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Home » Consumer Information » Diet And Health » Meat The Facts » Meat And Fat
Meat and fat
Did you know?
- Excess dietary fat is considered one of several risk of factors for coronary heart disease1.
- Saturated fat tends to raise blood cholesterol1.
- Higher levels of blood cholesterol are associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease1.
Meat Facts!
- About half the fat in lean red meat is unsaturated fat (ie monounsaturated and polyunsaturated).
- Meat provides one of the major sources of monounsaturated fat in the British diet (this is common in the healthy "Mediterranean type diet").
- Red meat and meat products contribute less than one quarter of the total fat intake of all food eaten at home2.
- The fat content of red meat has fallen by one third on average over the last 20 years.
- All the essential nutrients in meat are found in the lean parts.
| Cut of meat |
Portion size (g) |
Fat (g) |
Saturates (g) |
Monounsaturates (g) |
Polyunsaturates (g) |
| Beef Topside |
100 |
2.7 |
1.1 |
1.2 |
0.2 |
| Rump Steak |
100 |
4.1 |
1.7 |
1.7 |
0.3 |
| Silverside |
100 |
4.3 |
1.6 |
2.0 |
0.2 |
| Beef mince |
100 |
9.6 |
4.0 |
3.6 |
0.6 |
Source: Chan, W., Brown, J., Lee, S.M. and Buss, D.H. (1995). Meat Poultry and Game, MAFF and Royal Society of Chemistry, HMSO, London (Supplement to McCance and Widdowson's The Composition of Foods).
A healthy diet is a balanced diet which includes a wide variety of foods taken in the four main food groups: bread, other cereals and potatoes; fruit and vegetables; meat, fish and alternatives; milk and dairy foods. Sugars and fats are also an integral part of a balanced diet, but are needed in very small amounts.
How to reduce fat in the diet
Chose lean cuts of meat and lower-fat products
- Choose lean cubes of beef for casseroles and kebabs.
- There are ranges of lower-fat versions of popular meat products like sausages, burgers and pâté.
Cut visible fat off meat during preparation or at table
- Trim fat from meat before cooking
- Cut off any remaining fat on the meat before you eat it.
Check other ingredients of recipe/meal and swap for low-fat alternatives
- Try a low-fat spread instead of butter or margarine on bread, but whichever you choose, spread it thinly.
Avoid adding extra fat in food preparation
- If you do use any fat when cooking choose oils such as sunflower, corn or olive oil.
- Limit your intakes of oily marinades and salad dressings.
Try these healthier cooking methods such as: dry frying, grilling, roasting on a rack or stirfrying
- Drain and discard fat from the pan before making gravy/sauce with remaining juices.
- Skim fat from casseroles and stews before serving.
- Dab any grilled or fried food before serving.
References:
(1): British Nutrition Foundation (1997) Diet and Heart Disease: A round table of factors. 2nd edition. Ed. Ashwell, M.
(2) Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1997) Household food consumption and expenditure. Nation Food Survey, 1996. London: HMSO.
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