Healthiest options: turkey and chicken
When it comes to the healthiest meats that pack the biggest nutritional punch, turkey and chicken should be at the top of your (grocery) list, says Schiff. Both are about equal in terms of nutrition, with turkey tending to be leaner than chicken.
Finally, health experts say to stay away from processed meats, which are generally considered to be unhealthy. These include any meat that has been smoked, salted, cured, dried, or canned. Compared to fresh meat, processed meats are high in sodium and can have double the amount of nitrates.
If you're eating for a healthy heart, lean ground turkey—which is lower in saturated fat—is the better pick for you. Of course, you can still enjoy ground beef from time to time, but choosing lean ground turkey more often will help your heart in the long run.
Meats such as chicken, pork, lamb and beef are all rich in protein. Red meat provides us with iron, zinc and B vitamins. Meat is one of the main sources of vitamin B12 in the diet. Food hygiene is important when storing, preparing and cooking meat.
What Is the Healthiest Red Meat? Grass-fed lamb is considered to be one of the healthiest red meats, although grass-fed beef is close behind. Both grass-fed lamb and beef contain healthy levels of vitamins, minerals, protein, omega-3 fats, and CLA.
Wild Alaskan salmon, oysters and sardines are highest in healthy fats; white fish such as cod or flounder tend to be leaner. White meat has slightly less saturated fat than dark. Turkey is fairly comparable to chicken in nutrients, but both its dark and white meat are slightly leaner.
Beef has a few nutritious advantages over chicken, as it contains more iron and zinc. These substances are essential for our immune systems and brain development. However, chicken is much better for your cardiovascular health, because it has less cholesterol and saturated fat than beef.
Processed meats, such as bacon, sausage, salami and cold cuts, contain high levels of preservatives. Sodium, for example, raises blood pressure and stroke risk, while the body converts nitrites to cancer-causing nitrosamines. Lean or not, these products aren't healthy.
Oily fish – such as salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines and herring – contain all-important omega-3 essential fatty acid, which is important for heart and brain health as well as mood regulation.
Dietary goal
If you eat red meat, limit consumption to no more than about three portions per week. Three portions is equivalent to about 350–500g (about 12–18oz) cooked weight. Consume very little, if any, processed meat.
Lean pork
Let's hear it for the “other” white meat. Pork is higher in heart-healthy unsaturated fats than beef, lamb, or even bison. It's also a rich source or iron, zinc, vitamin B12, niacin, vitamin B6, and is particularly high in thiamin.
Examples of processed meats include bacon, jerky, hot dogs, salami, and ham. These types of meat are often high in salt and low in nutrients. They also tend to be calorie-dense compared with lean protein sources, such as poultry, fish, and beans.
Sirloin Tip Side Steak is, by far, the leanest cut out there on the market, to be found at your grocery store or from your local butcher. For a USDA-recommended 3.5-ounce serving, the lean and mean Sirloin Tip Side Steak cut contains about 200 calories, 5.4 grams of fat, and 39 grams of protein.
Fresh white meat, such as chicken and fish, is not linked to an increased risk of cancer.
For instance, lean deli meat may be healthier than a fatty unprocessed hamburger or steak. However, in general, bacon, sausage, hot dogs, pastrami, and many other processed meats are fattier, saltier, higher in calories, and contain more additives than unprocessed red meats such as beef, pork, and lamb.
While it can be unhealthy to eat too much fatty red meat, lean red meat doesn't raise your cholesterol and contains nutrients like protein, vitamin B12, iron, niacin, and zinc. Beef tenderloin is a lean, delicious -- and healthy -- way to go.