Turn UP the grill. It is summer and one of the rites of my favorite season is outdoor BBQ’s. Just because you are watching your weight doesn’t mean you have to stick to chicken and grilled veggies only. Red meat has many benefits such as a great source of iron, protein and zinc. Iron is an essential part of your diet, because it helps increase your energy levels. Including iron in your diet is for everyone.
Iron is an essential mineral many people know little about. It is a part of the blood cells in the body. The main function of iron is to help carry oxygen from the lungs to the muscles and other organs. Criticized for its high levels of fat and cholesterol, red meat has often been avoided in the diet world for years. However, not all red meat is created equal. What is better for you? Three (3) ounces of cooked flank steak or 3 ounces of cooked 80/20% ground beef, which is the leaner choice?
The Winner: Flank Steak!
Three ounces of flank steak weighs in at 158 calories, 6.3 grams of fat, 2.6 grams of saturated fat and 66 mg of cholesterol. The same amount of 80/20% ground beef contains 230 calories, 15 grams of fat, 5.7 grams of saturated fat and 77 mg of cholesterol. Note that you can trim the calories and fat from your ground beef if you choose a leaner variety—95/5% ground beef has just 145 calories and 5.6 grams of fat per 3 ounces!
If you simply don’t like red meat, you can get your Iron fix from dark, green leafy greens (spinach, collards), beans, whole grains, fish and poultry. All foods you can throw on a grill. If you’re going to eat steak, however, it’s best to prepare it yourself at home. The cuts found on restaurant menus are often triple (or quadruple) the appropriate serving size. (A 12-ounce ribeye steak from Applebee’s is 670 calories—and that’s without side dishes!) The cut of steak you choose can also make a huge difference in the nutritional profile. Check out the chart below to see how your favorites stack up! (All values are for 3 ounces of cooked meat.) Oh! Don’t forget to add a green salad or fire up some veggies like eggplant, asparagus and sweet corn when grilling.