Steakhouse Savvy

Barbara Feiner — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 16:45:09 +0000

Last spring, I wrote about cutting consumption of red meat, but some of us—often the guys—may crave a good steak now and then. So, can you eat steak on a heart-healthy diet? You bet, says the American Heart Association, as long as it’s a reasonable portion of lean beef. Follow the AHA’s steakhouse guidelines: Don’t order king-sized cuts. About 3 ounces of a thinly sliced cut is perfect, or choose a 6-ounce steak and enjoy non-meat entrees the rest of the day. Choose the right cut. Instead of fatty cuts like rib eye, porterhouse and T-bone, opt for leaner cuts like London broil, filet mignon, round or flank steak, sirloin tip or tenderloin. Steakhouses generally prepare your food to order.Ask to have all visible fat trimmed before the meat is cooked. Many steakhouses do a superb job with seafood. Look for fish on the menu, and ask your server about the catch of the day. Research shows eating oily fish containing omega-3 fatty acids (for example, salmon, trout and herring) may help lower your risk of death from coronary artery disease. Watch your side dishes and desserts. Avoid steakhouse standards like French fried, au gratin or scalloped potatoes; Caesar or marinated salads; fried vegetables; and pie and ice cream. Instead, try a baked potato or rice (easy on the butter), a green salad with dressing on the side and steamed vegetables. For dessert, order angel food cake, sherbet or sorbet. As always, we recommend natural and organic steakhouses to reduce your exposure to pesticides, growth hormones, steroids, antibiotics and chemicals. Great examples include Arrowhead Grill in Glendale, AZ; Bluewater Steakhouse in Capitola, Calif.; and Maxwell and Dunne’s Natural Steakhouse in Plainview, NY. Click here to watch a video from the Bluewater Steakhouse.

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Steakhouse Savvy