Top Five Unhealthy Meat Choices

According to AskDrSears.com, meat is generally an unhealthy diet choice because it contains high levels of bad fats and cholesterol with no fiber. The fat and cholesterol contribute to weight gain, clogged arteries, and a variety of health problems. Although not all meat is unhealthy, we looked at the top five worst meat choices for your health, and why you should avoid them.

1. Sausage (any variety besides lean turkey or chicken)

What is sausage? According to Princeton.edu, sausage is highly seasoned minced meat stuffed in casings. Sausage is notorious for its high fat levels as the fat is used to preserve the taste of the meat. The minced meat used in sausage is not of the highest quality; therefore, loads of salt and other questionable seasonings must be used to preserve the taste. Sausage tops our list for most unhealthy meat because it is not only loaded with bad fats and preservatives, but most of the time you do not even know what is in the meat.

2. Salami

Salami has been my favorite deli meat for some time now, but it contains high levels of fats, and nitrates or nitrosamines, which are preservatives. Interestingly the preservatives in salami are carcinogenic compounds that are found in bacon and tobacco products. The sodium levels in salami are very bad for anyone suffering from high blood pressure or are overweight.

3. Steak

According to medicine.net, the worst steak choices are the ones with visible marbleized fat, such as a T-bone steak, rib steak, porterhouse, or prime rib. I know I just named off the best steak choices, but they contain high fat and cholesterol levels that cause a variety of health problems including blocked arteries and heart complications. Avoid high fat content steaks and go for the more expensive lean cut such as sirloin, which may cost more in the short-term, but is worth the health benefits in the long-term.

4. Chicken

Lean, skinless chicken is one of the best sources of protein and is the meat choice I use when building muscle mass. However, due to taste a lot of us go for the fried variety assuming it is not as bad for you because it is made from chicken. Processed chicken products are loaded with fats, preservatives, and questionable chicken cuts, which makes it a very unhealthy meat choice. Also, avoid most BBQ chicken, as it is generally loaded with sugars from the BBQ sauce (if applicable) and the calories and fat from the intact skin is a health nightmare.

5. Lamb

I grew up thinking lamb was a healthy meat choice, but according to ameliaburton.com, lamb has nearly 216 calories per servicing and a whopping 101mg of cholesterol. Lamb has nearly the same protein count as skinless chicken with 31.8 g per serving; therefore, it is always a good idea to stick to learner cuts of meat. If you still insist on eating lamb, you should trim the excess fat off the cut.

Sources:

http://www.ameliaburton.com.au/2009/06/what-are-the-best-meats-to-eat-meet-your-meats.html

http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=56573

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/4/t043500.asp

http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=sausage

Personal experience