Health Tip
Here are some helpful hints for navigating the meat market... healthfully!
* Buy lean ground beef or ground turkey breast (ground turkey meat often has dark meat and skin and therefore higher fat content).
* Buy "select" or "choice" grades of beef; they have the least marbled fat.
* For beef, look for cuts that have "round" or "loin" in the name, these are the leanest cuts. Surprisingly, sirloin steak is one of the leanest cuts of you meat you can order in a restaurant.
* For poultry, stick to white meat instead of dark and remove the skin before eating.
* For lamb, choose roasts, chops, or legs for the leanest cuts of meat.
* Buy albacore or chunk light tuna in water instead of oil.
* Buy lean ham or Canadian bacon instead of bacon.
* When shopping for finfish, go for flounder, haddock, salmon, farmed trout, or catfish. Try to avoid swordfish, shark, king mackerel, and fresh tuna, as they can be high in neurotoxin mercury.
* Roast, broil, grill, or stir-fry meat instead of frying.
* Try a new dish with tofu. You can even buy flavored and precooked tofu.
* Stick to lean, deli-sliced turkey breast, ham, or chicken instead of buying high-sodium, sometimes fatty luncheon meats.
* Drain visible fat after cooking. You can even rinse cooked ground beef with hot water to help remove some fat.
* Use two egg whites rather than one whole egg in omelets or recipes.
* Avoid eating charred or blackened meats. Charring meat may lead to the development of cancer-causing chemicals during cooking. It is better to cook meat thoroughly on a gas grill at a lower temperature.
by Melanie Douglass, R.D., CPT,
author "Losing It!: 5 Keys to Successful Weight Loss That Work"
* Buy lean ground beef or ground turkey breast (ground turkey meat often has dark meat and skin and therefore higher fat content).
* Buy "select" or "choice" grades of beef; they have the least marbled fat.
* For beef, look for cuts that have "round" or "loin" in the name, these are the leanest cuts. Surprisingly, sirloin steak is one of the leanest cuts of you meat you can order in a restaurant.
* For poultry, stick to white meat instead of dark and remove the skin before eating.
* For lamb, choose roasts, chops, or legs for the leanest cuts of meat.
* Buy albacore or chunk light tuna in water instead of oil.
* Buy lean ham or Canadian bacon instead of bacon.
* When shopping for finfish, go for flounder, haddock, salmon, farmed trout, or catfish. Try to avoid swordfish, shark, king mackerel, and fresh tuna, as they can be high in neurotoxin mercury.
* Roast, broil, grill, or stir-fry meat instead of frying.
* Try a new dish with tofu. You can even buy flavored and precooked tofu.
* Stick to lean, deli-sliced turkey breast, ham, or chicken instead of buying high-sodium, sometimes fatty luncheon meats.
* Drain visible fat after cooking. You can even rinse cooked ground beef with hot water to help remove some fat.
* Use two egg whites rather than one whole egg in omelets or recipes.
* Avoid eating charred or blackened meats. Charring meat may lead to the development of cancer-causing chemicals during cooking. It is better to cook meat thoroughly on a gas grill at a lower temperature.
by Melanie Douglass, R.D., CPT,
author "Losing It!: 5 Keys to Successful Weight Loss That Work"