Is meat consumption out of control, and is it making us unhealthy?

Myth: Meat consumption is too high, and this overconsumption is leading to increased health problems.

There seems to be a lot of talk about the rise of beef consumption in Americans’ diets and suggestions that this is leading to health issues. You may wonder if we have too much meat on our plates or if a vegetarian diet is the healthier way to go?

The Facts: Contrary to popular belief, protein consumption has remained consistent over the past 40 years. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee’s report says it all: the daily caloric contribution of flour and cereal products increased by 193 calories per person from 1970 to 2008, compared to only a 19-calorie increase per person from meat, eggs and nuts during the same period. The average American consumes about 5.1 oz of protein foods each day (i.e. from meat, poultry, egg, fish/seafood, nuts and seeds and soy products) and the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends an average of 5.5 oz of protein foods daily.

Furthermore, research suggests many Americans could actually benefit from adding high-quality protein, such as lean beef, to their diet because of its positive role in weight management, healthy aging and disease prevention.  A nutritionist and health writer for TheNest.com provides a brief overview of thebenefits of lean beef consumption in this article.

Read on for the truth about beef consumption, and how consumption of lean meat, including beef, can positively impact Americans’ diets.

BEEF CONSUMPTION PATTERNS

<![if !supportLists]>·         <![endif]>Beef Consumption and Healthy Eating: Americans are eating beef in a variety of healthy eating patterns that can meet the goals of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

<![if !supportLists]>·         <![endif]>On average, Americans consume 5.1 oz of protein foods each day (i.e., from meat, poultry, egg, fish/seafood, nuts, seeds and soy products). The Dietary Guidelines recommend at least 5.5 oz of protein foods daily. Therefore, Americans are consuming protein foods within the Dietary Guidelines recommendations.

<![if !supportLists]>·         <![endif]>According to NHANES data, Americans consume 1.7 oz of beef daily, on average.

 BEEF CONSUMPTION AND A HEALTHY DIET

<![if !supportLists]>·         <![endif]>Beef and saturated fat: Despite higher intakes of meat over the past several decades, reports indicate that the proportion of total and saturated fat from meat, poultry and fish has slowly declined, according to this report from theUSDA.

<![if !supportLists]>·         <![endif]>Beef consumption contributes less than 5% of total calories in the American diet, according to NHANES data.

<![if !supportLists]>·         <![endif]>About half the fatty acids found in beef are monounsaturated fatty acids, the same heart-healthy kind found in olive oil.

<![if !supportLists]>·         <![endif]>Beef consumption contributes less cholesterol to Americans’ diets (11%) compared to chicken (12%) and eggs (25%), according to the Dietary Guidelines.

<![if !supportLists]>·         <![endif]>Lean beef consumption and heart health: Heart health is top of mind for Americans and recent research shows that including lean beef, even daily as part of a heart-healthy diet and lifestyle, improved cholesterol levels.

<![if !supportLists]>·         <![endif]>The BOLD (Beef in an Optimal Lean Diet) study demonstrated that when adding lean beef to the most recommended heart-healthy diet, it reduced levels of LDL “bad” cholesterol by 10% from baseline when included as part of a heart-healthy diet and lifestyle containing less than 7% of calories from saturated fat. This is just as effective as the DASH diet, which US News & World Report has recognized as “Best Overall Diet” and “Best Diet for Healthy Eating” and is a gold-standard for heart-healthy eating.

<![if !supportLists]>·         <![endif]>Powerful nutrients: A substantial body of evidence shows lean beef consumption contributes protein, iron and B-vitamins, which can help keep you full and maintain a healthy weight, build muscles and fuel a healthy and active lifestyle.

<![if !supportLists]>·         <![endif]>A 3-oz serving of lean beef provides about half (48%) of the Daily Value for protein, according to the USDA Nutrient Data Laboratory, 2012.

<![if !supportLists]>·         <![endif]>Animal proteins – such as lean beef – are complete high-quality proteins that contain all the essential amino acids your body needs for optimal health.

<![if !supportLists]>·         <![endif]>Enjoy high-quality protein in your diet and get many of the essential nutrients you need for optimal health.

<![if !supportLists]>·         <![endif]>Pairing produce and whole grains with a favorite food like nutrient-rich lean beef helps you meet the Dietary Guidelines and MyPlaterecommendations while beefing up your high-quality protein needs.

<![if !supportLists]>·         <![endif]>For more reasons why beef consumption can help fuel an active lifestyle by helping conserve energy and build muscles, read thisRunnersWorld.com post.

<![if !supportLists]>·         <![endif]>Many of America’s favorite cuts of meat are lean. Lean beef cuts all have less than 10 grams of total fat, 4.5 grams or less of saturated fat, and less than 95 mg of cholesterol per 3 ½-oz cooked serving.

<![if !supportLists]>·         <![endif]>Learn more using this lean beef tip sheet to find out which cuts are lean, including many favorites such as Flank steak, T-Bone steak and Sirloin steak.

For more information on the beef consumption and the benefits of lean meat, visit http://factsaboutbeef.com/category/nutrition/.

The beef community’s commitment to accurate science-based information involving the role of beef in a healthful diet is firmly rooted in our Statement of Principles regarding Nutrition and Health, which has been in place since 1984.