Which type of meat is the healthiest to eat and why?
Many of us have had this question running through our minds, so today we'll look at all the different types of meats, and their benefits.
Before writing this column, I knew the basic knowledge of most meats, but I had no idea how they ranked against one another.
I know many of us have made new year's resolutions to become healthier and to start eating more cleanly, so the best way to meet your goals is to first become educated on the topic.
The main meat categories consist of red meat, seafood and poultry. I personally include all of these meats in my diet, but let's see what the benefits are of each, and how they compare to the others.
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Red meat
There are many different types of red meat.
Red meat refers to all mammalian muscle meat, which can include beef, veal, pork, lamb, mutton, horse and goat.
Red meat provides multiple nutritious benefits including high amounts of protein (23-28g per 4 oz serving), which can help with building and repairing new muscles.
Additionally, different types of red meat are high sources of vitamin B-12 and iron.
Red meat has been controversial for many years, and many individuals claim you should stay away from it. But, after looking at updated research, red meat can be very beneficial when you eat them correctly.
There are many different factors that you want to note before completely eliminating them from your diet.
For example, is the red meat you are eating overly processed?
Highly processed foods are often filled with unhealthy chemicals and added preservatives.
So, you always want to look for fresh lean ground beef at your local stores.
Additionally, red meat should be eaten about 2-3 times a week. This way you are getting all the nutritious benefits, but you are not increasing your chance of the negative effects.
If red meat is over eaten, this can lead to an increase in risk of heart disease, and a few other health concerns.
In simple terms, red meat contains nutrients that, when broken down in your gut, produce a product called trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO).
This product increases the chance of your arteries hardening, which can lead to a heart attack or stroke.
Overall, red meat plays a big role in most of our diets. They are a great sources of protein and they have many benefits, but just make sure you are not overeating them, and they are not overly processed.
Seafood
Seafood is something many of us include in our diet, and there are so many different types.
So let's understand why seafood is so beneficial, and how it compares to the other meats.
Seafood includes all of the saltwater and freshwater fish, molluscan shellfish and crustaceans.
All of these different types of seafood have different nutritional benefits, so we are going to do a generalization of seafood as a whole.
Seafood is known for being low in saturated fats and packed full of nutrients, including omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamin A and B.
You may have heard of omega-3 fatty acids, but do you know what they actually do?
Omega-3 fatty acids are crucial for our bodies.
Omega-3 fatty acids are an integral part of our cell membranes, and they play a huge role in our cell receptors.
They also help with hormone production and lowering our triglycerides (the fats in our body).
Seafood is also a great source of protein. Each different type of seafood contains a different amount of protein, but specifically, Tuna, has a high source of protein (32g for every 4oz).
According to many studies, you should be aiming to eat around 12 oz. of seafood a week. This will help create a great balance in your diet, and will also provide you with many different nutritional benefits.
Poultry
I know many of us love eating chicken, turkey and many other types of poultry.
So, let's dive deep into the benefits of eating this meat.
Poultry is typically my go-to meat of choice. This is because there are so many benefits of eating this meat.
To begin with, poultry, specifically chicken, is very high in protein.
I personally workout multiple times throughout the week, so I am always tearing up my muscles.
So, in order for me to repair these muscles and grow, I must eat enough protein. Four ounces of Chicken contains 31g or protein, and 4 oz. of Turkey contains 32g of protein.
This would definitely be considered a great source of protein.
Both chicken and turkey provide high amounts of nutrients, which make them very healthy.
Additionally, poultry has high amounts of unsaturated fats (the good fats), which can help lower cholesterol levels.
Of course, just like with red meat, you want to stay away from highly processed poultry.
Eating skinless, white meat is the healthiest way to go. Many professionals have classified white meat from chicken as the leanest and cleanest meat to eat.
Overall, all of these meats have their own individual benefits.
In order to have a well-rounded diet, you want to stray away from overly processed foods and stick to fresh lean meats.
White meat from chicken may be seen as the “healthiest”, but the other meat categories also have many great benefits, so try to play around with your typical diet, and try out new things.
I hope you enjoyed reading about the different types of meats. If you would like to learn more about growing muscles or macronutrients, take a look at some of my previous columns.
Krista Stevens in a graduate of the University of Florida. To find out more, see:
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Got questions?Contact Krista atKristastevensemail@gmail.com
