Well, good news for you. Recent studies have shown that beef has been linked to heart health in a positive way. Check out this article in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: http://www.ajcn.org/content/95/1/9.full. They tested something called the BOLD diet, or Beef in an Optimal Lean Diet, compared to other diets of varying degrees and sources of protein. Their conclusion?
Conclusions: Low-SFA, heart-healthy dietary patterns that contain lean beef elicit favorable effects on cardiovascular disease (CVD) lipid and lipoprotein risk factors that are comparable to those elicited by a DASH dietary pattern. These results, in conjunction with the beneficial effects on apolipoprotein CVD risk factors after consumption of the BOLD and BOLD+ diets, which were greater with the BOLD+ diet, provide support for including lean beef in a heart-healthy dietary pattern.
I would like to repeat one line in particular: HEART-HEALTHY DIETARY PATTERNS THAT CONTAIN LEAN BEEF ELICIT FAVORABLE EFFECTS ON CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE!
WAHOOO!
In this study, the most beneficial diet was BOLD+, or Beef in an Optimal Lean Diet with additional sources of protein. So, cook your lean-cut-of-beef steak, and add some legumes as a side dish, or some healthy nuts in your salad, and rest easy knowing that you're actually doing your heart a favor.
Of course, you should enjoy beef as part of a rounded, well-balanced diet. I am not saying that you should eat beef and only beef, but for goodness sake, let's decriminalize it a little bit, shall we?
A healthy diet consists of a variety of protein sources in healthy portion sizes. Most portion recommendations for meat are about 6 ounces, or the size of a deck of cards, especially for beef. Go ahead and order a steak, but don't get the 20oz T-Bone Supreme. Unless you actually have the discipline to eat only 6oz and take the rest home as leftovers, or plan to share. DO prepare a healthy cut of beef and round out your meal with plenty of fruits and veggies and of course, healthy whole grains like wheat and barley (I sense another post in the future about wheat and barley as part of a healthy diet... hmmm...).
Not sure what a healthy cut of beef might be? Here's a great chart. Next time I prepare a healthy beef recipe, I'll be sure to take pictures and upload the recipe. Happy beef-eating everyone, and be BOLD!
Certianly can't see cutting beef out of my diet but this sure sounds like spin from somebody who raises things to slaughter for beef
ReplyDeletewhy shouldn't i promote my livelihood? It's not "spin" if I tell you flat out that I want people to eat more beef because I am now in the beef industry. Organic farmers promote organic food consumption. clothing companies advertise for themselves. Why should I not educate people on the health benefits of a product I help raise?
ReplyDeleteCall it what you will, "spin" or "truth". In actuallity the pendulum swings and usually ends up somewhere in the middle where it makes the most sense. Thanks for reminding us it's about "balance".
ReplyDelete