Eating Lean Beef can help lower Cholesterol

High cholesterol can lead to Hypertension, it can also lead to stroke, heart attack, heart failure or premature death. Researchers made a new study and  was published in the January 2012 edition of American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showing that beef can help in lowering our cholesterol level, it also proved that diets including lean beef every day are as effective in lowering total and LDL "bad"cholesterol as the "gold standard" of heart-healthy diets (DASH, Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension). 

The Beef in an Optimal Lean Diet (BOLD) clinical study (Effects on Lipids, Lipoproteins and Apolipoproteins),1 conducted by The Pennsylvania State University (PSU) researchers, evaluated adults with moderately elevated cholesterol levels, measuring the impact of diets including varying amounts of lean beef on total and LDL cholesterol levels. Study participants experienced a 10 percent decrease in LDL cholesterol from the start of the study, while consuming diets containing 4.0 and 5.4 oz. of lean beef daily. 


"This research sheds new light on evidence supporting lean beef's role in a heart-healthy diet. Study participants ate lean beef every day and still met targets for saturated fat intake," says Penny Kris-Etherton, PhD, RD, distinguished professor of nutrition at PSU and the study's principal investigator. "This study shows that nutrient-rich lean beef can be included as part of a heart-healthy diet that improves risk factors for cardiovascular disease." 

"This research adds to the body of evidence concluding that you can include beef in your diet every day and get heart-health benefits," says Shalene McNeill, PhD, RD, executive director, human nutrition research for the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, which contracts to manage programs for the beef checkoff. "Americans now have more scientific evidence for including lean beef in a heart-healthy diet." 


Most popular beef cuts, like Top Sirloin steak, Tenderloin, T-Bone steak and 95% lean Ground Beef meet government guidelines for lean. And sixty-five percent of all beef muscle cuts available in grocery stores are lean.3,4 On average, a 3 oz. serving of lean beef is about 150 calories, an excellent source of protein, zinc, vitamin B12, vitamin B6, niacin and selenium.and it is also good source of nutrients like phosphorous, choline, iron and riboflavin.