Eid is just around the corner, and to help you make healthier choices while feasting we are giving you the lowdown on the healthier, and not so healthy, meat cuts available.
Red meat is an excellent source of protein, iron, and vitamin B12. Choosing the right type of meat means you can eat a nutritionally balanced meal without too much saturated fat, which packs on calories and also has unfavorable effects on the heart.
Preparation
How you prepare meat also has an impact on how healthy or unhealthy it will be, regardless of the cut you choose. Remember to:
Trim: Cut off any visible, solid fat from meat before preparing, and then remove any remaining visible fat before eating.
Drain: After cooking ground meat, put it into a strainer or colander and drain the fat. Then rinse the meat with hot water. Blot the meat with a paper towel to remove the water.
Chill: After cooking, chill the beef juices so that you can skim off and discard the hardened fat. Then add the juice to stews, soups and gravy.
Guide to Meat Cuts
| Cut | Calories | Fat Content (g) | Best Way to Cook |
| Chuck | 170 | 6.6 | Slow Cook, Pot Roast |
| Filet Mignon | 225 | 14 | Steak |
| Flank | 160 | 6.3 | Grill |
| Minced Beef (70% lean) | 282 | 25 | KoftaBurgersLasagne |
| Minced Beef (80% lean) | 230 | 15 | KoftaBurgersLasagne |
| Minced Beef (90% lean) | 173 | 9 | KoftaBurgersLasagne |
| Plate | 175 | 9 | PastramiBeef Stew |
| Ribeye | 245 | 18.7 | Steak |
| Ribs | 200 | 11 | Oven/Grill |
| Round | 190 | 8 | Slow Cook, Pot Roast |
| Shank | 170 | 5.4 | Stew |
| Sirloin | 155 | 4.9 | Steak |
| T-Bone | 160 | 7.4 | Steak |
| Tenderloin | 165 | 6.7 | Steak |
* All of the above values are based on one serving size, 85g.
Meat Organs
Tongue Beef tongue is tender due to its very high fat content, almost 75% of its calories come from fat.
Liver Beef liver is a very rich source of vitamin A (700% of your recommended daily allowance in one serving!), which is needed for healthy eyes, skin, and immune system. It is not recommended for pregnant women because these very high amounts of vitamin A can harm unborn babies.
Kidney Beef kidney is packed with several B-vitamins. You will get nine times of your daily vitamin B12 requirements from just one serving, and also twice of your vitamin B2 requirements. B-vitamins are needed to utilize energy from the foods we eat and pump up our metabolism.
Heart Because the heart is a very active muscle, beef heart is quite a lean choice of meat, meaning it is low in fat. One serving provides 200% of your recommended daily intake of vitamin B12, and 22% of your iron requirements.
