Is beef bad for you (what if it was organic?)

[Semidevil]

So I hear that people who are trying to gain muscle, size, reduce fat eat chicken as their primary source of meat. Beef has high fat, cholesterol, etc etc.

I saw this organic beef patty at the store, which is 160 calories, 6g of fat, 20mg of cholesterol, 75mg sodium, 0g carb, and 26 gram of protein.

Compariing it to some chicken breast, it's pretty good I would say. Is there something that is bad about beef that is not listed in the box, that I'm not aware of?

 

[Pantlegz]

chicken is more lean and I think it has more protein per ounce than beef in general. I don't know of many people that turn down beef while trying to gain weight. fat is good for you, better if you're trying to stay lean and cutting carbs.

There are some studies that suggest that large quantities of red meat might be bad for your cardiovascular system.. I haven't looked at them specifically but heard about them round about, I'm not sure how reputable they are.

 

[Miramonti]

The benefits of organic beef can mean better flavor, and certified no hormones and antibiotics, and organic grain/grass fed. It doesn't necessarily mean more protein and less saturated fat.

 

[exdeath]

Chicken is just awesome. 100 calories, less than 10% fat calories, 25+ grams protein per breast.

You could eat a bag of grilled chicken breasts a day and only get 1/2 to 1/3 your BMR calories while meeting or exceeding protein for the entire day. :awe:

 

[Pantlegz]

rather than organic you should look for grass fed beef it has more nutrients, taste much better and has omega 3's. I'm not sure if this applies to grass fed beef that is finished with grain or not.

And 4oz of chicken has 110 calories and 25g+ of protein a typical breast weighs more than 4oz. I'd say most of mine weigh in at no less than 8oz.

 

[Dallascisco]

Chicken is definitely leaner but as long as you get lean cuts of beef you should be ok. You do need some amount of fat in your diet.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Devil,

What are your primary concerns?

Helthiest food? Low cholesteral? Etc?

 

[surfsatwerk]

So I hear that people who are trying to gain muscle, size, reduce fat eat chicken as their primary source of meat. Beef has high fat, cholesterol, etc etc.

I saw this organic beef patty at the store, which is 160 calories, 6g of fat, 20mg of cholesterol, 75mg sodium, 0g carb, and 26 gram of protein.

Compariing it to some chicken breast, it's pretty good I would say. Is there something that is bad about beef that is not listed in the box, that I'm not aware of?

Beef is good and good for you. Chicken is crap, unless you eat the skin too.

 

[Jeffg010]

Beef is high in zinc which help in aid of your immune system.
http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/zinc.php

 

[Shortass]

Beef is still hurting from the low fat, low cholesterol diet fads from the 70s or whenever, but it is absolutely great for you if the cow is fed a proper diet. Organic matters less than grass fed, but the combination is (obviously) best. Try a local farmer's market or CSA that sells local meat... unbelievable flavor and nutrition.

Same goes for all meat, fish, poultry, veggies, etc. It's more expensive, but it's also probably more value.

 

[Semidevil]

Devil,

What are your primary concerns?

Helthiest food? Low cholesteral? Etc?

I'm currently 140lbs 5'3, 28 years old. eating healthy and lifting 3 days per week. trying to get size. but I goess the main thing is I get tired of eating chicken breast every day, and want to see if Beef is a good option. I.E, if I eat organic grass fed beef, 3 to 4 times per week, is that okay (low cholesterol, etc etc)

 

[exdeath]

Turkey and salmon are also good if you need a break from chicken. I use fat free smoked turkey deli packs for my spinach salads since I don't really feel like cooking a whole turkey every week....

 

[SociallyChallenged]

I'm currently 140lbs 5'3, 28 years old. eating healthy and lifting 3 days per week. trying to get size. but I goess the main thing is I get tired of eating chicken breast every day, and want to see if Beef is a good option. I.E, if I eat organic grass fed beef, 3 to 4 times per week, is that okay (low cholesterol, etc etc)

If you get really cheap, fatty beef, then no, it's not good for you. If you eat it in moderation, it's not a big deal.

Also, you should know that dietary cholesterol typically doesn't affect your personal cholesterol levels. It's been shown in research for over 20 years now. It's moreso saturated fat that affects cholesterol in a bad way. Granted, beef does have saturated fat, but if you're exercising on a regular basis and your saturated fat intake is within reason, you're going to be healthy either way. You need saturated fat in your diet - just don't get crazy by eating 10 pieces of bacon and a patty melt daily.

 

[Mr. Pedantic]

So I hear that people who are trying to gain muscle, size, reduce fat eat chicken as their primary source of meat. Beef has high fat, cholesterol, etc etc.

I saw this organic beef patty at the store, which is 160 calories, 6g of fat, 20mg of cholesterol, 75mg sodium, 0g carb, and 26 gram of protein.

Compariing it to some chicken breast, it's pretty good I would say. Is there something that is bad about beef that is not listed in the box, that I'm not aware of?

It seems really weird to me that normal people feel it's important to watch what they eat this much. Beef is bad for your health. Red meat in general is deleterious to cardiovascular and oncological health. Do most people care? No. Because frankly, I would much rather live a slightly shorter life with red meat than a slightly longer life without it.

The only positive thing you might be able to say about organic beef compared to 'non-organic' beef (not sure what that means, to be honest) is that it tastes better. In every other way, I highly doubt you would be able to tell the difference, physiologically or otherwise. Certainly, the difference between two brands of organic beef can be much greater than the difference between any given brands of organic vs non-organic. In both cases higher quality = better.

Also, fat is not necessarily bad for you. Sodium is not necessarily bad for you (okay, it kind of is. But 75mg in a society where average daily intake is around 2g/day is nothing). Dietary cholesterol is not necessarily bad for you.

The thing is, that in the 1970s there was this big craze about how fat in the diet was linked to fat in the blood. It makes sense, right? Except that's not how it works. The situation is far more complex than most people in the 70s thought, and it turns out that serum lipids have a lot to do with carbohydrate consumption as well. I'm not suggesting you go overboard with fat intake, because even though it won't tank your lipid levels you'll get fatter, and that by itself is an independent risk factor for all kinds of diseases.

And with cholesterol, SC is right. Even if you cut your dietary cholesterol to 0, your body will still make all it needs. Which is why a medication such as ezetimibe (which blocks absorption of cholesterol in the gut) doesn't really do that much good by itself. It really should be paired with a statin (which also inhibits cholesterol production in the liver) to have a real effect. But in general, you have to be making some pretty extreme modifications to change your lipid levels in any significant way.

Have I rocked your world?