This Facts About reviews lean meats and gives examples of foods to choose from as well as foods to avoid. We provide a guide for selecting an appropriate portion size and recommendations for incorporating healthy changes into your diet.

What are the recommended servings per week?

• Optional* : 1-3 servings per week

*Optional - Those individuals choosing to not include animal foods in their diet need to be aware of important nutrients found in these foods. These nutrients can be obtained from a thoughtful and varied vegetarian diet. However, some individuals who avoid animal products may develop a vitamin B12 or iron deficiency and may also need to consider a calcium supplement. If you have questions regarding this, consult with your physician or registered dietitian regarding your individual needs.

Why choose lean meat?

• High protein source
• Rich iron source
• Contains B-12 vitamins

Selected Food Sources with Serving Sizes

Special Considerations?

Choosing lean meats

• Choose lean meat containing less than 3g of fat per 1 oz
• Generally, the leanest cuts of meat contain round or loin in their name
• Choose animal products that are labeled “organic,” “hormone-free,” “antibiotic-free,” “free-range,” “grass-fed, “ and / or “wild” whenever possible
• Choose lean meat over higher fat choices to reduce total fat intake
• Consume lean meat weekly rather than daily
• Look for poultry with USDA Select grading of A and B
• Look for beef with USDA Select or Choice grading
• To lower the fat content of poultry and other meat, cut off skin and fat before cooking and/or eating it
• While many grocery stores carry both ground chicken and ground turkey, it may contain as much fat as ground beef because it may include dark meat and skin.  For lower fat, choose ground breast meat or look for low fat ground chicken or turkey.

Saturated Fat Content

• Lean meat contains less than 3g of fat per 1 oz , which is less than higher fat choices, but still contains some saturated fat
• The typical American diet is high in saturated fat, coming mostly from animal foods
• Eating too many foods with saturated fat may increase blood levels of LDL and total cholesterol. High blood levels of LDL and total cholesterol are risk factors for heart disease.
• Diets high in saturated fat promote obesity, cancer, heart disease, inflammatory arthritis, diabetes, and chronic pain

Use of Hormones and Antibiotics

• Most commercial animal products contain residues from drugs, hormones, and chemicals used to keep modern dairy cows producing abundantly. These residues in food may increase the risk of breast cancer and other hormone-related cancers including prostate cancer.
• Most commercially-raised animals may have been exposed to antibiotics. This practice contributes to the escalating problem of antibiotic-resistant bacteria throughout the world.

Choose Organic

We recommend organic, free-range animal products because they contain less antibiotic or hormone residue and have a higher omega-3 and vitamin E content. These qualities make organic animal products a better nutritional choice. We believe they generally provide better flavor than conventionally raised animals.

Organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations. Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides, petroleum-based fertilizers, or sewage sludge-based fertilizers, bio-engineering, or ionizing radiation. Organic systems replenish and maintain soil fertility, eliminate the use of toxic and persistent pesticides and fertilizers, and build biologically diverse agriculture.

Free-Range, Grass-fed, Pasture-raised

Some studies have shown that free-range, grass-fed and pasture-raised animals contain more omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E. Free-range farming generally provides adequate room inside. To be certified by the USDA, producers must demonstrate to the Agency that the animal has been allowed access to the outside. These animals have fresh air, open space, and enjoy shelter. They also have the opportunity to forage for food.

Know Your Limits for Fat

• On a 2,000 calorie diet, about 30% or 600 calories (67g) should come from total fat per day
• A ratio of 1:2:1 of saturated: monounsaturated: polyunsaturated (such as Omega-3s) fat is recommended
• 1:2:1 in calories equals 150:300:150; no more than 150 calories or 7.5% (17g) of total calories from saturated fat

Ideas for your lean meat consumption

1. When ordering lean meat in restaurants make sure that it has been prepared with either dry or moist heat methods; poached, steamed, grilled, baked or broiled are preferred.
2. To reduce saturated fat and calorie intake, avoid meat that has been battered and fried, slathered in butter, or blanketed in creamy sauces.
3. Experiment with leaner cuts of meat in your favorite recipes to replace higher fat choices.
4. Choose lean meat up to 3 times per week rather than daily.
5. Use lean meat to flavor meals rather than as the main focus.
6. Be mindful of portion size for all meats – a 2-3 oz serving of lean meat is approximately the size of a deck of cards
7. To reduce the amount of meat in a recipe, replace half with beans, mushrooms or other vegetables.

This Facts About document is published by Monica Myklebust, MD, and Jenna Wunder, MPH, RD, at University of Michigan Integrative Medicine Clinical Services. Our mission is to care for people using an Integrative Medicine model that reaffirms the importance of relationship between practitioner and patient, focuses on the whole person, is informed by evidence, and makes use of all appropriate therapeutic approaches to achieve optimal health and healing.

Resources

Beef, loin, bottom sirloin butt, tri-tip steak
USDA Agricultural Research Service – Nutrient Data Laboratory         
www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp
Accessed May 17, 2006

How to Buy Meat
United States Department of Agriculture
Agricultural Marketing Service
www.ams.usda.gov
Accessed May 17, 2006

How to Buy Poultry
United States Department of Agriculture
Agricultural Marketing Service
www.ams.usda.gov
Accessed May 17, 2006

Bennion M and Scheule B. Introductory Foods. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc.:2000.

Meat and Poultry Labeling Terms
United States Department of Agriculture
Food Safety and Inspection Service
www.fsis.usda.gov
Accessed May 17, 2006

Organic Food Standards and Labels:  The Facts
USDA Agricultural Marketing Service
www.ams.usda.gov
Accessed May 17, 2006

Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
www.epa.gov
Accessed May 17, 2006

Poultry, Meat and Seafood:  How to’s of High-Protein Foods
Mayo Clinic
www.mayoclinic.com
Accessed May 17, 2006

A Primer on Fats and Oils
American Dietetic Association
www.eatright.org
Accessed May 17, 2006

Vitamin E requirements for protection of dairy cows against infections at parturition
Weiss, WP
The Ohio State University – Extension Research
http://ohioline.osu.edu/
Accessed May 17, 2006           

Original Research and Review Articles

Hu FB, et al.  Prospective study of major dietary patterns and risk of coronary heart disease in men.  American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.  2000;72:912-921.

Huxley R, et al.  Cholesterol, coronary heart disease and stroke:  a review of published evidence from observational studies and randomized trials.  Seminars in Vascular Medicine.  2002;2(3):315-323.

Kuller LH.  Dietary fat and chronic diseases:  epidemiologic overview.  Journal of the American Dietetic Association.  1997;97(suppl):s9-s15.

O’Sullivan A, et al.  Grass silage versus maize silage effects on retail packaged beef quality.  Journal of Animal Science.  2002;80:1556-1563.

Rennie KL, et al.  Nutritional management of rheumatoid arthritis:  a review of the evidence.  Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics.  2003;16:97-109.

Seaman DR.  The diet-induced proinflammatory state:  a cause of chronic pain and other degenerative diseases?  Journal of Manipulative Physiology.  2002;25:168-179.

Simopoulos AP.  Human requirement for n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.  Poultry Science.  2000;79(7):961-970.

Weisburger JH.  Eat to live, not live to eat.  Nutrition.  2000;16(9):767-773.

Wood JD, et al.  Effects of fatty acids on meat quality:  a review.  Meat Science.  2003;66:21-32.