The Benefits of Beef
There are many misconstrued ideas about the beef and agriculture industries. These industries supply the world with the resources for life. From animal care to nutritive qualities, opinions seem to obstruct consumers from the truth. Beef, the meat of cattle, is categorized as red meat. The term red meat refers to the meat of mammals that is full of healthy proteins, iron, and amino acids. Like everything, too much of one thing isn’t good for you. It’s important to know that different cuts of beef contain different levels of nutrients, as well as fats.
Meat is one of the most complete dietary sources of protein. Animal protein is usually high quality, and contains the essential amino acids needed for the growth and maintenance of your body. It’s also important to understand meats varying composition of amino acids, the building blocks of protein. This protein is highly nutritious and can help promote muscle maintenance and growth. Read more about the power of protein here.
The fat in red meat is known to add flavor and tenderness to the muscle. The amount of fat in beef depends on many factors including the specific cut, animal age, breed, gender, and feed. Beef is mainly composed of saturated and monosaturated fats. Naturally occurring fats are not considered unhealthy, unlike the industrially produced equivalents. In fact, the most common ruminant trans fat, conjugated linoleic acid, has been linked to various health benefits—including weight loss.
Abundant vitamins and minerals in beef:
Vitamin B12. Animal-derived foods, such as meat, are the only good dietary sources of vitamin B12, an essential nutrient that is important for blood formation and your brain and nervous system.
Zinc. Beef is very rich in zinc, a mineral that is important for body growth and maintenance.
Selenium. Meat is generally a rich source of selenium, an essential trace element that serves a variety of functions in your body (12Trusted Source).
Iron. Found in high amounts in beef, meat iron is mostly in the heme form, which is absorbed very efficiently (13Trusted Source).
Niacin. One of the B vitamins, niacin (vitamin B3) has various important functions in your body. Low niacin intake has been associated with an increased risk of heart disease (14Trusted Source).
Vitamin B6. A family of B vitamins, vitamin B6 is important for blood formation and energy metabolism.
Phosphorus. Widely found in foods, phosphorus intake is generally high in the Western diet. It’s essential for body growth and maintenance.
Beef offers many health benefits for the body. Eating high-quality protein with various vitamins and minerals can be an excellent component of a healthy diet. High-quality proteins help with maintaining muscle mass, especially when consumed alongside a healthy lifestyle. Another excellent health benefit beef can have is improved exercise performance and heightened muscle function because of carnosine. Carnosine is a dietary amino acid that has been shown to reduce muscle fatigue and improve performance during exercise. Because beef is rich in iron it is known to prevent iron deficiency anemia.
One of the most common misconceptions about red meat is that it can cause heart disease. Studies stating this have varied results. A series of factors must be considered when identifying the cause of any disease including genetics and lifestyle. This debate has caused conflict between specialists and consumers. The consumption of red meat has the potential to increase the stomach’s production of a compound that, when too high, can negatively affect health. Due to these mixed studies, it is important to remember the quote “all things in moderation.”
Another common consumer misconception is the link between cholesterol levels and the consumption of saturated fat. Again, studies relating heart disease and heightened cholesterol to beef have shown mixed results. Most health authorities recommend limiting one’s intake of saturated fat, which can be done by purchasing leaner meats. Alongside a healthy lifestyle, lean beef can have positive health effects even on cholesterol levels. Click here to access a protein packed resource to fill your pantry.
One of the best ways to decipher the misconceptions about beef consumption is to utilize reliable educational resources and seek evidence. For more resources to navigate the through the misconceptions about beef, click here.