Fifty percent of all beef bought in Canada is ground beef - making it the most popular meat eaten among Canadians (NPD Group, Inc. 1999).

When buying ground beef look for the words "regular", "medium", "lean" and "extra lean" on the label. Federal government regulations require that ground beef be labeled as Extra Lean, Lean, Medium or Regular. These terms show the maximum fat content allowed by law in ground beef. Government inspectors routinely check retail samples to ensure the meat is labeled correctly.

Ground Beef Maximum Fat Content Extra Lean 10% Lean 17% Medium 23% Regular 30%

You can save money and lower fat content! New Canadian studies on ground beef show that by simply rinsing the fat away you can make cooked regular ground beef crumbles (like the ones you make for a spaghetti sauce) have even less fat than cooked lean ground beef crumbles (Diversified Research Laboratories Inc. 1999). Ground beef is also an excellent source of zinc and vitamin B12 and a good source of easily absorbable iron.

Try these five easy steps to lower fat next time you prepare regular ground beef:

1. Pan fry regular ground beef crumbles until well done.
2. Drain well.
3. Pour crumbles into a colander or strainer while holding over the sink.
4. Use hot water, rinse crumbles well.
5. Shake colander to remove excess moisture.

The fat in ground beef is made up of a variety of types of fatty acids. Almost half of the fat in ground beef is monounsaturated - a fat that increases "good" blood cholesterol.

Learn more:

• visit fat content in other ground meats.
• visit buying and storing ground beef.
• visit nutrients in ground beef.