Besides the prevalence of candy and eggs, Easter's got meat covered as well. Like any big holiday, traditional Easter brunch or dinner includes a showstopping meat centerpiece.
Lamb and ham are both traditional choices for the meal, but which one is healthier for you? Whether you're roasting a leg of lamb or glazing a ham, check out our nutritional breakdown after the break.
While it's obvious that eating bacon in everything isn't a healthy choice, a new study isolates just how bad the link between processed meat consumption and heart disease and cancer can be.
The study, from BMC Medicine, tracked almost 450,000 healthy men and women between ages 35 and 69 during the 1990s through 2000s and found that the more processed meat the volunteers consumed, the higher their risk of death from heart conditions and cancer. Interestingly, the researchers did not find a significant link between eating unprocessed red meat and early death when they adjusted their data — but they did find that more than three percent of deaths could be prevented if the participants ate less than 20 grams of processed meat a day, specifically. The study found no link between early death and poultry consumption.
The current study is important because it not only tracked healthy individuals for many years, but it also attempted to isolate just how much eating processed meat affects your health, even if you're otherwise healthy and active. And since the study didn't find the same correlation between other types of meat (and in fact found a decrease in death risk in those who ate a little bit of unprocessed meat every day), it highlights the importance of eating fatty, nitrate-filled, high-salt processed meats sparingly.
So how much is 20 grams of processed meat? Less than an ounce a day — or one small strip of bacon, says NPR. The study's lead author suggests that people eat a pound or less of all types of meat a week (300-600 grams). For more on how to be a healthy meat eater, check out our tips here.
When it comes to meat, making the healthiest choice can often be confusing. These five tips will allow you to enjoy the foods you love — only with a healthier perspective!
Keep reading to sink your teeth into more helpful tips.
Needing a break from chicken and turkey? While red meat can be higher in cholesterol and saturated fat than chicken, fish, or turkey, it can still be incorporated into a healthy diet plan. Not all red meat offers the same nutritional benefits, and some are much leaner than others, so learn which cuts to incorporate into your diet.
Up until a couple years back, I was a staunch red meat avoider. Not because I was a vegetarian or had moral qualms over its consumption, but rather as a matter of taste. Steak, burgers, meatballs, and the whole lot of much-beloved American classics held no sway over my palate, until one simple but revelatory bite changed it all. No, it wasn't a dry-aged steak or juicy Shake Shack burger that changed my mind — though I'm now irretrievably enamored with both — but rather, a bite of tender, succulent, braised short ribs.
Little by little I came to crave these tender, boldly flavored bites, soon embracing carpaccio, tartare, roasted bone marrow, and even grilled beef tongue. But it's still tender, falling-off-the-bone short ribs that get me every time. So when I came across this beer and hoisin braised stunner of a recipe, I knew I'd have to simmer up a batch posthaste, as it would inevitably enter my meal rotation. Thankfully, I was right on this account and then some. Slightly sweet, tangy, and full of deeply meaty flavor, they're so lovely that I'd wager they'd have made a red meat convert of me far earlier had I only tried them years back.
Ever since I was first introduced to roasted bone marrow, it has been a must-order appetizer — if I see it on the menu, my mind is almost unimpeachably made up — but until I tried my hand at cooking the trendy dish, I had no idea how easy, enticing, and accessible bone marrow can be to make at home.
To say that making this recipe was a revelation is a major understatement. Truly, the most challenging (and not terribly difficult at that) step is procuring the bones. I found mine at the butcher counter at Whole Foods, though this required calling slightly ahead of time to make certain they had enough in stock, and to ensure that the bones were cut to my specifications. If this buttery appetizer is up your alley, try your local butcher. All it takes is a short phone call to see if they can wrangle up a few pounds of bones to brighten your meal (and day). Trust me: it's worth the extra step.
Perhaps it was an influential trip to farm camp as a youngster, or maybe it was out of sheer stubbornness, but I've only come around to eating red meat in the past few years.
It's easy to understand a deep-seated fear of cruciferous vegetables (I still can't stomach broccoli), gloppy (or velvety, depending on your perspective) mayonnaise, or pungent hard-boiled eggs, but steak-phobia is a tougher sell.
Even the most ardent carnivores will respect one's choice to eschew animal flesh, but I'm still perplexed by my avoidance of red meat (and red meat only). Thankfully I've since learned the err of my ways and have taken to juicy steaks, tender braised short ribs, and silky carpaccio with alarming intensity.
With all the delicious eats served at the many Summer barbecues, you may opt for a turkey burger over the traditional beef patty because it's healthier. Before you swear off hamburgers forever, you may want to take a closer look at the two types of meat to see how they compare.
| 4 oz. raw ground turkey (85% lean) | 4 oz. raw ground beef (85% lean) | |
| Calories | ||
| Total Fat (g) | ||
| Sat. Fat (g) | ||
| Cholesterol (mg) | ||
| Sodium (mg) | ||
| Protein (g) | ||
| Calcium (mg) | ||
| Potassium (mg) |
If weight loss or eating less fat is on your mind, the turkey burger is definitely the way to go. But if you're trying to get more calcium, protein, or potassium in your diet, you'll want to choose the regular hamburger. Surprisingly the turkey burger is higher in sodium and cholesterol, so if that's an issue, there's another reason to go for the beef. Whatever patty you decide to place in your bun, make sure you go for extra lean, and go easy on the condiments and side dishes since those can tack on tons of calories.
Which burger version do you prefer?
Source: Flickr User SocialMediarts.com and Flickr User jimbrickett
Summertime is all about firing up the grill to cook some burgers and dogs, but getting a nasty bout of food poisoning is the last thing you want. Here are some ways to prevent it when it comes to buying, storing, and cooking meat.
Continue reading for more ways to prevent food poisoning.
The majority of the US population include beef, poultry, or fish in their diet, which can be excellent sources of protein, vitamin B12, omega-3s, iron, and other essential nutrients. There's definitely a healthy and a not-so-healthy way to eat meat, so ask yourself these important questions to ensure your steak, grilled chicken, and tuna fish sandwich are doing your body good.
Am I Getting Enough Fiber?
(Wo)man can't live on meat alone, and while many low-carb diets applaud eating mostly meat, it's not something you can sustain. Besides valuable vitamins and minerals, fruits, veggies, and whole grains are also high in fiber, something meat lacks. Fiber not only keeps your digestive system happy, but getting your fill (25 to 30 grams a day) is proven to reduce the risk of heart disease and certain cancers. Enjoy a fiber-rich side dish with every meal, including fresh salads, whole grains, and grilled veggies. You can also get creative and add fiber to your meat recipes like this beef and bulgur burger.
Keep reading to find out what other questions meat eaters should ask themselves.
