As more and more people discuss the potential merits and downsides of the carnivore diet, a big question emerges for those of us who don’t necessarily want to dive that deeply into meat eating, but who still enjoy a good ribeye or T-bone on occasion:
Is steak actually good for you?
Or perhaps more specifically:
Is eating a steak now and then going to be overall beneficial for your health, or detrimental?
To answer this question, we took a closer look at a Healthline.com article that we felt did a pretty good job of really pulling together a lot of science on the subject.
Let’s do a deep dive and talk about one of the most popular, yet seemingly controversial foods on the planet.
Steak.
First Off, Steak Is Considered ‘Red Meat’
If by ‘steak’ you’re referring to a cut of choice meat derived from the body of a cow or steer, then yes—steak is absolutely red meat.
Now, it’s important to understand that red meat pretty much comes in two different forms.
There’s your typical ‘commercially grown’ red meat. And then, there’s ‘organic grass-fed’ red meat.
For all intents and purposes, the organic grass-fed variety is going to be much better for you than the red meat you buy in the store—though it’s also going to cost more.
So that’s really the first part of the discussion.
So now, let’s look a little bit closer at the next part of the question:
Is red meat good for you?
Let’s talk about it.
Is Red Meat Good For You?
The truth of the matter is that red meat (and hence, steak) is actually very nutritious.
Among other things, it contains healthy levels of:
- Vitamin B3
- Vitamin B12
- Vitamin B6
- Iron
- Zinc
- Selenium
It’s also rich in nutrients like carnosine and creatine.
Interestingly, people who don’t eat meat are often low on these specific nutrients—so that’s something to make note of.
Of course, grass-fed beef is a lot more nutritious in these things than even commercially grown beef, since the cows eat a better diet, get more exercise, don’t get treated by default with courses of antibiotics, etc.
With that being said, there are also some supposed downsides to eating meat.
For example, some observational studies have linked red meat with a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and death.
But it’s also true that these studies may have been swayed by the existence of processed meat, which is a lot less healthy and nutritious for you than steak.
As far as red meats go, steak is really considered one of the healthiest ways to consume meat—so it’s obviously going to be a lot better for you than processed meats.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, there’s a lot of science to sort through.
But as it stands—we think that steak actually sounds like a pretty healthy option—especially if you specifically buy grass-fed beef.
But as always, every decision comes with a certain amount of risk.
So do your homework, and try to stay as healthy as possible while making the decisions that are going to be best for you.