There is nothing better than a juicy, perfectly seasoned piece of all-white meat chicken. We love our meats, chicken, turkey, beef, BBQ, Cajun, jerk, brisket, the list goes on. Hungry yet? There has been much debate about how healthy meat is for you.
Many people have become vegan or vegetarian for health benefits. It makes you wonder, is meat healthy? Many people would say yes, but the answer is a bit more complicated than that. Meat can be beneficial.
Healthymeatcan even help you in your weight loss journey. MYCHN has compiled a list of the top 9 healthy meats for weight loss.
Is Meat Healthy?
Before we list the top 9 healthy meats for weight loss, we want to answer a pressing question. Is meat healthy? Like we stated earlier, that’s a bit of a loaded question. All meats are not unhealthy. However, there are some meats you may want to avoid.
Experts say that you can have a healthy diet that includes meat. So, what types of meat should you avoid? First, you should avoid processedmeats. Hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken fingers, salami, pepperoni, and others are a few examples.
These processed meats are staples in many households, especially in America. Who doesn’t love a good hot dog? You don’t have to give them up cold turkey. But, if you can’t entirely give them up, you can limit your processed meat consumption.
Eating processed meats in large amounts can lead to a higher risk of colon cancer. This is because processed meats contain large amounts of sodium and saturated fats. High sodium consumption from processed meats has been linked to death from stroke, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.
In short, meat can be healthy. This is because meat provides protein and vitamins, and minerals like B12.
KrisSollid, RD, Senior Director, Nutrition Communications at the International Food Information Council Foundation, states: “Meat can be part of a healthy diet just as a healthy diet can be meatless,” he says.
What Are the Healthiest Meats for Weight Loss?
Diet experts recommend lean meats because of their lower levels of saturated fat. Some experts recommend trimming away extra fat andorskin. Healthier ways to prepare your meat include grilling, broiling, or roasting to lower the amount of saturated fat.
Now for the moment, you have been waiting for. Here are the top 9 healthy meats for weight loss.
1. Skinless Chicken Breast
Skinless chicken breast can be a great source of vitamins A, K, B6, and B12, along with folate, iron, niacin, pantothenic acid, riboflavin, phosphorus, selenium, and zinc. In addition, skinless chicken can help you maintain a healthy weight.
Skinless chicken is also highly versatile; there are many healthy, tasty ways to prepare it. To minimize fat, you may want to consider not frying your chicken.
2. Grass-fed Beef
This one may be a bit controversial. However, there are some benefits to eating red meat. First, we want to mention that we emphasize the term “grass-fed.” Grass-fed beef is generally considered a healthier option than grain-fed beef.
Why is this? Grass-fed beef has less total fat and fewer calories than grain-fed beef. In addition, according to WebMD, grass-fed beef has as much as five times the amount of omega-3 fatty acids than grain-fed beef.
There are also lower levels of saturated fat. This can reduce your risk of heart disease. In addition, grass-fed beef is loaded withB vitamins, vitamins A, E, and other antioxidants contrasted to grain-fed beef.
3. Salmon
Salmon is an excellent source of protein andomega-3. Omega-3s help to keep your brain and eyes healthy. Omega-3 also supports heart health, psychiatric illnesses, and other inflammatory health conditions.
4. Canned Light Tuna
Canned light tuna is one of our favorites on this list. Canned tuna is packed with protein. In addition, it’s versatile and affordable for just about any budget! Tuna contains healthy fats. You can make tuna salad, tuna patties or eat them with crackers.
5. Turkey
Skinless light turkey meat or lean ground turkey is an excellent source of lean protein. It can be an alternative to ground beef as well. This lean meat is versatile. You can make turkey burgers, tacos, chili, lasagna, the list goes on.
Turkey is a good source of vitamin B6. B6 provides nutrients for heart health, digestion, energy, brain function, and mental health benefits!
6. Venison
This next healthy meat is excellent for hunters, not so great if you’re like us, and the scene where Bambi loses his mother made you cry—just kidding. Hopefully, you’re not turned off by venison. Venison typically comes from deer meat, andit’slean meat.
Theamountof vitamins and minerals in venison rivals that of beef. Venison contains iron, vitamin B6, niacin, and riboflavin.
7. Pheasant
The pheasant is a bird species native to Asia. It is used as an alternative to chicken in Asia because it contains lower calories and higher protein levels. Furthermore,pheasant hashigh protein levels and lower saturated fat; it is an excellent healthy meat for weight loss.
Pheasant also contains essential vitamins and minerals. However, it is vital to note thatpheasant hashigher cholesterol levels thanchicken. Therefore, if you’re considering adding pheasant to your diet, it may be best to do so in moderation.
8. Ostrich
Ostrich can work as a great alternative to beef. Ostrich meat tastes like beef. On top of that, ostrich meat contains high levels of B-vitamins. Ostrich also has high levels of protein and low amounts of calories.
9. Bison
Bison, also known as buffalo meat, is an excellent source of lean meat. It cooksfast butbe careful; it can become tough if cooked for too long and too high of a temperature.
This lean meat is usually raised on ranches and farms; traditionally grass-fed!
Bottom Line
Meat can be a part of a healthy weight loss diet. The key is to eat lean meats with higher protein content and less saturated fat content. You may also want to stay away from processed meat.
Processed meats contain high levels of sodium and saturated fat. As a result, eating a lot of processedmeatscan lead to colon cancer. In addition, high sodium intake from processed meats can cause death from stroke, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.
Meat provides protein and vitamins, and minerals like B12. These nine meats that we listed are great for weight loss because of their low calories and high protein levels
