Meat and Meat Alternatives

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Meat and meat alternatives that contain both protein and fat are on this list. In general, one meat serving is equal to:

       1 ounce meat, fish, poultry, or cheese

       ½ cup dried beans

 

Based on the amount of fat they contain, meats are divided into very lean, lean, medium-fat, and high-fat. This is done so you can see where the fat comes from. One ounce or one serving from each of the meat groups contain the following nutrients:
 

 

 

Type of Meat

Protein
grams

Fat
grams

Carbohydrates
grams

Calories

Food Groups

Meat, Very Lean

7

1

0

37

1 meat, trace fat

Meat, Lean

7

3

0

55

1 meat, 1/2 fat

Meat, Medium Fat

7

5

0

73

1 meat, 1 fat

Meat, High Fat 7 8 0 100 1 meat, 1.5 fat

Nutrition Facts

  • Choose very lean and lean meat choices whenever possible. Items from the high-fat group are high in saturated fat, cholesterol, and calories and can raise blood cholesterol levels.

  • Meats do not have any fiber.

  • Dried beans, peas, and lentils are good sources of fiber.

  • Some processed meats, seafood, and soy products may contain carbohydrate when consumed in large amounts. Check the Nutrition Facts on the label to see if the amount is close to 15 grams. If so, count it as a bread serving, as well as a meat.

Selection Tips

Weigh meat after cooking and removing bones and fat. Four ounces of raw meat is equal to 3 ounces of cooked meat. Some examples of meat portions are:

  • 1 ounce cheese = 1 meat serving and is about the size of a 1-inch cube.

  • 2 ounces meat = 2 meat servings, such as: 1 small chicken leg or thigh

  • ½ cup cottage cheese or tuna

  • 3 ounces meat = 3 meat servings and is about the size of a deck of cards, such as:  1 medium pork chop; 1 small hamburger; ½ of a whole chicken breast, 1 unbreaded fish fillet.

  1. Limit your servings from the high-fat group to three times per week or less.

  2. Most grocery stores stock Select and Choice grades of meat. Select grades of meat are the leanest meats. Choice grades contain a moderate amount of fat, and Prime cuts of meat have the highest amount of fat. Restaurants usually serve Prime cuts of meat.

  3. "Hamburger" may contain added seasonings and fat, but ground beef does not.

  4. Read labels to find products that are low in fat and cholesterol (5 grams or less of fat per serving).

  5. Dried beans, peas, and lentils are also found on the Starch list.

  6. Peanut butter, in small amounts, is also found on the Fats list.

  7. Bacon, in small amounts, is also found on the Fats list.

Meal Planning Tips

  • Bake, roast, broil, grill, poach, steam, or boil these foods rather than frying

  • Place meat on a rack so the fat will drain off during cooking.

  •  Use a nonstick spray and a nonstick pan to brown or fry foods.

  • Trim off visible fat before or after cooking.

  •  If you add flour, bread crumbs, coating mixes, fat, or marinades when cooking, e-mail me or ask your dietitian how to count it in your meal plan.

Read the Nutrition Label. Check the Fat Content.

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Meat, Very Lean and AlternativesMeat, Lean and AlternativesMeat, Medium-Fat and AlternativesMeat, High-Fat and Alternatives

One very lean meat serving is equal to any one of the following items.

One lean meat serving is equal to any one of the following items.

One medium-fat serving is equal to any one of the following items.

One high-fat meat serving is equal to any one of the following items.

One Ounce (1 oz) =

Poultry. Chicken or turkey (white meat, no skin), Cornish hen (no skin)

Fish. Fresh or frozen cod, flounder, haddock, halibut, trout, tuna fresh or canned❖ in water

Shellfish. Clams, crab, lobster, scallops, shrimp, imitation shellfish

Game. Duck or pheasant (no skin), venison, buffalo, ostrich

Other. Processed sandwich meats with 1 gram or less fat per ounce, such as deli thin, shaved meats, chipped beef, turkey ham. Kidney (high in cholesterol), Sausage with 1 gram or less fat per ounce

Hot dogs with 1 gram or less fat per ounces

Cheese with 1 gram or less fat per ounce;  ¼ cup Nonfat or low-fat cottage cheese; 1 oz Fat-free cheese

2 Egg whites¼ cup Egg substitutes, plain

Count as one very lean meat and one bread serving.

½ cup Dried beans, peas, lentils (cooked)

One Ounce (1 oz) =

Beef. USDA Select or Choice grades of lean beef, such as trimmed of fat, such as round, sirloin, and flank steak; tenderloin; roast (rib, chuck, rump); steak (T-bone, porterhouse, cubed), ground round

Pork. Lean pork, such as fresh ham; canned, cured or boiled ham; Canadian bacon; tenderloin, center loin chop

Poultry. Chicken, turkey (dark meat, no skin), chicken white meat (with skin), domestic duck or goose (well-drained of fat, no skin)

Lamb. Roast, chop, leg. Veal. Lean chop, roast. Game. Goose (no skin), rabbit; Liver. (high in cholesterol)

Processed Meat# with 3 grams or less fat per ounce, such as turkey pastrami or kielbasa

Fish.  1 ounce Tuna#(canned in oil, drained); Herring (without creamed or smoked); Salmon (fresh or canned), catfish

6 medium Oysters; 2 medium Sardines (canned)

Cheese.
¼ cup 4.5%-fat cottage cheese; 2 Tbsp Grated Parmesan Cheeses with 3 grams or less fat per ounce

Other.
1½ oz Hot dogs with 3 grams or less fat per ounce

One Ounce (1 oz) =

Beef. Most beef products fall into this category (ground beef, meatloaf, corned beef short ribs, Prime grades of meat trimmed of fat such as prime rib

Pork. Top loin, chop, Boston butt, cutlet

Lamb. Rib roast, ground

Veal. Cutlet (ground or cubed, unbreaded)

Poultry. Chicken dark meat (with skin), ground turkey
or ground chicken, fried chicken (with skin)

Fish. Any fried fish product

Sausage with 5 grams or less fat per ounce

Cheese. With 5 grams or less fat per ounce; 1 oz Feta or Mozzarella; ¼ cup (2 oz) Ricotta

Other

1 Egg (high in cholesterol, limit 3 per week)

1 cup Soy milk
¼ cup Tempeh
4 oz (½ cup) Tofu

Remember these items are high in saturated fat, cholesterol, and calories and may raise blood cholesterol levels if eaten on a regular basis.

One Ounce (1 oz) =

Pork. Spareribs, ground pork, pork sausage

Cheese. All regular cheeses, such as American, cheddar, Monterey Jack, Swiss

Other. Processed sandwich meats with 8 grams or less fat per ounce, such as bologna, pimento loaf, salami, sausage, such as bratwurst, Italian, knockwurst, polish, smoked

1 (10/lb) Hot dog (turkey or chicken)

3 slices Bacon (20 slices/lb)

Count as one high-fat meat plus one fat exchange:

1 (10/lb) Hot dog (beef, pork, or combination)

2 Tbsp Peanut butter (contains unsaturated fat)

Prepared by www.Weighing-Success.com

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