In the last five years, consumers reported eating less of the following due to “high fat content”:
- 23 percent said they had cut back on dairy foods
- 33 percent said they had cut back on pork and
- 41 percent said they had decreased their consumption of beef
While most people reported consumption of dairy, beef and pork “stayed the same” over the last five years, it does show that there may be some misconceptions about the amount of fat in these foods and the lowest fat options. These foods actually provide some great nutrition.
Dairy – fortified dairy is a great way to get vitamin D. Most foods are low in vitamin D. Egg yolks have the highest amount from non-fortified foods. You probably heard that many Americans have a vitamin D deficiency. 10-30 minutes a day in the sun should help you meet your vitamin D needs. (Hey, 30 minute walk or jog outside anyone). Nevertheless, adults and kids are turning up left and right with a deficiency. It is diagnosed with a blood test and the treatment is usually high doses of D3 for a short period to get levels back to a healthy range. There are lots of other good nutrients in dairy like protein, carbohydrates, and calcium. What I’m trying to say is: don’t diss dairy! Here are some of the lowest fat choices:
- skim milk – breakfast cereal, oatmeal, hot chocolate….
- yogurt – low fat/fat free varieties – pre/post workout with some granola, good vending machine alternative at work.
- cottage cheese – 1-2% – excellent protein source! Side dish with lunch… post workout snack along with a piece of fruit.
- low fat cheese – 2% string cheese – great with grapes! mid-morning snack idea!
Pork and Beef – If you are active, especially in the weight room, you probably heard of “creatine” before. Some people take it as a supplement to boost their weightlifting ability. But you probably didn’t know that several meats have a naturally high creatine content. Pork and beef are two of those meats. In addition, pork tenderloin is very low in fat. It provides a great alternative to chicken – and if you are paying attention to Dr. Katz / Yale health rating system, both pork and beef have a greater ONQI rating than chicken. You also probably didn’t know that beef fat is 42% monounsaturated – the heart healthy fat. Here’s how they can fit in to your diet:
- Choose the leanest cut (look for the least visible white fat and trim before cooking)
- Keep a portion to 3-4 ounces cooked. If you are having a 6 oz steak for dinner – that can be your meat for the day.
Hopefully, I helped clarify some things when it comes to dairy, beef and pork. I encourage you to do your own research too!
More about the Nutrition and You survey:
ADA, which represents nutrition professionals, conducted its first nationwide survey in 1991 and there have been six follow-up surveys. The aim is to measure people’s attitudes, knowledge, beliefs and behaviors regarding food and nutrition and to identify trends and understand how consumers’ attitudes and behavior have evolved over time.
The survey included telephone interviews with 783 respondents representing a nationally representative sample of the total US population. The ADA is the world’s largest organization of food and nutrition professionals.
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