand for quick meals, they cannot form the basis of a
healthy eating lifestyle.
Fresh meat, seafood and poultry, on the
other hand, does not suffer from the need to add sodium or preservatives. Buying fresh meats and seafood, and preparing
it yourself, is the best way to have confidence in the nutritional quality of
the food you feed your family.
Of course no discussion of fresh meat is
complete without a note or two about safe handling techniques. Food borne illnesses can easily be spread
through contaminated meat, poultry and seafood, and it is impossible to tell
from looking if the product is contaminated.
Since cooking to the proper temperature destroys these food borne pathogens,
the most important thing is to keep raw meat and poultry away from foods that
will not be cooked.
That means keeping things like salad bowls
and bread plates well away from the area of the countertop where the meat is
prepared. Any surface touched by raw
meat, seafood or poultry should be thoroughly cleaned with an antibacterial
solution, and separate cutting boards should be used for vegetables and
meats. Following these basic food
hygiene practices is the best way to protect yourself and your family from food
borne illnesses.
Cutting the fat is also an important
consideration when it comes to choosing meat, seafood and poultry. While most types of fish are healthy and low
fat, some fish, such as salmon, can have significant fat content. Again, the nutritional labels should be your
guide.
When it comes to chicken, the best course
of action is to buy skinless, boneless chicken breasts. This type of poultry is healthy, convenient
and easy to use. And best of all, skinless,
boneless chicken breasts are often on sale, so stock up on them when your local
grocery store runs its next promotion. A
good alternative for those with the time is to buy regular chicken breasts and
remove the skin and bone yourself. This
is often a less expensive alternative than buying the boneless, skinless
chicken breast.
Ground turkey can be an excellent and lower
fat alternative to ground beef, but again it is important to read the label
carefully. That is because ground
turkey, particularly the less expensive brands, often contain skin and fat
along with the lean meat. Ground turkey
breast, or a brand with a lower fat content, can be a healthier
alternative. Ground turkey breast can be
used in any recipe that calls for ground beef, including burritos, barbecue,
tacos, chili and even hamburgers on the grill.
And of course, eating healthy does not mean
giving up delicious foods like beef and pork.
Lean cuts of beef and pork can be an important part of a healthy
diet. Beef and pork are both excellent
sources of iron, zinc and B complex vitamins, and properly prepared, lean beef
and pork are nutritious as well as delicious.
And finally, there are a number of lower
fat, healthier alternatives to beef and pork.
Meats like buffalo, venison and emu are much lower in fat than beef,
while providing the same or even higher levels of protein. The downside of these exotic meats, of
course, is the price, but if you can find a local supply at a good price they
are definitely worth a look.