Here Are the Top 5 Healthiest Meats, Unhealthiest Meats and Meat Substitutes

Meat is an important source of protein. Healthy meats include beef and poultry while unhealthy meats include processed meats.

When navigating the world of healthy foods and diets, meat and the amount that should be eaten often come into play. Which is the healthiest meat, though, and what if you are trying to lose weight? The following guide can help. 

Beef: Beef has had a love/hate relationship with dieters for years. However, this red meat is now a common addition to dinner plates of health-aware eaters and dieters too. 

Of course, not every cut of red meat is the best. You should account, for instance, for grade: the amount of fat or marbling in that particular cut of meat. The grade is solely based on fat content and not how it was raised. If the grade of fat is higher, there will be greater tenderness. The three most common grades are prime, choice, and select. Select is leanest, while choice is moderately fat, and prime is most often used in restaurants due to its high-fat content. 

Beef is mostly protein and, depending on the cut and grade, varying amounts of fat. A 100-gram, 3.5-ounce serving of broiled ground beef has about 26 grams of protein. It is also a great source of numerous vitamins and minerals. Beef is, for example, a good source of vitamin B12 and iron, which helps with red blood cell creation. It also contains zinc and selenium, and it helps to boost immunity to many diseases. 

Poultry (such as chicken and turkey): Both chicken and turkey are considered to be healthy options when compared with red meat. Generally, they are leaner, but particular cuts and cooking styles can still make them bad for you, sometimes even worse than red meat. 

When you are choosing different types of poultry, consider calorie and fat content. Usually, white meat like wings and breasts has fewer calories, cholesterol, and fat. Darker cuts like thighs and legs are somewhat higher in fat and calories. Boneless and skinless cuts are a healthier choice, as long as the meat is not fried. 

Interestingly, some studies have indicated that the elevated risk of diabetes that accompanies eating some meats does not appear to apply to poultry. Studies have also shown that a diet with chicken that is balanced in a healthy way can be useful in managing diabetes. 

Pork: Previously marketed as the other white meat, pork is actually classified as red meat. We associate it with breakfast meats like sausage and bacon, which are known to be high in fat. However, just like poultry and beef, the cut of pork is very important when determining healthiness. Pork tenderloin is the leanest cut of pork. Ham legs, pork chops, or pork roast can also be healthy. You should select a center cut over regular bacon or Canadian bacon.  

Pork is a good source of vitamin B12, phosphorus, thiamine, and niacin. Lean pork is also low in fat and high in protein. A 3.5-ounce, 100-gram serving of ground pork has 26 grams of protein. You will find healthy amounts of zinc and selenium in this serving, as well as amino acids and antioxidants. The niacin, thiamin, and vitamin B levels in pork can also be higher than in other types of meat. 

Sectioned and formed meat: These forms of deli meat have been put together to make several cuts of meat. This meat has been metaphorically glued together using additives that are non-meat with SPAM-like emulsions. Sectioned and formed meat is favored due to it being cheaper than whole cuts; however, it has much higher levels of preservatives and sodium.

Processed Meats: Notably, there are over 200 types of cold cuts and processed meats. These include hot dogs, bologna, and Vienna sausages. Processed meat is often made of less healthy organs like the stomach, lips, and heart. These parts have been cut up, seasoned, and shaped into the desired look, and the labels on the front can be misleading. A chicken deli slice may have a lot of other meats included in the slice. 

This type of meat is high in nitrites/nitrates and has a load of sodium. Nitrate is a preservative that allows processed meat to keep its color and prevents spoiling from clostridium botulism. When cooked, the nitrates combine with naturally occurring chemicals and form carcinogenic compounds. 

Plant-based meats or ultra-processed meat alternatives are increasingly common in the consumer market. They are ultra-processed foods and may cause the same health issues associated with normal processed meats. This also can include lab-grown meats.

Plant-based products are often made as substitutes for other food. Think plant-based milk like soy, oak, and almond. You may have also seen plant-based eggs, shrimp, and tuna on the market. In recent years, we have seen Boca burgers and black bean burgers. Food scientists have even come up with lab-savvy ways to change the flavors and textures of food. The latest generation of ultra-processed meat alternatives are made mostly from isolated ingredients like purified oil, protein concentrates, and extracted flavors without any whole food ingredients.

When these types of food are put through processing, food companies are able to make imitation products that are closer to the texture and taste of real meat. However, these alternative meats are usually higher in sodium and fat. Research has linked processed meats of every stripe to cancer when they are eaten in large amounts. They may be good if consumed occasionally, but definitely not consistently.