In the US, beef is only surpassed in popularity by chicken. This recent development may have to do with the fact that beef has earned a reputation for being unhealthy, with some people choosing to avoid red meat entirely. This decision is not entirely fair, however, as lean cuts of beef are just as healthy as lean cuts of chicken or turkey, while processed meats are unhealthy whether made from red or white meat.1 Moreover, it is not yet perfectly clear whether saturated fat—found in fatty meats—is so unhealthy in the first place.2
If you want to err on the side of caution, lean cuts of beef include tenderloin, strip steak, top sirloin, T-bone, flank steak, and lean ground beef. Other popular cuts regardless of fat content include roasts (e.g. round, chuck, rump, or rib roasts/prime rib) and briskets for stewing/braising/roasting, numerous steaks (e.g. rib eye, T-bone, fillet steak, flank steak, strip steak), and the tenderloin (e.g. filet mignon).
The huge variety of beef cuts can be confusing, so a guide to beef cuts might be helpful. If you care about animal welfare and avoiding antibiotics in your food, choose organic and/or grassfed beef whenever possible. Try eating a few vegetarian meals to offset the added cost.
