| This series of articles has been taking a look at | | | | boasts only 4 grams of total fat and 1.4 grams of |
| nutrition, and any look at nutrition just wouldn't be | | | | saturated fat. Don't be afraid to ask the butcher to |
| complete without examining meat. Long considered | | | | trim off some of the excess fat - most grocery |
| the ultimate staple of the American diet (meat and | | | | stores will do this for free.+ PORK |
| potatoes anyone?), meat is the usually the | | | | No other meat has been transformed into such |
| centerpiece of our meal.High in iron, zinc and protein, | | | | 'fatty' variations, from sausage to bacon to salami. |
| meat is important (or should be important) to all of | | | | For those of us who are pork lovers, however, there |
| us. The question is, what kind of meat is healthiest | | | | is hope! It is possible to buy lean(er) cuts of pork!The |
| and which is most affordable?Some meats are simply | | | | tenderloin is the leanest cut of pork: a 3-ounce |
| too high in saturated fat for regular consumption. | | | | serving contains 139 calories and 4.1 grams of fat, |
| Examples include most beef steaks, fatty pork | | | | which is roughly comparable to a skinless chicken |
| chops, and of course the traditional breakfast meats | | | | breast. Other lean cuts (based on a 3-ounce serving) |
| (sausage and bacon). There are, however, quite a | | | | include boneless loin roast with 165 calories and 6.1 |
| few meats that deliver all the good nutrition we seek | | | | grams of fat; boneless sirloin chops with 164 calories |
| without loading us down with artery-clogging fat.+ | | | | and 5.7 grams of fat; boneless loin chops with 173 |
| CHICKEN | | | | calories and 6.6 grams of fat, and boneless ham |
| Hands down, the best choice for healthy and | | | | (extra lean) with 123 calories and 4.7 grams of fat. A |
| affordable meat is that old favorite the chicken. | | | | 2-ounce serving of Canadian-style bacon contains 86 |
| Choosing white meat portions (breast) will significantly | | | | calories and 3.9 grams of fat.Get more information |
| reduce our fat intake. Chicken breast is one of the | | | | about pork at FISH |
| primary foods of bodybuilders, some of the | | | | In the lean meats contest, fish is hands-down the |
| healthiest people on the planet! The most economical | | | | undisputed winner! Unlike the fats in most 'meat with |
| way to purchase chicken breast is usually to buy the | | | | feet', the fats we find in fish are primarily the |
| bags of flash-frozen fillets; these can be found for | | | | HEALTHY omega fats.Although there are literally |
| $1.49 to $1.99 per pound.A boneless skinless chicken | | | | hundreds of different ways to buy and prepare fish, |
| breast (3 oz. serving) delivers only 3 grams of fat | | | | many of us find fresh fish to be expensive. Halibut, |
| (5% of RDA) and 0.86 grams of saturated fat (4% | | | | swordfish, shark and others start at $8.99 per pound. |
| of RDA). That's about 1/2 the fat in even the leanest | | | | It is possible, however, to buy fish without 'breaking |
| cuts of beef! Be aware, however, that the 'dark' | | | | the bank'.Look for salmon on sale, and consider |
| meat on a chicken is not nearly as healthy as the | | | | buying the whole fish to save money. It's not unusual |
| breast - a boneless skinless chicken thigh has 9.2 | | | | to find quality salmon for $2.99 or less per pound - |
| grams of total fat and 2.6 grams of saturated | | | | which is less expensive than the leanest cuts of |
| fat.....that's triple what we find in the chicken breast. | | | | beef.Of course, canned fish is typically very |
| Get more nutrition information about chicken at good | | | | inexpensive and delivers a powerful nutritional punch! |
| way to incorporate more chicken into our diet is to | | | | Consider, for example, canned tuna fish.....one can of |
| substitute skinless ground chicken for ground beef. | | | | tuna provides 32.5 grams of protein and only 2.5 |
| When used in a recipe (tacos, spaghetti, etc.) it's hard | | | | grams of fat! Even better, that same can of tuna |
| to tell the difference, and the health benefits are | | | | has ZERO grams of saturated fat! Talk about a |
| HUGE. Be sure to look for SKINLESS ground chicken | | | | wonder-food! Look for canned tuna on sale, when it's |
| though, because if the package doesn't say skinless | | | | possible to stock up the pantry at 4 cans for $1.+ |
| then it's guaranteed to be high in fat!Finally, don't | | | | THE BOTTOM LINE |
| forget about that popular chicken alternative: the | | | | The bottom line is that we can all enjoy meat |
| turkey. It's not just for thanksgiving anymore!+ BEEF | | | | without adding to our own 'bottom' line. Take the |
| Beef. It's what's for dinner! Many of us just couldn't | | | | time to learn which cuts are the leanest, look for |
| imagine going without our daily beef serving, but | | | | them on sale, and stock up when the price is |
| have we considered the cost to our health? It's all | | | | right.We'll see you at the butcher counter!* Copyright |
| too tempting to save some money and buy the "high | | | | 2005 Pick Up The Pace. Permission is not required for |
| fat" ground beef instead of the leanest. It's also true | | | | the distribution of Pick Up The Pace articles as long |
| that the fattiest cuts are the least expensive (chuck | | | | as they are used in their entirety, are properly |
| is a great example).But beef doesn't have to aid our | | | | credited to Pick Up The Pace, and are accompanied |
| expanding waistline! Take the time to compare | | | | by our website link: The information in this article and |
| nutrition facts on the different cuts, which you can | | | | on this site is for general reference purposes only |
| get from your butcher or from One of the healthiest | | | | and not intended to address specific medical |
| cuts of beef is the flank steak which, when prepared | | | | conditions. This information is not a substitute for |
| correctly, is absolutely delicious! Top round is also | | | | professional medical advice or a medical exam. Prior |
| quite low in fat, although it tends to get tough when | | | | to participating in any exercise program or activity, |
| served as a steak.Love burgers? A great way to | | | | you should seek the advice of your physician or |
| enjoy healthy and tasty ground beef is to purchase a | | | | other qualified health professional. No information in |
| top round roast and ask the butcher to grind it into | | | | this article or on should be used to diagnose, treat, |
| ground beef (make sure he or she trims off the | | | | cure or prevent any medical condition.Tracie Johanson |
| excess fat first). If you have trouble making this | | | | is the founder of Pick Up The Pace, a 30-minute |
| grind 'stick', try adding a raw egg to the mixture | | | | exercise studio for women, focusing on fitness, |
| before forming into hamburger patties.When shopping | | | | health and nutrition for maximum weight loss. Please |
| for beef, look for the words 'round' or 'loin' in the | | | | visit for more information. |
| name of the cut. Eye of round roast, for example, | | | | |