38 THE QUEENS COURIER • WELLNESS • AUGUST 15, 2019 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
wellness
When eating a balanced diet, beef remains a high-protein option
Imagine you are preparing for a trip to
the grocery store. To meal prep for the
upcoming week, you develop a balanced
grocery list with various items spanning
the fi ve food groups: fruits, vegetables,
dairy, grains and protein. You know protein
is essential to a balanced diet and
maintaining energy and many products
are now boasting protein content, but do
you know what foods are healthful high
sources of protein? And do you know how
much protein you really need?
With 18 grams of protein per serving,
beef is high in protein, easy to prepare
and can support a healthy diet. However,
only 62% of American beef consumers
consider ground beef to be high in protein
and just 70% of them consider beef
cuts to be high in protein, according to
a recent landmark consumer study conducted
by Cargill.
Th e U.S. Department of Agriculture’s
(USDA) MyPlate site outlines the
amount of protein in various key sources.
Common portions of beef, such as a
small steak or lean hamburger, have more
protein than most other options in the
food group, like pork, chicken, nuts and
seeds, and beans and peas. Stocking up
on beef, in addition to other proteins, can
help shoppers reach the amount of protein
their bodies need to thrive.
According to the USDA Dietary
Reference, people should be consuming
about 0.4 grams of protein per pound of
body weight as part of a balanced diet. So,
someone who weighs 150 pounds needs
60 grams of protein each day. Whether
making tacos, steak or burgers on the
grill, beef is an easy-to-prepare protein
option that can contribute to a healthy
diet year-round.
Why is it important to achieve a substantial
daily consumption of protein?
Protein helps repair cells, boosts energy
and keeps us satiated longer. It sustains
you through a long work day, boosts your
stamina for exercise and ensures you don’t
get hungry again soon aft er eating a meal.
People are also increasingly interested
in consuming more healthy fats with
their protein. Beef is packed with Omega-
3 healthy fats that help prevent the risk of
heart disease and other chronic diseases.
In addition to the nutritional value and
protein content, beef can be a cost-eff ective
option that delivers fl avor, convenience
and cooking versatility.
Even consumers who regularly buy beef
struggle with selecting the best cuts for
their purpose, and many of them lack an
understanding of how to use the USDA
grading system as a guide when purchasing
beef.
While surveying the meat case at the
grocery store, consumers should look for
the USDA grades on packaging. Choosing
USDA Select grade beef off ers a leaner
protein source with slight amounts of fat
and marbling. For a high-quality cut of
meat for a special occasion, a Prime cut of
beef off ers abundant marbling and fl avor,
but it is not considered lean. Th e Choice
grade of beef off ers moderate marbling
and fl avor and is a little less lean than
Select cuts.
When choosing ground beef, each cut is
an excellent source or protein and is similar
in fl avor and tenderness, but varies in
fat content:
• Ground Beef - 73% Lean, 27% Fat
• Ground Chuck - 80% Lean, 20% Fat
• Ground Sirloin - 85% Lean, 15% Fat
• Ground Round - 90% Lean, 10% Fat
Among the fi ve food groups, protein
provides consumers with nutritional benefi
ts and the aff ordability of beef make
it a clear-cut selection as part of a balanced
diet.
Courtesy BPT
Benefi ts of onions will make you shed tears of joy
Th e onion now has its very own day. It’s
a day to cheer one of the nation’s most
popular and versatile vegetables.
Th is is the perfect time to get adventurous
and put onions in every meal.
Th e onion is the third-most consumed
fresh vegetable in the United States, and
it is packed with heart-healthy nutrients
to keep disease and some cancers at
bay. A recent study published in the Asia
Pacifi c Journal of Clinical Oncology suggested
that eating 35 pounds of allium
vegetables (onions and garlic) per year
(half an onion per day) reduced the risk
of bowel cancer by as much as 79%. Th at
works out to less than a pound a week
per person. (A good French Onion Soup
calls for 5 pounds and serves six in one
sitting.)
While the onion has a solid nutrient
value, its fl avor - unlike many good-foryou
foods - continues to shine in a variety
of forms from grilled or stuff ed, to
sautéed or pureed. Th is is a day you
can slice and dice and caramelize to your
heart’s content.
Don’t worry about overeating this phenom
of Mother Nature. One onion -
Nature’s Ninja - contains 20% of your
daily vitamin C and 12% of your daily
fi ber needs. And don’t forget, it’s naturally
sodium-, fat- and cholesterol-free and
only 64 calories per one-cup serving.
Th e many varieties - yellow, spring
fresh, sweet, white and red - all contain
their unique fl avors by the way they are
prepared.
So load up and get cooking. Let the luscious
smells waft through the kitchen to
tempt the hungry bellies and serve up
onions for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack
- even dessert.
Try all varieties and spread them
throughout the day. See how many red,
white and yellow onions you can incorporate
into your day.
How about a healthy Chipotle Egg
Breakfast Sandwich to start your day, or
serve up a hearty Onion and Egg Hash
for the family? A Spicy Onion Panini or
that French Onion Soup could easily turn
lunch into a decadent treat. Maybe try a
little Creamy Onion Dip for an appetizer
before dinner? Have an onion dinner
party, and pack it with onion dishes, such
as Pasta Primavera with Caramelized
Onions or Garden-style Fish with Onions
and Bell Peppers.
Let’s not forget dessert. Th e sweetness
of the onion complements the chocolate
and pecans in the Vidalia Onion and
Georgia Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies
(see recipe below). See the NOA website,
www.onions-usa.org, for these and more
recipes for inspiration.
Vidalia Onion and Georgia
Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
• 1 cup butter soft ened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 1/4 cup all-purpose fl our
• 1 tsp fi ne salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 12 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup Georgia Pecans, chopped
• 1 cup Vidalia onion, diced small
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream
butter, add sugars and beat until light and
fl uff y. Add fl our, salt and soda and mix
until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips
and pecans.
Rinse the Vidalia onion with ice water
and drain well. Fold the onions into the
dough to blend. Drop dough by large
spoonfuls on a parchment or wax-paper
lined cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes
or until lightly browned (add about a
minute to time at high altitudes). Remove
from oven and enjoy immediately.
Note: Th ese cookies are meant to be
eaten warm; if you want to keep them past
the day you make them, add some dried
cranberries to the batter to absorb some
of the moisture.
Courtesy BPT
/www.onions-usa.org
/WWW.QNS.COM
/www.onions-usa.org
