Which Types Of Meat Are The Healthiest To Eat?

Meat has been a consistent part of the diet for many generations – and remains a healthy source of energy and nutrients.

There are also multiple types of meat to choose from, each with their own flavor and nutrient profile.

So then, which meat is the best to eat for health benefits?

This article looks at 8 of the most common types of meat, along with their nutrients, health impacts and any ongoing concerns.

Chicken is the go-to choice for many families. It is simple to cook and is typically inexpensive. The relatively mild flavor means that it works in countless recipes, making it versatile as well.

The most common cuts for chicken include breasts, thighs, drumsticks and wings. However, many people simply buy the whole chicken and divide it up themselves.

In general, chicken is considered a white meat and is also a type of poultry.

Nutrition Profile

Chicken tends to be a lean meat, often chosen by people trying to lose weight. Ground chicken contains the following nutrients per 100 grams (1). As a side note, nutrition data should be used as a rough guide only. The composition will vary between cuts of meat.

Advantages of Chicken

Turkey is most common around Thanksgiving or Christmas, although some people eat it throughout the year as well. Compared to chicken, turkey has a more intense flavor.

Unlike chicken, turkey is mostly sold and cooked as a whole bird, rather than in segments. However, ground turkey is also common. This is often used as an alternative to ground beef for people trying to lower fat intake.

Nutrition Profile

As another white meat, turkey is similar to chicken. Per 100 grams, ground turkey has the following profile (2): 

Advantages of Turkey

Duck is a much less common type of white meat in the United States, but it does have an audience. It can be a good choice if you want something a little unusual, although there are fewer places that sell duck.

A key difference is that duck tends to be a darker meat. It is often fattier and more greasy than other types of white meat, and it can take time to learn to cook with it.

Once again, the most common way to buy duck is as a whole. There are some places that will sell individual portions, such as duck breast.

Nutrition Profile

Even though it is white meat too, duck does have some key nutritional differences. Per 100 grams, duck breast has the following profile (3): 

Advantages of Duck

Concerns and Issues

Beef is one of the most popular red meat types out there - for good reason. Common cuts and preparations include:

Nutrition Profile

Nutritional values vary depending on the cut of beef and also the source. Grass-fed beef tends to have less total fat, more antioxidants and extra omega-3 fatty acids (4). This makes grass-fed a better choice if it is feasible. Per 100 grams, the nutrient profile of ground beef is (5):   

Concerns and Issues

Pork is an incredibly popular type of meat and is also very controversial. For many people, pork is a tasty addition to the dinner table. It’s also a nice alternative to the more intense flavors of meats like beef and lamb.

Despite the appearance, pork is considered red meat. This is partly because it comes from livestock and also due to the levels of myoglobin (7). Myoglobin is an oxygen-carrying compound and is present in higher concentrations in red meat. 

There are many different cuts of pork, along with more processed meats that rely on pork (such as sausages and bacon). Many people argue that you should stick to options like pork chops only. But, as Nutrition Advance points out, there are many reasons why bacon can be good for you as well. 

Aside from bacon, some of the most common cuts and choices include:

Nutrition Profile

The nutrition data per 100 grams of ground pork can be found below (8). As with other meats, the composition will vary between cuts - but this is a good general starting point. 

Advantages of Pork

Concerns and Issues

Recipes and Guides

For the most part, lamb and mutton are the same type of meat. They’re also similar nutritionally. The largest difference is the source. As the name suggests, lamb comes from a young sheep (1-year-old or less), while mutton is sourced from an adult.

The cuts are similar for both types. These include: 

Nutrition Profile

The nutrition data for ground lamb can be seen below (9):

Advantages of Lamb

Concerns and Issues

Recipes and Guides

The flavor of venison is often considered rich, earthy and gamey. Some people love this flavor profile, preferring it to steak and lamb. Others hate it and find it extremely unappealing. 

Taste aside, venison has been becoming increasingly popular. The key reason is the nutritional profile, which is impressive.

Because venison is still relatively difficult to source it is often simply sold as ground venison or as venison steaks.

Nutrition Profile

The nutritional details below are for 100 grams of ground venison (10):

Advantages of Venison

Concerns and Issues

Recipes and Guides

Bison has been increasing in popularity recently and offers an interesting alternative. The flavor is similar to beef, although it is often considered a little sweeter or more delicate. Texture-wise, bison is coarser than beef but can still be used in many of the same dishes.

As with venison, the most common options for bison are simply bison steaks and ground bison.

Nutrition Profile

The nutrition data below is for 100 grams of ground bison (11). 

Advantages of Bison

Concerns and Issues

Recipes and Guides

Because bison is a little different, it’s best to start out with recipes designed for the meat. Once you’re accustomed to it, you can start experimenting on your own.

There are also debates about meat itself. Some people claim that meat, particularly red meat can cause significant harm. This includes contributing to cancer risk and leading to excessive protein consumption.

And yes, there is some indication that burning meat produces polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heterocyclic amines (HCAs), which may increase cancer risk (12,13,14). But, most of the research has been conducted in lab rats, not humans and the amount of evidence is minimal (15). 

Even if the association does exist, the size of the effect is likely to be very small.

More than anything, this problem suggests a problem with cooking methods, not with meat itself. So, if you want to lower your risk, be sensible with how you cook meat and avoid barbecues as much as possible.

But, as for meat itself, there is no significant evidence for negative impacts on health. Instead, it is a powerful source of nutrients and a good addition to a balanced diet. The site Nutrition Advance offers more details about these benefits and why meat is worth eating regularly.

Omega-3 and Omega-6

One other consideration is omega-3 versus omega-6. Omega-3 is a powerful fatty acid, which is often found in fish and in fish oil. A key advantage is that omega-3 helps decrease levels of inflammation.

Omega-6 fatty acids don’t do this. Instead, they can increase inflammation and put people at risk. This is a topic that the site Healthline covers in detail. Most people are consuming too much omega-6 and not enough omega-3.

Improving this balance is critical for overall health and wellbeing – and choosing the right meat can help in this area. The top three options for omega-3 to omega-6 ratio are:

Another choice is beef. The ratio here is 1:9.6 for ground beef - so it's not as good as the previous three choices. But, grass-fed beef tends to have more omega-3 than grain-fed. Beef is also relatively inexpensive and is often more accessible than options like venison. 

This doesn't make meat like pork unhealthy. You can still have it in a balanced diet. It's just important to be aware of your omega-6 intake and try to reduce it wherever possible. 

What Kind of Meat is the Healthiest to Eat?

Nutritionally, there is no single ideal type of meat. They all have different advantages.

The best choice also depends on what you’re looking for. So, if you’re on a keto diet, you might focus on fatty cuts of meat, while other approaches may prefer lean cuts. Your budget and preferences will play a role in your choice too. After all, the benefits of a specific meat aren’t going to matter if you won’t eat it.

Nutritionally, venison is a powerful choice, as is bison. But, on a day-to-day basis, beef will be more practical for most people. 

Because each meat has a different balance of compounds, the absolute best choice is to vary your intake. That may include having duck and pork sometimes, while relying on beef and chicken on other occasions. 

[feather_share show="google_plus, twitter, facebook,pinterest" hide="reddit, linkedin, tumblr, mail"]