Do you love a good steak? No disrespect to vegans and alike, but who is in their right mind doesn’t? But unless you’re a butcher, we’re going to guess you don’t know a rib roast from roast beef.
This is a problem because, although a healthy diet does allow for a good amount of beef, there are really only two types of cuts: fatty and not-as-fatty. Worse, you can’t always tell by looking which ones are which. That’s why it would behoove you to know what to buy. Here is some help.
Top Sirloin: (8 oz. raw), 306 Calories, 50 g Protein, 11 g Fat.
We talk a lot about top sirloin, and that’s because it’s an ideal cut of beef for supplying maximum lean protein and minimum fat – anyone following a healthy diet can’t go wrong with it. Just be sure to trim off as much exterior fat as possible to make sure you’re eating only the leanest parts.
Flank: (8 oz. raw), 352 Calories, 24 g Protein, 16 g Fat.
Another naturally lean cut, flank steaks come from – no surprise – the cow’s flank, outside its ribs. Its shape and size make it (along with its neighbor, the skirt steak) an excellent choice for fajitas. Consider marinating (but watch the carbs in the marinade) and, when cooked, slice it at an angle against the grain.
Rib-Eye: (8 oz. raw), 592 Calories, 40 g Protein, 48 g Fat.
Where does fat congregate on a cow? In the parts of its body that don’t move much. The rump, or rear, gets a lot of use as the cow moves, but its ribs, not so much. That’s why the rib-eye is one of the fattier cuts of beef available. Save it for low-carb days, when you need to get calories from somewhere.
T-bone: (8 oz. raw), 496 Calories, 40 g Protein, 35 g Fat.
Cut from the loin, T-bone steaks are among the few served bone-in. The bone is supposed to increase the juiciness of the cut, but in this case, it’s not necessary. Although you can’t see the fat on the outside of the meat, the T-bone is high in fat, making it a good choice (along with the rib-eye) for low-carb days.
Filet Mignon: (8 oz. raw), 592 Calories, 40 g Protein, 48 g Fat.
The filet mignon is the most highly regarded cut. Thick, tender and juicy, it shows no sign (inside or out) of its serious fat content. However, now that you know the truth, you’ll no doubt agree that it’s best to save filet for those special occasions that require dining at fancy restaurants. [via]