cutting out red meat in the week?

DancingJester

I don't eat a lot of red meat and generally if I am offered red meat in the week I don't really think i should eat I as it's usually a higher calorie food. Do you think there is a benefit to cut out red meat from my diet five days a week?

ReaderGirl3

If cutting back on red meat is a doable method for you to reduce calories then sure, go for it. Fish is a low calorie option to swap out once or twice a week

helenrosec1

I very rarely eat red meat. I substitute red meat for a vegetarian options like quorn mince or meatfree meat balls.

psuLemon

DancingJester wrote: »

I don't eat a lot of red meat and generally if I am offered red meat in the week I don't really think i should eat I as it's usually a higher calorie food. Do you think there is a benefit to cut out red meat from my diet five days a week?

The only benefit would be if you replace it with higher volume foods and that keeps you on track.

kommodevaran

I wouldn't consider cutting red meat as a smart way to save calories, but eating less red meat could open up for more variety because you'd be eating other foods instead. The main reason would be ethics - animal welfare, and possibly environment issues, but I'm not sure about the cause/effect here. Smaller portions of anything will be lower calorie meals. You can arrange your intake any way you want. That's the glory of calorie counting, you aren't stuck with any particular way of eating.

Lounmoun

If your goal is to cut calories and some food like red meat doesn't fit your goal or you don't like it then there is a benefit to reducing your consumption of that food. Eat something else.

I don't eat much beef these days because it is more costly. I eat more things like chicken, beans, or lentils.

pzarnosky

Your chances of developing colon cancer decrease as you eat less red meat.

earlnabby

Lounmoun wrote: »

If your goal is to cut calories and some food like red meat doesn't fit your goal or you don't like it then there is a benefit to reducing your consumption of that food. Eat something else.

I don't eat much beef these days because it is more costly. I eat more things like chicken, beans, or lentils.

Cutting out red meat as a way to reduce calories is one method, as long as you are still hitting your protein macro with whatever you substitute. Having said that, there are many lower fat cuts of red meat that can be chosen over a highly marbled steak. Skirt, flank, or flatiron steak, 93% lean ground sirloin, etc can still give you the taste you enjoy (assuming you actually like beef) without as much fat. Same thing with pork. You can forego things like bacon and bone-in pork chops and get things like center cut chops which are lower fat.

Lizzy622

Lounmoun wrote: »

If your goal is to cut calories and some food like red meat doesn't fit your goal or you don't like it then there is a benefit to reducing your consumption of that food. Eat something else.

I don't eat much beef these days because it is more costly. I eat more things like chicken, beans, or lentils.

This - the cost has really cut my consumption down. I make it about once a week or once every 2 weeks depending on price ( grass fed ).

Lounmoun

earlnabby wrote: »

Lounmoun wrote: »

If your goal is to cut calories and some food like red meat doesn't fit your goal or you don't like it then there is a benefit to reducing your consumption of that food. Eat something else.

I don't eat much beef these days because it is more costly. I eat more things like chicken, beans, or lentils.

Cutting out red meat as a way to reduce calories is one method, as long as you are still hitting your protein macro with whatever you substitute. Having said that, there are many lower fat cuts of red meat that can be chosen over a highly marbled steak. Skirt, flank, or flatiron steak, 93% lean ground sirloin, etc can still give you the taste you enjoy (assuming you actually like beef) without as much fat. Same thing with pork. You can forego things like bacon and bone-in pork chops and get things like center cut chops which are lower fat.

Absolutely you can choose lower fat cuts of red meat, pork, chicken, fish, beans, lentils, etc to lower calories. You can meet your protein goal with lots of foods other than red meat. It comes down to preference really how you will meet your goals.

rankinsect

There are lower calorie (leaner) cuts of red meat, too.

perkymommy

DancingJester wrote: »

I don't eat a lot of red meat and generally if I am offered red meat in the week I don't really think i should eat I as it's usually a higher calorie food. Do you think there is a benefit to cut out red meat from my diet five days a week?

I don't eat a lot of red meat. If I do eat it then I weigh it out and only eat 2-3 ounces per meal. I usually eat chicken or fish. I have red meat maybe 2-3x per month at this point. You can also replace popular meals like burgers and meatloaf with ground turkey. I don't miss red meat at all. I never really enjoyed it that much anyway.

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cwolfman13

Red meat tends to be fattier and thus more calorie dense than other sources like poultry and fish...that said, their are lean cuts of red meat that are only a handful more calories than eating chicken breast...flank, skirt, london broil, tenderloin, sirloin, tri-tip, etc are all lean cuts.

I eat red meat about once or twice per week...usually a skirt or flank for dinner and leftovers for a lunch later on in the week...I don't see what the big deal is.

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cwolfman13

nosajjao wrote: »

cwolfman13 wrote: »

I eat red meat about once or twice per week...usually a skirt or flank for dinner and leftovers for a lunch later on in the week...I don't see what the big deal is.

It's not a "big" deal. If you wanted to evaluate it against other sources of meat, it wouldn't be the better choice. There's a difference between "bad for you" and "not as good for you".

"Not as good for you" would also require context...it's not one sized fits all. Red meat is just fine for most people in the context of their diet as a whole.

4 ounces cooked skirt steak: 187 calories
4 ounces cooked chicken breast: 184 calories

negligible difference

skirt steak: total fat 10.15 grams (most of which is mono and poly)
chicken breast: 1.22 grams

obviously the chicken is leaner...but fat isn't inherently "bad" and doesn't make something a "not as good for you choice"...in fact, it's a very essential nutrient.

skirt steak: potassium 438 mg
chicken breast: 284 mg

skirt steak: protein 22.25 grams
chicken breast: protein 34.45 grams

Chicken breast would be the more optimal choice if one was not hitting their protein targets...but if they were, who cares?

So in context, either or can be a perfectly good for you choice.

Red meat also provides a lot more iron...and I see quite a bit of anemia on this site...probably because people think red meat is "not as good" and they cut it out.