Steak
For more than 2.5 million years, our prehistoric ancestors lived a red meat-lover's dream: They thrived on a diet rich in lean, wild game. Obesity was virtually unknown. Heart disease and stroke -- two of America's top killers -- were likewise almost nonexistent.
Fast-forward to the 21st century. If you yearn for a sizzling porterhouse or a slab of roasted-to-perfection prime rib, but restrict or totally avoid red meats to help control your intake of artery-clogging saturated fats, then Stone Age-style vittles may be the answer.
Stone-Age people were healthy, in part, because their meats were packed with heart-friendly omega-3 and monounsaturated fats. In contrast, most space-age beef is grain-fed and higher in omega-6 fatty acids and saturated fats.
Want beef? Try grass-fed varieties available at some supermarkets and by mail.
Bison, deer, elk, caribou, rabbit, and other wild game are also good options.
There are some great nutrients in every 3-ounce serving of lean beef steak:
- Protein
- Zinc
- Vitamin B12
- Iron
- Vitamin B6
- Riboflavin
Based on cooked servings, average of arm pot roast, flank, round tip, tri-tip, top sirloin, ribeye (small end), rib (small end), mock tender steak, T-bone, chuck shoulder steak, chuck shoulder roast, shank crosscuts, brisket, eye round, top round, bottomround, top loin, tenderloin and 95 percent lean ground beef.
Subjects who got 40 percent of their daily calories from protein shed more belly fat than those whose share was only 15 percent, a Skidmore College study says. Choose lean cuts, like sirloin or tenderloin.
See also:
Meat Food Facts
Quick Cooking Tip: The Greatest Steak Ever!