I consider myself to be goal driven, whether it is helping foster the growth of Birko, walking and carrying my golf bag 18 holes, or hearing the alarm clock go off at 4:14 a.m. to train for a half marathon or bike race coming up. What I can tell you is if my nutrition is not balanced with at least 90-100 grams of protein per day, I will not perform at the optimal level I desire. (Red meat is a wonderful source to fill this goal.)
Beef is rich in the polyunsaturated fat called CLA (short for conjugated linoleic acid). Research has shown that CLA slows or reverses skin, breast, and stomach cancers in laboratory rats and mice, at all three stages of tumor development. CLA may also prevent Type II diabetes, also called adult-onset diabetes, a non-insulin-dependent form of the disease.
Of course, I recommend everything in appropriate portion sizes! Use your palm as a barometer for the portion size of protein you should eat and I promise … your clothes will look better on you. Your coworkers and family will think you are more enjoyable to be around and your mental awareness will be sharp. What do you have to lose? After all, “Beef. It’s what’s for dinner!”
There are many other great benefits to eating beef:
- It serves as a good source of vitamin B12 and vitamin B6, which help reduce memory loss and balance the nervous system.
- Diets high in vitamin B12-rich foods, but low in fat, are associated with a reduced risk of colon cancer.
- Lean beef is needed for the proper function of glutathione peroxidase, an antioxidant that reduces the severity of inflammatory conditions like asthma and rheumatoid arthritis.
- Lean beef is a good source of zinc, helpful for preventing damage to blood vessel walls, which can contribute to atherosclerosis. Zinc is also needed for the proper functioning of the immune system.
- Beef is rich in phosphorous and iron. Phosphorous is necessary for strong teeth and bones while iron helps carry oxygen in the blood to all cells and muscles and prevents fatigue.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to remove these five attributes from my everyday life!
