It's getting cold in South Dakota. Now not cold like last year during the ice storm where my family and I lived without electricity for eleven days, and not cold like the Blizzard of '97 where my family and I were snowed into our farm for over a week. That is cold. It's getting to be the kind of cold that in a couple of months when it is this temperature, all the frozen South Dakotans will come out of hibernation to thaw out. With the weather changing, I'm starting to miss cooking steaks on the grill or sizzling kabobs with fresh green peppers and onions. I miss camping trips with beef brats and lazy nights after chores with cheeseburgers. Then I realize that with winter brings a whole new way to cook beef! With the holidays quickly approaching, beef can be made in a variety of festive way: prime rib, philly steak sandwiches, meatballs with pasta, stromboli, cheese dips, and cassaroles can decorate a table for any occasion! I heard once that the average American consumer gains five pounds over the holiday season, but I guarantee you its not from the beef.
Read on and learn how beef is a great meat product to incorporate into your diet for a healthy lifestyle!
Did you know that the USDA has declared 29 cuts of beef as considered lean for a healthy diet?
People that include 3.6 ounces of beef everyday are more likely to meet 100 percent of the daily value for protein, iron, zinc, and B vitamins than those who eat less.
Beef's Role in Weight Loss
According to the National Cattlemen's Beef Association:
"Advice to reduce calories for weight control often focuses on reducing calories from fat and possibly limiting foods from the meat and dairy groups. The truth is, naturally nutrient-rich foods such as lean beef, can be part of the weight control solution. In fact, as the incidence of obesity or being overweight has increased, meat consumption has decreased among the U.S. population. Beef plays an important role in overall health, including a role in weight control. A recent review of the role of protein in food intake regulation and body weight management shows positive findings: consuming diets moderate in protein helps promote weight loss".
Dietary Fats
According to the American Dietetic Association (ADA), fats are an important part of your diet, because they provide energy storage, transport fat-soluble vitamins, and insulate body tissues. Many people believe the majority of fatty acids in beef are saturated. What they don’t realize is that half of the fatty acids in beef are actually monounsaturated, the same heart-healthy kind of fat found in olive oil. Most experts believe monounsaturated fats can lower blood cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease. A 3-ounce serving of cooked beef typically contains more monounsaturated fatty acids than saturated fatty acids. About one-third of the saturated fat in beef is stearic acid, which has been shown to have a neutral effect on blood cholesterol levels in humans. The remaining saturated fat that can potentially raise blood cholesterol levels is comparable in lean beef, fish and chicken.
The Good News!
Although I might be missing summer time grill outs and the warm, sunny weather, I won't have to miss beef this winter. As the holidays approach, there is one thing for certain: beef is the perfect way to celebrate the season in style. And you won't have to worry about that waistline until the feast gets to dessert!
Happy Holidays Chewing the Cud Viewers!
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Comments (1)
Seems different from your previous posts. Did YOU write this post, or someone else did? Anyway, I think your readers really enjoyed reading it.
Posted by burgundy | April 11, 2008 2:43 AM
Posted on April 11, 2008 02:43