Spotlight: Meat and Meat Substitutes

Protein! Eat more Protein! I'm sure you've heard that, and while proteins are essential building blocks of life- human and animal in particular- most people get more than enough protein in the day. Ever wondered how protein measures up, and how much protein is in meat compared to beans, compared to fish, compared to cheese, etc.? Here's a breakdown for you. There are four categories of protein based on fat content and plant or animal source: lean, medium fat, high fat, and plant-based (vegetarian). Generally speaking, 1 oz of protein has 7 grams of protein, 0 grams of carbohydrates, and varying amounts of fat and therefore calories. 

          

Lean Meat Overview and Examples: 
*1 oz = 7 grams of protein, 0-3 grams of fat, 45 calories

• 1 oz beef (select or choice grades trimmed of fat, ground round, roast, round, sirloin, steak, tenderloin)
• 1 oz beef jerky
• 1 oz cheese with 3 g fat or less
• ¼ c cottage cheese
• ¼ c egg substitutes
• 2 egg whites
• 1 oz fish (fresh, frozen or smoked)
• 1 oz game (buffalo, ostrich, rabbit, venison)
• 1 hot dog with 3 g fat or less, lamb
• 1 oz organ meats (heart, kidney, liver)
• 6 medium fresh or frozen oysters
• 1 oz lean pork (Canadian bacon, rib or loin chop/ roast, ham, tenderloin)
• 1 oz poultry without skin
• 1 oz processed sandwich meats with 3 g fat or less (chipped beef, deli thin-sliced meats, turkey, ham, turkey kielbasa, turkey pastrami)
• 1 oz canned salmon or sardines
• 2 sausages with 3 g fat or less
• 1 oz shellfish
• 1 oz canned tuna
• 1 oz veal (loin chop, roast)

Medium Fat Meat Overview and Examples:
*1 oz = 7 grams of protein, 4-7 grams of fat, 75 calories

• 1 oz beef (corned, ground, meatloaf, Prime grades trimmed of fat, short ribs, tongue)
• 1 oz cheese with 4-7 g fat/ 1 oz (feta, mozzarella, pasteurized processed cheese spread, reduced-fat cheese, string)
• 1 egg
• 1 oz fried fish
• 1 oz lamb (ground, rib roast)
• 1 oz pork (cutlet, shoulder roast)
• 1 oz poultry (chicken with skin, wild duck, goose, fried chicken, ground turkey)
• 1 oz sausage with 4-7 g fat/ 1 oz
• 2 ½ oz or ¼ c ricotta cheese
• 1 oz veal cutlet without breading

High Fat Meat Overview and Examples:
*1 oz = 7 grams of protein, 8+ grams of fat, 100 calories

• 2 slices pork bacon
• 3 slices turkey bacon
• 1 oz cheese (American, blue, brie, cheddar, hard goat, Monterey jack, queso, and Swiss)
• 1 beef or pork hot dog
• 1 turkey or chicken hot dog
• 1 oz pork (ground, sausage,spareribs)
• 1 oz processed sandwich meats with 8 g fat or more/ 1 oz (bologna, pastrami, hard salami)
• 1 oz sausage with 8 g fat or more/ 1 oz (bratwurst, chorizo, Italian, knockwurst, Polish, smoked, summer)

Plant-Based Protein Overview and Examples: 

• ⅓ c baked beans = 1 starch + 1 lean meat
• ½ c cooked plain beans = 1 starch + 1 lean meat
• ½ c Edamame = ½ carbohydrate + 1 lean meat
• 3 2” falafels = 1 carbohydrate + 1 high-fat meat
• ⅓ c hummus = 1 carbohydrate + 1 high-fat meat
• ½ c lentils = 1 carbohydrate + 1 lean meat
• 3 oz soy-based meatless burger = ½ carbohydrate + 2 lean meats
• 1 patty meatless burger, vegetable/ starch based = 1 carbohydrate + 2 lean meats
• 2 soy-based “chicken” nuggets = ½ carbohydrate + 1 medium fat meat
• 1 T nut butter = 1 high-fat meat
• ½ c cooked black-eyed and split peas = 1 starch + 1 lean meat
• ¼ c Tempeh = 1 medium-fat meat
• 4 oz tofu = 1 medium-fat meat
• ¾ oz soy nuts = ½ carbohydrate + 1 medium-fat meat
  
  Next Up.... Fats!