Dieting - Wholly Cow!

Beef, Pork or Chicken?

Written by Sky Taylor, Diet Bites

Want to blow a hole in your bath scales? 

Instead, blow a hole through the unwanted numbers by switching out your protein choices. 

Here are a few savvy suggestions for turning your Diet Plate into one that will stick with you for several hours after the meal while boosting health benefits.

Trade Out Beef for Fish to Lose Weight

- Shifting from beef to fish can make a tremendous difference in your weight. Fish almost-always makes a healthier choice over red meat - not just beef. Red meat has been connected in health studies as a contributing factor to coronary heart disease and stroke, even in thin people.

By eating fish, you're getting those healthy omega 3's that can actually protect your heart against disease without clogging those all-important arteries.

Choose Beans & Legumes Over Red Meat to Fight Cholesterol-Related Diseases

- Substituting beans and legumes for red meat is yet another step in a healthier direction.

When the red meat is of the leanest cuts, it contains about the same number of calories as a 1/2 cup serving of beans.

Take note that the pod or seed of the bean is the star where protein rules.

Green beans and wax beans won't come close to protein content over a serving of the harvested seeds or pods.

The meat is of course, an animal protein source. And the beans, a vegetable protein source.

But the nutritional comparison is significant in the area of fat distribution within the foods, particularly in the areas of saturated and Trans fat - the two types of fat that are known for contributing to heart disease and stroke.

Let's do a quick nutrition comparison to see the differences.

Diet Bites Nutrition Fact Comparison: Ground Beef Based on Fat %

Nutrition Facts, Calories for Pinto & Black Beans

Healthier Substitutions for Red Meat

- Substituting eggs for red meat can save quite a few calories and they are mined with protein benefits.

However, the negative trade-off is the vast amount of cholesterol contained within the yolk of the egg.

- The white meats - pork, chicken, turkey and other foul, and fish make healthier choices over the red meat selections.

However, this applies only when they are trimmed of all visible fat and the skin has been removed before preparation.

- Even red meat can fit into a healthy weight loss plan, however - not per say into 'a daily diet' based on its high content of saturated fat.

As with the white animal proteins, trim all visible fat and remove the skin before cooking. In addition, prepare on the grill, on the stove top with just a hint of oil to prevent sticking, in the oven or toaster oven, in an electric skillet - using the meat only as well as a bit of oil to prevent sticking.

When dips, batters and frying enter the picture it dampens the healthy benefits of any food.

Calories in Popular Beef Selections

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