Healthy Fare for the Meat-and-Potatoes Fan

We are all aware of current recommendations for healthy eating, and those of you who genuinely prefer meat-and-potatoes meals are probably a bit ticked off that meat has been banished to the seldom-if-at-all-category of the nutritional kingdom. You may be wondering if there is any hope of maintaining a lowfat, healthy diet without giving up meat? You will be happy to know that the answer is yes!

Thanks to leaner animals and closer trimming of fat at meat counters, many meat cuts are perfectly acceptable choices for both health and taste.

Beef is 27 percent leaner than it was 20 years ago;
fresh pork is, on the average, 31 percent lower in fat than a decade ago.

They also contain significant amounts of several important nutrients, such as protein, iron, zinc and the B vitamins (thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, B-6 and B-12).

The keys to healthy meat-eating are knowing which cuts to buy, choosing cooking methods and seasonings that keep meats tender and flavorful, and -- very important and too often overlooked -- eating a 3-4 ounce portion (the size of a deck of cards or a woman's palm). Keep in mind that 4 ounces of boneless uncooked meat usually yields 3 ounces of cooked meat.

When selecting meat, look for cuts with the words "loin," "round" or "leg" in the name. The leanest cuts of pork are:

pork tenderloin
loin chop
loin roast
boneless rib roast
rib chop

For beef, the following selections will be lean if they are graded Choice or Select:

sirloin steak or roast
round steak or roast
flank steak
chuck roast or steak
tenderloin
ground round and ground sirloin (leanest of all)

Prime cuts have more "marbling," or flecks of fat distributed throughout the meat. The meat with less marbling will not be quite as juicy, tender, or flavorful as the higher-fat (Prime) cuts, but this disparity can be corrected during preparation. For the healthiest fare, try ground meat no less than 85 percent lean.

The leanest choices for chicken include skinless breast, leg and thigh pieces. If chicken is prepared with the skin on, it should be removed before eating.

Cooking methods and seasonings can help a great deal in cutting fat and keeping meats tender and flavorful.

Here are some suggestions for making your lean meat as tasty as possible:

For tender cuts from the loin: Broil, grill or roast on a rack so that fat drips away.
For less tender cuts (round), use moist-heat methods like braising or stewing, or marinate to tenderize before cooking.
Marinate meat cuts before cooking for 15 minutes to two hours using a marinade containing juice, wine-flavored vinegar, fat-free dressing or yogurt. Allow 1/4 to 1/2 cup of marinade for each 1-2 pounds of beef.
Cook thin cuts of meat quickly using vegetable cooking spray in place of fat.
Stir-fry meat and vegetables with a small amount of oil or vegetable cooking spray.
Rub herbs and spices onto lean meats before broiling, grilling or roasting for flavor without added fat.
Skim fat from pan juices; make sauces or gravies by adding wine or fruit juice.
Calories and fat can be reduced further by trimming visible fat from meat cuts before cooking.
Cook with fresh fat-free ingredients such as onions, green or red peppers, garlic, tomatoes, lemon juice, ginger and mustard.
Substitute lowfat, low-calorie ingredients for similar high-fat ingredients in meat recipes, for instance fat-free sour cream for sour cream, lowfat cheeses for regular cheese, and reduced-fat/fat-free salad dressings and mayonnaise for their high-fat counterparts.
Lean meats can be versatile -- cut into strips, cubes, cutlets, or thin chops for a variety of quick and easy one-dish meals.

What about the potatoes and the rest of the meal? This is key: The potato and vegetable should take up more space on the plate than the meat. The potato portion can be generous, but should not be laden with added fat. An interesting recent statistic: One out of every three potatoes will become French fries! As we trim the fat from our meats, we must also trim the added fats from the potato. There are many options for lower-fat potato choices -- mashed, escalloped, oven roasted, baked -- that can be prepared using ingredients that add little or no fat, such as low-fat cheese, skim milk, veggies instead of cheese, etc. As a flavorful replacement for butter, try Butter Buds or Molly McButter.

So for all you meat and potato lovers, don't give up your favorite food: Just make sure to use these simple guidelines for cooking lean cuts of meat and, most importantly, eat small portions of meat in well-rounded combination with a varied supply of other foods (fruits, vegetables, bread/grains and dairy) from the Food Pyramid.