As a dietitian, I often have patients tell me, “I never eat red meat.” Usually this is followed by a shy smile because they are so proud of that change ... because, more times than not, it was really hard to make. I hate to do it, but I have to shatter that pride and tell them that all of their pain from restricting red meat wasn’t necessary! The key is to pick the right kinds of red meat. A recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition demonstrates that including lean beef every day can be just as effective to lower cholesterol as other proven heart healthy diets such as DASH (Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension). I should warn you - there are a lot of acronyms in this study, but the results are interesting so keep reading! The research is known as the BOLD (Beef in an Optimal Lean Diet) study which is an appropriate title since red meat has been boldly labeled as unhealthy for many years. The study included 2 levels of beef intake - a diet that included 4 oz lean beef daily (BOLD) and a diet that included 5.4 oz daily (BOLD-PLUS). Along with the lean beef, the diet was rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and beans but used lean beef as the main protein source rather than white meat or plant based protein sources that were used in the DASH diet. The BOLD and BOLD-PLUS diets were compared to the DASH diet and a Healthy American Diet (HAD - more refined grains, full fat dairy, oil and butter to reflect current American diet). The results showed a significant 10% reduction in LDL cholesterol compared to baseline. This data is so important because it’s easy to go on a “diet” to temporarily improve your health. Unfortunately, there isn’t really any benefit to temporarily being healthy. We have to make long term healthy eating habits, and the ability to include lean beef in a heart healthy diet makes it much easier to stick with healthy lifestyle changes. Keep in mind the portion size is important ... 4-5.4 oz is considered the serving size ... this message of improved cholesterol doesn’t carry over when eating a 10 oz serving of lean beef or chicken!
Here’s a sample day comparison of the different diets used in the study: The take home message of this study is that it really is OK to eat lean beef as part of a heart healthy diet. Remember all of our beef is considered lean, and we even have several cuts certified by the American Heart Association. Check out the nutrition section of our website for specifics. Use the chart to help guide you in other heart healthy food choices to pair with lean beef.
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