“Plant-based diets” have been a health buzzword for some time now, with more and more people choosing to give up or limit their meat, especially red meat, whether because of potential health risks or concerns about the environmental impact of traditional animal agriculture.
Still, the occasional steak can be a festive treat and has nutritional benefits, including iron, zinc, selenium and B vitamins.
When it comes to your health, the impact of red meat largely depends on how much you eat.
“The relationship between meat and chronic disease is nuanced,” says Sarah Anzrober, RD, a Boston-based nutritionist at Intuitive Eating for Mothers. “After all, diets high in red meat are associated with increased risk of many cancers, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes.” But the research linking red meat to poorer health is pretty weak.
And it’s not just red meat that leads to these outcomes, Anzlová adds: studies have found that people who eat a lot of red meat tend to have other risk factors for chronic disease, such as smoking, lack of exercise, and low intake of vegetables and fruits.
“My advice is to limit processed meats and eat small amounts of raw meat,” says Christine M. Palumbo, a nutrition consultant in Naperville, Illinois.
Even if you do decide to enjoy the occasional steak, there are other ways to make it as healthy as possible, from the cut you choose to the preparation and cooking methods. This is the ultimate guide for health-conscious steak lovers.
Health benefits of steak
“Beef, including steak, contains more than 10 essential nutrients and a significant amount of protein,” says Palumbo. Beef is considered a “complete protein,” meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids (compounds the body uses to make protein) that it can’t make on its own.
Just keep in mind that “incomplete proteins” (like those found in nuts and vegetables) are plenty good for you. “The idea that complete proteins are ‘good’ is an old myth,” says Anzrober. “Even incomplete proteins can easily meet your protein needs if you eat a variety of foods.”
One of the reasons steak, like other red meats, gets a bad rap is because of its high saturated fat content. But not all steaks contain the same amount or type of fat. There are some cuts of beef that qualify as red meat.
For example, the nutritional content of a 3 ounce (oz) sirloin steak (considered a lean cut) with all visible fat removed is:
- Calories: 186
- Protein: 25 grams (g)
- Fat: 9g
- Carbohydrates: 0
- Vitamin B12: 1.6 micrograms (µg)
- Zinc: 4.4 milligrams (mg)
- Selenium: 26.8µg
- Niacin: 6.7mg
- Vitamin B6: 0.5 mg
- Phosphorus: 185mg
- Riboflavin: 0.1mg
- Iron: 1.7 mg
- Choline: 93.5mg
The healthiest way to buy steak
If you feel overwhelmed every time you visit the meat section of the grocery store, you’re not alone. These tips will help you get the most nutritious steak when it comes to choosing one.
Know the lean parts
“The leaner cuts are the healthiest,” says Anzlová, noting that a steak like a ribeye can contain more than twice the fat of a 3-ounce serving of sirloin.
Additionally, saturated fats, commonly found in red meat, can raise your LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and increase your chances of developing heart disease.
The filet, which comes from the tenderloin, is usually the leanest cut, but flank steak, skirt steak, sirloin, and top round steak are also considered lean cuts.
Pay attention to the grade
Meat is graded and labeled as “Prime,” “Choice,” “Select,” etc. Ideally, you’ll want to choose a “Choice” or “Select” cut, as “Prime” cuts generally contain more fat.
Choose grass-fed beef
Traditionally, cows are fed a diet of grains, usually corn. Studies on grass-fed beef have shown that grass-fed beef (sometimes called grass-finished beef) has less total fat and more healthy omega-3 fats, such as conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), than grain-fed beef.
If you want to splurge, choose a premium variety.
Regional variations on steak include Wagyu (from Japan) and Hanyu (from Korea). Both types are considered “marbled,” meaning the fat is distributed throughout the cut. While this may seem questionable from a health standpoint, studies have shown that these two types of beef contain more heart-healthy monounsaturated fats than other types of meat.
That being said, Wagyu and Korean beef are expensive, so you’ll likely only find them on high-end restaurant menus or at high-end butcher shops.
The healthiest way to prepare and cook steak
Once you bring home your steak, here’s what you need to know about the healthiest way to prepare and cook it.
Making the marinade
Marinating is a great low-calorie way to infuse flavor into your steak. But be careful, commercial marinades can contain excess sugar and sodium. Research shows that simple herb-based marinades can help reduce unhealthy compounds that form when cooking meat at high temperatures.
The marinade essentially acts as a barrier between the meat and the flame, preventing the formation of unhealthy compounds, and the antioxidants found in herbs like rosemary may help prevent the formation of carcinogenic compounds.
“You should only leave meat in a store-bought or homemade marinade in the fridge for no more than 20 minutes — anything longer than that can make the meat mushy,” Palumbo says.
Keep the heat low
Grilling steaks is a common cooking method, but cooking at high temperatures can be problematic from a health perspective (try a slow cooker or sous vide cooking for lower temperatures). “Cooking meat, as well as poultry and fish, at high temperatures produces heterocyclic amines. [HCAs] “It’s known to cause cancer in animals,” Palumbo said.
According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, there is insufficient information to say definitively that grilling meat specifically increases the risk of cancer.
Still, it’s worth knowing that charcoal is a hotter cooking method than gas grilling.
A combination of high and low heat cooking techniques can help you achieve just the right balance.
“One way is to reverse sear, meaning cook it in the oven first and then grill or pan-sear it,” Palumbo says.
Maintaining the right temperature
Steaks should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit and then allowed to rest for at least three minutes to eliminate potential illness-causing pathogens.
“Cooking to the proper internal temperature is important for food safety,” says Anzlová. “While most meats can be safely served rare, medium-rare, or well-done, it’s important to know that if your steak is not thoroughly cooked, there is some risk of foodborne illness.” This risk is most important for pregnant women. How thoroughly you cook your meat is a matter of personal preference, but if you’re concerned about HCAs, you may want to avoid well-done steaks, says Palumbo. “Searing steaks at high temperatures can increase the amount of potentially carcinogenic compounds, so it’s best to avoid charring them,” says Anzlová.
Be careful with the amount you consume
“The recommended portion is 3 ounces cooked, about the size of a deck of cards,” Palumbo says. “If you want to eat more, reduce your red meat intake later in the week.”
Anzlová also suggests mixing up your protein: “Steak and other red meats can be a form of protein, but the type matters and I wouldn’t recommend making it the main protein in your meal,” she says.
How to Serve Steak as Part of a Healthy Meal
“Generally, less is more when it comes to toppings,” says Anzlová. That means letting the flavor of the meat “come through” without using bottled steak sauce, which may contain sodium, sugar, and other questionable additives. For example, one tablespoon of steak sauce contains 2g of sugar and about 300mg of sodium (12% of your recommended daily intake).
“There’s no shame in keeping it simple with just a little salt and a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper,” Palumbo says.
Alternatively, make your own chimichurri to get the healthy fats from the olive oil and the antioxidants from the herbs, says Anzlová, but be careful with toppings like garlic butter, which add more saturated fat to meat that’s already full of saturated fat.
While steak is traditionally paired with potatoes, vegetables or whole-grain-based sides are a better choice. “I always recommend serving steak with vegetables and a nutrient-dense carbohydrate like a farro or quinoa salad,” says Anzrober. “This may offset some of the steak’s potential risks by adding foods known to reduce the risk of cancer, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.”
summary
“Steak can be a tasty way to meet your protein needs,” says Anzrober.
While scientific research has yet to fully uncover the extent to which red meat contributes to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and other chronic illnesses, most experts agree that steak can be a healthy protein when consumed in moderation — and following some guidelines for cooking and enjoying it can be even healthier.
