Don’t Dismiss Ground Beef So Easily

I love the carnivore diet. I’ve been on it for three years and have felt great. Many of my residents eat that way as well. Their health has also improved.

Many people think the carnivore diet means lots of steak. The better cuts of meat like ribeyes, New York strip or even filet mignon are where the nutrition is.

Yet those cuts can be expensive. Especially if you go the grass-fed route. They believe if you’re not paying a lot for meat, you are not receiving the most nutritional benefits.

That’s not necessarily true.

Ground beef has all sorts of nutrition. And has parts that steak lacks.

Steak is mostly muscle meat. Ground beef has the connective tissues between the muscles - collagen-rich fascia and connective tissues.

Collagen has a lot of benefits:

• Boosts skin elasticity, hydration and firmness while diminishing wrinkles and fine lines

• Strengthens hair and nails

• Helps maintain cartilage, which protects joints and reduces joint pain

• Fights osteoporosis

• Helps maintain intestinal lining and promotes gut health

• A lack of collagen makes arteries fragile and contributes to health issues

• Supports muscle growth and maintenance

Another side benefit is that collagen stimulates GLP-1 in your body, which makes you feel full without all the Ozempic side effects.

The nutritional value of ground beef is also quite impressive. A 200g serving of ground beef contains the following percentage of the US recommended daily allowance of these vitamins and minerals:

• 181% Vitamin B12

• 58% Vitamin B3

• 53% Vitamin B6

• 23% Vitamin B2

• 22% Vitamin B5

• 81% Zinc

• 49% Phosphorous

• 52% Iron

• 17% Potassium

Regular ground beef is very nutritious. And versatile. You also don’t need to purchase the more expensive 93%/7% ground beef. An 80%-20% ratio of beef to fat is generally very good for your body.

If you’re really trying to lose weight, it might be better to eat more lean meat. However, for people just looking to eat healthy, 80-20 works well. Fat is an energy source (ketosis anyone?) and very helpful for many chronic conditions.

We have demonized fat way too much in our society - and we’re paying the price for it.

Another benefit of ground beef is its versatility in the kitchen. There are so many ways you can use it:

• Burgers

• Add it to eggs for an omelette

• Lay it out in a low-carb lasagna

• Bake it as a casserole

And many more.

Elderly people can eat ground beef a lot more easily than steak as well. You can even puree it for them if they have trouble swallowing. That may be a lot harder to do with steak.

Don’t get me wrong. I love a good steak. Steak is full of nutrition as well. But if you’re on a budget, you can eat ground beef and nothing else for your meat and still receive a ton of nutrition.

So next time you’re at the grocery store, don’t look down at the people adding ground beef to their cart. Unless of course they have sodas, candy and lots of other processed food in there as well.