Choosing low-fat meat can be for health reasons or personal preference. Trimming or draining fat can reduce the fat content of meat, and there are many low-fat options such as pork, chicken, turkey, and fish. Grass-fed beef and white cuts of meat are also lower in fat. Some packaged meats are available in low-fat versions.
Choosing to include low-fat meat in a diet may be triggered by health issues, such as high cholesterol or heart problems, or simply out of personal preference. There are many low-fat meats to choose from, including pork and lamb, and there are methods that can be employed to choose the leanest cuts at the meat counter. Some popular low-fat meat options also include fish, chicken and turkey.
One way to reduce the amount of fat on any cut of meat is to simply trim or drain. The cut is easiest on meat that has the most fat around the edges rather than marbled throughout the cut. When the fat is on the edge, it’s easy to trim it off before eating, thus reducing the fat content of the meat. The fat content can be reduced in ground beef by completely draining the fat from the meat after browning. It’s also important to select ground beef that contains only meat and no added skin and other fatty components.
Beef may be one of the highest-fat types of meat, but there are some cuts, types, and higher grades of low-fat meat than others. Ground round is often available in extra-lean versions and veal is considered a low-fat meat. Sirloin steak and round eye are often lower in fat than many other cuts of beef. Selecting grass-fed beef is another option for cutting fat and calories.
White meats, such as pork and chicken, traditionally reduce fat compared to red meat. Pork is a popular low-fat meat choice, and cuts, such as pork tenderloin and loin, are very low in fat. Skinless chicken and turkey are other low-fat meat options. White cuts of meat, such as brisket and wings, are lower in fat than dark meat, such as thighs and drumsticks.
A variety of fish are considered low or low in fat, including yellowfin tuna, walleye and sea trout. A simple method of measuring fat content is to look at the color of the fish, with white or lighter colored fish typically having a lower fat content than darker colored fish. Some types of canned fish, such as tuna and salmon, are also available in lighter versions. Other packaged meats are also available in low-fat or low-fat versions at the grocery store, including deli meats, bacon, and hot dogs.
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