What's your beef?
By Jose Fuentes/CSCS/MS/CPT
Beef Tenderloin, Filet Mignon:
In the past few years, red meat has been getting a lot of bad press. Studies have linked red meat to
heart disease, atherosclerosis, and even some types of cancer. But while the greasy, charcoal-burned,
bacon cheese burger served with deep fried French fries is a bad idea, a nice bit of lean beef, added to
stews or stir-fries or your favorite burrito recipe, may actually be healthy for you. First of all, lean beef is
a very good source of protein providing 64.1% of the daily value for protein in just 4 ounces. But did
you know that lean organic beef also contains nutrients that protect your heart and prevent colon
cancer?
Cardiovascular Benefits
In addition to being a very good source of protein, lean, organic beef is a very good source of vitamin
B12, and a good source of vitaminB6. Vitamin B12 along with vitamin B6 are two vitamins needed by
the body to convert the potentially dangerous chemical homocysteine into other, benign molecules.
Since high homocysteine levels are associated with an increased risk of heart attack and stroke, getting
plenty of these B vitamins in your diet is important (homocysteine is also associated with osteoporosis,
and a recent study found that osteoporosis occurred more frequently among women whose vitamin
B12status was deficient or marginal compared with those who had normal B12status.) A four-ounce
serving of lean beef provides 48.7% of the daily value for vitamin B12 plus 24.5% of the DV for B6.
Cancer Protection
Diets high in vitamin B12-rich foods, especially if they are low in fat, are also associated with a reduced
risk of colon cancer. And, organic beef is also a good source of the trace minerals selenium and zinc.
Selenium, another nutrient in lean beef that helps reduce the risk of colon cancer, is needed for the
proper function of glutathione peroxidase,an important internally produced antioxidant that has also
been shown to reduce the severity of inflammatory conditions like asthma and rheumatoid arthritis.
Selenium is incorporated at the active site of glutathione peroxidase, which is particularly important for
cancer protection. Glutathione peroxidase is used in the liver to detoxify a wide range of potentially
harmful molecules, which might other wise wreak havoc on any cells with which they come in contact,
damaging their cellular DNA and promoting the development of cancer cells. For this and other reasons,
foods rich in selenium are also associated with a reduced risk for colon cancer. Accumulated evidence
from prospective studies, intervention trials and studies on animal models of cancer have suggested a
strong inverse correlation between selenium intake and cancer incidence. Selenium has
been shown to induce DNA repair and synthesis in damaged cells, to inhibit the proliferation of cancer
cells, and to induce their apoptosis, the self-destruct sequence the body uses to eliminate worn out or
abnormal cells. A four-ounce serving of lean beef supplies 50.3% of the daily value for selenium.
Lean beef is a good source of zinc, which is helpful for preventing the damage to blood vessel walls that
can contribute to atherosclerosis and is also needed for the proper function of the immune system,
making it a good nutrient for helping to prevent infections or recurrent ear infections. New research
suggests that another reason for older men to make zinc-rich foods, such as beef, a regular part of their
healthy way of eating is bone mineral density. Although osteoporosis is often thought to be a disease
for which postmenopausal women are at highest risk, it is also a potential problem for older men.
Almost 30% of hip fractures occur in men, and 1 in 8 men over age 50 will have an osteoporotic
fracture. A study of 396 men ranging in age from 45-92 that was published in the September 2004
issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found a clear correlation between low dietary intake of
zinc, low blood levels of the trace mineral, and osteoporosis at the hip and spine.(October 18, 2004)
Four ounces of lean beef contains 42.2% of the daily value for zinc.
So don't think eating healthy means saying goodbye to beef. Lean, low-fat organic beef tenderloin can
actually be a healthy addition to a good, whole foods diet.
Description
Beef is available in a wide variety of cuts that can fulfill many different recipe needs. The different cuts
range in texture and tenderness as well as in fat content, making beef a very versatile food. The leanest
cuts of beef are taken from the back leg bone, called the round bone. These include eye of round, top
round, and bottom round. These cuts are the leanest (most muscular) because the cow uses its back
legs as its primary means of movement. The under belly, including rib, rib eye, spare rib, and brisket, is
the site of the fattiest cuts.
In Latin, the scientific name for cow is Bos taurus.
NEWSLETTER of March 2010
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