Nutrients Found in Beef
What to Look for When Buying Beef1
- Select beef with a bright cherry-red color, without any grayish or brown blotches. The exception is vaccum-packaged beef which, in the absence of oxygen, has a darker purplish-red color. When exposed to the air, it will turn a bright red.
- Choose beef that is firm to the touch.
- Make sure the package is cold with no holes or tears.
- Choose packages without excessive liquid.
- Purchase beef before the sell-by date.
USDA Inspection & Grading2
By law, all meat sold in the United States must pass inspection by a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Meat Inspector. The inspection ensures that all meat is processed under sanitary conditions and that the meat is safe to eat. It also ensures that the meat came from a healthy animal.
Once the meat passes inspection, the Inspector then grades it based primarily on the amount of marbling, the flecks of fat, within the meat. There are eight different grades of meat, but the three most common grades for consumers are Prime, Choice, and Select.
Prime
The most desirable grade, Prime, has the most marbling and can usually be found in fine restaurants. Prime meat is known for being very juicy, tender, and full of flavor.
Choice
While not as marbled as Prime, meat graded Choice still tends to be very juicy, tender, and flavorful. Meat graded Choice is easily found in Supermarkets.
Select
Select has less marbling than Prime or Choice grades and isn’t as flavorful or tender. Meat graded Select does, however, tend to be more lean than meat graded Prime or Choice. It is also easy to find in Supermarkets.
Once the meat passes inspection, the Inspector then grades it based primarily on the amount of marbling, the flecks of fat, within the meat. There are eight different grades of meat, but the three most common grades for consumers are Prime, Choice, and Select.
Prime
The most desirable grade, Prime, has the most marbling and can usually be found in fine restaurants. Prime meat is known for being very juicy, tender, and full of flavor.
Choice
While not as marbled as Prime, meat graded Choice still tends to be very juicy, tender, and flavorful. Meat graded Choice is easily found in Supermarkets.
Select
Select has less marbling than Prime or Choice grades and isn’t as flavorful or tender. Meat graded Select does, however, tend to be more lean than meat graded Prime or Choice. It is also easy to find in Supermarkets.
Notes
1. Cattlemen’s Beef Board and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, Confident Cooking with Beef (2006), 11.
2. National Cattlemen's Beef Association, The Complete take on Steak (2002), 3.
2. National Cattlemen's Beef Association, The Complete take on Steak (2002), 3.
Did You Know?
"The United States government mandates that no beef with antibiotic residues that exceed FDA standards be allowed in the food supply; therefore, all beef sold in the United States is safe from antibiotics."
Taken from "Antibiotic Use in Cattle Production" by The Beef Checkoff. Click here for the full .PDF File.
Taken from "Antibiotic Use in Cattle Production" by The Beef Checkoff. Click here for the full .PDF File.
