Turkey mince is a healthier alternative to beef mince or lamb mince in dishes such as bolognese, chilli or meatballs.
The chuck steak is one of the best cuts to use for mince because it has great texture & flavour, grinding up perfectly.
With mince, you don't need to eat a lot of it to get the nutritional goodness. In fact, a 100g portion of lean, stewed, beef mince contains a good source* of protein, zinc, vitamins B3 and B12. It also contains a source** of iron, potassium, phosphorus, vitamins B1, B2, and B6.
Chuck, brisket and shoulder are good choices if you are to prepare everything yourself. Calculate 100 to 125 gram per person for steaks and 75 to 100 grams for Bolognese sauce.
Turkey mince is a healthier alternative to beef mince or lamb mince in dishes such as bolognese, chilli or meatballs.
With a similar texture, ground chicken or ground turkey can be superb substitutes for ground beef. The poultry is a bit paler than beef, which can change the appearance of some dishes, but they still taste equally delicious.
Although similar in texture and from the same animal, beef mince and steak mince are quite different. Because steak mince comes from higher quality beef cuts, it is usually much leaner in fat, and contains a higher protein content.
The standard fat content of mince is 20%, but you can opt for a lean or extra-lean version. This will result in a healthier meal, but the leaner the meat the higher the tendency to dry out during cooking.
Minced chicken is a good low-fat choice. Venison mince is very lean. Lean minced pork is another healthy option and can be used in place of other mince.
Meat is a good source of protein, vitamins and minerals in your diet. However, if you currently eat more than 90g (cooked weight) of red or processed meat a day, the Department of Health and Social Care advises that you cut down to 70g.
Plant-based meats can be a healthy part of a balanced diet if you enjoy them in the right way. Consuming plant-based meats in moderation along with fruits, veggies and other nutrient-dense foods can profoundly support your health.
Beef has a few nutritious advantages over chicken, as it contains more iron and zinc. These substances are essential for our immune systems and brain development. However, chicken is much better for your cardiovascular health, because it has less cholesterol and saturated fat than beef.
Calorie content varies depending on the fat content, but typically beef mince has slightly more calories and more saturated fat than pork mince. Beef also has almost twice the iron and zinc of pork, but pork has almost 30 times more vitamin B1.
While you may pay more in a butchers vs a supermarket, you can rest assured that you are buying a higher quality of meat. As mentioned above, butchers are far more likely to stock fresher, locally sourced meat. As with many things, the higher the quality the higher the price.
In general, red meats (such as beef, pork and lamb) have more saturated fat than skinless chicken, fish and plant proteins. Saturated fats can raise your blood cholesterol and increase your risk of heart disease. If you eat poultry, pork, beef or other meats, choose lean meat, skinless poultry, and unprocessed forms.
Healthiest options: turkey and chicken
When it comes to the healthiest meats that pack the biggest nutritional punch, turkey and chicken should be at the top of your (grocery) list, says Schiff. Both are about equal in terms of nutrition, with turkey tending to be leaner than chicken.
Processed meat is meat that's been cured, salted, smoked, or otherwise preserved in some way (such as bacon, sausages, hot dogs, ham, salami, and pepperoni). However, this doesn't include fresh burgers or mince – putting meat through a mincer doesn't mean it becomes 'processed' unless it is modified further.
The word mincemeat is an adaptation of an earlier term minced meat, meaning finely chopped meat. Meat was also a term for food in general, not only animal flesh.
The terms “ground meat” and “minced meat” are sometimes used interchangeably. But they indicate two techniques for processing raw meat: ground meat is an emulsion of lean meat and fat, whereas minced meat is finely chopped skeletal-muscle meat. Ground meat is consistent and smooth; minced meat is choppy and textured.
Most retailers label pure, 100% mince as "beef mince" while the blended version is called "ground beef". Pure beef mince contains no additives. Ground beef, on the other hand, contains less meat, and more water and soya.
"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."
Fresh chicken, turkey, beef, pork and fish that have not been modified are considered unprocessed meats.
Lamb mince can be seen as healthier than minced beef, as it contains more omega 3 fatty acids. This being said, the same weight in meat can contain the same amount of calories, as they can both be grass-fed.