Eating Meat to Fit in Your Healthy Diet

There’s currently no shortage of diet trends in today’s society. With the world’s latest obsession with the ketogenic diet and others trying out the likes of the paleo diet, it may seem that this sudden obsession with healthy eating is the best way to improve one’s diet. The truth is that whatever we eat, we need to carefully analyze the content to see how it will affect our bodies.

Making Meat Healthy Again

Trend or not, our diets certainly aren’t what they used to be. Keep reading to learn how our diets have changed and what that means for you.

Fatty Meats Aren’t Necessarily Unhealthy

Many people are under the impression that they shouldn’t eat meat because it is unhealthy for them. This is due, in part to the fact that society advertises that fatty meats and meats altogether contain harmful fats. However, research shows that the saturated fat in these meats is harmless. The truth is that meat holds a lot of power as a health food. Instead of continuing to stigmatize the likes of bacon and red meat, choose meats that are high in protein.

When considering a high protein diet, consumers need to search for foods that are higher in amino acids. While most people may associate red meat and bacon with high protein, there are other options. Gary Preacher from HCG Diet (https://hcgdiet.com/) says that when taken at the right dosage, amino acids found in dairy, eggs, meat, and fish can help you lose weight faster. As the HCG Diet focuses on keeping calories low, many individuals that follow this diet find that eating meals high in protein are the most effective for weight loss and, as such, find ways to incorporate more red meat in their diet. Though individuals that eat a low-carb diet should try to stick with leaner cuts of meat, others that opt for a higher carb diet need to focus on increasing their intake of proteins while working to keep calories low.

Consider the Macro-nutrients and Calories with Meat

The reason most people will assume lean meats are healthier is the fact that other meats are higher in their amount of total fat. With a piece of fattier meat, consumers can expect that the protein will contain four calories per gram while the fat contains nine, thus these fatty meats provide a higher caloric intake overall.

A look at the calories and protein in chicken illustrates the stark caloric contrast between lean meat and fattier meat:

• Lean Chicken Breast: 31g of protein, 4g of fat, 165 calories
  
• Wings, Skin, and Fatty Meat: 27g of protein, 19g of fat, 290 calories

While the fattier piece of chicken has about twice the amount of calories than the chicken does, this isn’t inherently bad. In fact, chicken skin contains heart healthy saturated fat.

Note the Difference in Micro-nutrients

Instead of writing meat off as harmful to one’s health, it’s important to consider the key differences in micro-nutrients. Despite the caloric intake of certain pieces of meat, meat contains a significant amount of nutrients. Depending on the meat you eat, you’ll likely find that it provides almost everything you need.

Fattier meats typically contain higher amounts of fat-soluble vitamins. These include the vitamins E, K2, D, and A. However, this difference is relatively negligible and isn’t significant enough for a consumer to choose one form of meat over another.

Looking to make the most of the meat you eat by way of vitamins and nutrients? Consider eating more liver and other organ meats as these parts of the animal are high in nutrients.

Choose The Type of Meat Wisely

In addition to the fat content of meat, you must understand the process the meat has gone through to get to you. What were the animals fed? How were they raised? These sorts of questions will help to paint a better picture of how healthy the meat is, as well as how it will affect you after you eat it.

Meat that comes from animals raised in cages and fed unnatural foods are significantly lower in Omega-3 fatty acids. Fed on grain, these animals tend to provide the consumer with higher amounts of Omega-6 fatty acids. This can lead to a distorted imbalance between one’s Omega-3 and Omega-6 intake. Similarly, as they feed. Often contains high amounts of soy and corn, these can result in a disproportionate amount of these nutrients in your body the more you eat.

It’s important to note that there is a clear distinction between the meat that comes from the animals raised in cages and those that are free-range and organic-fed. Animals that feed on grass and other foods contain higher amounts of Omega-3’s.

For those individuals that are trying to find a healthy balance between their Omega-3 and Omega-6 intake can eat grass-fed meats while supplementing their diet with other fats that are healthier. Individuals that prefer to eat fattier meats raised in conventional ways should work to prioritize their Omega-3 intake by consuming fish oil or eating fatty fish like salmon.

Meats to Avoid

After analyzing the content and the source of these meats, it’s important to understand that there are certain kinds of meat that you should avoid altogether.

Processed meats should be avoided as much as possible. While a nice charcuterie board can seem like a healthy option, these processed meats can raise one’s risk of colon cancer. This includes hot dogs, salami, cold cuts, and cured meats. These foods are higher in saturated fats and sodium. If you must partake in these foods, try your best to limit your intake of them.

Additionally, processed meats also contain several harmful ingredients. Bacteria like listeria and nitrates are commonly found in lunch meats and similar products. Certain studies have linked these to fetal death for pregnant women.

Regardless of the diet, you choose to follow, like anything else you consume, you should do your best to ensure that the meat you eat will really benefit you. Keep this information in mind as you work to refine your diet to better suit your needs and improve your health overall.