Best Lean Meats for Weight Loss

“Lean meat” is a term generally given to the meats with low-fat content. The whole idea behind eating lean meat is to enjoy meat without having to suffer the effects of consuming excess calories. According to a scientific report, the fat contents of meat differs with the parts. If those parts with high fat and calorie concentration are removed, then you can enjoy your meat as you would a low-calorie food.

Some good examples are skinned chicken and skinned turkey. Eating chicken or turkey skinned means eating 80% less fat compared to a normal and complete chicken. Another good example of lean meat is a pork chop. Well, let’s just get right into it and you’ll learn more about lean meats and their benefits.

Here are some lean meats that are good for weight loss:

1. Skinned Chicken Breast

Chicken breast is a good source of protein. It is low in calories, which makes it safe for you to consume without gaining excess calories. It has no carbs, but you don’t have to eat too much of it or it’s protein contents may convert to calories.

As per weight loss, chicken breast can help you burn fat and build healthy muscles in its place given to its protein content. It also contains vitamin B6, selenium, phosphorus, and niacin.

2. Rabbit

Rabbit meat is one of the leanest meat there is. But surprisingly, it is the least consumed, maybe because most of us don’t know it’s health benefits. Rabbit contains vitamins and minerals such as potassium, iron, and selenium. It is richer than pork or chicken in omega-3. It also contains fiber for easy digestion.

Rabbit meat is so low on fat; 3 ounce of it contains just 3 grams of fat and about 28 grams of protein. Apart from its low-calorie benefits, rabbit meat also helps build the muscles. In case you’ve not eaten it before and you’re wondering what it tastes like, rabbit meat is delicious and crunchy. Everyone loves it; except vegetarians of course.

3. Venison

Venison is the meat of a deer and a good substitute for beef meat due to its low-calorie content. It is richer than beef in protein and also contains only about one-sixth the amount of saturated fats beef contains. You can actually eat venison and not be bothered about weight gain. As a matter of fact, you can make it a part of your weight loss diet.

Another reason venison is a healthy option for your weight loss journey is the fact that it is nutrient-dense. What it lacks is the carbohydrate and fat, it is made up for the nutrients like iron, vitamins, riboflavin, and niacin. It is also a good source of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.

4. Pheasant

You probably have never heard of pheasant; a large long-tailed game bird native to Asia. If you ever visit Asia, you may want to enjoy some pheasant owing to its great health benefits.

Pheasant is a very healthy protein source. It is one of the best lean meats that are very low on calories and contains so many vitamins and minerals including vitamin B and potassium. It also has a good quantity of iron which makes up the hemoglobin in the blood and helps with muscle building. So, pheasant is a good choice for weight loss and healthy dieting.

5. Ostrich

Ostrich meat is a good choice for those who just can’t do without red meat. Yes, ostrich is a bird, but it has as much health benefits as any other red meat out there; except that it is a low-calorie food item, which makes it a good option for weight loss.

Ostrich meat is rich in B-vitamins, low in fat, rich in protein, and it is also flavorsome meat that when properly cooked tastes delicious. It is just a rich choice for healthy red meat lovers that want to lose weight.

6. Skinned Turkey Breast

Skinned turkey breast is a healthy meat source for weight loss. It contains so many vitamins and minerals such as vitamin B6, calcium, and iron for the muscles and bone. It also has a healthy dose of magnesium, cobalamin, potassium, and sodium. Skinned turkey breast contains a very low amount of calories, that making it a healthy choice in your weight loss diet.

7. Pork Loin

Some people shy away from pork because it has more fats than other meat, and as such has high calories. But the truth is, not all pork meats are high in calorie. Some cuts actually meet the USDA’s (United States Department of Agriculture) lean definition, that is less than 10 grams of fat and 4.5 grams of saturated fat per 100 grams when cooked.

A good example of such pork cut is the pork loins. It has only about 143 grams of cholesterol, 3.5 grams of fat and about 26 grams of protein per 100 grams. This makes it a healthy choice of lean meat for weight loss. Pork loins also contain several B vitamin, selenium and zinc. This also makes it a healthy protein source.

8. Frozen Shrimps

Frozen shrimps is a convenient option for high protein and very low calories. It has an amazing 1 gram of fat and 21 grams of protein per 100 grams when cooked. It is also a source of vitamin B12, phosphorus, choline, copper, iodine, and selenium, making it not just a good weight loss diet but also good food generally.

9. Bison

Bison is the meat of Buffalo, and a lot of experts consider it healthier than even grass-fed beef. It is quickly becoming popular among meat lovers because of its health benefits. When purchasing bison meat, you may discover that it has different ratios of fat content. The highest is about 10% fat and the lowest should be 2%.

Bison tastes good; might even taste better than grass-fed beef. They contain a lot of vitamins which are healthy as well. Some other beneficial minerals in them are iron, selenium, niacin, and zinc. It is rich in protein and also low in calories.

Meat consumption is sometimes dreaded based on the fear of calories and weight gain. Fortunately, that is not always the case. Going on a weight loss journey is not always about eating unappetizing foods all the time. You can eat lean meat and still achieve great results with time.