There's some great news for Texas barbecue lovers. Scientists with Texas A&M AgriLife Research said Texas' famous beef brisket has many health benefits.
Studies conducted at the university have shown that good cholesterol, HDL, increases in men and women who eat ground beef that is high in oleic acid. This includes grain-fed beef from Angus, Wagyu or Akaushi cattle.
Those who participated in the study ate five beef patties a week for five to six weeks.
“Brisket has higher oleic acid than the flank or plate, which are the trims typically used to produce ground beef,” he said. “The fat in brisket also has a low melting point, that’s why the brisket is so juicy. That’s also why we like it so much here in Texas, and it’s by far the most popular choice for Texas barbecue."
Ground beef produced from brisket contains high levels of oleic acid.
“The brisket has become one of the preferred trims to produce ground beef,” said Smith. “Americans consume over 50 percent of their beef as ground beef. They use it in many recipes, not just to make hamburgers. Also, more than 25 percent of the beef carcass is used to produce ground beef, which improves the sustainability of beef production.”
Smith's research looked at ground beef intake and plasma risk factors for cardiovascular disease and type II diabetes in men and women.
“Ground beef is not going to kill you,” he said. “When you take the beef out of fat, it reduces LDL, but also reduces HDL,” he said. “Our studies have shown that fat is a very important component of beef.”
