Make Protein Part of Your Healthy New Year

For many of us, the new calendar year is a fresh start and a time to set goals. Resolving to improve one’s health is a common theme among those looking to lose weight, get fit, or simply develop better habits when it comes to eating and exercising.

By now, weeks into 2019, your attendance at the gym may already be lagging, and you might be in a mealtime rut that’s leaving you unsure of how to make any progress toward your “new year, new you” aspirations. We can help when it comes to making protein part of your nutritional turnaround.

Low carb and high protein diets – you’ve likely heard of paleo, keto and Whole30 – are highly popular. While you might dismiss them as merely 21st-century fads, there are aspects of the concept that work for an overall healthy lifestyle. So what are the benefits of eating red meat?

Beef is full of nutrients, including essential amino acids, and vitamins like zinc and iron. It helps to repair and build body tissues, as well as produce antibodies that will protect the body from infections, which in turn strengthens the immune system.

Meat is a critical component in steps toward a healthy body. You can work out as much as you want, and you will lose weight based on calories burned, but you won’t build muscle without proper nourishment. Muscles need the protein and energy that beef provides and cannot be replicated with supplements.

Making meat a regular part of your diet helps stabilize blood sugar levels, which prevents type 2 diabetes and other chronic conditions. When your blood sugar is stable, you are less likely to crave unhealthy foods between meals.

Poultry has a place in high-protein diet plans as well. It’s best to eat turkey and chicken without the skin as these are lower in fat. Purchase it skinless or remove the skin before you prepare it.

Grill meat, rather than fry it, and don’t add extra fat or oil when cooking it. Another tip for reducing the amount of fat you consume: roast meat on a metal rack above a roasting pan so the fat can run off.

Stop by our store to speak with one of our butchers today! We can help you select a variety of lean cuts of meat to suit your diet preferences and also offer a rainbow of vegetables to complete your meals.