The Complicated Story on Beef

So I received a request from my friend Adriane to have an "Ask the dietitian column"- I'll need to ask my tech-savvy brother if I can set up a way to have people write in questions... but in the mean time, here is Adriane's question:

"Ok question # 1. Dear Sexiest Dietitian in Northern New Jersey. Beef is the ugly step child of the meat family. You always hear how bad it is for you and your heart. Is there a "right" way to eat beef? Or should it really just be avoided? Any suggestions?"

That's a fantastic question- I know in my experience when a patient tells me he or she has started to make changes in his or her diet, the first thing mentioned is that he or she has stopped eating red meat. Beef has gotten a bad rap in the public and is not a great food to eat every day but as us dietitians like to say "Everything fits in moderation."

I'll start off by stating some of the nutritional properties of beef; this is from the beef.org website- run by the National Cattleman's Association- but they are truthful statements:

"A 3-ounce serving of lean beef is an excellent source (provides 20% or more of daily value) of: iron, niacin, vitamin B6, riboflavin. A 3-ounce serving of lean beef is a good source (provides 10-19% of daily value) of: phosphorus, protein, selenium, vitamin B12."

The iron that we get from beef (and animal foods in general) is more easily absorbed by the body than iron from plant foods. Beef and meat is also an easy way to eat a lot of protein. A 3-ounce serving of sirloin provides 26 grams protein and only 160 calories. So yes, there are some definite good points to beef.

Having said that, the typical American's diet is usually not deficient in niacin, B6 or riboflavin. Very few of us also are deficient in our protein intake- most Americans eat at least double the amount of protein that the body needs to function- even weight lifting guys who need extra protein usually eat way more than they need. Beef is also very high in fat, particularly saturated fat. Saturated fat is a type of fat that increases the 'bad' cholesterol in our blood called LDL-cholesterol. This increased level of bad cholesterol is associated with atherosclerosis, or fatty deposits/plaques in blood vessels. If that same 3-ounce piece of sirloin is broiled or grilled and is a lean cut, it has 2.1 grams of saturated fat (10% of what a person who eats 2000 calories per day should eat). Keep in mind that 3 ounces of beef is not what most people consider a large portion, it is approximately the size of a deck of cards-not what most people eat when they eat steak. Meats in general can also be quite pricey. A can of organic garbanzo beans at Whole Foods runs me less than a dollar and provides lots of good fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals with no saturated fat and little total fat.

I also try to avoid eating beef and meats in general due to the impact of meat production on the environment. Heck, even the beef.org website states that it takes 435 gallons of water to produce 1 lb. of meat. I won't get into a lot of the details but basically producing meat takes up a lot of natural resources including water, petroleum, grains, etc. If any one wants more information on the research concerning the environment, disease, and meat production, I can write another post, but it's too much to write here. There's also a lot of good books with strong scientific research behind them that deal with those issues.

Basically, the story on beef is a mixed one. My personal recommendation is to keep it to no more than once a week, and if you're going to eat beef, keep the portion small, like 3-ounces and choose a leaner cut. I think it's a good idea in general to try to trim back meat consumption and substitute it with other healthy protein sources like whole grains and beans.

The bottom line: beef can be a good source of protein and iron, but is high in saturated fat, has a high cost to the environment and your wallet.