Dr. Kantor answers questions about what exactly qualifies as “lean meat” for Dr. Oz’s The Good Life magazine.
The term “lean meat” gets thrown around often and depending on the diet and lifestyle you follow, the definition of lean meat may vary. According to the United States 
Department of Agriculture (USDA) a 3.5 ounce (100 grams) serving of meat needs to have less than 10 gm of total fat, 4.5 gm of saturated fat and 95 milligrams of cholesterol in order to be considered lean. Meat can be considered extra lean if it has less than 5 gm of fat, 2 gm of saturated fat and 95 milligrams of cholesterol per 3.5 ounce serving.
Lean meats include:
- Top sirloin
- Top loin roast
- Pork tenderloin
- Bottom round steaks
- Chuck shoulder
- Flank steak
- 90-95% lean ground beef or turkey
- Chicken breast
- Turkey breast
- White fish
Preparation contributes to the overall fat content of the meat. Remember to drain any excess fat off ground meats after cooking to remove any excess fat. Remove skin from chicken and turkey for the leanest cut of meat. Cut off the excess fat from meats the have visible sections that can be removed easily like steak, pork, etc. Grilling, broiling, roasting, and braising the meats are the best cooking methods.
Certain exceptions to the lean meat specifications include fatty fish like salmon, it is a rich source of omega 3 fatty acids which actually help protect the heart from heart disease. Shrimp is also higher in the specified 95 milligrams of cholesterol but it is low in fat and calories making it a food that can actually help with weight loss and health efforts.
Processed meats like bologna, hot dogs, sausage, and bacon are hard to control the fat content and in some cases they are classified as a bigger source of fat rather than a protein.
This is a preview to an article that will be featured in Dr. Oz’s The Good Life magazine. Check back for the full article.
Dr. Kantor’s greatly anticipated new children’s book, The Green Box League of Nutritious Justice, is now available. Be sure to order this highly reviewed book, filled with healthy living tips for the whole family. A portion of the proceeds benefit the Children’s Miracle Network.