Meat cutlets

Meat is a good source of protein, meat cutlets and minerals in your diet. Department of Health and Social Care advises that you cut down to 70g.

Some meats are high in saturated fat, which can raise blood cholesterol levels if you eat too much of it. Making healthier choices can help you eat meat as part of a balanced diet. If you eat a lot of red or processed meat, it’s recommended that you cut down as there is likely to be a link between red and processed meat and bowel cancer. A healthy balanced diet can include protein from meat, as well as from fish and eggs or non-animal sources such as beans and pulses.

Meats such as chicken, pork, lamb and beef are all rich in protein. Red meat provides us with iron, zinc and B vitamins. Meat is one of the main sources of vitamin B12 in the diet. Food hygiene is important when storing, preparing and cooking meat. Eating a lot of saturated fat can raise cholesterol levels in the blood, and having high cholesterol raises your risk of coronary heart disease.

The type of meat product you choose and how you cook it can make a big difference to the saturated fat content. As a rule, the more white you can see on meat, the more fat it contains. For example, back bacon contains less fat than streaky bacon. How much red and processed meat should we eat? Processed meat refers to meat that has been preserved by smoking, curing, salting or adding preservatives. This includes sausages, bacon, ham, salami and pâtés.