We all know beef just tastes great and is satisfying, but do you know all the good that is in beef

Shouldn’t I be avoiding saturated fat?

The government tells us to limit saturated fat, ideally to no more than 20 grams per day for an average 2,000-calorie diet. If you eat fewer calories, you need to keep your saturated fat intake under 10% of calories. A 3-ounce serving of lean beef (the six cuts are shown in our ads) has only one more gram of saturated fat than a 3 oz. serving of boneless skinless chicken breast. These cuts on average have just 1.9 grams of total saturated fat. That’s well within this limit, and with that, you get 36% of your daily value for zinc, 14% of your daily value for iron and 39% of your daily value for vitamin B-12. Beef is a great-tasting, nutrient-rich protein. Click here for more information.

What nutritional benefits does beef offer?

Beef is a power pack of nutrients that benefits people of all ages in maintaining both day-to-day and long-term health. A 3 oz. serving of beef is an excellent source of protein and a good source of iron, zinc, niacin, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12, while contributing less than 10% of the calories to a 2,000-calorie diet.

• Beef is the #1 food source of protein, zinc and vitamin
B12, according to a study published in the Journal of
the American Dietetic Association.

• Beef supplies high-quality protein, complete with all nine
essential amino acids.

• Beef is one of the most important dietary sources of iron.
To obtain the same amount of iron found in a 3 oz.
serving of beef, you’d have to eat at least 3 cups of
raw spinach.

• A 3 oz. serving of beef provides 39% of the Daily
Value for zinc. You would need to eat more than eleven
3 oz. servings of tuna to get the same amount of zinc in
one 3 oz. serving of beef.

• Beef contains significant amounts of the B-complex
vitamins riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, B6 and B12.

What does protein do for me?

• Protein plays many roles that help keep you energized and
support your body’s functions.

• Proteins are part of all your body’s tissues, including
muscles, organs and bones.

• Proteins make up the hormones and enzymes that regulate
body processes.

• Proteins work with the immune system to protect against
disease.

• Proteins can even serve as an energy source.

I know that iron is necessary for healthy blood, but what else is it good for?

In addition to helping make new red blood cells, which help carry oxygen to body cells and tissues, iron aids in brain development and supports the immune system. Research has shown that even mild, short-term iron deficiency can impair your ability to function at peak productivity. And yet, iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency in the U.S.

Why is zinc important to my health and nutrition?

Zinc may not be a nutrient you think a lot about, but your body needs it for essential functions. Zinc plays a vital role in growth and development, maintaining the body’s immune system, wound healing, taste perception and appetite control.

Are there other significant vitamins & minerals in beef I should know about?

• Selenium is an antioxidant that works with vitamin E to
help prevent damage to your body’s cells. Recent studies
have found that adequate intake of selenium may reduce
the risk of heart disease and certain types of cancers and
improve the body’s ability to fight infections. A 3 oz.
serving of beef provides 31% of the selenium you need
daily.

• Choline, another essential nutrient, plays a vital role in
cognition and long- and short-term memory functions.
Tell me more about the B-complex vitamins in beef.

• Calorie-for-calorie, beef is one of the best protein sources
of essential B-complex vitamins, including riboflavin,
niacin, B6 and B12.

• Riboflavin, niacin and thiamin are three key vitamins in
beef that help keep you going by unleashing energy from
the protein, carbohydrates and fats that you eat.

• Riboflavin also helps promote healthy skin, eyes and
clear vision. To get the same amount of riboflavin found in
a 3 oz. serving of beef, you’d need to consume more
than two 3 oz. chicken breasts.

• Thiamin also helps promote normal appetite and
contributes to normal nervous system function.

• Vitamin B12, found only in animal food products, helps
produce red blood cells. A 3 oz. serving of beef
provides 37% of the Daily Value.

• Vitamin B6, along with B12, may play a role in preventing
stroke and heart disease. A 3 oz. serving of beef
provides 16% of the Daily Value.

I know that beef provides many nutrients that are good for me, but what about the fat content?

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 just 10 years ago.

• Half the fatty acids in beef are monounsaturated, the same
heart-healthy kind found in olive oil.

• 32% of the saturated fat in beef is stearic acid. Studies
have shown that stearic acid has a neutral effect on
blood cholesterol levels.

• There are at least 29 cuts of beef classified as lean or
extra lean according to USDA labeling guidelines. On
average, these cuts have 6.2 grams of total fat and 2.3
grams of saturated fatty acids per 3-ounce serving. They
are: eye round, top round, round tip, top sirloin, bottom
round, top loin, tenderloin and flank steak.

• Beef contains conjugated linoleic acid, a fatty acid that
recently has sparked a lot of interest in the scientific
community, due to its numerous potential health benefits.

Why is conjugated linoleic acid potentially important?
Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a fatty acid found naturally in beef and dairy products. Animal studies have shown it to have many benefits. Further trials hope to confirm similar benefits in humans.

• CLA has been found to be more powerful than any other
fatty acid in preventing the formation and slowing the
growth of cancerous tumors.

• CLA can affect body composition by decreasing body fat
and increasing lean muscle mass.

• CLA may help normalize blood glucose levels and
prevent diabetes.

• CLA may contribute to heart health by helping to lower
serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

• CLA has been shown to stimulate the immune system
and to have positive effects on bone health.

• Q10 , this coenzyme plays a great role in the production of high energy molecules used in cellular processes such as contraction and muscle relaxation.

• Carnitine helps fats metabolization to obtain energy avoiding the appearance of fatigue

• Creatine helps the building of muscle mass by training improving the performance.

• Fat acids , intramuscular triglycerides are very important in moderate intensity exercises and for well trained sportsmen. The body stores fats which will provide energy once those of the carbohydrates are totally used; they are the best energy for long tests.

• High biological value proteins have all the amino acids necessary to repair muscular fibers and regenerate and increase the size of those involved in strength exercises.

• Iron of easy absorption plays a key role in “sportsmen suffering from anemia” which is characterized by a reduction of red blood cells and hemoglobin. It is a substrate for hamatopoiesis improving the oxygen transportation needed for the body and through hemoglobin it keeps oxygen in the muscle. It increases resistance and the aerobic capacity.

• Complex-B vitamins and vitamin B12 in particular , needed in the energetic and protean metabolism and red blood cells synthesis.