Healthy Food Grocery List

Good-Better-Best Food Choices

Up the health ante of your grocery cart with our good/better/best nutritional guide
By Sally Kuzemchak, RD prevention
 

At the Meat Counter

Good: Lean beef

Why: It's high in protein but lower in calories and saturated fat than other cuts of beef—and still brimming with B vitamins, which help your body turn food into energy. Cuts that have the words loin or round in their names (like tenderloin or top round steak) are lower-fat choices. When buying ground beef, look for one that's at least 92% lean. (Beef labeled 80% lean doesn't mean it has only 20% calories from fat. It's 20% fat by weight and has closer to 70% calories from fat—about 20 g per 3 1/2-ounce serving!)

Better: Organic beef

Why: The cattle were raised without hormones or antibiotics, substances that some people worry may contribute to consumers' reproductive disorders and antibiotic resistance. Organic beef also makes a more environmentally friendly burger, since it comes from cows fed only organic feed (which was grown without chemical pesticides). Just be sure the label says the word organic, because natural beef isn't the same.

Best: Grass-fed beef

Why: It's pricier than regular beef, but the health perks make it worth the splurge. Compared with grain-fed beef, grass-fed packs twice the concentration of vitamin E, an antioxidant that protects cells from damage that can lead to chronic diseases. It's also high in the compound CLA, fatty acids that researchers link with weight loss. Plus, it's rich in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, rivaling some fish. According to researchers from the University of California Cooperative Extension Service, feeding grass to cattle boosts the omega-3 content of beef by 60%. Because this type of beef tends to be lower in overall fat, it can be tough—so marinate it, and use a meat thermometer to avoid overcooking.

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