Protein and Dairy Foods

Protein and Dairy Foods

What are Proteins? Meat Poultry Fish Dried Beans Nuts Eggs

Nutrients in Protein Meat iron, B-vitamins Poultry iron, B-vitamins and phosphorus Fish iron, vitamins A and D. Saltwater fish has iodine Fat content varies. Trim the large sections around the meat. The marbling (tiny veins of fat throughout the meat muscle) adds flavor, tenderness, and juiciness, but it can not be removed

How to Lower the Fat in Proteins Eat a variety of protein foods Serve skinless poultry Choose lean cuts of meat Bake or broil foods Limit the number of eggs to 3 per week Use egg whites in recipes if possible Trim the fat from meat before cooking Allow ground beef recipes to cool and skim the fat from the top Drain fat as the meat is cooked

Preparing Protein Foods Always use low to moderate cooking temperatures Low temperature keeps the protein tender Exception broiling seals in juices over high heat

Other Cooking Tips Thaw meat, poultry, and fish in the refrigerator or microwave Use tenderness as a guide to choose a cooking method Tender cuts should be roasted, broiled, sautéed or fried Less tender cuts should be braised or stewed

Poultry Names on poultry indicate how it should be cooked Broiler-fryer Stewing chicken Roaster

Safety Tips Use a meat thermometer Ground meat 160 Poultry pieces 170 Whole poultry 180 Pork 160 Brownness on the outside is NOT an indication of doneness in meats

Fish Fish is always tender Allow 10 minutes of cooking time for every inch of thickness. Fish is done when it separates easily with a fork (flakes)

Pork Pork should be cooked to a temperature of 160 to assure trichinosis is not passed in the muscle All pork is considered to be tender

Sheep Older sheep are called mutton. They are less-tender cuts Younger sheep are sold as lamb. They are tender cuts

Eggs Remember eggs may carry salmonella ( a bacteria that can cause food borne illness) Eggs should be cooked thoroughly

Legumes Dried beans Soak first to shorten cooking time and to reconstitute Cover with water, simmer for 2 minutes, take the pan off the heat, cover and let stand one hour. Drain and rinse.

Storing Proteins Refrigerate or freeze, except for legumes Remember they are highly perishable Storage time varies: Fresh meat and poutlry-2 or 3 days Ground meat-1 to 2 days Fresh fish-1 to 2 days (cover tightly) Eggs- up to 5 weeks in the carton in the coldest part of the refrigerator Always check sell by date Wrap in moisture proof wrap before freezing

Dairy Products Milk, Yogurt, and Cheese

Buying Tips Read the label to make sure it is the product you want Check the sell by date Milk should be Homogenized to keep the fat particles suspended Pasteurized to kill harmful bacteria

Buying Tips Yogurt should be Smooth with a thick texture and tangy flavor Frozen yogurt is lower in fat than ice cream, but the helpful bacteria in yogurt are destroyed by freezing

Buying Tips continued Cheese Is made from the solid part (curd) of milk. (The liquid or whey is removed.) Cheese is sold fresh examples cottage cheese, farmers cheese, feta cheese or aged (ripened) examples are cheddar, Swiss, gouda. It also is sold processed which is a combination of several different types of cheese. Always look for lower fat types of cheese

Freezing Remember to use freezer-safe wrap or airtight containers to prevent freezer burn a white discoloration on food that lowers quality and nutritional value. Freeze at 0 F.

Nutrients in Dairy Products Excellent source of calcium and riboflavin Good source of protein, phosphorus and vitamins A and D

Preparing Dairy Foods Many dairy products may be eaten uncooked When cooking: Use low heat to avoid scorching Cover the pan to prevent a film from forming on the top

Storage Keep fresh milk in the refrigerator in the original container Store unopened canned, nonfat dry, or UHT milk in a dry, cool, place. Refrigerate after opening Refrigerate nonfat dry milk after mixing with water

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