Red meat may be your comfort food or party food or all-time favourite food and we can have the great taste, satisfaction and the health benefits too.
We need not feel disheartened by all the unhealthy reviews it has collected. Our health is in our own hands and there is no better way of doing so than eating our favourite Red Meat be it +beef, +lamb or pork in the right and healthy manner.
How we cook our red meat makes it healthy or unhealthy and while keeping these tips in mind we can have our delicious meal and eat it too.
1. Choose fresh meat – we must try and consume fresh meat over the processed meat like +hot dogs, sausages, bacon and cold cuts. Due to their processed nature, they are very high in salt and preservatives.
2. Trim the fat – the meat is healthy, it’s the fat along with it that must be avoided. If we cut or trim the extra visible fat the meat will be leaner and healthier.
3. Choose less oily methods of cooking – instead of burying the meat in oil and loads of spices we should cook it by grilling or roasting it. The method should try and use the fat of the meat instead of adding extra oil to it.
4. Avoid high heating – Barbecuing the meat will lead to the production of certain carcinogenic chemicals that are very unhealthy, a wiser option is to slow cook it over a small flame and to make sure it is evenly cooked.
5. Add vegetables to the meat – try and mix the meat with some vegetable stew or add more greens to the burger and toss a healthy salad on the side.
6. Practice healthy hygiene – the person handling the meat as well the surface used to cut the meat must be clean and free of germs. Always use a separate board for cutting meats and a different one for vegetables.
7. Consume smaller portions – another method of reducing the negative impact of Red Meat is eating smaller portions and reducing the overall intake of meat.
8. Correct storage – whenever we need to store meat, we must seal it in clear bags or containers on the lower shelf of the fridge so it does not touch other foods. We must freeze it if we are storing it for more than two days and consume it before the expiry or best before date.
1. Choose fresh meat – we must try and consume fresh meat over the processed meat like +hot dogs, sausages, bacon and cold cuts. Due to their processed nature, they are very high in salt and preservatives.
2. Trim the fat – the meat is healthy, it’s the fat along with it that must be avoided. If we cut or trim the extra visible fat the meat will be leaner and healthier.
3. Choose less oily methods of cooking – instead of burying the meat in oil and loads of spices we should cook it by grilling or roasting it. The method should try and use the fat of the meat instead of adding extra oil to it.
4. Avoid high heating – Barbecuing the meat will lead to the production of certain carcinogenic chemicals that are very unhealthy, a wiser option is to slow cook it over a small flame and to make sure it is evenly cooked.
5. Add vegetables to the meat – try and mix the meat with some vegetable stew or add more greens to the burger and toss a healthy salad on the side.
6. Practice healthy hygiene – the person handling the meat as well the surface used to cut the meat must be clean and free of germs. Always use a separate board for cutting meats and a different one for vegetables.
7. Consume smaller portions – another method of reducing the negative impact of Red Meat is eating smaller portions and reducing the overall intake of meat.
8. Correct storage – whenever we need to store meat, we must seal it in clear bags or containers on the lower shelf of the fridge so it does not touch other foods. We must freeze it if we are storing it for more than two days and consume it before the expiry or best before date.
Red meat may be one of the best sources of protein, zinc, iron, and many minerals such as phosphorous, and vitamins like B12, B6 etc. Over the years it has had to face tough criticism for the role it plays in aggravation of lifestyle diseases but we forget that the kind and quantity of meat consumed is the problem.
If we follow the above-mentioned tips along with an active and healthy lifestyle there is no reason that we cannot enjoy our favourite Red Meat.
How do you cook, eat and enjoy your favourite meat? I love to barbeque it. Yummy I tell you.