What Are Healthy Meat Eating Habits?

Nutrition

oi-Anwesha Barari

By Anwesha Barari

Tuesday, August 16, 2011, 13:36

Healthy meat eating is as important as eating healthy vegetables. It has been proved scientifically that a vegan diet can keep you fitter and also reduces chances of heart diseases dramatically. However, an interesting meat nutrition fact is that some portions of meat even daily is not harmful for human consumption. Human beings have been meat eaters from the early days of the evolution of our spices so it is possible to eat meat in a healthy way.

Meat Nutrition Facts:

• White meat contains plentiful iron, zinc and Vitamin B12 that is essential for growth in children

• Red meat now popularly termed 'unhealthy' is rich in magnesium, a nutrient that is otherwise missing in our diet.

• Healthy meat is obviously full of animal proteins that is required for strength of the muscles and giving shape to the body. Athletes, sports persons, children and pregnant or nursing mothers need these extra proteins.

Tips For Healthy Meat Eating:
Considering the above meat nutrition facts we have to agree that meat cannot be altogether banished from our diet. The need for healthy meat proteins remain. So what can be done? It is actually possible to inculcate healthy food habits that include meat. Here some aspects that if kept track of can make meat healthy for us.

1. Watch how you cook meat: This is the most important element of met consumption that is responsible for destroying the nutritional value of meat. Our standard Indian concept of cooking meat involves lots of oils, spices and long cooking time for those deliciously unhealthy curries we love. So what is the best way to cook meat?

• Meat cannot be cooked for a long time over flame because it destroys the nutrients in it.

• Meat has stored fats in it so you need not add extra fats that will clog your arteries. The natural fats will cook the meat on their own.

• Roasting or grilling is the best way to eat meat. If not, you could stew it to make it heart-friendly.

2. Lean Cuts are healthy meat. You have to be careful while choosing your cuts; dark meat is tastier but will naturally contain more fats that will go straight to your heart. While buying fresh meat try to go for an younger animal as the meat is tender and the saturated fat content is less. Be careful while buying minced meat because even white meat in the minced form has unnecessary fats! Usually the fattiest meat portions are chosen to be minced and it is difficult to detect.

3. Processed Meats: Must be avoided at all cost. Processed meats contain a chemical called sodium nitrite that is responsible for the illusion of that fresh red color. This chemical is has a direct connection with cancer. If you are buying packaged meat read the ingredient list on the back critically.

If you follow these simple tips, eating healthy meat should not be a problem.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.