Learn how meat is a healthy part of a balanced diet. It’s simple, tasty and nutritious, with vitamins and minerals that are hard to find in other foods.

 


With meat alternatives and other substitutes readily available at the grocery store, it can be confusing to determine what is healthy and what may be less so. Meat, however, is a healthy part of a balanced diet. It is simple (and less heavily processed than many meat substitutes or alternatives), tasty and nutritious, with vitamins and minerals that you can’t easily find in other foods. Learn more about the benefits of meat with Laurie Johns and Dr. Ruth MacDonald of Iowa State University’s Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition in this edition of the Iowa Minute. Log on to www.iowafarmbureau.com and watch The Iowa Minute.

Laurie Johns: 99% of Iowa grocery shoppers eat meat, dairy or eggs on a regular basis. And when it comes to the holiday meal, meat is often the centerpiece. Where people will consume 3,000 calories at a holiday meal, the one thing you should not feel guilty about is meat.

Dr. Ruth MacDonald, Iowa State University Department of Food Science & Human Nutrition: We know that animal products are a really good source of protein. They also provide a lot of important minerals and vitamins that we don’t get from any other source. You know there’s just a plethora of new products on the market now that are animal “food substitutes,” and these are highly processed. They contain a lot of different ingredients. They take a lot of science and technology to put together.

Laurie Johns: And meat comes from a farm, not a lab. The choice is yours, of course. However, there’s one rule to keep in mind for meals: everything in moderation. If you’d like to learn how Iowa livestock farmers are making sure your main dish is healthy and nutritious, check out BestFoodFacts.org

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