There are several ways to eat steaks, and some are better than others. Take the time to learn about some of the health benefits of eating medium-rare steak now.
According to professionals in the restaurant industry, medium-rare is the best way to eat steak. While most of their reasoning is based on flavor and texture, you can actually experience some health benefits from eating your steak this way. Keep reading to learn about three of the health benefits of eating medium-rare steak.
Steak Is Nutrient-Rich
Steak is extremely nutrient-rich, especially when it comes to protein and iron. There’s almost an entire ounce of protein in every 3.5 ounces of steak regardless of cut, and by cooking it just enough to kill bacteria but maintain the original proteins, you can reap immense health benefits. Protein can help your body gain muscle and repair tissue, as well as keep everything from your hair to your blood in good shape.
Beef in general, but especially steak, also has a helpful dose of iron. In just three ounces of beef, or roughly one serving size, you can get 15% of the recommended iron intake for the day. Iron helps your body make the proteins that it needs to carry oxygen to your lungs and muscles, which can also help combat fatigue. If you love pork steak, then do try this Tender Instant Pork Steak recipe.
It Has Helpful Acids
Grass-feed beef such as steak contains Omega-3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid. Those fatty acids are best preserved in medium-rare steak, so you can better reap their benefits by having your steak done this way. Fatty acids have numerous benefits such as lowering cholesterol, improving mental health, fighting inflammation, preventing blood clots, and even helping with autoimmune diseases.
Conjugated linoleic acid is another type of fatty acid that can help your body since it’s also an antioxidant. As a fatty acid, it helps our bodies with energy storage and metabolism regulation, which is extra beneficial for those with type 2 diabetes and inflammatory diseases. As an antioxidant, it can help prevent cancer, specifically colon and breast cancer.
It Can Prevent Cancer
The conjugated linoleic acid in beef can help prevent certain types of cancers, but cooking it a certain way can actually cause other types of cancer. Due to a combination of certain genetic traits and a diet rich with well-done meats, some people experience an increased risk of bladder cancer after years of eating meat cooked at a high temperature. Avoid this by ordering your steak medium-rare instead of well-done, since medium-rare will still kill dangerous bacteria such as E. coli without increasing your risk of bladder cancer.
Three of the health benefits of eating medium-rare steak are that it is nutrient-rich, has helpful acids, and can even prevent cancer. By ordering or cooking your steak this way, you can reap these health benefits while enjoying a delicious, melt-in-your-mouth experience that can’t be replicated. If jumping from well-done to medium-rare is too big of a change, ease yourself into it by ordering medium-well and medium before trying medium-rare. Once you try medium-rare, though, you’ll never want to go back.
