Many people tend to think that following a vegetarian diet is the healthiest way to live. Although it may be healthy, there is no need to completely eliminate meat products when trying to lose weight and live a healthy lifestyle. If you want to know if meat is healthy, then here’s what you need to know. There are a variety of meats to try that are low in fat but not low in flavor.
Buffalo (Bison)
This type of meat is extremely lean and full of protein. A three-ounce bison steak has only 150 calories and 25 grams of protein and very little fat. This will allow your body to burn fat very efficiently because it will work extra hard to digest the high amount of protein. In turn, this will help build muscle, which burns fat and can speed up your metabolism and weight loss efforts.
Bison are fed a grass diet which is extremely healthy because you get plenty of vitamins and minerals that you wouldn’t get from your average beef. Bison provides a large dose of iron, zinc, selenium, and magnesium. These can help lower blood pressure and cholesterol and the omega-3 fatty acids found in bison can provide you with improved brain function. Add bison steak to your healthy eating diet.
Chicken
Skinless chicken breast is the healthiest part of the chicken. This lean, white meat is low in calories and fat, allowing your body to function properly, and can be a key food when trying to lose weight. The protein content in chicken breast is extremely high which allows the body to build muscle and burn fat. Vitamins B6 and B3 are present in chicken breast and provide the body with energy and help maintain heart health. Removing the skin from the breast is important in order to remove most of the fat and saturated fat.
Pork
Pork tenderloin is an extremely healthy white meat. A lot of the time when people think of pork they think of greasy, fatty bacon, which is far from healthy. However, pork tenderloin is extremely lean with little fat. Pork is also loaded with protein to help keep you full and burn fat. Stick to healthy cuts of pork such as tenderloin and stay away from bacon and processed ham which contain unhealthy amounts of fat, calories, and sodium.
Turkey
Similar to chicken breast, turkey breast is a lean, white meat. It is also a wonderful source of protein, along with iron, zinc, phosphorus, and potassium. The high tryptophan content produces the feel good hormone serotonin, and can also help boost the immune system. Selenium helps with the immune system as well and also has antioxidant properties. The vitamins B6 and niacin in turkey help the body produce energy. Why is this meat healthy? This meat is low in fat and a wonderful alternative to chicken, or any lean meat.
Venison
This may seem a little unusual to some, but it is actually a very healthy meat, and one you can enjoy if you’re trying to start eating healthy. Venison comes from deer and is very lean. Three ounces of top round venison contains only 129 calories, two grams of fat, and 27 grams of protein. Venison is very high in iron which helps carry oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the cells in the body. Iron is also important for supplying the body with energy and maintaining the metabolism. Vitamin K, B12, B6, and magnesium can be found in venison which can help protect the heart and lower the risk of osteoarthritis.
This article was written by Shelby Morrison, a Toronto-based food blogger and freelance writer. She has a passion for living the most delicious life while enjoying every step of the way! She eats her way throughout Toronto, yet loves to travel to different cities for some unique and tasty finds. Visit her web site at www.sweetsnmeats.tumblr.com
