I often hear people badmouthing red meat in relation to obesity. The Oscar Meyer shaved roast beef I buy has 10 calories per slice, so 60 calories per sandwich. The provolone cheese has 70 calories and the homemade multigrain bread has 220! Today, I had a lovely BLT on that same bread. The bacon was just over half the calories of the bread. If I had mayo on it (which I didn't but many folks do), that would probably been as many calories as the bacon! Even a modest ribeye only has 350 calories - about as much as my roast beef sandwich. (Of course, my roast beef sandwich is a more complete meal while, with that ribeye, I'm going to need a side dish and roll or something.)
Is it portion control? Or are other folks eating some other cut of beef or pork that's worse?
There are a few things that are potential issues and that have been listed as issues in the past.
One is that red meat contains high levels of dietary cholesterol. New studies are showing that dietary cholesterol doesn't have as much effect on serum cholesterol as had been previously thought, but people are still stuck with the red meat=bad mindset (just like the "too many eggs=bad" mindset that is being slowly debunked).
Also most people who eat red meat don't tend to eat terribly lean cuts or if they do, they compensate with richer cooking methds. Red meat is much more flavorful and tender when it has a decent amount of marbling (i.e. fat) in it. But that makes it higher in saturated fat, which is bad for you. OTOH, truly LEAN red meat (the kind with less marbling) tends to be the type of meat that is somewhat tough and lacking in flavor - which means that people who eat really LEAN meat tend to cook it or serve it in ways that make it less healthy.
There are also reliable studies that say people who eat more red meat are more prone to colon cancer. But again, the studies included people whose primary protein sources were from red meat. Those who ate red meat combined with fish and chicken and other protein sources had a much lesser incidence of colon cancer. The question is, however, is it because they ate so much meat or because they ate LESS of the other types of protein. Studies are still debating that.
The American Cancer Society says that most people should limit themselves to about 1oz of red meat per day - which sounds low, but actually if you think about it, that works out to 7 oz a week - which is really about 2 servings. In other words, people should eat a serving of red meat 2x or less per week, instead of with every meal. (And I would be willing to bet that a good number of Americans eat 2 or even 3 servings a DAY, much less a week. Just look at the average fast food hamburger which contains 1/2 pound of hamburger or better!)
And, there ARE ways to cook lean red meat that is healthy - you don't have to smother it in sauces and gravy to make it flavorful. It's just the way we, as Americans tend to cook.
So ... as with everything, it's not so much that red meat is inherently bad - it's that (a) we need to learn to prepare it in a healthy manner and (b) we need to learn to eat it in moderation.
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Last edited by PhotoChick; 09-09-2008 at 03:23 PM.
In regards to health, it's about how meat is raised in this country. I don't want to get into the political nature of the subject, but grass fed/finished beef is lower in saturated fat and higher in omega-3s.
Personally, since I have a family history of "diseases of affluence" (heart disease, stroke, etc.), I only eat red meat (lamb) 3-4 times per year and I don't eat beef for other reasons.
Photochick is correct that dietary cholesterol is not the bad guy they thought, but saturated fat is. If you are concerned about heart health saturated fats are what you need to limit (all animal products, unless fat free, contain saturated fat as well as a few plant sources.)
In regards to health, it's about how meat is raised in this country.
Ah yeah. This is the one that I left out. And it really is a whole 'nother post in and of itself. But I think it also applies to *any* meat product and in fact any FOOD product in the US.
Hormones, dietary supplements, etc. ... all impact the nutritional value of what we eat, but red meat is probably fairly strongly impacted.
I think part of the issue is the saturated fats. But there is also a huge deal about the animals who provide the meat being treated with steroids, hormones, and antibiotics that all stay in the meat so we end up eating it. Of course, because it's not added after the animal is killed, it doesn't have to go on an ingredient list so we just never really know what kind of chemicals we are consuming that could be affecting our bodies and how they are able to metabolize our food.
"diseases of affluence" I've never heard that phrase. It is meaningful!
I hadn't realized the recommendation was so little red meat. We do eat it fairly often, but usually in small quantities. For instance, I make a burrito filling that's got more veggies in it than meat. So, we are having hamburger, but it's drained and "diluted" with lots of veggies. (It's a Jenny Craig recipe that even has spinach!)
Yeah, we eat it more often than recommended, to be honest. DH eats a LOT more red meat than I do. But I think we eat it 3-ish times a week, plus sometimes I'll take leftovers for lunch.
But we also eat fish 2x a week, chicken at least 2x a week, and pork once a week. Plus I'm trying to eat a lot more protein, so I protein load on soy, whey powder, and dairy as well.
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Just like everything else we put into our body's we have to choose meat by what is in it. You can eat beef that is low in saturated fats. Make sure you read the label. Beef tenderloins are not all created equal. Some are very low in over all fat and in saturated fat. Venison is really a great substitute for beef. If you happen to hunt there are meats out there deer, rabbit and squirrel for example that are natural and not full of the crap those that raise meat pump into the meat we buy. Some think PETA is a great organization for the care of animals. Some think PETA stand for People Eating Tasty Animals, at least that is what is on my daughters T shirt. This is just another choice everyone has to make and I respect those that don't want to eat meat at all. I can only hope that those that are against eating meat respect those that do eat meat. 4 oz of meat isn't going to hurt the human body. Red meat a couple of times a week, chicken a couple of times a week, fish a couple of times a week puts a nice variety into the diet for a great many people. Personally I make sure I eat the required amounts of the four basic food groups and that is all the meat I eat. I generally don't care for meat. I make sure I have the lowest saturated fat in the meats I eat.
Last edited by Shy Moment; 09-09-2008 at 09:36 PM.
I personally avoid red meat because it's simply higher in calories (due to it's generally higher fat content). Also, when I eat it, it doesn't sit very well with me.. Not to mention that I'm not too crazy for the taste, unless it's a really good cut of steak. *shrugs*
I think I've eaten beef three times in the past year...Usually at Mom's, involving somebody's birthday, and always served with far too much wine!
We eat primarily venison for our 'red' meat - very lean, and yes, there are challenges to cooking venison - but not unsurmountable. Marinating with red wine for several hours (along with crushed garlic & black pepper) makes for a great steak (cooked to medium rare, served alongside fried {pam/nonstick pan} onions & mushrooms - sigh). Other techniques involve long slow cooking (stew), or even using the pressure cooker (for a "quick" pot of stew, or shredded BarBQ venison)
We have the venison once or twice a week, chicken at least 3 times, fish once a week (as a former non-fish eater, I'm working on it!), and either a meatless meal or a pork meal. We have WAY too much sausage in the freezer, so on the nights the kids (including DH) want it, I will enjoy a boneless chicken breast, or something light.
Shy: Some think PETA stand for People Eating Tasty Animals, at least that is what is on my daughters T shirt.- I almost snorted my iced tea all over the keyboard on that one!!! Thanks for the chuckle!
Why does red meat get such a bad rap?
). Other techniques involve long slow cooking (stew), or even using the pressure cooker (for a "quick" pot of stew, or shredded BarBQ venison)
- I almost snorted my iced tea all over the keyboard on that one!!! Thanks for the chuckle!
