Photo via 46137 via Flickr

Every Sunday, Tracy’s family wakes up to the smell of the bacon and eggs that she is frying up in the kitchen.  It is a long standing tradition that everyone looks forward to.  Unfortunately, it might not continue for much longer because at Tracy’s annual check up, her doctor recommended that she switch to a more heart-healthy diet because of her high cholesterol.  That made her quite sad because she didn’t want to give up such an enjoyable family tradition.  She loved that special time with her family and the food, especially the bacon.

Tracy’s Sunday breakfast tradition is not the healthiest and the bacon is not a particularly great choice for breakfast, but she might not have to completely forsake pork.  She might just need to prepare healthier cuts of pork.  Bacon, sausage, spareribs and hot dogs are the most popular forms of pork in the United States and they have given pork a bad reputation because they are very high in fat.  Luckily, not all pork is as unhealthy for you as those.  On average, fresh pork actually contains slightly less saturated fat than red meat.  Not only does it have less saturated fat than beef, it is also an excellent source of protein, B vitamins (especially thiamin), zinc and iron.

How can I eat pork and be healthier?
Like all types of meat, it is preferable to eat the leanest cuts of pork possible.  So, if you are going to eat pork, take these 4 tips into consideration when purchasing and preparing your pork.

1. Choose lean cuts: Purchase tenderloin, center loin, fresh pork leg or lean ham.  Avoid fattier cuts, such as ribs, loin blade, shoulder and pork-based products, such as sausage, ribs and bacon.  Even though the fattier meats often sound more appetizing, they are not part of a heart healthy diet.
2. Trim all visible fat: Cut off the visible fat prior to cooking to make your pork leaner and healthier.
3. Pour out the fat: When cooking, do not leave your pork sitting in a pool of fat.  Either pour the fat out when frying or use a broiling pan in the oven to allow the fat to drip off and be separated from the meat.
4. Limit portion sizes: Don’t make meat the main focus of your meal.  Limit your pork to about 3-5 oz (85-140 grams) at a meal.  Limiting portion sizes will reduce the amount of fat and cholesterol consumed.  If reducing portions makes you feel like you are depriving yourself, try making kabobs or stir frying some pork with vegetables.  You will be able to eat less meat without noticing because of the way the meat is presented.
5. Don’t buy cured pork products: If salt intake is an issue, avoid cured products, such as ham, bacon and cold cuts.

The bottom line:
Pork can be part of a heart healthy diet.  Just choose leaner cuts, limit portion sizes and choose better cooking methods because a diet high in saturated fats can increase blood cholesterol levels.  So, like with many foods, it all comes back to smart choices and moderation.  If you can master those two area, you can enjoy your pork and still be healthy!

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1. Eat Healthy at the Salad Bar
2. Study: High Fat Foods Make You Hungrier
3. Why Aren’t You Eating More Beans?

Photo by CGehlen

Jerry loved grilling season.  Creating the perfect burger had been his hobby for the past 5 years.  For Jerry, there was nothing better than grilling a juicy hamburger.  However, at his last physical, his doctor said that he was 25 pounds overweight and that it was time for him to lose some weight.  “There goes my hamburgers!” Jerry thought.

While reducing the amount of hamburgers he eats is a good idea for his weight loss, Jerry might not have to give them up entirely to lose the weight.  The key is to choose a leaner meat and to eat smaller amounts. Controlling portions is key.  Meat should be looked at as more of a side dish, not as the largest part of the meal.  Another issue with hamburgers is that many people make them using high fat ground beef and fatty toppings, such as mayo and cheese.  This results in a burger that is high in saturated fat and not very healthy.

Most of us are aware that consumption of too much red meat can increase our risk of heart disease.  However, what if I told you that you can still enjoy a tender steak and/or a juicy burger and feel a little less guilty about it?  You just need to pick a leaner source of red meat.  And one of those leaner options is buffalo (bison).

How is buffalo meat healthier then beef?
Buffalo not only tastes as delicious as beef, it is also healthier for you.  Here are 5 reasons why you should substitute buffalo meat for beef.  (All comparisons are between 100 grams/3.5oz of ground grass fed bison and the same amount of 70% lean ground beef.)

1. Less fat: The buffalo contains 7.21 grams of total fat, while the beef has 30 grams of total fat.  That is 76% less fat than the beef.
2. Less calories: The buffalo contains 146 calories per serving, while the beef has 332 calories per serving.  That is 56% less calories.
3. Less cholesterol: The buffalo has 55 mg of cholesterol, while the beef has 78mg.  That’s 29.5% less cholesterol.
4. More iron: The buffalo has 2.78mg of iron, while the beef has 1.64mg of iron.  That’s 69.5% more iron than the beef.
5. More protein: The buffalo has 20.23g of protein, while the beef has 14.35g of protein.  That is 61.9% more protein.

If you switch to 93% lean ground beef instead of the 70% lean, it will have about the same amount of fat as the bison. However, the beef will still have more cholesterol and less iron.

How can I fit buffalo into my diet?
Buffalo is a tender, flavorful red meat that has a savory taste very similar to that of beef.  As a result, it is a great substitute for beef in most recipes.  Plus, you won’t have to search hard to find it.  Buffalo is readily available in most major supermarkets.  It can be found in ground form, as steaks and as pre-formed burger patties.  Here are 4 great places to substitute buffalo for beef:

1. Burgers and steaks
2. Chilies and stews
3. Lasagna and other pastas with meat sauces
4. Fajitas and burritos

The bottom line:
If you are looking for a leaner, tastier, healthier red meat that is lower in calories, cholesterol and fat, but high in protein and iron, look no further!  Buffalo is a better choice for health conscious individuals that crave some red meat once in a while!  So, you can enjoy that burger and feel a little better about the choice that you made!

Related posts:

1. Study: More Protein, More Muscle?
2. Eat Healthy at the Salad Bar
3. Why Aren’t You Eating More Beans?

Photo by TheBusyBrain via Flickr

Danny was a college freshman who was having a hard time getting girls to notice him. Since the bodybuilder types seemed to get all the attention, Danny decided that he was going to bulk up.  He knew that in order to do that, he was going to need to eat a lot more protein.  So, he started drinking protein shakes, eating protein bars and upped the amount of meat, eggs and dairy products in his diet.  He really hoped all the extra protein would make him stronger soon because it sure was expensive!

Does eating extra protein make you stronger?
Unfortunately, eating extra protein will not give you added muscle bulk. Even though protein functions to build and repair muscles, consuming more protein won’t stimulate muscle growth by itself.  The key to building muscle is to strength train.

What happens to the extra protein?
Any protein over the amount your body needs to build muscle will either be burned for energy or, more likely, be converted to and stored as fat.  Not a desirable outcome!

If the diet you choose is high in animal protein (such as meat and dairy products), it is probably also high in saturated fat, which increases your risks of heart disease and cancer.  And another potential problem with a high protein, low carbohydrate diet is that it can take a toll on your kidneys because they have to process the extra byproducts created by the body’s breakdown of the extra protein.

How much protein should I eat to build muscles?
I’m not saying that you shouldn’t eat protein.  You want an adequate intake of protein to build lean muscle mass.  But if you eat a normal, healthy diet you will most likely get sufficient protein.  It is actually hard not to get enough protein.  The recommended dietary allowance of protein is about 12 to 15% of daily total caloric intake.  That works out to be about 0.8 grams for every kilogram (2.2 pounds) of body weight.

So, most Americans don’t need to worry.  The average American eats meat and dairy products regularly and easily exceeds the recommended dietary allowances.  Actually, the typical American eats almost double the recommended amount of protein.

Studies do suggest that professional athletes, such as bodybuilders or wrestlers, might need more protein than what is recommended by the RDA, but that doesn’t mean they need to go out of their way to consume more protein.  Most professional athletes consume more calories a day than the average person and easily get the extra protein they need that way.

So, what should you do if you want to build muscles?
Follow these 2 tips:

1. Exercise more: Bodybuilders are strong because of their workouts, not because they eat excessive amounts of protein.  So, if you want to bulk up, incorporate more strength training into your exercise regimen.
2. Eat a healthy, balanced diet: Your diet should be high in complex carbohydrates (vegetables, fruit and whole grains) and low in fat (lean meats, fish, poultry and low fat dairy products).  That will keep you healthy and provide you with enough protein to build muscle.  If you want to gain weight, just eat larger, healthier meals. Don’t get fixated on large quantities of protein.

The bottom line:
Consuming more protein will not make you stronger.  Exercise is the key to increased strength and muscle bulk.  So, don’t waste your money on protein shakes, bars and drinks.  Just continue eating a healthy diet and spend more quality time with your favorite strength training equipment.  Because exercise is the true key to getting stronger!

Related posts:

1. Study: More Protein, More Muscle?
2. Strength Training: The Body You Have Always Wanted
3. Why Aren’t You Eating More Beans?

I know it seems like everywhere you go, people are telling you the healthiest thing you can do is to go vegetarian. I also know that many of you enjoy a nice, juicy steak or hamburger once in a while and don’t plan to give it up anytime soon. Others are vegetarians or vegans who often enjoy a tasty meatless substitute, such as meatless chicken, meatless beef or meatless turkey. However, whether you choose to eat meat or meat substitutes, not all options are created equal. Just because it doesn’t have meat in it, doesn’t mean that it is healthy.

In this show, I am going to delve into the world of beef, for you meat lovers, and the meatless meat world, for you veggie lovers. I am going to discuss what is healthy and what is not so healthy to consume.

Some references I used while researching this show are The New Wellness Encyclopedia, about.com and Mayo Clinic.

If you like the show, please head on over to iTunes and give me a nice review.  It’s a great way to give me some good exposure and can help me get more listeners.  Thanks for listening, everyone!

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