Most people make meat a regular part of their diet. While too much of it can be harmful, limited meats can be beneficial. Some meats are better than others in terms of the health benefits they provide.
One of the best ways to incorporate just the right meats into one’s diet is by using chicken and turkey rather than red meats. You can use these meats in lunch or dinner. You can also make sandwiches with leftover turkey or chicken, or add leftovers to a salad. Other healthy ways to eat meat include baking or grilling chicken breasts. You should remove the skin first.
Using the proper amount of meat is important when eating healthy. Ideally, three ounces of meat is the perfect serving per meal. Three ounces of chicken is the equivalent of half of a leg or breast. When it comes to lean roast beef, also a healthy meat option, two thinly cut slices equal three ounces. When seasoning meat, it is best to only use herbs and spices to preserve health benefits.
When cooking meat, all the visible fat should be trimmed off first. This is easier to do when the juice from the meat has had time to cool off. After the meat has been browned, it is easy to remove any fat that is still lingering. The healthiest ways to cook meat include stir frying, baking, roasting, grilling, or broiling. Fried meats are never a healthy choice.
Sometimes, replacing meat in one’s diet is an even better option. There are many ways to do this. Garbanzo and black beans can be used to make burgers that are often just as delicious as burgers made of meat.
When it comes to salads, soups, and many entrees, meat can be replaced with tofu, beans, lentils, and peas. These foods have some of the same health benefits of meat with none of the harmful effects. For example, a 5-ounce piece of steak has 300 calories, while a cup of pinto beans has 265. Beans have very little fat and no cholesterol. Compare this to the steak’s 120 milligrams of cholesterol, and 12 grams of fat.
These are all the ways meat can be a healthy part of one’s diet. Choosing the right meats and cooking them the right way is the key.