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