Beef..It's Delicious, It's Nutritious. Need I say more?

Have you heard of the saying, "Beef, It's What's For Dinner?" This is an advertising slogan funded by the Beef Checkoff Program that helps promote the importance of including beef in your diet.  

With farming and the beef industry playing such a big role in my life, I had the chance to promote the beef industry in my county as the 2012 Winneshiek County Beef Princess. This was an awesome experience and it was a way for me to inform the community on the benefits of eating beef. Not only is the meat delicious it also provides essential nutrients for our body.

Meet consumption has been blamed for bad health including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, and obesity, however they are myths. Although you should consume reasonable size portions at a time, just like any other food you eat, beef is actually beneficial for your health. There are 29 different cuts of beef that meet the governments guidelines for lean. The acronym ZIP is a way to remember that beef contains multiple beneficial nutrients including Zinc, Iron, and Protein as well as vitamins and minerals. 

• Zinc

-Supports the immune system
-Heals wounds

• Iron

-Builds red blood cells
-Gives you energy

• Protein

-Needed to improve overall health
-Helps repair and build body tissues
-Produces antibodies that help strengthen the immune system and fight off infections
-Provides essential amino acids

Along with the nutritional benefits, eating beef is a way of supporting the farming economy. It is important to understand the cycle of life and to thank a farmer any chance you have. In this cycle, farmers like my own family, are in charge of feeding and raising animals until they have reached their market weight and are ready to be slaughtered. The meat is then processed and it is purchased to sustain our hunger and life.

So what nutritious cut of beef are you throwing on your grill tonight!?