Healthy meat recipes

Prioritize low-fat white meat, eat limited amounts of lean red meat, and avoid processed meat products as much as possible. The total daily intake should be controlled at 40-75g (about half the size of an adult's palm). By pairing it with whole grains and fresh vegetables, you can avoid the health risks caused by excessive intake while meeting nutritional needs such as protein, iron, and zinc.

In the past two years, when I first started to learn how to cook healthy meals, I ran into many pitfalls. The most stupid thing was that I blacklisted all red meat and only ate boiled chicken breasts every day. In less than half a month, not only did I lose more hair, I would get breathless after running two steps, and I checked for trace elements and I was iron deficient. The nutritionist said that this was a typical overkill and completely unnecessary.

There are indeed many controversies about eating meat on the Internet. For example, the ketogenic group, which has been arguing for several years, insists that people should eat more red meat or even fatty meat. Relying on fat for energy can not only lose weight quickly, but also stabilize blood sugar. A friend of mine tried it for 3 months and indeed lost 20 pounds. However, after a physical examination, the LDL level was so high that the doctor asked him to stop and adjust his diet immediately. At present, the academic community has not yet reached a unified conclusion on the long-term safety of the ketogenic diet. It is really not recommended for ordinary people to try it casually without the guidance of professionals. A traditional balanced diet is more reliable.

In fact, white meat is not limited to chicken breasts. Skinless duck legs, chicken legs, and various fish, shrimp and shellfish are all considered high-quality white meat. What I always have at home now is basa fish and skinless chicken legs. Defrost the basa fish and steam it with some shredded ginger for 10 minutes. Drizzle with light soy sauce to make it fresh. Spray the chicken legs with some olive oil in an air fryer and sprinkle with some black pepper and roast them for 20 minutes. They are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. They are a hundred times more delicious than dry chicken breasts. The fat content is not much higher and the feeling of satiety is stronger.

Many people are afraid of red meat when it comes to it, saying that it is a Class 2A carcinogen. This statement is correct, but you must understand the premise: Class 2A is "possibly carcinogenic to humans." The risk is based on long-term and large intake. For example, eating more than 100g a day, braised pork and pork elbows with sauce, will indeed increase the risk of colorectal cancer. But if you only eat it 2 or 3 times a week, each time you eat a piece of lean beef or pork tenderloin as big as the palm of your hand, not only is there no risk, but it can also supplement high-quality heme iron, which is much better absorbed than taking those miscellaneous iron supplements. Especially girls who are prone to dizziness during their menstrual period, really don’t avoid eating red meat at all.

As for processed meats such as bacon, sausage, ham, and bacon, they are classified as category 1 carcinogens. There is nothing to argue about, but you don’t have to be too scared to touch them. Category 1 carcinogens mean that there is clear evidence of causing cancer. It does not mean that you will get cancer after just one bite. It is perfectly fine to go out with friends on the weekend and eat two grilled sausages and a few skewers of grilled pork belly. As long as you don’t eat bacon sandwiches every morning and ham rice bowls at noon.

If you are building muscle and exercising a lot every day, it is no problem to eat up to 150g of meat. Give priority to fish, shrimp and lean beef with high protein content. The absorption efficiency is much higher than that of plant protein. If there are elderly people at home, buy more deep-sea fish with less spines and steam them until soft and easier to digest. Chop red meat into mince and make meatballs. Don’t buy too fat fish to avoid high blood lipids. For children, steamed cod eggs and hand-made shrimp paste are good choices. Supplementing with DHA is much more reliable than taking those supplements.

To be honest, there really aren’t that many strict rules when it comes to healthy eating of meat. You don’t need to use a scale to calculate the exact number of grams every time you eat. You can measure it by touch and eat different types. Don’t go too extreme. After all, eating happily is also a part of health.