Choosing Your Red Meat and Sides

By 

Ashley Osier

MA, HHE, CPS, CSMT, CAMT, CAYT, CWHP

 ~ Holistic Wellness for Mind, Body, and Spirit ~

So my husband suggested making filet mignon one night to celebrate Valentine's Day. We don't eat a lot of read meat, but we are definitely not vegetarians, so I agreed.  I was shocked at how delicious and tender the meat was. It had almost no fat and it was truly amazing. My husband cooked it on the bbq with just a little salt and pepper. Nothing more.

Being thoughtful when eating red meat is really important. Not all red meat is the same, quantity is important to consider in relationship to your health and wellness goals, side dishes are also important, and I am a big advocate of combining optimally. Cholesterol needs to be considered, age is a factor, and there is a nutritional approach that promotes individuals eating red meat who are anemic. So let's break this down and make it as simple as possible.

Here is a good site that looks at some differences between red meat choices. best red meat choices In going through the site, I loved how they considered side dishes used with red meat dishes. Simply put, while red meat is a very dense and slow to digest food, making sure to choose a side dish that is really easy to digest is imperative. If you are able to add a little papaya to your dish, perhaps as a small dessert, that allow the protease to assist with digesting the meat protein. This is particularly helpful if you have a slow metabolism, have chosen a larger portion of meat, or are eating red meat later in the day/evening.

Adding corn as a side dish is an excellent choice for improved digestive properties. Corn is classified as a grain, but most often used as a "yellow" vegetable and is recommended daily at 1/2 cup. It has a high fiber feature as well as antioxidants, but the fiber benefit is wonderful when eating red meat. Eating foods that promote healthy digestive activity allows those who are red meat eaters to process their meats and overall nutrients from food more efficiently. For more information on the health benefits of corn, you can visit health benefits of corn.

Green peas are a spring vegetable, they are sweet and tasty, are high in vitamin K and manganese, are very low fat, and have a phytonutrient, called coumestrol, which has been found to aid in the decrease of stomach cancer. You can find more about the health benefits of green peas at health benefits of green peas. Preparing side dishes that promote healthy digestion, such as green peas, will benefit you now and will set you up in the future for a healthier digestive system.

This meal was simple and filled with protein, grain, fiber, veggies, healthy carbs, and deliciousness. The fat content of the meat was high, but not as high as most other red meats. I keep my red meat meals to 2-4 times per month, but make sure they are both healthy and delicious. I try to be thoughtful to prepare side dishes that promote the best digestive process. Having a baked potato with red meat may not be the best choice. Instead, choosing side dishes that help digest the red meat more efficiently while adding satisfaction to your hunger and taste buds creates a win-win all around.

Enjoy!
Ashley

Ashley Osier is a  holistic health educator and therapist, stress management therapist, corrective posture and exercise specialist, an acupressure and massage therapist, stretching, massage, acupressure, and self-acupressure instructor and creator of the Point Release™ Technique and StretchFit™ Method. She specializes in working with stress management, injury prevention and pain relief, therapeutic stretching for individuals and couples, and posture awareness. She also offers coaching in nutrition and support for women going through divorce. Appointments can be scheduled by contacting her at ewsomatherapy@gmail.com.

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