Types of meat to eat and avoid when losing weight

People who are losing weight should prioritize beef, lean pork, and skinless chicken; avoid fried, processed meats, and fish containing mercury.

Controlling your calorie intake helps you lose weight, but it's also important to balance your carbohydrate, fat, and protein intake. Protein helps you lose weight, maintain lean muscle mass, increase your resting metabolic rate, and burn more calories.

Furthermore, compared to carbohydrates and fats, protein is digested more slowly, increasing satiety and reducing snacking. People who are losing weight can consume 1.3 g of protein per kg of body weight per day.

Meat provides a great source of protein, but some types can help you stay in shape and others can do the opposite.

Should eat

Lean beef: This type of red meat contains saturated fat, but lean cuts can be used in moderation, including sirloin and lean ground beef. The World Cancer Research Fund recommends limiting red meat to three meals a week, each serving about 85g cooked.

Skinless Chicken: Skinless chicken is a healthy source of lean protein, opting for white meat like breasts, tenders, and wings. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), 3 ounces of cooked chicken breast contains 135 calories, 28 grams of protein, along with phosphorus, selenium, vitamins B2, B3, B6, and choline.

Skinless chicken is a healthy source of lean protein that aids in weight loss. Photo: Freepik — Skinless chicken is a healthy source of lean protein that aids in weight loss. Photo: *Freepik*

Lean pork: Some other healthy options include ribs, tenderloin, shoulder... A 3-ounce serving of pork tenderloin has 122 calories and 22 grams of protein. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends trimming off the fat and maintaining a temperature of about 145 degrees Fahrenheit when cooking.

White Turkey Meat: Like chicken, the white meat in the breast and wings of turkey is better than the dark meat in the thighs and legs.

White meat is lower in calories, fat, and protein than dark meat. For the same 3-ounce serving, a roasted turkey breast has 125 calories, 2 grams of fat, and 25 grams of protein, while a dark roast has 130 calories, 9 grams of fat, and 13 grams of protein.

Should be avoided

Fried meat: Not good for weight loss, even healthy meats like chicken. They are often breaded and deep fried, which adds to the total calories and fat intake. A 3-ounce serving of fried chicken has 250 calories, 13 grams of fat, and 15 grams of protein. Eating fried foods regularly can increase the risk of being overweight or obese.

Processed red meat: Bacon, sausage, beef jerky, salami, and cold cuts are all processed and can cause weight gain if eaten in excess. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), processed red meat is higher in calories, saturated fat, and sodium than lean, less processed red meat. The AHA recommends cutting back on processed meat and replacing it with plant-based protein to reduce the risk of heart disease.

Shellfish: Seafood and fish are nutritious sources of protein, but be careful of those that are high in mercury. Clams, mussels, and oysters are healthy choices because they are generally low in mercury. A 3-ounce serving of mussels provides 146 calories and 20 grams of protein, according to the USDA.

Fish high in mercury : Although fish and seafood are rich in protein, important vitamins and minerals, they also contain certain amounts of mercury. People who are trying to lose weight should avoid tilefish, swordfish, king mackerel, yellowfin tuna, and bigeye tuna.

Bao Bao (According to Livestrong )

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