Meats are an excellent source of protein, iron, zinc, selenium, and B vitamins. However, they also contain saturated fats.
While protein supports overall health, eating too much saturated fat is linked to a higher risk of heart diseases. Choosing lean meats, fish, and shellfish helps you get important nutrients and also limits saturated fat.
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Fatty fish are higher in healthy fats called omega-3 fatty acids. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends eating two to three servings of fish a week. One serving is about 150 grams of fresh fish.
Omega-3 fatty acids are important for healthy cells, hormone production, and the function of the brain, heart, eyes, and immune system.
A 2023 study found that eating more fish is associated with an 8% lower risk of heart disease compared to eating low amounts of fish. Eating 50 grams of fish daily was linked to a 9% decrease in heart disease risk.
Fatty fish includes:
- Salmon
- Herring
- Mackerel
- Trout
- Sardines
- Bluefin tuna
Three ounces (85 grams) of cooked salmon provides:
- Calories: 155 kcal
- Protein: 21.6 grams (g)
- Total fat: 6.9 g
- Saturated fat: 1 g
- Sodium: 47.6 milligrams (mg)
Some canned fish are high in sodium, such as anchovies or canned tuna, sardines, and salmon packed in salt water. You can drain and rinse canned fish to remove some of the extra salt.
Fatty fish can contain higher levels of mercury, a heavy metal. Eating fish is still recommended because its health benefits outweigh the risks. Talk to your doctor about which fish are safest to eat during pregnancy or while breastfeeding, when you want to keep mercury intakes low.
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Lean fish has lower fat and calories than fatty fish. It might be a better option for people looking to increase protein intake with fewer calories.
Lean fish also contains the vitamins and minerals found in fatty fish, such as selenium, zinc, iodine, vitamins A, D, and B-complex.
Lean fish includes:
- Cod
- Haddock
- Tilapia
- Pollock
- Flounder
- Snapper
Three ounces (85 grams) of cooked cod has:
- Calories: 89 kcal
- Protein: 19.4 g
- Total fat: 0.7 g
- Saturated fat: 0.1 g
- Sodium: 66.3 mg
Shellfish, such as shrimp, crab, and lobster, are also high in protein and low in fat.
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Skinless turkey is one of the leanest meats. It’s rich in protein, B vitamins, zinc, selenium, and choline while also being lower in saturated fat and calories.
Three ounces (85 grams) of cooked turkey breast without skin has:
- Calories: 125 kcal
- Protein: 25.6 g
- Total fat: 1.7 g
- Saturated fat: 0.5 g
- Sodium: 84.2 g
Cooking turkey breast with the skin on adds 4.5 grams more fat and 1.2 grams more saturated fat per serving.
Pre-basted turkey or chicken is also available. Manufacturers inject or coat turkey or chicken with a solution of butter, oil, broth, salt, or seasonings before packaging. It helps keep the meat juicy and more flavorful, but it also adds sodium and fat.
Three ounces (85 grams) of cooked pre-basted turkey breast with skin contains 337 milligrams of sodium, more than six times that of regular turkey. Check the labels to determine if the turkey contains or is marinated in a solution of water, salt, and seasonings.
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Skinless chicken provides a good source of protein with fewer calories and saturated fats. However, cooking chicken breast with skin more than doubles the saturated and total fat content.
Three ounces (85 grams) of cooked, skinless chicken breast contains:
- Calories: 128 kcal
- Protein: 25.9 g
- Total fat: 2.6 g
- Saturated fat: 2.2 g
- Sodium: 52 mg
Eating chicken and turkey can support muscle building and weight maintenance because lean poultry is higher in protein and lower in calories. Besides protein, they contain many compounds, such as creatine, L-carnitine, carnosine, and beta-alanine, which can fuel muscle growth and recovery.
A 2024 study found that eating 22.5 grams of boiled chicken three times a week for three months helped people gain more muscle when doing resistance exercises. However, the study included only participants assigned female at birth over 59.
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Beef is higher in saturated fat and calories. You can lower the saturated and total fat by choosing lean cuts or lean ground beef and by trimming visible fat from the meat.
Leaner beef cuts include:
- Eye of round
- Round tip
- Top round
- Bottom round
- Sirloin
- Chuck (shoulder and arm)
Beef is a great source of vitamin B12, iron, zinc, and selenium. It also contains the same compounds that support muscle building, often in higher amounts compared to chicken and turkey.
Nutritional values of three ounces (85 grams) of cooked eye of round and sirloin steak:
| Nutrients | Sirloin steak | Eye of round steak |
| Calories | 186 kcal | 145 kcal |
| Protein | 24.6 g | 25.3 g |
| Total fat | 8.9 g | 4.1 g |
| Saturated fat | 3.4 g | 1.4 g |
| Sodium | 49.3 mg | 56.1 mg |
Grass-fed and organic beef can contain less saturated fat and more omega-3 fatty acids. Also, organic beef does not contain antibiotics or growth hormones.
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Ground lamb has a lower saturated fat content than most beef cuts. You can also choose leaner cuts like lamb leg. Lamb provides zinc, selenium, and iron.
Three ounces (85 grams) of cooked ground lamb has:
- Calories: 162 kcal
- Protein: 19.2 g
- Total fat: 9.6 g
- Saturated fat: 3.7 g
- Sodium: 28.9 mg
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Pork is higher in saturated and total fat than most red meat, poultry, and fish. However, you can choose lean ground pork or lean cuts, such as pork loin.
Three ounces (85 grams) of 98% lean grilled pork patties have:
- Calories: 159 kcal
- Protein: 26 g
- Total fat: 6 g
- Saturated fat: 1.6 g
- Sodium: 71.4 mg
Some cuts, like pork belly, are much higher in fat and saturated fat. A serving of pork belly has about 60 grams of total fat and 22 grams of saturated fat.
Here are some tips for choosing and preparing meats to lower saturated fat and calories:
- Ask for lean cuts: Ask the butcher for lean cuts and choose meats with less marbling.
- Trim visible fats: Trim visible fats; this can lower fat content drastically.
- Choose skinless poultry: Poultry skin is rich in saturated fats. Remove skin or choose skinless breast when cooking.
- Opt for grass-fed or organic when possible: Grass-fed and organic beef can contain lower saturated and total fats.
- Check the nutrition facts label: Read nutrition facts when buying packaged meats, looking at the total fat, saturated fat, and sodium content. Some packaged meats, especially processed meats, can be high in sodium and saturated fats.
- Choose healthier cooking methods: Opt for boiling, steaming, grilling, roasting, slow cooking, pressure cooking, or air frying. These methods usually require less added fat.
- Limit frying: Frying meats adds additional fat and calories.
- Try not to burn meat: Burning meat can create harmful compounds that are linked to cancer. Cook meat thoroughly to kill microbes, but avoid creating black burn marks.
