By: Dayle Hayes, M.S., R.D.
Council for Women's Nutrition Solutions

With more than two-thirds of Americans classified as overweight or obese, people are looking for new ways to lead a healthy lifestyle.  Now there's good news for the millions of Americans who love the great taste of beef. Beef has changed--it's simply not your father's steak anymore.

The latest United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Nutrient Database shows that 29 cuts of beef meet government guidelines for lean, including many of America's favorites like tenderloin, T-bone steak, and 95% lean ground beef. And all 29 lean beef cuts have, on average, only one more gram of saturated fat than a skinless chicken breast, per 3-ounce serving.

The 29 lean beef cuts, beginning with the leanest, include: eye round roast and steak; sirloin tip side steak; top round roast and steak; bottom round roast and steak; top sirloin steak; round tip roast and steak; 95% lean ground beef; flat half brisket; shank cross cuts; chuck shoulder pot roast; sirloin tip center roast and steak; chuck shoulder steak; bottom round (Western Griller) steak; top loin (strip) steak; shoulder petite tender and medallions; flank steak; round steak; shoulder center (Ranch) steak; and tri-tip.

Beef's fat profile is generally misunderstood. Half the fatty acids in a 3-ounce serving of lean beef are monounsaturated fatty acids--the same heart-healthy kind found in olive oil that research shows may have cholesterol-lowering abilities. And, one-third of the saturated fat in beef is a unique fatty acid called stearic acid, which has been found to have a neutral effect.  Research shows lean beef can play the same role as skinless chicken or fish in a cholesterol-lowering diet.

"Today, you don't have to sacrifice taste and enjoyment when trying to eat healthy," said Richard Chamberlain, chef and proprietor, Chamberlain's Restaurants in Texas and board member of the Texas American Heart Association. "Many of the most popular cuts in my restaurants, like top sirloin, tenderloin, and top loin, are some of the leanest cuts available."

Beyond lean beef's favorable fat profile, beef is--and has always been--a nutrient-rich powerhouse. Just one 3-ounce serving of beef is a good source of nine essential nutrients: protein, zinc, vitamin B12, selenium, phosphorus, niacin, vitamin B6, iron, and riboflavin.

USDA, Agricultural Research Service, 2005. USDA Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 18. www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp