The Eating Buddy – Why did the Chicken cross the road? Part 1

• Topics covered to date have been the following:
• How to shop at a grocery store
• Tips on how to eat healthier
• Fruits and Vegetables (the mom’s like that one)
• Bread, yummy warm bread… hmm…
• Seafood, all of a sudden I am thinking of sushi again

So now we move onto another favorite I am speaking of things that go moo, cluck, oink, baa, and gobble. I know there are those people out there that choose not to eat meat, but that is not me. Not much makes me happier than a perfect hamburger. But there is so much confusion out there especially towards red meat you might not know what to do.

Why eat meat and poultry?

• Protein
• Iron
• B12
• Zinc
• Phosphorus

All things needed for a healthy diet.

How much?

5 to 6 1/2 ounces per day (notice that does not say a 1/2 pound cheeseburger with fries and a coke)

Serving sizes: (1 serving)

• Chicken Breast – 6 ounces
• Pork Chop – 4 ounces
• Steak – 4 ounces
• Lamp Chop – 4 ounces
• Boneless Veal Chop – 4 ounces
• Burger Patty – 1/4 pound

Notice something? Yes we as Americans are probably eating more than one serving size of any of these meats or poultry. I am thinking we are closer to two, three or even more is common.

Time to get healthy with meat and poultry:

1. Choose lean cuts. Ground round less than 15% fat is a better choice or even better ground turkey breast.
2. Always remove skin and trim off the fat. If you remove the skin from a chicken breast reduces the calories by 42% and fat by 88%! Remember me talking about smart choices, here is an easy one.
3. Portions Portions Portions! Hint: a steak should be about the size of a deck of cards or a closed fist.
4. A nine letter BAD WORD! Processed! Not all bad words come in four. Again the more human involvement the worse food becomes.
5. Marbles are supposed to be round, not found in meat. Marbling does add flavor, but is a big portion of the saturated fat found in meat. Leaner is always better.
6. All meat is bad! At least that is what the headlines say. Well imagine that, the press only tells a portion of the story. Yes red meat CAN have a high amount of saturated fat, but with smart choices this can be cut way back. Again LEANER IS BETTER!

Beef

Lean Cuts - Look for words like Choice or Select, not Prime

• Bottom Round Steak
• Tri Tip
• Shoulder Tender
• Shoulder Center Steak
• Top Round Steak
• Loin Top Sirloin Steak
• Bottom Round Roast

Ground Beef – Aim for less than 15% fat, 10% or 7% is even better for you.

Terms:

• Grain-fed or Grass-fed? Grass fed healthier, but more expensive.
• Natural must not contain no artificial ingredients and minimally processed
• Organic – The animals are not given hormones or antibiotics, fed on a pasture for at least 120 days.

Veal and Lamb

• Generally a leaner cut of meat
• Leanest cuts are are found around the leg
• Also generally more expensive

Pork

• Leanest choices boneless top loin chops, boneless top loin roast, center loin chops, center rib chops or bone in sirloin roast.
• Look for no hormones added, natural or no antibiotics
• Ground pork labeled lean has less fat and calories than ground sirloin
• Ham generally has more sodium than other meats
• Pork sausage generally will have a large amount of saturated fat, calories and sodium. Check the labels!
• Bacon also has a high amount of saturated fat and sodium (sorry should be kept to a minimum)

Well looking at this post it is getting kind of long, so I am ending it and will take up the topic of poultry on the next post.

Until next time, Your Fitness Buddy!