I don’t think anyone is going to be shocked when I say I love red meat. Nor will it come as a surprise if I say it’s a healthy, nutritious food, and should be included in everyone’s diet, especially those wishing to build muscle.
Here are 5 reasons to include some delicious red meat in your diet:
1) Protein. You get a high quality, complete protein to supply your hungry muscles with the fuel they need to recover and grow! Meat is typically 20-25% protein, so for every 100g you chow down, you get about 25g protein.
2) B Vitamins. Red meat is rich in B vitamins, including vitamin B12. These are needed for supporting a healthy metabolic rate, immune function, and good skin and hair among others. B vitamins are important for emotional as well as physical well-being with a deficiency being linked to depression.
3) CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid). Animal and human studies have shown CLA to be beneficial in regards to combating various cancers, heart disease, inflammation, hypertension and more. Try to get grass-fed beef if possible. (UK CLA supplement | US CLA supplement).
4) Stearic Acid. You would think from what some people say that the fat in red meat is 100% saturated. In fact, you’ll find sites on net that say just that! (Be careful where you get your info)
Beef fat is about 50% monounsaturated fat, 90 percent of which is oleic acid. This is the same healthy fat found in olive oil and will typically contribute to a lower LDL and higher HDL cholesterol.
About a third of the saturated fat in red meat is stearic acid, which also increases HDL cholesterol but typically has no effect on LDL.
There is also about 4% polyunsaturated fat, which typically lowers LDL and has zero effect on HDL cholesterol.
Lowering LDL (more specifically the VLDL) and raising HDL cholesterol is the ideal scenario for heart health. People on low-carb diets, which include red meat consumption, often experience this. Additionally, their triglyceride levels plummet. For a more in-depth discussion of this see my other articles on dietary fat and heart health including, “Saturated Fat, Not Guilty As Charged!“.
5) Testosterone Production. Fat is needed for the production of testosterone. Don’t be surprised to see people on low-fat diets walking around with low-levels of enthusiasm, vitality, and all-round “spunk”. And what better way to ensure that you are getting enough fat in your diet than eating a nice juicy steak?
I could go on here by the way; there’s creatine, iron, ALA, and zinc to mention but a few further benefits. But you guys know the drill by now, eat your meat! 🙂
Stay Motivated!
Mark
I heard that excessive red meat consumption can cause cancer. This is why I stick to chicken for most of my protein
Hi Mark
I try to eat as much red meat as I can purely because chicken bores me!
If I can I’ll eat it probably 4/5 times each week be it minced or a juicy sirloin 😀
I consume beef 3 times a week whilst on MANS. On top of that I eat between 50-60 whole eggs per week. I love eggs. On other days I will have fish or chicken cos I like to rotate my protein source. But beef is definitely a priority while on MANS.
I generally eat beef 2 or 3 times a week – At least 1 night where I have 250g beef mince, and another night I have a nice big rump steak.
I am not a fan of eggs really so I don’t tend to have many, sometimes I will have a few eggs scrambled for breakfast.
I do not eat meat daily. I eat chicken breasts daily…4 times a day. Sometimes I do a 1/2 of turkey breast instead (which also takes the whole day to eat). I do red meat on occasion as I always thought it to be healthy, but not as much as chicken/turkey (as far as fat content is concerned). Plus, chicken/turkey is much easier to come by on my budget and resources. 🙂
I also eat red meat at least 3 days a week. As for eggs, i have 2 hard boiled eggs and 3 to 4 pieces of turkey bacon Mon. thru Fri. for breakfast along with 1 scoop of O.N. gold standard whey. I fill in non red meat days with fish/tuna chicken and turkey. The above diet is thanks to Mark!!
@Daniel P. Agreed. Chicken can get boring.
@Mike Huber. Love my tuna too 🙂 Getting probably ~20 eggs per week, even on the GLAD diet.
Well I tend to stay away from red meat. I am a chicken and tuna guy. When it comes to eggs well I can eat anywhere from 10-20 eggs in any given week. I cycle my protein sources, so to speak. I may lay off eggs for a couple of weeks and eat mainly tuna. I do the same with chicken whereby I may lay off the tuna and consume mainly chicken for a couple of weeks. I am not strict with it though. I just let my mood govern my choices. Of course I eat other kinds of fish but its tuna about 80 per cent of the time.
http://www.ergo-log.com has an article about a study that found a cup of black tea with your tuna consumption will negate the absorption of the mercury.
25 eggs weekly. 1-2 red meals. all other meals are chicken
Eating way too much white meat (mrs wants lower fat) but I have always lived by:
Breckfast – Eggs or left over dinner
Lunch – white meat or fish with salad
Dinner – red meat and veg
what else does a person need?
You list all the good reasons why we should eat red meat, can’t really disagree but personally I have one better reason I rarely eat red meat … Animal cruelty and Welfare!
Not really a Greenie or die hard vegetarian but I use to design machines for abattoirs (and winches for deep sea drift netting) and after a while it was sickening on how animals are slaughtered and even bred leading up to slaughter. Visit one if you ever get chance it’s eye opening.
I definitely admit I’m hypocrite as I do eat fish and eggs ( and their farming is not much better) but I try and justify it but choosing Wild or free range.
Eggs I consume about 2 per day give or take.
I might be sacrificing all the good things above and muscle growth but I sleep better.
Raymond
I consume red meat several times daily on my current diet (the next week or two) as well as turkey, fish, eggs and whey. I eat about 20 eggs per week now. I had to ditch chicken because I developed an allergy (that’s what happens when you eat it daily for five years). I’m really concentrating on cycling my protein sources now. My next move is to switch regional diets altogether once a month (Latin, pacific, Asian, Mediterranean, etc.).
Mitchell
P.S. Does anyone know where to get bison meat in the US?
Hey Mark, glad to see another article supporting red meat. I try and eat red meat as much as possible (as far as money can allow me!), so roughly about 3-4 times a week. As for eggs, I eat 12 a day. Eggs are the best way to start the day 😀
I have around 150 grams of red meat a day and six whole eggs a day.
Hi All,
I usually eat 2-3 whole eggs (free range) every day for b/fast, scrambled or poached. Red meat at least 2-3 times a week. Chicken breasts do get boring but I prefer chicken pieces (thighs and legs) in caseroles because you can play around with the flavours by altering the stock flavour and by adding different veg’, cous-cous, qinoa etc. If you don’t like the fat content of the chicken pieces you can scoop the fat off the top of the caserole once it’s cooled! You can do this with any caserole made with any meat once it has cooled. Caseroles also allow you to take food to work in a tupperware box and just stick it in the micro-wave for a tasty hot meal anytime!
Just remember guys, “You can’t out-train bad nutrition” 😉
@Mitchell, try this site- https://wildideabuffalo.com/where-to-buy-wib-meat.
@Mark, gonna increase my eggs. Love omelettes on the weekend.
Hi Mark,
Not sure if this is the best place to ask this question, but here goes;
What is the best choice/s of butter/margerine spread to put on your bread?
I always eat Vougel or Burgen bread (low GI) and usually no more than 2 slices a day. Unless I’m eating a piece of my home made bread & butter pudding with banana/apple. I will post the recipe in due course!
“Eat clean and stay lean!”
Good news!
I have been eating 2 steaks a day, breakfast and lunch. I have noticed a difference. Chicken can be so dry and boring, especially REHEATED. Beef tastes so good to me, I don’t even reheat it when I eat the leftovers.
But, I do get the lean ones and just cook them medium-rare to keep from getting tough.
@Graham – I put olive oil on my bread. Sprinkle some Parmesan cheese and pepper. I just like it that way.
Hey Andrew, Dude not all of us can afford to eat steak twice a day.That would be awsome though..I love steak. Some people tell me to not eat red meat at all.I just laugh at them, i know the truth,
@Andrew Mast- that sounds like a good combo!
I usually eat my bread toasted with my eggs in the morning so may have to look at some other ingredients to go on the bread to compliment the eggs (usually srambled).
“eat big to stay big!” 😉
Eating red meat increases your risk of colon cancer.
I eat 500gr of read meat, 3 whole eggs, 350gr fish, for 6 days a week.
I see the concensus is about 3 times a week. How bad is it to eat red meat once a day everyday? I do eat enough veggies and fiber but i have to admit..all the cancer talk makes me worry.
@Mitchell – try “Whole Foods” if there’s one near you, although not the cheapest place to buy red meat, you can get Organic and Grass Fed Beef from there.
I love red meat, but at the moment it is a luxury for me (I’m out of full-time work and living off savings)… ahh the life of an LA actor! lol
@mikey LOL, well, it’s not that expensive to me. In the US, I get four 4-ounce steaks at the supermarket for just under $5, that’s like $1.25 each. So, for $10 week, the price that some of my friends pay for a fancy lunch, I can eat steak! 🙂
I love red meat but its true the cattle are kept in unsanitary and disgusting feed lots, I buy organic. Its not as cheap but the quality is 100% better and you support the well fare of animals.
i have friends that wont eat red meat cause they are worried about the cancer facter but yet some of them are smoking two boxes of cigarettes a day, eat in moderation stay away from the ‘healthy’ processed foods and eat some damn steak!!
steak twice a week
30 eggs a week
and recently i went for a check up at the doctor and took some blood tests, I’m in great health and he say’s I have high levels of testosterone.
Had an amazing filet mignon last night in fact! I eat red meat at least a few times a week, with beef being the majority of the meat I eat, followed by pork, and chicken.
Not as keen on eating eggs as it gives me a weird, unsettling bodily feeling, like my stomach isn’t agreeing with the food, and beef and pork don’t give me that feeling. Chicken breast kinda does a bit too if I eat too much of it. Nonetheless I know eggs are awesome for you!
tommy07030,
There’s no link between eating red meat and cancer. Cancer is part of being alive, but certain things can make it worse, like artificial preservatives like unnaturally added sodium nitrite and nitrate, often found in processed meats like bacon, cold cuts, most hot dogs, etc. Eating unadulterated beef is extremely healthy, as Mark has already run through, and organic free range grass-fed and finished beef is the ideal beef out there. It’s becoming more available.
Red meat for one meal every day. On the grill on sundays =) 2 Whole eggs errrr day!
Hey Mark, i think its time maybe you put up some of your own personal photos of progression?! It would be good motivation for all the hackers. I could be mistaken but I think you’ve had the same picture up since I started using the site a year ago. Thanks