Meat and Beans: Making Wise Choices

Meat & beans are one of the main groups in the new food pyramid. Foods in the meat & beans group can be very healthy. But choosing the right types of foods is key for staying healthy.

Go Lean With Protein:

Start with a lean choice:

• The leanest beef cuts include round steaks and roasts (round eye, top round, bottom round, round tip), top loin, top sirloin, and chuck shoulder and arm roasts.
• The leanest pork choices include pork loin, tenderloin, center loin, and ham.
• Choose extra lean ground beef. The label should say at least "90% lean". You may be able to find ground beef that is 93% or 95% lean.
• Buy skinless chicken parts, or take off the skin before cooking.
• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts and turkey cutlets are the leanest poultry choices.
• Choose lean turkey, roast beef, ham, or low-fat luncheon meats for sandwiches instead of luncheon meats with more fat, such as regular bologna or salami.

Trim, Drain, Prepare

• Trim away all of the visible fat from meats and poultry before cooking.
• Broil, grill, roast, poach, or boil meat, poultry, or fish instead of frying.
• Drain off any fat that appears during cooking.
• Skip or limit the breading on meat, poultry, or fish. Breading adds fat and calories. It will also cause the food to soak up more fat during frying.
• Prepare dry beans and peas without added fats.
• Choose and prepare foods without high-fat sauces or gravies.

It's All About Variety

Choose fish more often for lunch or dinner. Look for fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, trout, and herring. Some ideas are:

• Salmon steak or filet
• Salmon loaf
• Grilled or baked trout

Choose dry beans or peas as a main dish or part of a meal often. Some choices are:

• Chili with kidney or pinto beans
• Stir-fried tofu
• Split pea, lentil, minestrone, or white bean soups
• Baked beans
• Black bean enchiladas
• Garbanzo or kidney beans on a chef's salad
• Rice and beans
• Veggie burgers or garden burgers
• Hummus (chickpeas) spread on pita bread

Choose nuts as a snack, on salads, or in main dishes. Use nuts to replace meat or poultry, not in addition to these items:

• Use pine nuts in pesto sauce for pasta.
• Add slivered almonds to steamed vegetables.
• Add toasted peanuts or cashews to a vegetable stir fry instead of meat.
• Sprinkle a few nuts on top of low-fat ice cream or frozen yogurt.
• Add walnuts or pecans to a green salad instead of cheese or meat.

What to Watch Out For

Check the nutrition label for the saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, and sodium content of packaged foods.

• Processed meats such as hams, sausages, frankfurters, and luncheon or deli meats have added salt.
• Fresh chicken, turkey, and pork may have added sodium. Check the product label for statements such as "self-basting" that indicates salt may have been added.
• Lower fat versions of many processed meats are available. Check the nutrition label for fat content.
• Women who may become pregnant, pregnant women, nursing mothers, and young children should avoid some types of fish and eat types lower in mercury.