HEART HEALTHY INFORMATION AND RECIPES
Oregon Beef Council's"Beef Measures Up To A Heart Healthy Diet" Brochure
Information found in the brochure:
"Good lean meat is an excellent source of protein, vitamins and minerals, especially iron. And the American Heart Association says "yes" to lean beef, with a few guidelines to help you protect your heart."
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American Heart Association Guidelines
- Select lean meat with more muscle than fat, and trim all the visible fat you see on the cut. (You'll find the leanest six beef cuts below the recipes inside.) When choosing ground beef look for the extra lean label - not to exceed 16% fat by weight.
- Keep meat portion sizes reasonable - 6 ounces per day of cooked lean meats (beef, veal, pork, lamb), poultry or fish. That's several smaller servings -or two 3-ounce servings - or one 6-ounce serving per day.
- Plan a variety of entrees in you weekly meal planning. Include poultry, fish, bean dishes and moderate amounts of lean beef, veal, pork and lamb.
- Roast, broil, bake or sauté your selection and discard drippings. Watch out for meat that is marbled - you could be adding extra fat and cholesterol to your diet.
- Once you have selected and carefully prepared your meat entree, don't go overboard with sauces and other condiments.
Nutrition Information
Thanks to new breeding and feeding techniques, beef is lower in calories,
leaner in fat and lighter on cholesterol than you might think.
Calories
According to USDA research, the number of calories in lean beef are similar to those in lean poultry and pork.
Fat
The American Heart Association recommends reducing total fat intake to no more than 30% of calories with saturated fat intake at less than 10% of total daily calories.
In general, the leanest beef cuts come from the round and loin sections (see The Lighter Side of Beef for saturated fat and total fat content). Select those cuts with the least marbling and trim away any fat you can.
Cholesterol
The American Heart Association recommends a daily diet containing no more than 300 mg cholesterol per day.
Lean beef compares favorably with other main dish foods in cholesterol content. A 3-ounce serving provides 25 percent of the American Heart Association's recommended 300-milligram daily limit.
Other Nutritional Benefits
Beef offers a great tasting package of nutrients. It's a good source of protein, iron, zinc and vitamin B12. Fresh beef is naturally low in sodium, providing about 60 milligrams per three-ounce cooked serving.
With careful cut selection, proper serving size and appropriate cooking techniques, you can put beef back on your table in moderation and feel good about it.
The Lighter Side Of Beef
These six beef cuts are your leanest choices.
*Three-ounce servings, cooked and trimmed.
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Top Round
153 calories
4.2g total fat
(1.4 saturated)
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Top Loin
176 calories
8.0g total fat
(3.1g saturated)
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Round Tip
157 calories
5.9g total fat
(2.0g saturated)
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Eye of Round
143 calories
4.2g total fat
(1.5g saturated)
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Sirloin
165 calories
6.1g total fat
(2.4g saturated)
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Tenderloin
179 calories
8.5g total fat
(3.2g saturated)
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Benefits of Adapting a Healthy Diet
Immediate Benefits
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It allows you to enjoy a wide variety of foods.
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It tastes good.
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Long-Term Benefits
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It will make it easier to control your weight.
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If you are overweight, you will probably lose weight.
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It will help keep your heart healthy by helping you maintain a low blood cholesterol level.
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Adopting and following a healthy diet is simple. Just build your daily food intake around the following basic plan:
- Four or more servings of vegetables and fruits (or juices).
- Four or more servings of bread, cereal and starch foods.
- Two or more servings of low-fat milk, cheese and dairy products.
- 6-ounces of lean meat, fish or poultry.
- No more than 5-8 teaspoons of fats and oils.
- Limit whole eggs or egg yolks to no more than 4 per week.
Brochure Order Information
To order copies of the "Beef Measures Up to a Heart Healthy Diet" Brochure, request the brochure BY NAME and send your mailing address to:
Oregon Beef Council
1200 NW Naito Parkway, Suite 290
Portland, OR 97209
(503) 274-BEEF phone
(503) 274-5405 fax
dean@orbeef.org
(limited quantities available)
Recipes
The following heart healthy recipes can be found in the "Beef Measures Up to a Heart Healthy Diet" brochure created by the Oregon Beef Council and American Heart Association Oregon Affiliate.
