The Competitive Advantage

Health and Fitness Experts name beef as a top source of complete protein

CNW, TORONTO, Feb. 1, 2016
Health and fitness experts alike are on the look out for new ways to get enough protein in their diet. And while choices of protein sources seem to be growing year by year as seen in the grocery store aisle, many are turning back to basics to one of nature’s most powerful and rich sources of protein – beef.

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“Beef is a single-ingredient, whole food and one of the best sources of complete protein,” suggests Karine Barlow, Registered Dietitian with Canada Beef. “Canadians need protein every day to stay healthy, feel good and perform at their best.”

Protein is the basic building block for your body, an important part of cell function and essential for your overall health. Yet many Canadians get less than 17 per cent of their energy from protein, which is on the lower end of the recommended range of 10-35 per cent.

While a common trend today is to fortify foods with added protein, it is important to remember that meat is one of nature’s “original” sources of protein. From a nutritional perspective, beef is a protein powerhouse and, as a single-ingredient whole food, it delivers a protein and nutrient punch. Gram for gram, beef is one of the richest sources of complete protein, containing all essential amino acids, and is full of essential nutrients such as iron, zinc, selenium, and vitamin B12.

#BeefAdvantage

Did you know that 75 grams of cooked steak has more protein than 100 almonds, more iron than five fillets of salmon and more vitamin B12 than six chicken breasts? It’s no wonder why many fitness experts consider beef an important part of their healthy, balanced diet.

Big on protein, fitness experts and dietitians recognize beef as an important source of protein that calorie for calorie has a competitive edge over many protein alternatives. Here is a list of foods that can provide you with 26 grams of protein, along with their respective calories:

  • 1 (75 g) portion of cooked beef = 184 calories
  • 7 (1 Tbsp) servings of Peanut Butter = 690 calories
  • 5.3 (60 ml) servings of Hummus = 550 calories

“The key to a healthy diet is to choose fresh, whole sources of food and to strive for moderation. Beef offers up quality calories as it’s satisfying while loaded with good nutrition,” says Barlow. “When making meals, aim to fill half your plate with vegetables or fruit, then fill one quarter with lean protein like beef and the other with whole grains for a balanced, healthy meal.”

For more information, please contact:
Jennifer Beck
416-915-4408 ext. 8
[email protected]