There are few foods more appetizing than a juicy steak. Nothing beats a tender steak, grilled to order and served with herbs like basil and chives, sauces like au jus, peppercorn and A1, and vegetables like grilled onions and mushrooms. This is especially true if it is served with an appetizing accompaniment, such as a side salad. Roasted vegetables and mashed potatoes.
This food is so iconic that entire restaurant chains are built around it. These include Outback Steakhouse, Ruth’s Chris, Peter Luger, Fleming’s, Sizzler, Longhorn, and Morton’s.
But just because a food is popular doesn’t mean it’s always good for you. There are just as many reasons to avoid overconsumption of steak and other red meat as there are reasons to eat it right away.
What is a steak?
Steak is sliced meat from a cow, usually along the muscle fibers and sometimes with the bone still attached. In addition to beef steaks, some prepare steaks cut from bison, venison, elk, goat, pork, and lamb meat.
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Popular premium beef options include T-bone, New York strip, and filet mignon. These are all animal loin meats. Ribeye is the more flavorful cut of the beef rib. Top sirloin is taken from the cow’s hind leg between the ribs and rump. Less expensive cuts include flatiron and denver, which come from the shoulder of a cow, also known as chuck. The shoulder loin is tough, but the more expensive cuts are more tender.
No matter what part of the animal it comes from, steaks are usually cooked to order depending on the internal temperature of the meat. Although temperatures may vary slightly, rare steaks are typically cooked at an internal temperature of 125 degrees, medium-rare at 135 degrees, medium at 145 degrees, medium-well at 150 degrees, and well-done at 160 degrees. .
Extra rare is a separate temperature category, meaning the steak is only cooked to 115 degrees. This is not as concerning as eating raw beef, but it is far from considered safe to eat. actual, U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Agency To avoid food poisoning, it is recommended that all steaks be cooked to at least 145 degrees and that the meat be allowed to rest for at least three minutes before eating.
Is steak healthy?
Beefsteak contains many important nutrients, including “all the essential amino acids and essential fats needed by humans,” said Benjamin Bickman, a cell biologist and physiologist at Brigham Young University’s School of Life Sciences. . It is also rich in vitamins and minerals. For example, a 6-ounce cut of top sirloin contains 646 milligrams of potassium and a whopping 51 grams of protein, in addition to calcium, selenium, niacin, vitamin B6, folate, and phosphorus. US Department of Agriculture.
Protein is an essential nutrient for muscle growth and maintenance, metabolic regulation, and a healthy immune system. “Protein from steak is particularly desirable because it is absorbed differently than vegetable protein,” Bickman says. “To get the same 50 grams of protein you would get from a steak, you would need to consume more than twice the total weight of soybeans,” he says.
Steak is also a good source of vitamin B12, “which is essential for energy levels, brain health, and red blood cell production,” says the registered dietitian and endurance athlete nutritionist. alex larson nutrition.
Steak is also a good source of iron, but animal sources of iron contain what is known as heme iron, which is more abundant and easily absorbed by the human body than the iron found in plant foods. This is particularly important, explains Bickman. surely, Research results It is known that only a small amount of non-heme iron is absorbed by the body, and more than 95% of the functional iron in the human body is heme iron.
Maya Ferrer is a registered dietitian based in Brooklyn. Maya Ferrer’s Nutritionand co-hosts slatesan’s Well, now The podcast also praises the magnesium and zinc content in steak, noting that the many other nutrients in steak are “important for growth, development, and maintaining overall health.”
Can you eat steak every day?
At the same time, red meat, including beef, classified According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, it is recognized as a Group 2A carcinogen, meaning it “probably” can cause cancer in humans, but the amount that can cause it is Not determined. For this reason, American Cancer Institute It is recommended that you limit your red meat intake to 12 to 18 ounces (cooked) per week.
Beyond the increased cancer risk, Bickman says, “the main concern with red meat is the presence of saturated fat.” Saturated fats are problematic because they can raise LDL (bad) cholesterol levels. According to researchwhich can lead to cardiovascular disease and other heart problems. However, “Beef, which is low in saturated fat, is a lean cut, so this risk may be minimized,” Ferrer says.
These considerations don’t mean you should avoid eating steak completely. “As with anything else, moderation is important when eating steak,” says Larson. “Enjoying red meat from time to time is part of a balanced diet, but aim to balance it with other animal proteins and plant foods to keep your heart healthy.”
