From limiting beef because it’s bad for your heart to beef being time-consuming to prepare, we’ve heard a few myths and we’re sure you have too. We’re here to debunk these myths and help you enjoy beef with confidence.

Download our Information Brief Myth vs. Fact About Beef.

Myth: You must limit beef intake because it’s bad for your heart and raises cholesterol.

Fact: According to studies published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Journal of Human Hypertension and Obesity Science & Practice eating lean beef daily as part of a heart-healthy diet and lifestyle can reduce risk factors for heart disease. Trials show that participants who consumed lean beef, as part of a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy and low in saturated fat, experienced a 10 percent decrease in LDL cholesterol and a moderate decrease in blood pressure, both markers of lower heart disease risk.

Another study published in the Journal of Clinical Lipidology showed that subjects following a healthy and higher-protein weight loss dietary pattern, combined with physical activity and consuming lean beef four or more times weekly, saw reductions in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Additionally, evidence has shown that beef similarly impacts total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and triglycerides, much like poultry or fish.

Myth: Americans eat too much red meat – especially beef.

Fact: Americans, on average, consume 1.7 ounces of beef daily, whereas the Dietary Guidelines recommend that one should consume 5.5 ounces of protein daily. Beef is a great source of essential nutrients with relatively few calories, making it a great option for any meal.

Myth: Grass-finished beef is more nutritious than grain-finished beef.

Fact: All cattle, whether grass- or grain-finished, spend the majority of their lives eating grass on pastures, or hay when pastures are not available. What’s important to remember is all beef is a natural source of more than 10 essential nutrients, like protein, iron and zinc. And while grass-finished beef tends to be a little leaner, one needs to factor in other variables like breed, age, grade and cut when considering the product. Both options are available in the marketplace to meet your personal preference.

Myth: It is difficult to find lean cuts of beef in the grocery store.

Fact: Thanks to enhancements in cattle breeding and feeding, today’s beef is leaner than ever as more than 65 percent of the whole muscle cuts sold through the supermarket meat case are lean when cooked with visible fat trimmed. And would you believe that the number of beef cuts that qualify as being lean has increased by six times from 1989 to 2013. Many cuts of beef now meet U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulations to qualify as lean or extra lean. Of these, the following are considered extra lean:

• Eye of round roast and steak
• Sirloin tip side steak
• Top round roast and steak
• Bottom round roast and steak
• Top sirloin steak

More beef myths are addressed in our Information Brief Myth vs. Fact About Beef.