One of the primary things to be careful about when losing weight is your diet. You’ll have to eat healthy foods that have fewer calories, and if you are on this page, you are probably wondering whether brisket is good for weight loss. Your concern is valid, so we’ve done all necessary research to ensure that we provide you with factual information that you can rely on.
Brisket is cut from beef located from a cow’s front, underside, right above its forelegs. An entire brisket can weigh up to 13 pounds. The beef is divided into two portions, i.e., the flat and point cut. The pointcut section contains a bigger portion of connective tissue and fat than the flat cut. Most people associate brisket cuts with corned beef.
Additionally, brisket cuts are thought to have too many calories and are unhealthy for individuals who want to lose weight. However, various independent organizations like BeefNutrition.org and MayoClinic.com categorize flat-cut brisket as lean beef. A single serving of brisket provides several essential nutrients.
Texas A&M AgriLife Research scientist Dr. Stephen Smith has confirmed that brisket benefits you in several ways. For instance, ground beef made from brisket has high amounts of oleic acid responsible for increasing HDL (good cholesterol) levels in humans. So, what does brisket contain?
What nutrients does brisket contain?
Fat
Brisket has 2-grams saturated fat, 6-grams total fat, and 80 mg of cholesterol in each 3-ounce, 84-gram serving. The totals are adequately below the USDA’s lean beef specifications, recommending 4.5g saturated fat and 10g total fat. Thus, brisket is healthy when eaten moderately. Additionally, fatty acids in brisket, i.e., conjugated linoleum acid, can help prevent high cholesterol, diabetes, and cancer.
Minerals
Brisket has high concentrations of phosphorus, iron, zinc, and selenium. The UMMC (University of Maryland Medical Center) states that most people lack enough zinc in their bodies, and brisket provides 38 % of an adult’s daily zinc requirement per serving. Plus, the mineral is more readily available in brisket than that which is contained in plants.
Each brisket serving has 14% of the recommended dietary allowance. It also improves your body’s capacity to absorb iron from plants. Additionally, brisket has 26% of the daily recommended selenium intake and 20 % of an adult’s daily phosphorus intake requirement.
Vitamins
One serving of brisket contains vitamins B, including B6, B12, niacin, and riboflavin. Your body uses vitamins in metabolism, and 3 ounces of brisket contains 37 % recommended dietary allowance of vitamin B12, 15 % of vitamin B6’s RDA, 17 % of your body’s daily niacin requirement, and 12 % of the recommended daily intake of riboflavin.
Research done by BeefNutrition.org states that you’ll have to eat 8, 3-ounce skinless, boneless chicken breasts per serving of brisket for your body to get a similar amount of Vitamin B12. This goes to show brisket’s high nutritional value.
Is brisket bad for weight loss?
You have to understand the compound CLA or Conjugated Linoleic Acid. If you want to know how brisket helps individuals lose weight. CLA refers to a fatty acid popularly used as a weight-loss supplement. CLA is the most common type of omega-6 fatty acid and is found largely in vegetable oils (and other food types in small amounts).
CLA can be found in dairy and beef. It’s particularly found in grass-fed animals more than grain-fed animals and is thought to help you lose weight. The compound’s biological activity was first discovered by scientists who found that it could help fight cancerous cells in mice. Later, the researchers discovered that it could reduce fat levels, leading them to do more research.
Some would say that CLA may be the most researched compound relating to weight loss. Researchers found it to burn fat in mice in various ways,
including reducing food intake, stimulating fat breakdown, increasing the rate of fat burning, and inhibiting fat production. The trials produced mixed reactions in humans.
Some studies indicated that CLA caused a significant fat loss in some individuals and improved their body composition by increasing their muscle mass and reducing their body fat. However, other studies showed minimal to nil results. 18 controlled trials discovered that CLA caused modest fat loss with highly pronounced effects in the first six months (0.2-3lbs per week), followed by a fat loss plateau that lasted two years.
People who get CLA from dairy, beef, and plant products have a low risk of getting cancer and diabetes. Additionally, they are also at a lower risk of developing cardiac complications. However, the lowered risk could also be due to other components in animal products like vitamin K2.
Note that there are CLA supplements produced in the lab. The supplements aren’t any more effective than naturally-found CLA; taking them in huge doses could cause various side effects.
Is brisket good protein?
As mentioned previously, flat-cut brisket is quite lean and a good source of protein. It can be described as a cow’s chicken breast since it’s positioned near its front legs. The flat-cut section contains 24 grams of protein, 140 calories, and 2g of fat for every four ounces.
This equals 42 % of the daily recommended amount of protein for healthy adults. Unlike plant protein, meat protein is thought to be complete. Thus, brisket contains all essential amino acids required to generate protein compounds. Research indicates that diets with whole proteins, i.e., lean meat, help support weight loss.
Conclusion: Is Brisket Good for Weight Loss?
Thus, brisket is way healthier than most people give it credit. It has various minerals, vitamins, and essential nutrients required by the body. Additionally, it has the compound CLA that could help you lose weight. However, you had to be careful not to consume brisket in large proportions.
Consuming brisket in large amounts could raise your blood cholesterol, eventually leading to complications later on. While more research on the CLA component found in beef is underway, and you aren’t convinced whether brisket is good for you, remember that it is the best type of lean meat you could get from beef. Take care and enjoy!