Beef-It's What's For Breakfast?

You’ve heard the timeless slogan, “Beef-It’s what’s for Dinner,” but have you considered how eating beef can support your overall health and well-being all day long?

A large body of scientific evidence shows that many people would benefit from eating more protein at every meal, not just dinner. The majority of protein is consumed at dinner, at 42%, then lunch, at 28%, and the least at breakfast, at just 16%. Increasing your protein intake at each meal, including breakfast, may help you meet your daily protein needs, build a strong and healthy body, and contribute to weight loss.

Adding more heart-healthy beef at each meal, even breakfast can help. Lean beef cuts have less than 10 grams of fat, and some cuts of beef are as lean as a 3-ounce skinless chicken thigh. Beef contains vitamins B6 and B12, which helps to maintain brain function; zinc, which helps to maintain a healthy immune system, and riboflavin, which helps convert food into fuel.

Aim for 25-30 grams of protein at each meal, which will keep you feeling full and may prevent overeating. One 3-ounce serving of beef provides about 25 grams of protein, the equivalent of 3 cups of quinoa, or almost 2 cups of black beans.

Thanks to better breeding and feeding, as well as improved trimming practices and a focus on health, more than 60 percent of whole muscle beef cuts in the grocery store are considered lean. When choosing lean cuts, look for the words “round” or “loin” in the name of the cut, as this is a telltale sign of lean cuts, according to the industry resource “Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner”. Popular lean beef cuts are top sirloin, top loin steak, round roast, and 95% lean ground beef. Choose beef products with the least amount of visible fat, called marbling, and trim visible fat before cooking.

Incorporating beef into every meal can be a daunting task. However, there are lots of healthy, hearty recipes for adding beef to breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Beef roasts and other large, lean cuts can be put on salads, sandwiches, wraps, and tacos for lunch throughout the week, paired with fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy. Ground beef can be made into muffin-tin mini meatloaves for perfect portions, slow-cooked with beans for chili, or mixed with broth and vegetables for hearty soup. For breakfast, try steak and egg tacos, or beef cornbread muffins. For a snack, test out different brands of beef jerky.

For more information, check out the Richland County Nutrition Coalition Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/1rcnc1, and the Pinterest page at http://www.pinterest.com/1rcnc1.