Before we go on exploring the best leanest meats, it is important to understand what leanest meat is and how it helps to improve the body processes. The top 5 leanest meats are considered based on the total percentage of saturated fats, amount of proteins, and others. Let us give you an overview of the type of leanest meats and why it is a good source of protein.
What Is Lean Meat?
Lean meats are animal flesh that is rich in proteins, muscle fibers, and other nutrients. Lean meats have low-fat content and are high in protein. It is crucial for building muscles. These protein-rich lean meats can help to boost metabolism to support healthy weight loss.
Lean meat is an excellent source of iron and vitamins. It helps to regulate the healthy blood cells in the body. Iron from animal meat has higher absorption than other foods. Adequate amounts of iron content from lean meat can help overcome fatigue and tiredness.
There is a wide variety of lean meats extracted from various sources. Each type of lean meat has a different nutrition profile. Thus, each of these lean meats supports various functions in the body, building muscle masses and supporting weight loss is one of the most common benefits of it.
Top 5 Leanest Meats
Choosing the best lean meats can be struggling due to the extensive availability of lean meats. However, classifying the best source of lean meats may help to limit the intake of calories and saturated fat to reduce the risk of chronic diseases. Healthier choices of lean meat include very less grams of fat and 90-93% of the lean meat of its choice.
The following are some of the best lean meats.
1. Turkey Meat
Both the dark and white meat of Turkey are considered lean meat. White meat has slightly less saturated fats than dark meats. Skinless and boneless breasts are the leanest part of Turkey. It is typically lower in fats, and calories and has a higher proportion of good unsaturated fats.
The nutrition profile of the Turkey meat depends on the cut. Dark meats found in muscles such as thighs and legs have more fat and calories than white meat such as breast. However, the skinless portion of turkey meat possesses fewer calories and fats.
The nutrition profile of 84 grams of turkey is given below:
- Calories – 117g
- Protein – 24g
- Carbs – 0g
- Fat – 2g
- Vitamin B6- 49% of the daily value
2. Chicken Meat
Chicken breast is popular among bodybuilders for its muscle-gaining abilities due to its rich proteins. More importantly, the cut of chicken comes in a variety of forms including breasts, thighs, wings, and drumsticks. Each of these cuts contains different nutritional values of protein, calories, and fats. All of these chicken cuts are good sources of lean protein, have fewer calories, and are rich in minerals and vitamins.
Dark meats of chicken which are cut from thighs and drumsticks have more dietary properties than white meat. The following are the protein proportions of the different cuts of the chicken:
- Chicken breast – 100g of skinless, cooked chicken breast contains 32 grams of protein. It also contains 166 calories per 100 grams
- Chicken Thigh – One skinless cooked chicken of 100 grams contains 25 grams of protein. It contains 176 calories for the same amount of chicken thigh.
- Chicken Drumsticks – One drumstick of 100 grams without skin contains 24 grams of protein and 149 calories.
- Chicken wing – 100 grams of chicken wing equals 24 grams of proteins and 254 calories per same amount.
3. Lean Beef Meat
Lean beef is usually red meat without too much saturated fat, Lean beef is an amazing source of protein, rich in omega-3 fatty acids. It helps significantly in building muscles. It also contains minerals such as iron and zinc which are crucial for strengthening immunity and boosting cell production.
4. Rabbit
Rabbit meat contains high-quality proteins, vitamins, and minerals like calcium and potassium. It has omega-3 fatty acids in abundance. Rabbits used to be popular earlier in European countries and America. However, the consumption of rabbits has reduced over the years. Unlike other meats, Rabbit needs to be cooked on low flame to get most of its nutrients.
A 100-gram portion of rabbit meat contains approximately 30 grams of protein and 197 grams of calories. It also contains a high amount of vitamins and minerals that support various body functions.
5. Salmon
Salmon is widely considered a fatty fish but it is still a lean protein which has a good source of protein and healthy fats. It possesses a long chain of omega-3 fatty acids which have high anti-inflammation properties that may help to reduce blood pressure levels and decrease the risks of chronic ailments.
A portion of 100 grams of salmon contains 182 grams of calories and 25 grams of proteins. It also contains a sufficient amount of vitamin about 127% of the Daily value. It has a moderate percentage of vitamin B6, Selenium, Niacin, Thiamine, and others.
Summary
Lean Meat provides a rich source of nutrients and vitamins. Despite its high quality of protein and others, it is best advised to take only an adequate amount of lean meat. Some lean meats may include red meats which can be crucial for health if taken excessively.
These top five lean meats are an excellent source of protein-rich diets that help build muscle growth and support weight loss. It also contains antiinflammatory properties which may regulate blood pressure levels. Consumption of these lean meats moderately can provide significant health benefits
