Meat is a good source of protein, vitamins and minerals in your diet.
Making healthier
choices can help you eat meat as part of a healthy, balanced diet.
But some meats are high
in saturated fat, which can raise blood cholesterol levels.
If you eat a lot of red
and processed meat, it is recommended that you cut down as there is likely to
be a link between red and processed meat and bowel cancer.
·
Meats such as chicken,
pork, lamb and beef are all rich in protein.
·
Red meat provides us
with iron, and meat is also one of the main sources of vitamin B12.
·
Food hygiene is
important when storing, preparing and cooking meat.
Importance
of meat:
1) Protein
found in meat and poultry is “complete” because it contains all the amino acids
essential for health. Animal proteins are complete proteins.
2) Meat,
fish and poultry contains heme iron, which helps to prevent anemia because the
body absorbs this iron better than non-heme iron found in plant foods such as
vegetables
3) Nutrients
in meat, including iron and zinc are typically more easily absorbed and used by
the body.
4) High-
quality protein, e.g. meat and poultry, have been shown to prevent muscle loss
as we age more effectively than other protein foods.
5) Meatless diets have been shown to contain lower amounts of calcium, vitamin D, vitamin
B-12, protein, and omega-3 fatty acids, which have important roles in
maintaining bone health.
6) Animal
products like meat are the only natural sources of Vitamin B12, which promotes
brain development in children and helps your nervous system function
properly
7) Lean
meat protein could help maintain healthy cardiovascular function
8) A
high protein and low carbohydrate diet, which could include lean meat and
poultry, can help to control blood sugars
9) Zinc
helps maintain optimal immune function and promotes wound healing
10) High
protein diets that include lean meat and poultry have been shown to promote
long term weight loss
Make
healthier choices when buying meat:
Buying
meat:
These tips can help you
buy healthier options:
ü ask
your butcher for a lean cut
ü if
you're buying pre-packed meat, check the nutrition label to see how much fat it
contains and compare products
ü go
for turkey and chicken without the skin as these are lower in fat (or remove
the skin before cooking)
ü try
to limit processed meat products such as sausages, salami, pâté and
beefburgers, because these are generally high in fat – they are often high in
salt, too
ü try
to limit meat products in pastry, such as pies and sausage rolls, because they
are often high in fat and salt
ü Cut
down on fat when cooking meat
ü Cut
off any visible fat and skin before cooking – crackling and poultry skin are
much higher in fat than the meat itself.
Cooking tips:
·
Grill meat, rather than
frying –
·
don't add extra fat or
oil when cooking meat
·
roast meat on a metal
rack above a roasting tin so the fat can run off
·
try using smaller
quantities of meat and more vegetables, pulses and starchy foods in dishes such
as stews, curries and casseroles
Storing of Meat:
ü store
raw meat or raw poultry in clean sealed containers on the bottom shelf of the
fridge, so the meat can't touch or drip onto other food
ü follow
any storage instructions on the label and don't eat meat after its "use
by" date
ü if
you cook meat that you're not going to eat straight away, cool it as quickly as
possible and then put it in the fridge or freezer – remember to keep cooked
meat separate from raw meat
ü always
thoroughly clean plates, utensils, surfaces and hands straight away after they
have touched raw or thawing meat to stop bacteria from spreading
ü Freezing
meat safely
It's important to
prepare and cook meat properly. Cooking meat properly ensures that harmful
bacteria on the meat are killed. If meat isn't cooked all the way through,
these bacteria may cause food poisoning.
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