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The Least Fatty Steak
You can have your steak and eat it, too. You just have to pick less fatty cuts to control your intake of unhealthy saturated fat, the type that increases your risk of cardiovascular disease. Round, sirloin, chuck and loin are your best bets when choosing a cut of beef, says the American Heart Association 12. But even the least fatty cuts still have more saturated fat than other protein sources like fish, so keep your intake in check.
Your Least Fatty Choices
A 3-ounce portion of eye of round roast trimmed of all fat has 3.8 grams of total fat, 1.6 of which are saturated. A 3-ounce top loin steak has 5.7 grams of total fat, which includes 2.5 grams of saturated fat. A 3-ounce cut of top sirloin trimmed of all fat has 8.2 grams of total fat, 3.2 of which are saturated. A 3-ounce portion of chuck eye steak has 9.8 grams of total fat, including 4.2 grams of saturated fat.
- A 3-ounce portion of eye of round roast trimmed of all fat has 3.8 grams of total fat, 1.6 of which are saturated.
- A 3-ounce portion of chuck eye steak has 9.8 grams of total fat, including 4.2 grams of saturated fat.
Keep It Low-Fat During Cooking
What Is the Healthiest Cut of Steak to Eat?
Learn More
You can choose the least fatty cut of steak, but if you pan-fry it in oil, its fat content skyrockets. Grill your meat instead, and refrain from adding extra fat or oil during cooking. When roasting cuts of meat, do so on a rack so the fat runs off and can be discarded.
Related Articles
References
- American Heart Association: Saturated Fats
- American Heart Association: Meat, Poultry and Fish
- USDA National Nutrient Database: Food Search
- NHS Choices: Meat in Your Diet
- Dinicolantonio JJ, Lucan SC, O'keefe JH. The Evidence for Saturated Fat and for Sugar Related to Coronary Heart Disease. Prog Cardiovasc Dis. 2016;58(5):464-72. doi:10.1016/j.pcad.2015.11.006
- Zock PL, Blom WA, Nettleton JA, Hornstra G. Progressing Insights into the Role of Dietary Fats in the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease. Curr Cardiol Rep. 2016;18(11):111. doi:10.1007/s11886-016-0793-y
- Virtanen JK, Mursu J, Voutilainen S, Uusitupa M, Tuomainen TP. Serum omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and risk of incident type 2 diabetes in men: the Kuopio Ischemic Heart Disease Risk Factor study. Diabetes Care. 2014;37(1):189-96. doi:10.2337/dc13-1504
- US Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central.
- American Heart Association. What is a serving?.
- American Academy of Pediatrics. How to reduce fat and cholesterol in your child's diet. August 2016.
- US National Institutes of Health. Food exchange lists.
- Eat this much. Veal cutlet.
- US Department of Agriculture. Roasted turkey breast.
- US Department of Agriculture. Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015-2020 Eighth Edition.
- Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015-2020 Eighth Edition. USDA.
- Chowdhury R, Warnakula S, Kunutsor S, et al. Association of Dietary, Circulating, and Supplement Fatty Acids With Coronary Risk. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2014;160(6):398-406. doi:10.7326/m13-1788.
- de Oliveira OMC, Mozaffarian D, Kromhout D, et al. Dietary Intake of Saturated Fat by Food Source and Incident Cardiovascular Disease: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2012;96:397-404.
- DiNicolantonio JJ, Lucan SC, O’Keefe JH. The Evidence for Saturated Fat and for Sugar Related to Coronary Heart Disease. Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases. 2016;58(5):464-72. doi: 10.1016/j.pcad.2015.11.006
- Hooper L, Martin N, Abdelhamid A, Smith GD. Reduction in saturated fat intake for cardiovascular disease. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. October 2015. doi:10.1002/14651858.cd011737.
Writer Bio
Jody Braverman is a professional writer and editor based in Atlanta, GA. She received a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Maryland, and she is a certified personal trainer, fitness nutrition specialist, and yoga teacher. She has written for various online and print publications, including Livestrong.com, SFGate, Healthfully, and Chron.com. Visit the writer at www.JodyBraverman.com.