Meat is a source of protein and important micronutrients that help the body maintain muscle as well as working energy. By applying a few small but scientific changes below, you can completely enjoy meat without worrying about putting pressure on the cardiovascular system.
Prioritize lean meat and proactively filter fat
Processed red meat can still be part of a healthy diet if it is balancedly combined with vegetables, whole grains and beans. To reduce saturated fat intake, prioritize lean meats.
In case the meat has a fat border, you can proactively use a knife to filter out the visible fat before cooking or before eating. For ground beef, skim off excess fat secreted after processing.
Minimize processed meats
Processed meats such as sausages, bacon, sausage, or cold cuts often contain very high levels of sodium (salt) along with many preservatives, especially nitrate. Abuse of this food group significantly increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer.
Therefore, it is advisable to proactively cut down on processed meat, replacing it with fresh lean meat or healthy plant-based protein sources such as beans and mushrooms.
Combining meat with plant protein
You can take advantage of the delicious taste of pork or beef to cook with vegetables and beans that are often missed in meals. For example, try stir-frying pork with lentils, cooking ground beef with black beans, or chopping mushrooms mixed with meat to make filling for cakes and spring rolls. This combination method both helps you reduce the amount of meat intake and supplements abundant fiber, which is very good for blood vessels and cardiovascular health.
Choosing healthy cooking methods
Instead of frying over grease - a method to increase harmful trans fats to the heart, you can prioritize nutritional preparations such as grilling, pan-frying, roasting or frying in an oil-free fryer.
To enhance the dish without adding too much salt, you can marinate the meat first with natural herbs and fragrant spices such as pepper, garlic, ginger or rosemary.
