Leaner Cuts of Meat
Newsletters
You're heading down a dead end road if you think you can lose weight without paying close attention to the meat in your diet. Make sure you choose lean cuts of meat to benefit both your health and your waistline.
By definition, lean cuts of meat are lower in fat, saturated fat and calories. Fresh grilled salmon with garlic and rosemary sounds delicious, and it is! But you don't need to replace all the meat in your diet with fish and poultry. As long as you make sure that the red or white meats you choose are lean, there won't be much difference in fat and calories.
Marbling gives meat flavor and tenderness, but at the expense of increasing the fat and calories in your diet. Prime cuts have the most marbling, select cuts have the least, and choice cuts fall between the two. Choose select or choice cuts of meats with loin or round in the name, such as sirloin, tenderloin, and eye of round. These cuts are generally the leanest.
Choosing lean meats can aid in weight loss, but choosing lean meats doesn't mean that they have to be tough. In fact, lean meat can be tender, tasty, and low in calories. For more information on how to enjoy lean cuts of meat, see our past newsletter entitled Cooking Tender, Tasty, Low Calorie Meat.
Lastly, be sure to watch your serving size. Meat should not be the largest portion on your plate. Keep your meat serving to about the size of a deck of cards. Half of your plate should be covered with vegetables, one-quarter with whole grain carbohydrates, and one-quarter with lean protein. It also may help you to eat from a smaller 8- or 9-inch plate.
You can enjoy meat along with other sources of protein. Just make sure it's lean, and it will help you achieve the lean body you desire.
Healthy regards,
Megan Porter, RD
