Beef really needs no introduction; however, it has been much maligned and for many health conscious bodybuilders its gone the way of liver tablets - something from the old days that we don't do any more. This is a shame, because, unlike liver tablets, beef is a top notch bodybuilding food! Here are some reasons to include beef on your menu:
- Beef contains creatine. That's right! And it is one of the richest sources, so the old timers were onto something when they ate steak for strength - just took a while for the science bit!
- Beef is rich in Vitamin B6. Essential for the proper function of your immune system - which means less illness, better recovery and more gains
- Beef contains carnitine. Chicken and fish are very low in this amino acid which is essential for the proper metabolism of fat, don't buy the supplement - this tastes far better
- Beef is an excellent source of potassium and protein. Protein hopefully is a bit of a no brainer for the bodybuilder, we need protein and steak is packed full of it ready to go. Along with it is potassium, a mineral lacking in many athletes' diets - without it you get sub optimum protein synthesis, IFG-I and GH production - gulp. Beef has the protein and the punch to deliver growth
- Beef contains CLA (Conjugated Linolenic Acid) which is a potent anti-oxidant and has an anti-catabolic action, but we probably know it best for its link with efficient fat metabolism. This form is not a capsule!
- Beef up with magnesium and zinc, another two minerals known to be missing from athletes diets, (remember the supplement ZMA? It's Zinc and Magnesium!). Without these two you will impair immune function, protein synthesis, insulin production and you lose out on any anti-oxidant effects too
- Beef has iron. Its red meat and its chock full of iron in the most bio-available form, forget eating a ton of spinach!
- Beef contains alanine: another amino acid, this one is used to make sugar from dietary protein, useful if your carb intake is low (think cutting diets here), if you are eating it then dietary protein not muscle protein is the choice for fuel conversion
- Beef contains Vitamin B12. Essential for your red blood cell production, pernicious anaemia - well that's a lack of B12, and it's not fun. As a bodybuilder we need healthy blood and B12 is at the foundation of that process
- Beef doesn't have to be high in fat
That's right ten good reasons to eat beef, but which cut? In essence buying beef is easy - we are looking for lean cuts. Not just those with big wedges of fat round the outside that can be cut off; it's the marbled fat in the meat itself that is best avoided. Cuts the Americans would call the best like rib-eye - are the worst for this type of fat through the meat. You are best going for fillet, sirloin, rump and even good cuts of topside (although its best to work your frustrations out with a meat hammer to get the best from topside) can all be lean enough.
The best way to buy beef is to look at it and look at the fat content that you can see, if it is light in colour, or has lots of white flecks then its fatty, a deep rich colour with distinct fat lines is fine because they can be cut out prior to cooking along with fat round the edges. Just be sure you don't pay good money to be thrown away. Which goes to show that beef really does help you 'beef up'!