For some health commentators, "steak and potatoes" symbolizes bad diet practices. The steak is usually from feed-lot fattened cattle, with cuts that have a thick layer of fat along one edge, and marbled fat distributed through
red meat. Such marbling makes meat tender and flavorful for present tastes.
Whereas several ounces of meat per day suffices for health, we tend to equate large servings with prosperity, so 8 to 16 ounce steaks are typical, especially in restaurants.
Range fed beef without fattening, or wild meats such as consumed by our hunter ancestors, are not popular today, but would be better for our health.
The potato, a healthful low fat high protein food, is often served with added fat. Baked potatoes can be smothered in butter, sour cream, or cheese. Mashed potatoes can be fortified with butter, margarine, milk, and salt. Too bad.
Often, "steak and potatoes macho guy" goes easy on low fat preparations of vegetables, salads, fruits, like knights of bygone days. Knights considered vegetables to be foods only for farmers and other peasants. For them, meat and alcoholic beverages with some bread and cheese were preferred fare. Pork was eaten more than beef.
So what can average person do who depends on grocery stores for food? Seldom will non fattened four legged meats be found there.
For meals prepared from ground meats, one can select 90 to 95 percent lean. As I have described elsewhere, one can also replace a fourth to a half of meat with extra firm soy tofu, mashed with a fork, depending on dish.
For steaks, one can select leaner cuts, such as round steak. Broiling such cuts can make rather dry results, so cooking in covered skillet, perhaps with some tomatoes or tomato sauce, should be considered. Look in ethnic cookbooks. Avoid barbecue or steak sauces which are high in sugar, fructose, or oils.
