How A Dietitian Shops For Meat (2024)

The next healthiest meat option is pork, which, Schiff says, is a great source of protein, iron, zinc, and vitamin B12.However, she cautions there are some potential risks to be aware of, too. According to the American Heart Association, red meat has more saturated fat than turkey and skinless chicken, which can raise your cholesterol and increase your risk of heart disease. And, according to the National Institutes of Health, the consumption of both processed and unprocessed red meat may increase the risk of colorectal cancer, coronary heart disease, and mortality.

However, the American Institute for Cancer Research does not recommend completelyavoidingeating red meat altogether. Instead, you should limit consumption to one to two servings per week, with a serving size of 3 ounces (or a piece of meat about the size of a deck of cards).In addition, Schiff advises broiling or roasting meat to avoid adding extra fats, as well as choosing the leanest cuts. For pork, that’s tenderloin, boneless loin roast, boneless loin chops, and boneless ham.

While beef has about the same nutritional value and risk factors as pork, it tends to be higher in saturated fat, which increases the risk of heart disease. For the healthiest addition to your diet, Schiff suggests choosing beef products that are at least 90% lean and reach for leaner cuts: eye of round roast and steak, sirloin tip side steak, top round roast and steak, and top sirloin steak.

Note that ground beef can come from several different cows and is exposed to air when it’s ground, which increases the risk of E. coli growth—so be sure to cook ground beef to at least 160°F. (Rare steak does not carry the same risk of E. coli contamination because the inside is not exposed to air.) And, she adds, avoid grilling meat at super high temperatures, which can produce carcinogens called cyclic amines. “Those grill marks on meat can be a dangerous sign,” says Schiff.

Cold cuts are processed meats that have been salted or smoked, or they’ve undergone processes to change their flavor or preserve them. These processes can lead to an increase in sodium, nitrates, nitrites, and other chemicals in the meat, which can have a variety of effects—many of which are unpredictable. For instance, sodium nitrite helps prevent the growth of bacteria in cold cuts, and nitrites can form nitric oxide in the body, which is beneficial. But chemical nitrites can damage human cells and possibly increase the risk of cancer, or they can form nitrosamines, which are known to cause cancer in lab animals.“The effect depends on how your body processes the nitrites,” explains Schiff. “That’s why it’s simply best to avoid cold cuts as much as possible.”

If you’re unwilling to part ways, opt for leaner cuts such as chicken, turkey breast, or roast beef.Ask for “lower sodium” options—but beware that they may not actually be low in sodium, just lower than the regular version.And look for cold cuts with no nitrites or nitrates added.

Besides analyzing the specific types of meat you consume, you should also consider how the animal was raised. Beef is healthier when the cattle are raised on grass, rather than on grain.That’s because grass-fed meat is higher in good-for-you conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and omega-3 fatty acids than grain-fed.In addition, animals raised on organic feed tend to provide healthier meat than those that aren’t.And animals that are raised in the sunshine with open space provide healthier meat than those raised in feedlots or dark cages.

“Get to know where your meat is coming from,” says Schiff.“Consider whether or not the animals are getting hormones and antibiotics. Yes, you’ll likely pay more for higher quality meats.But that can be balanced by eating less meat.”

Studies show that plant-based diets are a great way to eat healthfully. “You don’t have to eliminate meat, fish, and poultry, but it’s a good idea to look at meat as a condiment, not the star of the show,” advises Schiff.“Even a few strips of beef or pork in a dish will give it a good flavor and texture. You don’t need a large piece of steak to make an impact on your plate.”

Cutting back on meat—combined with knowing which types of meat are healthiest and selecting the highest quality options—will put you on the best path toward a healthy diet and lifestyle.

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