Is there any reason not to eat a Steak every Day?

0OneTwo3
0OneTwo3 Posts: 149 Member
I don't eat out. like twice a month tops. Although i enjoy cooking, preparing 3 or 4 meals every day is getting tiresome.

I talked to a training-buddy about this and he said he is having Steak for dinner every day purely out of convenience.
I love steak and preparing one with a side of baked potato and some greens would be pretty fast and confortable. It's a great protein source too.
I realize there is no inherently bad food but on the other hand i'm a little worried about consuming up to 2kg of beef every week.

So is there some reason this would impact my health negatively as long as i keep watching my overal fat intake and keep consuming a good amount of Polyunsaturated fats and Omega-3 fatty acids?

edit: i eat fish or chicken or red meat every day already and i would keep on eating fish and poultry but due to my high protein requierment of over 170 grams it would just make things a lot easier to have one fast meal that is high in protein.
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Replies

  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    you might get bored of steak.....
  • allshebe
    allshebe Posts: 423 Member
    It's not really any harder to grill a chicken breast or nice piece of fish.
  • redhead1910
    redhead1910 Posts: 304 Member
    That much red meat is probably not the best thing you can do... Steak is fine but you should try switching it up with some chicken or salmon every now and then...
  • TimeForMe99
    TimeForMe99 Posts: 309
    It probably wouldn't affect your health but your sanity is another story. Sounds really dull. Boneless chicken or pork chops would take the same amount of time and cooking technique. The chicken makes for better lunches/snacks/leftovers, IMO

    Invest in a cast iron grill pan (link below). Walmart and Target carry them for $20 are are perfect for cooking meat and vegetables. It's almost as good as cooking on the grill outdoors but a whole lot faster.


    http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-L8SGP3-Pre-Seasoned-Square-10-5-inch/dp/B0000CF66W
  • boroko
    boroko Posts: 358 Member
    I would consider the increased risk of heart disease and bowl or prostate cancer a good enough reason. Eating 2-3 serves of red meat a week can be a good source of protein, iron, zinc, B vitamins and omega-3s but you really should eat a varied diet and chose a variety of other foods such as chicken/turkey, fish or vegetarian alternatives for some of your meals. Cooking a range of different foods isn't more work than cooking the same thing every day and is a lot better for your health (and more interesting!).

    There is a lot of scientific evidence of the danger of eating too much red meat so I suggest you do a bit of research before you put your health at risk.
  • 0OneTwo3
    0OneTwo3 Posts: 149 Member
    the thing is: I consume 175gramms of Protein every day. I already eat a lot of poultry and fish and would keep on eating those despite of all the steak since 300g of steak equal 60-70 g of protein... the other two meals would be fish or chicken and i usually have eggs or cheese or something like that for breakfast.

    And i would grill it actually, thats what makes it so convenient.(on an electric grill)

    I already switch up different seasonings and side dishes to keep all the meat i'm eating from being dull.

    Does anyone know of any specific health concerns that come with that much beef that are not caused by overall fat consumption?
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
    It would give be cancer of the bank balance.

    Other than that, you're good to go.
  • boroko
    boroko Posts: 358 Member
    increased risk of heart disease and bowl or prostate cancer

    Oops.. just noticed that should be bowel not bowl - I think your bowls will be fine!
  • tipadoo
    tipadoo Posts: 104 Member
    gout - ouch
  • 0OneTwo3
    0OneTwo3 Posts: 149 Member
    increased risk of heart disease and bowl or prostate cancer

    Oops.. just noticed that should be bowel not bowl - I think your bowls will be fine!

    how exactly? heart desease should be the fat, right? i'm not worried about that since i watch my overall fat intake and my cholesterol is checked regularly and at very good levels.

    but what causes the cancer?
  • boroko
    boroko Posts: 358 Member
    Thought you might be interested in this article from the ABC website:

    Earlier this year research from the Harvard School of Public Health again highlighted the health risks of meat consumption. This study followed a major report by the UK-based World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) and the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR), released last year, which suggested we should consider cutting our red meat intake.

    Involving over 100 scientists, the report was described by its authors as "the most authoritative ever" review of the evidence of lifestyle factors (such as diet and exercise) and bowel cancer risk.

    How much meat is too much?

    According to the WCRF/AICR, you should eat no more than 500 grams of cooked red meat a week, which is equivalent to around 750 grams of raw meat. Australian dietary guidelines are currently under review but are broadly consistent with this.

    This could equate to around four meals containing average portion sizes of red meat per week. For example:

    spaghetti bolognese with minced beef =140g cooked (approx 210g raw)
    pork chop = 75g cooked (approx 110g raw)
    medium steak = 145 g cooked (approx 220g raw)
    roast beef = 90 g cooked (approx 1350g raw).
    (It might help to know 80 grams of cooked meat is about the size of a deck of cards.)

    Just to clarify, the report classed the following as red meats:

    pork
    beef (and veal)
    lamb
    goat.

    The article can be found here: http://www.abc.net.au/health/thepulse/stories/2012/07/03/3533219.htm#.UZ93xLXCaSo

    If you are genuinely interested then just Google 'dangers of eating too much red meat'. Ignore the crackpot blogs and read the articles with scientific basis.
  • ahmadfahmy
    ahmadfahmy Posts: 214 Member
    I don't eat out. like twice a month tops. Although i enjoy cooking, preparing 3 or 4 meals every day is getting tiresome.

    I talked to a training-buddy about this and he said he is having Steak for dinner every day purely out of convenience.
    I love steak and preparing one with a side of baked potato and some greens would be pretty fast and confortable. It's a great protein source too.
    I realize there is no inherently bad food but on the other hand i'm a little worried about consuming up to 2kg of beef every week.

    So is there some reason this would impact my health negatively as long as i keep watching my overal fat intake and keep consuming a good amount of Polyunsaturated fats and Omega-3 fatty acids?

    If it fits your macros...
  • Carnivor0us
    Carnivor0us Posts: 1,752 Member
    There is nothing wrong with eating red meat. I eat a little over 2 pounds of it a week (about a kilo+) and have been doing great. If you can get grass-fed beef, it'll have a better fatty acid profile and it would be like eating a piece of fish for omega 3s.
  • boroko
    boroko Posts: 358 Member
    increased risk of heart disease and bowl or prostate cancer

    Oops.. just noticed that should be bowel not bowl - I think your bowls will be fine!

    how exactly? heart desease should be the fat, right? i'm not worried about that since i watch my overall fat intake and my cholesterol is checked regularly and at very good levels.

    but what causes the cancer?

    Sorry - our posts seem to have crossed. I don't know specifically what it is about eating too much red meat that causes cancer, all I know is that there is a lot of scientific evidence from a number of different sources that all identify a correlation between high intakes of red meat and certain forms of cancer.
  • 0OneTwo3
    0OneTwo3 Posts: 149 Member
    Thought you might be interested in this article from the ABC website:

    Earlier this year research from the Harvard School of Public Health again highlighted the health risks of meat consumption. This study followed a major report by the UK-based World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) and the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR), released last year, which suggested we should consider cutting our red meat intake.

    Involving over 100 scientists, the report was described by its authors as "the most authoritative ever" review of the evidence of lifestyle factors (such as diet and exercise) and bowel cancer risk.

    How much meat is too much?

    According to the WCRF/AICR, you should eat no more than 500 grams of cooked red meat a week, which is equivalent to around 750 grams of raw meat. Australian dietary guidelines are currently under review but are broadly consistent with this.

    This could equate to around four meals containing average portion sizes of red meat per week. For example:

    spaghetti bolognese with minced beef =140g cooked (approx 210g raw)
    pork chop = 75g cooked (approx 110g raw)
    medium steak = 145 g cooked (approx 220g raw)
    roast beef = 90 g cooked (approx 1350g raw).
    (It might help to know 80 grams of cooked meat is about the size of a deck of cards.)

    Just to clarify, the report classed the following as red meats:

    pork
    beef (and veal)
    lamb
    goat.

    The article can be found here: http://www.abc.net.au/health/thepulse/stories/2012/07/03/3533219.htm#.UZ93xLXCaSo

    If you are genuinely interested then just Google 'dangers of eating too much red meat'. Ignore the crackpot blogs and read the articles with scientific basis.

    If you googled "the dangers of drinking water" you would find something. And i bet there are tons of scientific studies out there but i figured its faster to ask the people on the boards since many are very knowledgable and can point me in the right direction in terms of research. which is kind of what you just did.
  • lauren3101
    lauren3101 Posts: 1,853 Member
    It's the same with anything - eat it all in moderation. You will get very bored eating steak every night, chicken or fish is just as quick to prepare, and it will give your body the variety it needs.
  • If there's a reason to not eat steak everyday, I don't want to hear it!
    I LOVE steak!!!
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
    Second the recommendation for grassfed if you can afford it.
  • _JamieB_
    _JamieB_ Posts: 417 Member
    I have absolutely nothing to back this up, but I couldn't imagine it would harm you in any way!!!! Especially if was a leaner cut steak!
  • snooj
    snooj Posts: 69 Member
    Sure, why not? Yes, there's concern about cholesterol levels but honestly, most of those studies aren't well done. It's like eggs and cholesterol (ie, eggs don't give you high bad cholesterol). Eat healthy, stay fit, and you should be fine. Though if you're worried just get it checked regularly. Steak isn't like some fish where you have to worry about things like mercury.

    Of course, maybe I'm just biased because I eat so much steak. ;) Beef is the cheapest meat where I live so I use a lot of it.
  • GetSoda
    GetSoda Posts: 1,267 Member
    Testosterone!
  • phatguerilla
    phatguerilla Posts: 188 Member
    Steak every day is one of my long term goals. Don't believe the scaremongering, no one can show you a study that shows a STEAK a day causes cancer - they will show you dodgy reports about 'red meat' but I still wouldn't listen to them. The only health issue you might consider is that grain fed cattle which is the standard in the states has a poor fatty acid profile, but grass fed's fat profile is excellent.
  • ChrisRS87
    ChrisRS87 Posts: 781 Member
    35nli6.jpg
  • 0OneTwo3
    0OneTwo3 Posts: 149 Member
    I have no worries about the meat quality. I live in austria and a huge part of the country looks like this:

    bk_pr_106.jpg
  • ChrisRS87
    ChrisRS87 Posts: 781 Member
    Also, steak is one of the best sources for creatine.
  • IMD918
    IMD918 Posts: 49
    the thing is: I consume 175gramms of Protein every day. I already eat a lot of poultry and fish and would keep on eating those despite of all the steak since 300g of steak equal 60-70 g of protein... the other two meals would be fish or chicken and i usually have eggs or cheese or something like that for breakfast.

    And i would grill it actually, thats what makes it so convenient.(on an electric grill)

    I already switch up different seasonings and side dishes to keep all the meat i'm eating from being dull.

    Does anyone know of any specific health concerns that come with that much beef that are not caused by overall fat consumption?

    I realize that it is a common thought that you need to eat a gram of protein per pound of body weight, but it really isn't necessary. Anything after 0.8 grams per pound of body weight is pretty much a waste. The body can't really absorb any more than that unless you are on steroids. I was doing the same thing as you, eating 160+ grams of protein every day, until I heard the 0.8x rule. Now I'm only taking in about 120-130 and seeing the same results. It is a lot easier for me to get that amount of protein, and my meals are a lot more flexible now (before I was having to eat lean chicken twice a day to meet my goals).
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,984 Member
    You'll run out of A-1 sauce for rice?


    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • aakaakaak
    aakaakaak Posts: 1,240 Member
    the thing is: I consume 175gramms of Protein every day. I already eat a lot of poultry and fish and would keep on eating those despite of all the steak since 300g of steak equal 60-70 g of protein... the other two meals would be fish or chicken and i usually have eggs or cheese or something like that for breakfast.

    And i would grill it actually, thats what makes it so convenient.(on an electric grill)

    I already switch up different seasonings and side dishes to keep all the meat i'm eating from being dull.

    Does anyone know of any specific health concerns that come with that much beef that are not caused by overall fat consumption?

    I realize that it is a common thought that you need to eat a gram of protein per pound of body weight, but it really isn't necessary. Anything after 0.8 grams per pound of body weight is pretty much a waste. The body can't really absorb any more than that unless you are on steroids. I was doing the same thing as you, eating 160+ grams of protein every day, until I heard the 0.8x rule. Now I'm only taking in about 120-130 and seeing the same results. It is a lot easier for me to get that amount of protein, and my meals are a lot more flexible now (before I was having to eat lean chicken twice a day to meet my goals).

    You got a scientific source for that statement?
  • Crankstr
    Crankstr Posts: 3,958 Member
    NO.
  • vim_n_vigor
    vim_n_vigor Posts: 4,089 Member
    If you are going to eat that much of it, you might want to look into getting a whole or half cow directly from a butcher. They would be local animals, and much fresher and tastier, and cheaper, if you have a good deep freezer...