Food Myth No. 1 - The truth about steaks

We all love beef.  In fact, I have a posting that identifies some of the best places in Houston to get a great steak ("Top Steakhouses in Houston", June 1, 2010).  This deliciousness can be so flavorful and satisfying in his "heaviness" that the experience will stay with you for days (in more ways than one).  However, in the spirit of of this blog which attempts to encourage great living through education and hard work, you must realize a steak is not a steak is not a steak.  You hear the term "marbeling" and we instantly know that the most flavorful of beef selections has this coveted quality.  Just understand there is a price to be paid for this wonderful taste..... yes, let's say it all out loud "marbelling" is the code word for fat.

When you go to one of these wonderful establishments that have been granted celebrity status with their names being mentioned on these pages;  Yes, you will get the salad with fat laden dressing.  That issue is for another post.  Yes, you will get your fully loaded baked potato.  Yes, you will probably finish the meal off with some type of dessert (brownie with ice cream, so good).  That's the reality and assume they're common no matter what steak you get.  Now let's also assume you order at least an 8-ounce selection.  The government classifies a serving as 4-ounces.  The only time we get 4-ounces of beef is at McDonald's or Burger King.  Most folks over the age of 4 will select 8, 12, or 16 ounces of grain fed beef when ordering steak.

So with this background, what kind of 8-oz steak will make a big difference in the quality of your inevitable path toward aging:

Sirloin, lean, broiled: 424 calories, 14.8 g fat

T-Bone, broiled: 490 calories, 23.8 g fat

NY Strip, broiled: 392 calories, 26.0 g fat

Prime Rib, broiled: 538 calories, 45.0 g fat
Ribeye, broiled: 600 calories, 46.6 g fat
Porterhouse, broiled: 600 calories, 47.6 g fat

Club, broiled: 730 calories, 53.8 g fat

OMG: Club steaks have 3 times the fat of a sirloin!  T-bones and NY Strips are reasonable compromises.  The rest, particularly if you choose the "Big Boy" 16-oz variety of the artery cloggers should be eaten with caution and only in celebration of your first marathon or reaching the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro.

Bon Appetit!