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The Misunderstood Fatty Acid Profile of Beef
Consumer nutrition education, while intended to stress moderation, has generated a fat phobia. As a result, consumers have forgotten the benefits of beef, associating it only with what they believe is a nutrient to avoid - fat. Utilizing the latest technology, the beef industry has responded to consumer concerns about fat and is now producing a product that is leaner and contains less visible fat than it did 10 years ago.
Today, there are seven cuts of beef that meet government guidelines for lean designation as outlined in the 1990 Nutrition Labeling and Education Act. The Act defines lean cuts of meat as those with less than 10 grams total fat, 4.5 grams or less saturated fatty acids, and less than 95 milligrams cholesterol per serving.
A common misperception is that the majority of fats in beef are saturated fatty acids. In fact, nearly 50 percent of the fat in beef is monounsaturated fatty acids1, which are championed by health experts for their positive coronary heart risk-reduction capabilities.2
A third of the saturated fatty acids in beef is stearic acid - a unique fatty acid that has a neutral effect on blood cholesterol levels.3,4,5,6 When taken into account, the amount of saturated fatty acids in beef is comparable to that of chicken and fish.1
To reduce the risk of heart disease or cancer, experts say choose lean cuts of meat. Lean cuts of meat have less than 10 grams of fat and 4.5 grams of saturated fatty acids.
The seven cuts of beef that meet the government's requirements for lean are eye round, top round, round tip, top sirloin, bottom round, top loin and tenderloin. These cuts have, on average, 6.2 grams of total fat and 2.3 grams of saturated fatty acids per 3-ounce serving.1
Research published in the June 28, 1999 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine demonstrates that Americans can consume 6 ounces of lean red meat, five or more days a week as part of a cholesterol lowering diet and positively impact blood cholesterol levels.7
The study demonstrated that both red and white meat produce the same favorable changes in blood cholesterol levels. This reduction could amount to approximately a 10 percent coronary heart disease risk reduction.8
1. USDA, ARS. USDA Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 13. Nutrient Data Laboratory homepage, (http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp), 1999.
2. Kris-Etherton P, Burns JH. Cardiovascular Nutrition, Strategies and Tools for Disease Management and Prevention. American Dietetic Association, 1998, p. 92.
3. Hegsted DM, McGandy RB, Myers ML, Stare FJ. Quantitative effects of dietary fat on serum cholesterol in man. Am J Clin Nutr. 17:281-295, 1965.
4. Monsma CC, Ney DM. Interrelationship of stearic acid content and triacylglycerol composition of lard, beef tallow, and cocoa butter in rats. Lipids 28(6):539-547,1993.
5. Bonanome A, Grundy SM. Effect of dietary stearic acid on plasma cholesterol and lipoprotein levels. NEJM, 318: 1244; 1988.
6. Pearson TA. Metabolic consequences of stearic acid relative to other long-chain fatty acids. Paper presented to conference on metabolic consequences of stearic acid relative to other long-chain fatty acids. Atlanta, GA; 1993, November 5-6.
7. Davidson MH, Hunninghake D, Maki KC, Kwiterovitch PO, Kafonek S. Comparison of the effects of lean red meat vs. lean white meat on serum lipid levels among free-living persons with hypercholesterolemia. Arch Intern Med. 159: 1331-1338, 1999.
8. Gordon et. al. High density lipoprotein cholesterol and cardiovascular disease; four prospective American studies. Circ 79:8-15, 1989.
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