Some people always associate eating fatty meat with suffering from high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, obesity, and other conditions. Lean meat, however, is treated differently. It contains less fat and cholesterol, so one can indulge in it without a second thought. In reality, all of these are misconceptions.
The recommended daily fat intake for Chinese adults is an average of 70 grams. This includes fat from cooking oil, as well as from dairy, eggs, soy products, and other sources. Additionally, 15-20 grams of fat should come from animal-based foods, which is equivalent to about 50 grams of pork (with fat) or 100 grams of lamb (with fat), or 70-100 grams of beef per day. Although the saturated fat content in lean meat is lower than in fatty meat, it cannot be broadly classified as a low-fat food. Based on tests of the fat content in 100 grams of animal meat: lean lamb contains 39 grams, and lean pork contains 6.2 grams. The cholesterol content in animal-based foods is also relatively high. Per 100 grams, lean pork contains 81 milligrams of cholesterol, lean beef contains 58 milligrams, and lean lamb contains 60 milligrams.
The Chinese Nutrition Society recommends that daily cholesterol intake should not exceed 300 milligrams. If cholesterol from other foods is also taken into account, the daily intake of lean pork for adults should preferably not exceed 100 grams. Frequently consuming large amounts of lean meat can, over time, also lead to cardiovascular diseases such as high blood lipids and atherosclerosis.