The Healthy Diet »

More than two thirds of the protein in the American diet comes from animals, particularly beef cattle. While the protein in meat and poultry is of good quality — that is, it contains a complete complement of essential amino acids — this nutritional value is often overshadowed by the high levels of saturated fat and cholesterol in many meats. Fortunately, meat producers have reduced the fat content of their products: According to a U.S. Depart­ment of Agriculture study, cattle are approximately 25 percent leaner than they were 30 years ago, and pork is a full 50 percent leaner. Since a single three-ounce serving of cooked lean meat or poultry sup­plies 40 to 55 percent of the Recommended Dietary Allowance of protein for an adult male, and 50 to 60 percent for a woman, most Americans need not worry about getting enough protein. Instead, they should be learning how to prepare meals using smaller amounts of meat and poultry.

Meat is also one of the best food sources of iron. One three-ounce serving of beef or lamb provides virtually all the Recommended Dietary Allowance of iron for a man, and about 50 percent for a woman. The iron in meat is in a form called heme iron, which is three to five times more easily absorbed by the body than the iron in other foods. And, when meat is consumed with less readily absorbed iron in such foods as spinach, an unidentified substance in the meat acts as a catalyst for iron absorption.

In addition, meat supplies a good amount of other minerals, in particular zinc, phosphorus, potassium and copper. All meats contrib­ute B vitamins (niacin, riboflavin and thiamin) to the diet. In fact, fresh pork is by far the best source of thiamin — it contains more than twice as much per serving as any other food. Vitamin A, iron, copper, riboflavin and niacin are most concentrated in the liver of animals. But liver and other organ meats are also quite high in cholesterol, so you should eat them no more than once a week.

The main concern about meat in your diet should be to limit the amount of fatty meat you eat. Untrimmed fatty meat often contains 50 percent more calories than well-trimmed lean beef, and up to 70 percent of those calories come from fat (compared with 30 to 45 percent in lean beef). Ironically, the most expensive cuts of meat are often the highest in fat, due to the amount of marbling (the flecks of fat scattered throughout) required for tenderness. Leaner cuts of meat come from the animal's most-used muscles, such as the shoul­der, flank and neck. These cuts are generally less expensive because they are less tender, but you can tenderize them with proper cooking. Ground beef, which accounts for almost 40 percent of all beef con­sumed in the United States, can be purchased in lowfat grades. another good lowfat meat, although it is somewhat higher in choles­terol than other meats.

Another solution to the fatty-meat dilemma is to eat more chicken and turkey, which contain considerably less fat than red meat. Remov­ing the skin from poultry cuts its fat content in half. Skinless chicken or turkey breast, for example, has more protein than fatty steak, but only about one tenth the fat and half the calories. Purchase smaller, younger birds, which are less fatty than older birds. Goose and duck are high in fat, so you should eat them infrequently.

Poultry has many of the same nutritional benefits as meat. In fact, chicken and turkey breasts have even more niacin lean meat, with younger chickens having the most. Dark-meat poultry is rich in riboflavin and thiamin. Unfortunately, the cholesterol levels in poultry are also comparable to those of meat — between 60 and 70 milligrams in a three-ounce serving, or about one fifth the maximum daily intake by the American Heart Association. Little of this cholesterol -is in the fat. So although removing fatty skin or trim­ming off fat cuts calories, reducing cholesterol intake requires eating smaller portions.

Properly prepared, lean meat and poultry are tender, flavorful and nutritious. Before cooking meat trim all visible fat. You can cook meat using dry-heat methods, such as roasting, baking and broiling, or by moist-heat methods, such as poaching, braising and steaming. Broiling and roasting allow excess fat to drip away, while moist-heat methods tenderize leaner cuts. As a general rule, meat from younger animals cooks, more quickly than meat from older animals. If fat is needed for basting purposes, brush the meat with a little vegetable oil. To guard against trichinosis infection, make sure that pork is thoroughly cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 140° F. Properly cooked pork turns white, with no pink meat.

Like meat, poultry can be cooked using both dry- and moist-heat methods. But if you broil or bake poultry, time it carefully, since the intense heat of broiling or overlong baking will toughen poultry and dry it out. Moist-heat methods yield the most flavorful birds, and long cooking by moist heat will help tenderize older, tougher birds.

The recipes that follow use poultry as well as lean cuts of meat in main dishes, salads, sandwiches and side dishes. While a three-ounce portion of meat or poultry may be less than you are accustomed to eating at a meal, you will feel satisfied because the meat is combined with vegetables and other filling, high-carbohydrate foods.

Buying and Storing Guide

1. Purchase the leanest grades of meat possible. The U.S. department of Agriculture grades meat by colour and marbling, which indicate pate tenderness, juiciness an flavor. Consumers can choose from the_ grades of beef, Prime, Choice and Good; 'the Good grade has less marbling and surrounding fat the higher-priced Prime and Choice grades. Store-branded "lean" beef is most likely Good grade. Veal comes in only Prime and Choice, but its fat content is lower than that of beef.

2. The cut of meat determines its fat content. Top round, shoulder, flank, eye round, top sirloin and extra lean ground are among the leanest types of beef There is less variation in the fat content of different lamb and veal than of beef.

3. The best of is bright red with firm, ivory-colored fat; the best veal is light pinkish-white, also with ivory-colored fat. Fresh pork should be firm-textured and grayish-pink to deep rose in color, with some marbling and a layer of white exterior fat. Trim all visible fat from meat before cooking it.

4. Store fresh meat in the coldest part of your refrigerator. Large cuts of meat (steaks or roasts) can refrigerated for three to four days, smaller cuts for two to three days and ground meat for one or two days. Freeze large cuts of meat for no more than nine months, ground meat for up to three months.

5. Chicken is classified as a roaster, broiler, fryer or stewing hen. Small roasters are the lowest in fat and the tenderest; stewing hens are the least tender and are often used in soups. Chicken will keep in the coldest part of your refrigerator for one or two days and can be frozen for up to 12 months. Turkey can be refrigerated for up to a week and frozen for six months. Thaw frozen poultry in the refrigerator.