By Ryker M. Whitehead
Special to TMN
Some people have said that eating beef raises cholesterol, but that is not the case. Have you ever thought of a life without steak or hamburger? Roast or delicious beef ribs? Well, no need to fear because there is no reason for you to have to live without beef.
My physical education teachers have always told me, “A happy body is a healthy body and it starts with what you eat.” Beef products, such as steak and hamburgers, have many healthy components to them – vitamins, protein, and other nutrients. If you tend not to eat beef, then you might be missing out on these wonderful health benefits. Putting the correct nutrients in your body can help you live a long and healthy life.
The essential nutrients and vitamins in beef include vitamin A, many B vitamins, protein, iron, magnesium and calcium. A lack of vitamin A, which is not found in plants, may cause conditions like night blindness. Iron in beef is important in general because it aids red blood cells in retaining oxygen and delivering it to cells.
Growing muscle tissues need proteins, which can also help repair muscles after lifting or strenuous activity. Another element to be considered is the skeletal system. Strong muscles are a good thing, but if they are on a weak frame they do no good. Beef contains magnesium, zinc and calcium, all of which can help produce strong and healthy bones.
What about portions and cooking? The official serving size of beef, whether it be a steak or hamburger, is about the size of a deck of cards, which is equal to about four ounces. This seems like a small portion, but other nutrient levels that need to be met can come from fruits and vegetables in a balanced meal.
Another thing that beef has on its side is that it is very lean. Outside fat can be trimmed off while the intramuscular fat is heart healthy according to Stephen Smith, a Texas A&M AgriLife research scientist.
Beef and other red meats have been blamed for a rise in cardiovascular disease, but a 2017 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition on the effect of beef on cardiovascular heart disease risk factors found that blood lipids, lipoproteins and blood pressure values were not affected and that cholesterol was also decreased over time when eating beef on a daily basis.
Cooking techniques play a key role in your health, but what can all this do for the heart? It is believed that eating beef and other red meats cause a rise in cardiovascular disease but Lauren O’Connor said in a 2017 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that this is not the case at all. O’Connor studied the effect of beef intake on cardiovascular heart disease risk factors. The results were that the blood lipids and lipoproteins or blood pressure values were not affected and that cholesterol was also decreased over time when eating beef on a daily basis.
In other words, beef is not only good for the soul but it truly is good for your heart, literally making this type of food heart healthy.
Another study, called Beef WISE, conducted at the University of Colorado Anschutz Health and Wellness Center, reported that all participants, half of whom consumed lean beef four or more times per week, along with exercise lowered their risk of heart disease and lost weight. Heart risk factors were lowered by improving both total and LDL cholesterol as well as blood pressure metrics. LDL is low-density lipoprotein that when increased is typically associated with the increased levels of coronary heart disease.
All in all, beef is healthy and can be a great way to maintain or even lose weight. Living life without beef is not necessary. Research proves the benefits that can be found in beef is astonishing. Staying fit, eating foods in moderation as part of a balanced diet, and having beef for dinner will help keep you heathy.
Ryker Whitehead, a 2015 Deer Trail High School graduate, is a senior majoring in animal science at Fort Hays State University. He is the son of Jon and Hayley Whitehead, Deer Trail. This essay on a topic in agriculture was researched and written by a student as part of a project in a senior animal science class at Fort Hays State University.