The Healthiest Way to Cook Steak

 

The Healthiest Way to Cook Steak

“Plant-based diets” have been a health buzzword for a while now, and more people

 are giving up or limiting meat, especially red meat, whether because of the

 potential health risks or due to concerns about the impact of conventional

 livestock farming on the environment. Still, the occasional steak can feel like a

 celebration and does have some nutritional perks—things like iron, zinc, selenium,

 and B vitamins. When it comes to your health, a lot of red meat’s impact depends

 on how much you eat.

“The connection between meat and chronic diseases is nuanced,” says Sarah

 Anzlovar, RDN, a Boston-based intuitive eating dietitian for moms. “Ultimately,

 diets high in red meat are associated with an increased risk of many cancers,

 cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and more.” However, the research linking

 red meat to poor health outcomes is rather weak. Anzlovar adds that this does not

 mean red meat alone leads to those outcomes. Research has found that people

 who eat a lot of red meat tend to have other risk factors for chronic diseases, such

 as smoking, not getting a lot of physical activity, and skimping on fruits and

 vegetables.

“My advice is to consume processed meats as little as possible and to eat fresh

 meat in small portions,” says Christine M. Palumbo, RDN, a nutrition consultant

 from Naperville, Illinois.

If you do decide to enjoy the occasional steak, there are other ways to ensure it’s

 as healthy as possible, from the specific cut you choose to how you prep and cook

 it. Consider this the ultimate guide for health-conscious steak lovers.

Health Benefits of Steak

“Beef, including steak, provides more than 10 essential nutrients and a significant

 amount of protein,” says Palumbo. It’s considered a “complete protein,” which

 means it contains all nine of the essential amino acids (which are compounds

 your body uses to make protein) that your body isn’t able to make on its own.

Just know that “incomplete proteins” (like those in nuts and vegetables) are still

 plenty good for you. “The whole idea of a complete protein being 'better' is an old

 myth—as long as you're eating a variety of foods, even incomplete proteins, you

 can easily meet your protein needs,” says Anzlovar.

One of the reasons steak, like other red meat, tends to get a bad rap is the high

 amount of saturated fat it contains. But not all steak has the same amount or kind

 of fat. There are cuts of beef that qualify as lean choices. For example, here’s the

 nutritional breakdown for a 3-ounce (oz) serving of sirloin steak (which is

 considered a lean cut) with the visible fat trimmed off:

Calories: 186

Protein: 25 grams (g)

Fat: 9g

Carbohydrates: 0

Vitamin B12: 1.6 micrograms (µg)

Zinc: 4.4 milligrams (mg)

Selenium: 26.8 µg

Niacin: 6.7 mg

Vitamin B6: 0.5 mg

Phosphorous: 185 mg

Riboflavin: 0.1 mg

Iron: 1.7 mg

Choline: 93.5 mg

How to Buy the Healthiest Steak

If you tend to get overwhelmed every time you head to the meat counter at your

 grocery store, you’re not alone. These tips can help you get the most nutritious

 bang for your buck when selecting steak.

Know What Cuts Are Lean

“The leanest cuts are the healthiest,” says Anzlovar. A steak like ribeye can have

 more than double the fat content of a 3-oz sirloin. And saturated fat is typically

 prevalent in red meat, which can raise your LDL “bad” cholesterol levels, upping

 your odds of developing heart disease. Filet, which comes from the tenderloin, is

 typically the leanest cut, but flank or skirt steak, sirloin, and top round steak are

 also considered lean.

Pay Attention to the Grade

Meat also gets put into a grading system, where it’s labeled “prime,” “choice,” or

 “select.” Ideally, you’ll want to choose a “choice” or “select” cut because “prime”

 cuts typically have more fat.

Go With Grass-Fed

Conventionally, cows are fed on grains, usually corn. Studies done on the meat of

 pasture-raised cattle that graze on grass found that grass-fed beef (sometimes

 called grass-finished beef) has less total fat compared with grain-fed and also

 contains healthy omega-3 fats including conjugated linoleic acid (CLA).

If You Want to Splurge, Go for a Premium Variety

Regional styles of steak include Wagyu (from Japan) and Hanwoo (from Korea).

 Both varieties are considered “highly marbled,” meaning there’s fat dispersed

 throughout the cut. While this might seem problematic from a health standpoint,

 one review of research shows these two types of beef actually contain more heart-

healthy monounsaturated fatty acids compared to other meat varieties. That being

 said, Wagyu and Hanwoo beef is expensive, and you’ll likely only see them on the

 menu at high-end restaurants or available at upscale butchers.

The Healthiest Way to Prep and Cook Steak

Once you’ve gotten your steaks home, here’s what you need to know about the

 healthiest way to prep and cook them.

Make a Marinade

Marinades can be a great and low-calorie way to infuse steak with flavor. Just be

 careful with commercially prepared marinades, which may have excess sugar or

 sodium. A simple herb-based marinade can help reduce the unhealthy

 compounds that form when cooking meat at high temperatures, research shows.

 The marinade essentially acts as a barrier between the meat and flame, preventing

 the formation of unhealthy compounds. Also, the antioxidants found in some

 herbs like rosemary might help prevent the cancer-causing compounds from

 forming. “Marinate meat in the refrigerator with commercial or homemade

 marinade for 20 minutes or less—any longer and you risk turning your meat

 mushy,” says Palumbo.

Keep the Heat Low

While tossing steaks on the grill is a common way to cook them, high-temperature

 cooking may be problematic from a health standpoint (for lower-heat cooking

 options, try a slow cooker or test out the sous vide method). “Cooking meat, as

 well as poultry and fish, at high temperatures can create heterocyclic amines

 [HCAs] which are known to cause cancer in animals,” says Palumbo. According to

 the American Institute for Cancer Research, there’s just not enough information to

 say that grilling meat specifically raises risks for cancers. Still, it’s worth knowing

 charcoal is a higher-heat cooking method than gas grilling. You can strike a happy

 medium by combining high-heat and low-heat cooking methods. “One method is

 to do a reverse sear, where you first cook it in the oven, followed by searing it on

 the grill or in a frying pan,” says Palumbo.

Get the Temperature Right

Steak should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees F and let rest for

 at least three minutes to eliminate potential disease-causing pathogens. “Cooking

 to a proper internal temperature is important for food safety,” says Anzlovar.

 “While most meat can safely be served rare, medium-rare, or well done, it is

 important to know that steak that is not fully cooked may come with some risk of

 food-borne illness.” This risk is most important for pregnant women. How

 thoroughly cooked you want your meat is a matter of personal preference, says

 Palumbo, but if you are concerned about HCAs, avoiding a well-done steak may

 help. “Grilling steak at high heat may increase possible carcinogenic compounds.

 The best thing to do is to make sure not to char it,” says Anzlovar.

Watch Your Portions

“The recommended portion is 3 oz cooked, or about the size of a deck of cards,”

 says Palumbo. “If you plan to splurge with a larger portion, reduce your

 consumption of red meat later in the week.” Anzlovar also suggests mixing up

 your proteins. “Steak and other red meat may be one type of protein you eat, but

 variety is key, and I don't recommend it being the primary protein in your diet,” she

 says.

How to Serve Steak as Part of a Healthy Meal

“In general, less is more when it comes to toppings,” says Anzlovar. That means

 letting the flavor of your meat “shine” without using a bottled steak sauce that can

 contain sodium, sugar, and other questionable additives. For example, 1

 tablespoon of steak sauce can contain 2 g of sugar and almost 300 mg of sodium

 (12 percent of your daily value). “There’s no shame in simply keeping it simple with

 a little shake of salt and some freshly ground black pepper,” says Palumbo.

Or, you could whip up some chimichurri, which brings in healthy fats from the olive

 oil and antioxidants from herbs, says Anzlovar. Just be wary of toppings like garlic

 butter, which add saturated fat to a meat that’s already full of it. While steak is

 traditionally paired with potatoes, a produce- or whole grain–based side is a

 better choice. “I always recommend serving steak alongside vegetables and a

 nutrient-rich carb like farro or quinoa salad,” says Anzlovar. “This adds foods that

 are known to reduce risk of cancer, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease,

 which may counteract some of the possible risk of the steak.”

The Takeaway

“Steak can be a delicious way to help you meet your protein needs,” says Anzlovar.

And while the science on whether and to what degree red meat contributes to

 cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and other chronic illnesses hasn’t been entirely

 settled yet, most experts agree that steak