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What role does red meat play in a healthy, balanced diet? A healthy, balanced diet should include a variety of foods from four main groups of foods: - Bread, rice, potatoes, pasta and other starchy foods - Fruit and vegetables - Milk and dairy foods - Meat, fish, eggs, beans and other non-dairy sources of protein In contrast, foods from a smaller fifth group that includes foods and drinks that are high in fat and/or sugar should only be eaten in small amounts.
Red meat is also a nutrient-dense food. This means it contains a wide variety of nutrients in a relatively small amount of food. In particular, it contains a range of vitamins and minerals, including zinc, Red meat is also a source of heart-healthy unsaturated fats. In fact, lean beef and pork actually contain more polyunsaturates and monounsaturates than saturates. Meat also contains small amounts of omega-3 fats, which help to keep the heart healthy. With the exception of oil-rich fish, few foods contain good amounts of omega-3s. This makes the small amounts in red meat an important source, especially for people who eat little or no oil-rich fish.
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Lean red meat therefore plays an important part in a healthy, balanced diet. As well as containing iron, it provides many other nutrients that are essential for good health. In particular, it’s an important source of protein, which is needed to help cells grow and repair themselves. Good amounts of protein have also been linked to improving satiety – the feeling of fullness at the end of a meal – so low-fat foods that contain good amounts of protein may help with weight control. 
