A juicy hamburger or thick steak is a favorite for many meat-eaters but each can be high in fat and calories. Depending on what cut of meat you choose, beef can play a healthy part in your diet. The Vermont Department of Health reports that many of the most popular cuts taste good because they contain some fat, which contributes to the taste. This can lead to an unhealthy consumption of saturated fat; however, opting for leaner choices allows beef, when eaten in moderation, to have a place in your healthy eating plan.
Protein
Protein is a nutrient found throughout the body, including hair, nails, skin, bones and muscles. The amino acids in protein foods work together to promote strong and healthy muscles. All beef cuts supply protein, but choosing the leanest cuts, such as top round, bottom round or top sirloin, are your healthiest choices. These cuts supply about 50 percent of your daily protein needs in a 3-ounce serving, but are considered the lowest in fat and calories.
Vitamin B12
According to the Harvard School of Public Health, you need 2.4 micrograms of vitamin B-12 every day. A 3-ounce serving of lean beef supplies 37 percent of your daily vitamin B-12 needs. One of the most important things that vitamin B-12 does is help turn your food into energy to fuel your body. Vitamin B-12 deficiencies can lead to memory problems, tingling in the arms and legs, disorientation and hallucinations. Adding lean beef to your diet can help you reach your daily vitamin B-12 needs. Zinc
Another key nutrient in beef is zinc. You need sufficient amounts in your daily diet because it helps support a healthy and strong immune system and also contributes to injury healing. A 3-ounce portion of lean beef supplies 39 percent of the zinc you need to consume each day. You get just as much zinc from lean cuts of beef, including top round and shoulder pot roast, so choose the meats with the least amount of fat to get the most nutritional benefit.
Other Nutrients
Beef contains a wealth of other vitamins and minerals that have an important place in your diet. A 3-ounce serving of lean beef supplies 14 percent of your daily iron needs. Iron enables your body to produce healthy red blood cells that can more efficiently transport oxygen throughout your system. Lean beef is also a good source of several B vitamins, including niacin and riboflavin, which help you get energy from the food you eat.
Demand for grass-fed beef is growing, and for many good reasons. If you’re in the market for some, here’s some vital info:
It’s a healthy, relatively lean protein source. It has less total fat than grain-fed beef (the kind most often sold in supermarkets), perhaps as much as 50 percent less. Similarly, saturated fat in a grass-fed steak is around half as much as a grain-fed steak. It has fewer calories, ounce-per-ounce, more heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, and more antioxidants as well. To be fair, conventional beef clearly bears valuable nutrients and beneficial fats, but the composition breakdown is indeed different.
Gras-feed beef | Photo: Randy Mayor
It looks different from grain-fed beef. Breed and diet play into this, but speaking broadly, a grass-fed strip steak will appear to have less fat marbling (streaks throughout the red portion) than its grain-fed counterpart, and the fat itself will be more yellow than the white fat on grain-fed. Lower marbling attests to its lower calorie and fat content, while the yellow tint indicates higher beta-Carotene levels (the stuff that helps make carrots orange).
It tastes different from grain-fed beef. Flavor descriptions vary, depending on the taster and the beef itself (the cow’s breed and its particular grass diet—did it eat alfalfa? Bermuda grass?—will influence taste). But it’s fair to say it won’t taste the same as the grain-fed beef you may be used to eating. And this is critical to bear in mind. Because if you buy grass-fed beef expecting health benefits and grain-fed flavor, you may become disillusioned. Folks who don’t like grass-fed taste sometimes describe it as gamey. Grass-fed fans call it beefier, bolder-flavored, and pleasantly mineral. Know this: it’s not as “gamey” as true game, like venison, antelope, or elk, or as strong as some cuts of lamb. But however you describe it, you will notice a difference.
It’s more expensive than grain-fed beef. Which stands to reason. Labor and operating costs tend to be higher at grass-fed cattle ranches. A lot of work goes into ensuring that the cattle eat the right grass (without depleting parts of the pasture), and in the right amounts (so they gain weight at the proper rate, which according to some ranchers is 2 pounds a day), and the end product is priced accordingly.
