Doctor claims fatty beef better than lean

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Created on 11, April, 2018

A diet book author and MD claims that fatty beef is healthier than lean meat, because, unlike chicken for example, it has iron and more antioxidants.

There is wide variation in the mineral content of beef, chicken, etc. Chicken dark meat generally has more minerals than light meat, and beef tends to have more minerals than chicken, however the minerals are NOT in the fat, but in the protein. Therefore, eating fatty meat only dilutes the protein portion and reduces the minerals you will get in the same size serving vs lean meat. In other words, lean meat gives more bang for the buck in mineral content (and of course protein content). 

As for antioxidants, most kinds of antioxidants are low to non-existent in beef and poultry. Basically zero vitamin A and C, and a small amount of vitamin E. There is a fair amount of selenium in both, but in this case chicken, especially light meat, outperforms a rib-eye steak.