The 5 Best Healthy Meats To Eat—and 2 To Avoid

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Meat 101

Meat can support a healthy diet because it’s a great source of protein, says Kate Patton, RD, a registered dietitian with the Cleveland Clinic Center for Human Nutrition. Protein is an essential macronutrient the human body needs to build muscle, skin, hair, and nails—and it’s found in almost every body part or tissue, according to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. 

Animal protein, or meat, also contains various other important nutrients, several of which many Americans don’t get enough of. “Minerals [found in meat] like iron, zinc and potassium are necessary for daily functioning,” says Patton. Meat is also one of the best sources of vitamin B12, a nutrient that contributes to body-wide benefits from a well-running nervous system to heart health. Patton adds that animal protein is also very satiating, meaning it helps you feel fuller for longer. “[This is] very helpful for those trying to lose weight.” 

A healthy serving size of meat will vary based on gender, age, and activity level, says Patton. “But typically, a 3-ounce portion provides a decent amount of protein and minerals.” That’s about the size of a deck of cards or the palm of your hand. 

Keep reading to learn why an expert like Rachel O’Connor, MS, RD, CSO, CDN, clinical dietitian who specializes in oncology at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center, says, “It’s helpful to distinguish between the different types of meat, as they are not all particularly nutritious options.”

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Healthy meats

Best: Poultry

The healthiest meat you can choose is poultry, O’Connor says, though she adds that fish is also an optimal protein source. The main reason poultry is so superior, though? Options like chicken, turkey, goose, game birds or duck are low in saturated fat.

“In excess, [saturated fat] can contribute to elevated cholesterol levels, increasing your risk of heart disease,” O’Connor says. “The American Heart Association recommends limiting saturated fat intake to no more than 7% of calories a day, for most people.” These poultry options also contain high levels of iron, zinc, choline, B vitamins, and of course, protein. 

Poultry is also considered an ideal protein source for older adults thanks to its low-fat to high-protein ratio. “As we age, we start to lose muscle slowly, and without adequate protein intake, you can lose muscle faster,” Patton says. 

Plus, when it’s prepared healthily and included as a part of a balanced diet, chicken is a meat you can eat every day. (One health reporter ate chicken every day for a week—read what happened.) 

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Best: Poultry—Dark Meat

According to Patton, white meats—such as chicken breast or light turkey meat—are usually lower in saturated fat, but dark meat is still considered a lean, healthy option. That’s because dark meats like chicken thighs and drumsticks contain higher levels of certain nutrients, particularly zinc, according to Kris Sollid, RD, Senior Director of Nutrition Communications at the International Food Information Council Foundation. The slightly elevated fat levels in dark meat make it easier to cook and help it hold more flavor, making it a good choice for people integrating changes to their diet, such as reducing red meat intake. 

Dark meat is also a better source of iron than lighter meat, making it a good option for people with anemia or who struggle to get iron elsewhere in their diet. 

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Best: Rabbit

Rabbit and hare meat offers unique health benefits for animal protein. It’s a white meat, so it’s lower in saturated fat, says O’Connor. But it also has iron levels on par with fattier dark meats—a serving of rabbit has nearly twice the amount of iron as chicken.

Rabbit meat also contains more selenium and less sodium than poultry options and is richer in calcium and phosphorus than any other type of animal meat, according to research published in the Journal of Animal Production Advances.

Cooking rabbit is similar to preparing chicken, but some cooks feel it especially shines when slow-cooked in stews and chilis or substituted for pork or beef in a bolognese or pasta ragu. 

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Best: Pork tenderloin and pork top loin or roast

These leaner cuts of pork are also considered healthy options as they have three grams of fat or less per ounce, says Patton. In addition to packing plenty of protein, lean pork options contain tons of nutrients, including thiamin, vitamin B6, potassium, riboflavin, and more, adds Sollid.

Lamb leg or lamb loin are other leaner meat options, Patton adds. Though lamb does contain saturated fats, it’s also a good source of “good” fats, such as omega-3 fatty acids. 

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Best: Grass-fed beef 

Red meat gets a bad rap, but “red meat contains important nutrients, like protein, iron, zinc and vitamin B12,” O’Connor says. The key? The healthiest red meat includes lean cuts, which the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines as having less than 10 grams of total fat, 4.5 grams of saturated fat, and 95 milligrams of cholesterol per 3.5-ounce serving. (Extra lean is even better, with less than 5 grams of fat and 2 grams of saturated fat.) 

The USDA says that the leanest cuts of red meat include round steaks and roasts, top loin, top sirloin, and chunk shoulder and arm roasts. If you’re after ground beef, look for a label that says at least “90% lean.” 

Another thing to consider? “Grass-fed beef tends to be healthier because cows are able to graze in pastures eating only grasses and plants,” Patton explains. This diet makes for a leaner cow, which means leaner meat. “It is also higher in [healthy] unsaturated fats including omega-3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid, which help lower inflammation and may improve heart health.” 

10 Things That Happen to Your Body If You Stop Eating Red Meat

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Best: Venison

An even healthier red meat option is venison (deer meat), says O’Connor. (She lists bison as a similar alternative, too.) Venison is leaner than beef—so it contains less unhealthy saturated fat—and is a lower-calorie choice. It’s a simple swap, too. You can use venison meat as a healthier replacement for almost any beef recipe. 

A three-ounce portion of venison contains about 96 calories, 3 grams of fat and 18 grams of protein, along with high levels of vitamin K, B12, iron, zinc and choline. The same portion of 90% lean beef nets you a bit more protein at around 22 grams, but that comes with 184 calories and almost 10 grams of fat. 

Venison, along with rabbit, also tends to be a more environmentally friendly alternative since it’s usually naturally raised or sold from hunting areas with population management strategies in place. 

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Least healthy meats

Worst: Processed meats

“Processed pork products include ham, bacon, salami, pepperoni and hot dogs,” Patton says, which are by far the unhealthiest meats. “The World Health Organization (WHO) considers these a group 1 carcinogen.” This means that there is enough evidence to conclude that these foods can cause cancer. They’re particularly associated with an increased risk of bowel and stomach cancer, explains Patton. “These types of meats are also high in saturated fat and sodium, contributing to high cholesterol and blood pressure.” 

Other types of processed meats are problematic as well. “When meat is processed through smoking or curing, carcinogenic compounds called N-nitroso compounds (NOCs) are formed,” O’Connell explains. “NOCs are present whether you buy nitrate-cured meat or natural meat cured with celery extract (that often says “nitrate-free” on the package)—this also contributes to nitrates involved in the formation of NOCs.” 

In addition, the American Pregnancy Association specifically warns pregnant women to avoid deli meats. This is because deli meats can be contaminated with listeria, a foodborne bacteria. While a listeria infection is no picnic for healthy people, its symptoms are typically pretty mild. But listeria can be fatal for pregnant women, unborn babies, and people over age 65. 

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Worst: Fattier red meats

While lean red meats do have nutritional benefits, fattier cuts contain unhealthy levels of saturated fats, which can raise cholesterol levels and contribute to heart disease, according to the American Heart Association. 

Which cuts are worrisome? Think rib-eye steak, T-bone steak, and New York strip steak, for starters. In the pork family, ribs and bacon—and with poultry, drumsticks and the skin tend to be the fattiest. Although limiting these cuts of meat is good for your diet, you can enjoy them in moderation, according to Sollid. 

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Worst: Excess red meat

“Research shows that eating more than 12 to 18 ounces per week of red meat, whether it is lean or not, increases the risk for colorectal cancer,” O’Connell says. While processed meats are particularly problematic, all types of red meat—whether it’s beef, pork, veal or lamb—are considered group 2A carcinogen, which means they “probably cause cancer in humans,” Patton adds. “We also know excess intake of red meat is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease” and type 2 diabetes. 

Yet another reason to limit your red meat intake? The production of red meat—and beef in particular—greatly impacts the environment. Research published in 2022 in the American Journal of Health Promotion says that raising cattle generates more greenhouse gases than the production of any other food, while the enormous land requirements for cattle take a toll on local biodiversity and water quality. 

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What’s the healthiest burger?

While the type of burger meat is important, considerations also need to be taken in how burgers are cooked when discussing healthy options, O’Connell explains. “When meat is cooked at high temperatures, like grilling, pan frying, oven broiling or deep-fat frying, carcinogens called heterocyclic amines (HCAs) are created.” 

So her advice? “If you occasionally want a meat burger, I suggest simply choosing the type you like the taste of best, but having it less frequently given burgers are almost always cooked over high heat,” she says. “If you have it more regularly, try to choose lean beef, turkey or a plant-based option.” The carcinogens created by cooking meat at high temperatures do not occur with plant-based proteins, such as black bean burgers. “Baking burgers will not create carcinogens in the same way as grilling or pan frying.”

And a note on plant-based or vegan meats: “[They] may be a good alternative to meat, but one should be thoughtful when choosing a brand,” O’Connell advises. “Plant-based burgers that include whole food ingredients, like beans, whole grains and vegetables, will likely be more nutritious than plant-based options that emulate beef burgers, as these can be high in saturated fat and sodium.”

Patton agrees that she is wary of big-brand “fake meat” products “based on their ingredients. I encourage patients looking for meat-free burger options to choose ones made from whole foods like beans, lentils, vegetables, quinoa or brown rice.” 

How to buy healthier meat

A few tips to help you make sure you’re buying healthier meat include:

Opting for organic

In a 2019 study published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, researchers found that organic meats “had a higher nutritional value.” Using beef as an example, the study showed that organic beef had 17% less cholesterol, 32% less fat, and significantly higher levels of certain nutrients—including a whopping 170% more omega-3 fatty acids than non-organic beef. 

Buying organic ensures that your meat is free of antibiotics, hormones, and pesticides, Patton adds. 

Going for grass-fed

As Patton explained above, grass-fed meat is superior nutritionally. A 2022 study published in Food Science of Animal Resources lays out what going grass-fed could mean for your health. The researchers found that eating grass-fed beef could actually offer protection against several diseases, from cancer to cardiovascular disease, due to the decreased SFA content and an increased amount of healthy polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), particularly omega-3s, which can help reduce bad cholesterol levels in your blood.

“Raising grass-fed cattle often reduces the miles the food travels, and those who care about lessening their environmental footprint may see buying locally and/or grass-fed as a means to encourage environmental diversity, protect natural resources, and use the land more sustainably,” O’Connell adds. 

Picking pasture-raised

Much like grass-fed beef, pasture-raised poultry and pork may offer superior health benefits. According to the American Pastured Poultry Producers Association, compared to conventionally-raised chickens, the meat and eggs from pasture-raised chicken tend to be higher in iron, higher in omega-3s and higher in antioxidants such as vitamin E. Meat from pasture-raised pork also contains a similar healthier fat quality and increased nutrients than meat from conventionally-raised pork, according to Hampshire College.

Choose local

Patton says local meat is typically fresher—which means the product itself is more nutrient-dense because the meat doesn’t go through long transportation and storage processes that can impact its quality. 

“Some people may want to have a relationship with the farmers who produce their food or are interested in supporting a local economy, in which case buying meat at the farmers market is a good option,” O’Connell adds. 

Other good sources of lean protein

“When trying to increase your lean protein intake, there are many nutritious options,” O’Connell says. Nonfat yogurt and cottage cheese are wonderful high-protein foods, in addition to the traditional lean proteins often discussed, such as chicken and fish.

“But most folks do not consume enough plant-based protein, which is unfortunate, as it is also high in fiber, many vitamins and phytochemicals,” she says. One trick? “Don’t feel like every meal you make has to include meat.” For example, consider adding extra kidney beans instead of ground beef in your chili, replacing the meat in your tacos with black beans or adding tofu to your stir fry instead of chicken. 

“Regardless of what type of meat you choose, it is a good goal to have plant-based foods make up at least two-thirds of any meal, while one-third or less should be made up of animal proteins such as poultry, seafood, dairy, and occasionally red meat.” 

For more options, check out the 10 ‘Perfect Proteins,’ according to a nutrition expert.

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