A Matter of Fat

Table of Contents

Fat Facts
Understanding Cholesterol
The Meaning of "LEAN"
Fat Finder Quiz
Practical Tips to Reduce Fat in Any Meal
What About Ground Beef?

Fat Facts

	Some fat in the diet is necessary for good health. It is a major source of energy and essential fatty acids (i.e. fatty acids that cannot be produced by the body).
	Fat is particularly important for the normal growth and development of children.
	Fat adds taste and enjoyment to food.
	High fat diets have been associated with higher risk of heart disease, obesity and some types of cancer.

	Fat in foods can be visible, like the fat on meat or poultry, or invisible such as the fat used in the processing or preparation of foods such as potato chips, muffins and french fries.
	Unlike the fat on meat or poultry, much of which can be trimmed off, the hidden or invisible fat cannot be removed.
	Another major source of fat is the fat we add to our foods, e.g., butter/margarine on toast or vegetables, cream sauces on pasta and dressings on salads.
	The largest proportion of fat in the Canadian diet comes from fats and oils, which include butter/margarine, salad dressings, mayonnaise, and fat used for frying.

Types of Fat All foods that contain fat, whether they are of animal or vegetable origin, contain a mixture of saturated (SFA), monounsaturated (MUFA) and polyunsaturated (PUFA) fatty acids.   Saturated fats are fats that are solid at room temperature. Most saturated fatty acids raise blood cholesterol levels; however, stearic acid, the most common saturated fatty acid found in beef, has little effect on blood cholesterol. Examples of saturated fats include fat from palm oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil, hydrogenated vegetable oil and animal products. Foods containing saturated fat include lard, butter, shortening, margarine, non-dairy creamers, dessert topping, chocolate bars, cookies and crackers, meat, fish, poultry, milk products, and eggs.   Monounsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature. Monounsaturated fatty acids lower or have little effect on blood cholesterol levels. Foods higher in monounsaturated fats include certain nuts and canola, olive and peanut oils.   Polyunsaturated fats are also liquid at room temperature. Polyunsaturated fatty acids lower blood cholesterol levels. Foods higher in polyunsaturated fats include certain nuts, fish, safflower, sunflower and corn oils.   Trans fats are formed in the hydrogenation of unsaturated fats, a process used to make liquid oil into spreadable margarine�s. Trans-fatty acids raise blood cholesterol levels. Foods higher in trans fatty acids include foods made with hydrogenated vegetable oils such as many margarine�s, cookies, crackers, French Fries and potato chips.

Recommended Daily Fat Intake

The Nutrition Recommendations for Canadians, 1990, state that we should consume no more than 30% of Calories from fat. No more than 10% of this should be saturated fat.

For an average female (19 - 49 years old consuming 1800-2000 Calories per day), 30% of calories from fat would equal about 65 grams of fat - or 16 teaspoons.

Similarly, males (19 - 49 years, consuming 2800-3000 Calories), could have 90 grams of fat - or 22 teaspoons. And, older adults (50 + years) require 60 grams of fat - or 15 teaspoons.

Lean beef fits well within these guidelines. For example, a 100 gram serving of broiled sirloin steak, trimmed of visible fat, provides 186 Calories and 6.7 grams of fat. A serving of broiled inside round steak has as little fat and cholesterol as an equal serving of roast chicken without the skin.

Understanding Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a structural component of every human cell and is necessary for the body to function properly. The body naturally produces most of the cholesterol that it needs using fats and carbohydrates as the primary building blocks. Cholesterol production is regulated according to the amount needed by the body, balanced by the amount available from foods in the diet. In most people, the cholesterol in the food we eat has little effect on blood cholesterol

Cholesterol in foods (dietary cholesterol)

In most people, the cholesterol from foods has a much smaller effect on their blood cholesterol level than does their intake of dietary fat. Research shows that the body normally compensates for an increase in dietary cholesterol by reducing absorption and/or production of cholesterol. When dietary cholesterol is reduced, the body absorbs more from foods in the diet and/or produces more in the liver to maintain its cholesterol supply. However, the primary dietary factor that increases blood cholesterol levels is excess fat.

Cholesterol in the blood (serum cholesterol)

Healthy blood cholesterol levels help promote heart health. Blood tests often measure total cholesterol as well as LDL and HDL cholesterol. LDL (low density lipoproteins) transport cholesterol to the tissues throughout the body. HDL (high density lipoproteins) collect cholesterol from the tissues and transport it back to the liver for recycling or disposal. A variety of factors affect LDL and HDL cholesterol levels. Low levels of LDL relative to HDL help to protect against heart disease.

Lowering blood cholesterol level through changes in eating habits

The best way to lower blood cholesterol is to reduce total fat intake. By reducing your total fat intake, you will also reduce your intake of saturated fat. However, not all saturated fatty acids affect blood cholesterol levels. Stearic acid, one of the main saturated fats in beef, has little effect on blood cholesterol levels. It is also important to eat high fibre foods (whole grain breads and cereals and fruits and vegetables). Achieving a healthy weight and regular exercise can also reduce blood cholesterol levels.

Studies show that lean beef fits in cholesterol lowering diets

Recent research has demonstrated that lean beef can be included in effective cholesterol-lowering diets. Studies show that both healthy adults and those with high cholesterol levels can significantly lower their total blood cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels by following lower fat diets that include lean beef. Research has also compared the cholesterol lowering effect of lower fat diets that include different protein choices. In studies conducted with healthy adults and those with high cholesterol levels showed that substituting chicken or fish for lean beef in low fat diets did not result in significant differences in blood cholesterol levels. These studies found that lower fat diets which include lean beef are as effective in lowering total blood cholesterol and LDL cholesterol as lower fat diets that include chicken or fish.

References: Denke MA. Role of beef and beef tallow, an enriched source of stearic acid, in a cholesterol-lowering diet. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 60(suppl): 1044s, 1994 O'Dea K, Traianedes K, Chisholm K, Leyden H, Sinclair AJ. Cholesterol-lowering effect of low-fat diet containing lean beef is reversed by the addition of beef fat. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 52: 491-494, 1990 Glascon A, Jacques H, Moorjani S, Deshaies Y, Brun LD and Julien P. Plasma lipoprotein profile and lipolytic activities in response to the substitution of lean white fish for other animal protein sources in premenopausal women. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 63: 315-321, 1996 Scott LW, Dunn JK, Pownall HJ, et al. Effects of beef and chicken consumption on plasma lipid levels in hypercholesterolemic men. Archives of Internal Medicine 154(11): 1261-1267, 1994 Scott LW, Kimball KT, Wittels EH et al. Effects of a lean beef diet and of a chicken and fish diet on lipoprotein profiles. Nutrition Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases 1:25-30, 1991

Today's beef is on average 21% lower in cholesterol than it was 20 years ago. All beef cuts, except short ribs, qualify as "lean" when trimmed of visible fat (lean means it cannot have more than 10% fat).

In fact, a 90 gram serving of broiled sirloin steak has less fat (5.0 g) and cholesterol (65 mg) as an equal serving of skinless roasted chicken drumstick (6.3 g fat, 84 mg cholesterol). And ounce for ounce, lean beef has the same amount of cholesterol as a serving of salmon.

The Meaning of "LEAN"

In order for a cut of meat to be classified as "lean" it must contain no more than 10% fat on a raw basis. Because today's beef is 50% leaner and 34% lower in calories than 20 years ago, all beef cuts, with the exception of short ribs, qualify as lean when trimmed of visible fat (eg. exterior fat). The leanest cut of all is inside round.

To Select Lean Beef Look For...

• beef cuts with an external fat covering of 1/4 inch (0.5 cm) or less
• beef cuts with light marbling, as marbling increases tenderness and flavour without adding significant fat or calories
• lean deli meats such as cooked roast beef, pastrami or corned beef

Preparation Tips to Keep Lean Beef Lean

1. Trim and discard visible fat.

2. Allow 4 oz (120 g) raw meat per person. This will provide a 3 oz (90 g) cooked portion (approximately the size of a deck of cards).

3. Omit oil from marinades. It will not affect the flavour or tenderness of the meat.

4. Use smaller quantities of higher fat ingredients such as regular salad dressings, mayonnaise, butter, margarine and sour cream and/or substitute lower fat versions such as "light" or partly skimmed dairy products and salad dressings.

5. Use low fat cooking techniques:
   • Broil, bake, barbecue, roast or microwave on a rack, stir-fry/fry/brown in a non-stick pan or use cooking oil spray.

   • Brown meatballs and beef for stews and casseroles on a rack in the oven.

   • Brown ground beef in a pan or microwave in a plastic sieve and drain off fat before adding other ingredients.

6. Avoid high fat cooking techniques such as pan frying and deep frying which use cooking fats, oils, margarine or butter.

7. Remove and discard fat that cooks out of meat:
   • Skim off fat that accumulates in the pan.

   • Refrigerate stews, soups, chilis and meat sauces and remove hardened fat that rises to the surface.

   • A quick way to remove fat is to drop ice cubes into the cooled liquid. The fat hardens around the ice and can easily be removed.

8. Reduce fats added at the table, including margarine, butter, salad dressings, sour cream, sauces and gravies. Serve "au jus", being sure to skim off fat first.

9. To control portions, instead of serving one steak per person, slice the cooked steak thinly on the diagonal, and fan slices on the plates to make several servings.