Least healthy meats Processed Meats: Notably, there are over 200 types of cold cuts and processed meats. These include hot dogs, bologna, and Vienna sausages. Processed meat is often made of less healthy organs like the stomach, lips, and heart.
As a red meat, pork has a reputation for being unhealthy. However, it is a good source of certain nutrients, as well as high-quality protein. Consumed in moderation, it can make a good addition to a healthy diet.
Amy Shapiro, MS, RD, CDN of Real Nutrition ranks pork as the least nutritious meat because pigs often eat and live in unsanitary conditions, adding that people usually consume pork in very processed ways, including bacon and lard, which has been shown to increase heart disease risk.
Processed meats, such as bacon, sausage, salami and cold cuts, contain high levels of preservatives. Sodium, for example, raises blood pressure and stroke risk, while the body converts nitrites to cancer-causing nitrosamines. Lean or not, these products aren't healthy.
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.
A cut above: Fish and poultry
Poultry and fish are considered the best meats you can load your diet with, Laster says. Fish is hailed for its omega-3 fatty acids, which can protect against cardiovascular disease. Fish is also rich in vitamin D, selenium and protein.
A healthy balanced diet can include protein from meat, as well as from fish and eggs or non-animal sources such as beans and pulses. 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.
Unlike many other forms of livestock, pigs are omnivorous scavengers, eating virtually anything they come across, including carrion and refuse, which was deemed unclean. Furthermore, a Middle Eastern society keeping large stocks of pigs could destroy their ecosystem.
In Leviticus 11:27, God forbids Moses and his followers to eat swine “because it parts the hoof but does not chew the cud.” Furthermore, the prohibition goes, “Of their flesh you shall not eat, and their carcasses you shall not touch; they are unclean to you.” That message is later reinforced in Deuteronomy.
Lamb typically has more saturated fat — which can raise your levels of bad cholesterol, putting you at higher risk of cardiovascular disease — than beef or pork.
Lean beef (defined by government guidelines as having less than 10 grams total fat, 4.5 grams or less saturated fat and less than 95 milligrams of cholesterol per 3.5 ounces) can be healthier than chicken, fish - or tofu (bean curd) for that matter - depending on how much is eaten and how it's prepared.
Is it OK to eat eggs every day? Because of their numerous benefits, it's OK to eat one whole egg, including the egg yolk, every day if you don't have cardiovascular disease and you do have a healthy level of blood cholesterol. Or you can mix two egg whites with every egg yolk to give yourself more protein.
Examples of processed meats include bacon, jerky, hot dogs, salami, and ham. These types of meat are often high in salt and low in nutrients. They also tend to be calorie-dense compared with lean protein sources, such as poultry, fish, and beans.
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. Consume very little, if any, processed meat.
Red meat
Red meat, including beef, lamb, venison, and mutton, can have high levels of cholesterol and saturated fat. For example, a 4 oz serving of ground beef made of 80% lean meat has 80.2 mg of cholesterol and nearly 8 grams of saturated fat.
High intakes of saturated fat may increase blood cholesterol levels and your risk of heart disease. But, lamb is a significantly a better source of iron, zinc and vitamin B12 than chicken, meeting 10 percent or more of your daily value.
"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 white meat, such as chicken and fish, is not linked to an increased risk of cancer.
Fatty Cuts of Meat
Filet mignon, also known as Chateaubriand or tenderloin, T-bone, New York Strip, porterhouse, flap or skirt steak and rib-eye steaks all contain the highest amounts of fat. If you cannot live without these, then limit yourself to no more than one 3- to 4-ounce portion per week.