The beef came from the meat of cattle and categorized as red meat. Red meat contains higher amounts of iron compared to chicken or fish. The most common product of beef is the burger patty that is usually made from ground beef. Aside from patties, it is consumed as roast, steaks, or ribs. There are many processed products made from beef such as jerky, corned beef, and sausages. These processed products are usually made from minced beef or ground chuck. Protein and fats are the main components of beef.
Cooked beef is composed of 26-27% of protein. Protein from beef is high grade and it contains the nine essential amino acids that are important in the building and repairing muscles. Beef fat is also called beef tallow. Fat content depends on the animal’s age, breed, gender, feed, and on the level of trimming. Usually, beef lean meat is composed of 5-10% fat. It is also composed of Vitamin B12, zinc, selenium, iron, niacin, Vitamin B6, and phosphorus. These vitamins and minerals present in beef are very important in maintaining a healthy body.
1. Maintaining Muscle Mass
All types of beef especially ground beef is a great source of protein. Protein is one of the nutrients that are essential for maintaining muscle mass. Sarcopenia is a kind of disease that usually occurs in older adults that don’t have enough high-quality protein in the body. It is a condition where there is a loss of skeletal muscle mass and function. However, it can be prevented with strength exercises and increased protein intake. There are many reasons why protein is very important in the body such as it is the building blocks that the body uses to repair and make bone, skin, and cartilage. It can reduce food cravings as lean beef is proven to increase satiation.
2. Anemia Prevention
Beef is a great source of iron. A shortage of iron in the body may lead to iron deficiency and can cause anemia. Anemia can happen when the number of red blood cells goes down to an abnormal level. When the number of red blood cells in the body is decreasing, then the body will suffer from extreme tiredness and weakness. Heme iron is a form of iron that is absorbed very efficiently by the body. Adding beef such as ground chuck in your dish can increase the iron needed by the body.
3. Provides the “Master Antioxidants” Glutathione
Ground beef can provide the master antioxidants called glutathione. Glutathione has many health benefits such as anti-aging benefits, increase longevity, prevent illness, reduce the risk of chronic disease, and strengthen the immune system. Glutathione from ground beef can protect every cell in our body from cellular damage.
4. Extremely Rich in Minerals
Ground beef is a nutrient-dense in minerals. In every 80% ground lean beef it is composed of 4% calcium, 8% of copper, 26% of iron, 10% of magnesium, 2% of manganese, 18% of potassium, 38% of phosphorus, 52% of selenium, and 72% of zinc. As you observe, the mineral content of ground beef is relatively high and it provides more than half of the amount of mineral that the body needs.
5. Contains the Performance Enhancer Creatine
Aside from the vitamins and minerals content of minced beef, it also contains creatine. Creatine serves as an energy source of muscles. It is commonly used as a supplement by bodybuilders. Creatine can provide a myriad of health benefits such as it can increase exercise performance, assist in muscle growth and development, provides the muscle with greater energy supply, and improves endurance and increased muscular size.
6. Full of Vitamins
Ground beef contains all the B vitamins that can promote a healthy body. In every 6oz per serving of ground beef, it contains 82% of Vitamin B12, 50% Vitamin B3, 36% of Vitamin B6, 18% of Vitamin B2, and 14% of Vitamin B5. As you observed vitamin B12 has the highest percentage among all of the B vitamins.
Vitamin B12 is vital for the normal functioning of many organs in the body. It can improve skin health; provide a positive mood, better sleep, and neural regeneration. Insufficient vitamin B12 in the body can increase the risk of depression and mental health issues.
