You don't have to be a vegetarian to have a heart-healthy diet. The trick is to modify the meat in our diet, not to eliminate it.

Meat does a lot of good things for us. It is a good supplier of protein, iron and B vitamins; it's particularly effective in repairing muscle tissue broken down by regular exercise. And not all meat is high in fat and calories. Ounce for ounce, a slice of apple pie has more than double the amount of fat contained in lean meat.

However, not all cuts of meat are the same. Some favorite meats - T-bone steak, prime rib, New York strip, rib eye, rib roast, brisket, pork spare ribs and lamb roast, for example - can have 20 to 30 grams of fat per 3.5-ounce serving. And few people limit themselves to such a small serving.

Fortunately, modern breeding and trimming methods have made leaner cuts available, many containing just 6 to 9 grams of fat and under 200 calories per 3.5-ounce serving. For beef, choose "Select" grade over "Choice" and "Prime." Look for cuts labeled round or loin, or any of these: tenderloin, London broil, flank steak, club steak, and round, eye of round and sirloin tips.

For pork, lamb and veal, the leanest cuts are labeled loin or leg. Smart choices include extra-lean canned ham, pork tenderloin, Canadian bacon, pork center loin, fresh ham, lamb loin chop, lamb leg, veal leg and veal loin. Also, most cuts of game - such as buffalo, elk and deer - are lower in fat than either beef or chicken.

Bottom line: I select lower-fat cuts of meat, eat a rasonable portion, and don't eat it that frequently.

1 | Left by Anon | May. 25, 2011 at 3:10pm