The center of the plate - food matters - meat consumption - Brief Article

Most Americans are aware of the potential health hazards of consuming too much red meat and saturated fat. But what about lean meat and poultry? Minus the fat factor, it's still not advisable to eat too much meat of any kind. The current RDA recommendation is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. The AHA recommends no more than six ounces of cooked lean meat, poultry or fish per day. A serving consists of three ounces cooked (four ounces raw) lean meat, poultry or fish, about the size of a deck of playing cards. Some examples: a quarter of a chicken breast, a cup of ground turkey, two thin slices of roast beef.

Some issues to consider: First, diets that focus on high-protein animal foods may tend to crowd out antioxidant and fiber-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, legumes and grain products. A high-protien diet may also lead to calcium depletion, possibly setting the stage for osteoporosis. The best advice is to make a little meat go a long way. Take a hint from other cultures and use meat with grains, beans and vegetables. Some examples:

~ Toss cooked soba or udon noodles with stir-fried snow peas, julienne-sliced carrots, sliced water chestnuts and a small amount of cooked chicken.

~ Make a Spanish-style paella: Combine cooked rice, eggplant, potatoes, peppers, onions, mushrooms and tiny bits of cooked lean ham or chicken. Season with ground cumin, black pepper and garlic.

~ For a light Mexican salad, layer cooked black beans on warm, whole-wheat tortillas. Sprinkle with a little cooked, lean ground turkey or beef and lots of chopped, very ripe tomatoes, Romaine lettuce finely diced onions and chopped cilantro.

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