The Skinny on Lean Beef - fast facts on fat and calories Beef the Body Builder - news on nutrients you need Get a Clue about Cholesterol - the latest on cholesterol and your diet Eating Smart - healthy eating tips

The Skinny on Lean Beef
Let's tackle the big question first: What's the story about beef and fat? We think you'll like the answer. Especially if you're up-to-speed on the role of fat in your diet. According to the American Dietetic Association (ADA), the goal isn't to eliminate fat entirely - it's an essential nutrient, needed for energy and the transport of vitamins. The important thing is not to overdo it.

No matter what you do, keep fat intake in perspective: A 2000-calorie diet allows you to eat 65 grams of fat each day. One serving of lean beef contains just 6.4 grams of fat on average.

Lean beef makes it easy to watch the fat in your diet. Did you know that there are seven popular cuts of beef that are lower in total fat than a skinless chicken thigh?

Today's beef cattle are much leaner, and the fat is trimmed from cuts before it reaches your home. As a result, the average roast has 30% less fat than just 10 years ago. But the real news is that you can control the leanness of your beef by taking a few simple steps:

Did You Know...

Eating too little fat can have negative consequences especially for women - among them are dry, flaky skin, hair loss and loss of menstrual cycle.

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Beef the Body Builder
Calorie-for-calorie, beef has more nutrients than many other foods. Take iron, for example. Beef's rich in this vital mineral, which helps deliver oxygen to your cells and muscles, giving you the energy you need to make it through the day. On average, beef boasts three times more iron than chicken.

Foods like spinach, prune juice and dried peas contain iron too, but the iron in animal products like beef is more useable in your body than iron from plant sources.

Other important nutrients you'll find in beef include:

	Zinc - Boosts the immune system and heals wounds faster
	Phosphorous - Necessary for strong teeth and bones
	Protein - Helps build a strong and muscular body
	B-complex vitamins (Riboflavin, Niacin, B6 and B12) - Help produce energy in all cells of the body

Beef is like nature's multi-vitamin -- not only does it provide you with a great variety of important nutrients, the nutrients are present in amounts that make it easy for you to get what you need each day. Just one 3-ounce serving of lean beef gives you all this:

And beef has a nutritional advantage when it comes to other foods. To get the same amount of key nutrients found in a 3-ounce serving of beef, check out how much you need to eat of these other popular foods:

So what's the bottom line? Simply this: When something so great-tasting is so good for you too, it's time to beef up your diet.

Did You Know...

	Like iron, zinc is absorbed most efficiently from meals containing meat.
	Meal plans which replace all animal proteins with soy protein and whole grains are high in inhibitors to zinc absorption.
	People with the greatest need for iron include growing children and teenagers, menstruating women and pregnant women.
	Choosing nutrient dense foods, like lean beef, is even more important as we get older. That's because as we age we need less calories but the same amount of vitamins and minerals. Nutrient dense foods provide that punch.

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Get a Clue about Cholesterol
News Flash! A recent study shows that beef can be part of a cholesterol-lowering diet.

For years, you've been getting mixed messages about beef. Now, the research is here and it is clear - you can consume 6 ounces of lean red meat five to seven days a week as part of a heart-healthy diet and still lower blood cholesterol levels. The positive changes amount to a 10% reduction in the risk of heart disease.

A closer look at the study:

What the scientists are saying:
"Since lean cuts of red meat are now readily available to consumers, eliminating lean red meat is unnecessarily restrictive and advising against consumption may actually negatively impact long-term dietary compliance, thus increasing cholesterol levels."
- Peter O. Kwiterovich, MD
The John Hopkins University Lipid Clinic, researcher

"Our study is the largest and longest to provide evidence that the case against lean red meat has been misrepresented. A heart-healthy diet containing up to 6 ounces of lean red meat lowered the risk of heart disease in the study participants by positively impacting blood cholesterol levels."
- Dr. Michael H. Davidson, MD, F.A.C.C.
Chicago Center for Clinical Research, lead researcher

What's the bottomline?
The results of this study are not surprising when you consider that many cuts of beef have less fat and cholesterol than chicken. Many people still have the misperception that all beef is high in fat. That simply isn't true. For example, the food guide pyramid recommends 2 to 3 servings from the meat group each day, for a total of 5 to 7 ounces. If you chose to eat all 7 ounces as a sirloin steak, this would only contribute 23% of the daily value for fat and ½ of the cholesterol budgeted for the day. On the other hand, the same sirloin steak would provide you with over 25% of the daily value for zinc, iron, protein, B12 and many other important nutrients.

Cholesterol Study Q&A

Q: Shouldn't Americans still be advised against consumption of lean red meat since it will be difficult to duplicate these results outside of a controlled setting?

A: This study was conducted in a "free-living" environment, which means participants had the flexibility to consume 6 ounces of lean red meat five to seven days a week according to their own taste and time preferences. And interestingly, the researchers found that they complied to the diet more easily than the participants eating just lean white meat.

Q: Beef is a source of saturated fat, so how can the positive results be explained?

A: Most foods in the Meat and Dairy Groups contain saturated fat, but the predominant fat in beef is actually monounsaturated fat - the type found in olive oil. Monounsaturated fat is championed by health experts due to its positive coronary heart risk-reduction abilities. Nearly half the fat found in beef is monounsaturated.

Q: Aren't Americans overconsuming red meat?

A: No, that's a myth. Americans are actually under-consuming food from the Meat Group. According to government consumption surveys, just 52 percent of men and 25 percent of women are meeting the Meat Group recommendations. On average, Americans consume just 2.6 ounces of meat a day - below the recommended 5 to 7 ounces allowed in the Meat Group.

Q: Even though lean red meat can positively impact blood cholesterol levels, aren't meatless diets a better choice?

A: Eliminating red meat from the diet can compromise intake of essential nutrients like iron and zinc. Studies have linked deficiencies in these two nutrients to a meatless diet. Iron and zinc deficiencies can delay cognitive and physical development as well as decrease immunity. According to the USDA's 1996 Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals (CSFII), 40 percent of Americans are not meeting the requirements for iron, and 73 percent are not meeting the requirements for zinc.

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Eating Smart
There's a common misconception that you have to make drastic changes in your lifestyle to be healthy. That's simply not true. Little steps and minor modifications in your food choices, food preparation and choice of physical activity will make big differences in helping you stay healthy. Here are a few steps to get you started:

1. Eat a variety of foods - Enjoy foods from all the food groups.
2. Choose the leanest cuts - When buying beef, choose the leanest cuts and trim off all visible fat before cooking. To select the leanest cuts of beef, look for the word "round" or "loin" in the name, such as top sirloin, top round, ground round and tenderloin.
3. Cook it right - Use low-fat cooking methods such as roasting, broiling and grilling instead of frying or sautéing in butter. Another idea: After browning, rinse ground beef under warm, running water and dry with a paper towel to eliminate excess fat.
4. Enjoy 5 a day - Eat five servings of fruits and vegetables each day. Example: Drink a small glass of juice or eat a piece of fruit before leaving for work. Keep fruit washed and visible in the refrigerator so it's always within easy reach.
5. Get active - No discussion of living a healthy lifestyle is complete without stressing the importance of physical activity. Again, the simple things can be the best for your health. A brisk 30 minute walk when you get home from work every day will do wonders for the mind and body. And speaking of work: park your car farther from the office than you usually do. That way, you can build a healthy walk into your workday. Work toward 30 minutes of moderate exercise most days of the week.
6. Plan your snacking - Bring healthy, low-fat snacks such as pretzels, yogurt or fruit to work to eat at a specific time. Packages of carrots, broccoli or cauliflower are convenient ways to make your way to five a day. Avoid the candy jar.

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