New USDA data show 29 beef cuts are lean
September 23, 2005

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced Release 18 of its Nutrient Database for Standard Reference and the new data show 29 cuts of beef meet government guidelines for lean. USDA’s definition of lean means cuts containing less than 10 grams of total fat, 4.5 grams or less of saturated fat and less than 95 milligrams of cholesterol per 3-ounce serving. The list of lean beef cuts includes many traditional favorites like tenderloin and T-bone plus new cuts available as a result of the checkoff-funded muscle-profiling project, including the Western Griller and Ranch Steaks.

The beef checkoff program partners with USDA to fund the analysis of beef cuts to be sure the beef nutrient data remains up-to-date and accurate. This update is important because USDA’s nutrient database of nearly 500,000 food products serves as the nutrient data source for government nutrition programs and many epidemiological studies analyzing associations between food consumption patterns and health.

Reporters and health professionals/influencers will be alerted to the release and the fact that beef options are now leaner than ever. These outreach materials, including key messages, a lean list graphic and bylined article, are available on the beef media resource for state partner use. Outreach plans include:

• Distributing “29 ways to love lean beef” news release to nutrition/health/food editors at national newspapers, wires, syndicated outlets, health Web sites and local daily newspapers in top-tier markets.

• Sending beef basics e-mail, highlighting news about 29 lean beef cuts to long-lead magazine editors.

• Creating bylined article about today’s lean beef for state partners to use in local outreach.

• Sending letter to key influencers, including American Dietetics Association (ADA) state and national spokespeople, alerting them to Release 18 and the 29 lean cuts of beef.

• Working with a Council for Women’s Nutrition Solution (CWNS) member to post the 29 lean beef cuts information on registered dietician listservs.

In addition, the Lean Cuts Wallet Card has been updated to reflect the new cuts including information on beef’s important nutrients. This will be available at Beefitswhatsfordinner.com and beefnutrition.org. Both the news release and wallet card will be included in press kits at the annual ADA convention in October.

This FYI is funded by the Beef Checkoff through the Cattlemen’s Beef Board and the Federation of State Beef Councils and produced by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.