Lean Ground Beef Helps You Keep New Year's Resolutions
Many people mistakenly believe that ground beef is not as nutritious as more expensive cuts of beef. Dietitian, Lisa Mina responds, "Ground beef is a great example of a food that combines nutrition and value."
As nutrition communications manager at the Beef Information Centre, Mina continues: "grinding the meat doesn't reduce the nutritional goodness of beef. Ground beef is an excellent source of protein, zinc, vitamin B12 and a good source of ready-to-use iron. It also provides other B vitamins - thiamine, riboflavin, niacin and vitamin B6."
In fact, lean and extra lean ground beef qualify for the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada's Health CheckTM education program. The Health CheckTM symbol designates foods that are healthy choices based on specific nutritional recommendations in Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating.
Included in those recommendations is the advice to choose leaner meats more often. When it comes to ground beef, that's what Canadians are doing. Lean and extra lean now account for over 70 percent of ground beef sold. Moreover, consumers who buy medium or regular ground beef, for economy reasons, can also reduce fat by about one-third when they drain it during cooking.
"Current government regulations specify the maximum fat content in various types of ground beef," says Mina, "but most consumers don't know the values. Therefore, we welcome the move to mandatory nutrition labelling on many foods, including ground meats."
Although Nutrition Facts tables on ground meats will not be compulsory until December 2005, some grocery stores will likely start applying them to packages much sooner. When they do, consumers will be able to see not only the fat content, but also the protein and iron in the ground beef they are buying.
While nutrition and economy are important, versatility and taste are also reasons why ground beef shows up so often on Canadian dinner plates. Burgers, meat loaves, lasagna, spaghetti sauce, moussaka, meatballs and pasta, even stir-fry and quesadillas are all family favourites made with ground beef.
For some fresh recipe ideas, as well as nutrition and Health CheckTM information on ground beef, download or order the free booklet Simply Nutritious ... Lean Ground Beef below.
