Chicken is the gold standard in lean meats and is usually the go to meat for health-conscious consumers due to the high protein and low-fat content. The healthiest cut to go for is a skinless breast of chicken, with an 85g breast containing 25g of protein but only 130 calories.
Worst cuts: Ribs, shoulder and mince. A perennial Australian favourite, lamb “tends to be fattier in general than other meats,” says Fox, though because lamb has less marbling than beef, it's easier to trim away excess fat and make cuts healthier before cooking.
Wild Alaskan salmon, oysters and sardines are highest in healthy fats; white fish such as cod or flounder tend to be leaner. White meat has slightly less saturated fat than dark. Turkey is fairly comparable to chicken in nutrients, but both its dark and white meat are slightly leaner.
Lamb and beef have similar calories, total fat, protein, vitamin, and mineral content—but lamb (especially grass-fed lamb) is the winner when it comes to omega-3 fat content. Grass-fed lamb also has higher quantities of the healthy fat CLA, which is beneficial for cognitive, cardiovascular, and metabolic health.
Lean meats like chicken or turkey contain less saturated fat than beef or lamb. Swap lamb for roast chicken to save up to 241kcal, 30g of fat and 15.5g saturated fat. Chicken breast is often the most popular cut and it's lower in fat than dark meat like drumsticks and thighs.
Here are the top four cuts of steak that are highest in protein and healthy on the body.
Sirloin-Tip Side Steak. With a protein-to-fat ration of 7:1, it is obvious that this cut of steak is one of the top choices for health-conscious steak eaters. ...
Salmon. Salmon is versatile and one of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acid, which is essential as the body cannot make it on its own so it must be obtained through food. ...
In general, chicken, turkey and fish are going to be your leanest meats. Smart shopping can make these choices even healthier. Chicken and turkey (poultry): The dark meat and skin are the fattiest portions, so try and stick with the breast.
If you eat red meat, limit consumption to no more than about three portions per week. Three portions is equivalent to about 350–500g (about 12–18oz) cooked weight.
It is acceptable to have chicken on a regular basis if it is cooked in a healthy manner. You'll likely lose weight if you eat chicken every day instead of more calorie-dense items like fattier meats and processed foods, and avoid eating a lot of average carbohydrates.
"Ribeye is one of the worst steaks to order," says Lisa Young, PhD, RDN, author of Finally Full, Finally Slim. "It is marbled with fat and full of saturated fat as well. This type of fat is unhealthy for the heart as it can raise your LDL 'unhealthy' cholesterol and can clog arteries."
Skinless Chicken Breast. Skinless chicken breast can be a great source of vitamins A, K, B6, and B12, along with folate, iron, niacin, pantothenic acid, riboflavin, phosphorus, selenium, and zinc. ...
Meats such as chicken, pork, lamb and beef are all rich in protein. Red meat provides us with iron, zinc and B vitamins. Meat is one of the main sources of vitamin B12 in the diet. Food hygiene is important when storing, preparing and cooking meat.
While they are both excellent sources of protein and add to your nutrient profile, the benefits of fish tend to be slightly higher than chicken, especially when it comes to the Omega-3 content in it.
