What foods are included in the meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs, and nuts (meat & beans) group?

All foods made from meat, poultry, fish, dry beans or peas, eggs, nuts, and seeds are considered part of this group. Dry beans and peas are part of this group as well as the vegetable group.

Most meat and poultry choices should be lean or low-fat. Fish, nuts, and seeds contain healthy oils, so choose these foods frequently instead of meat or poultry.

Some commonly eaten choices in the Meat and Beans group, with selection tips, are:

Meats*

lean cuts of: beef, ham, lamb, pork, veal
game meats: bison, rabbit, venison
lean ground meats: beef, pork, lamb
lean luncheon meats (low sodium NOT packaged)
organ meats: liver, giblet

Poultry*

chicken, duck, goose, turkey, ground chicken and turkey

Eggs*

chicken eggs, duck eggs

Dry beans and peas

black beans, black-eyed peas, chickpeas (garbanzo beans), falafel, kidney beans, lentils, lima beans (mature), navy, beans, pinto beans, soy beans, split peas, tofu (bean curd made from soy beans), white beans, texturized vegetable protein

bean burgers: garden burgers, veggie burgers

Nuts & seeds*

almonds, cashews, hazelnuts (filberts), mixed nuts, peanuts, peanut butter, pecans, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts

Fish*

catfish, cod, flounder, haddock, halibut, herring, mackerel, pollock, porgy, salmon, sea bass, snapper, swordfish, trout, tuna, clams, crab, crayfish, lobster, mussels, octopus, oysters, scallops, squid (calamari), shrimp, anchovies, sardines

*Selection Tips

Choose lean or low-fat meat and poultry. If higher fat choices are made, such as regular ground beef (75 to 80% lean) or chicken with skin, the fat in the product counts as part of the discretionary calorie allowance.

If solid fat is added in cooking, such as frying chicken in shortening or frying eggs in butter or stick margarine, this also counts as part of the discretionary calorie allowance.

Select fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, trout, and herring, more often.,

Liver and other organ meats are high in cholesterol. Egg yolks are also high in cholesterol, but egg whites are cholesterol-free.

Processed meats such as ham, sausage, frankfurters, and luncheon or deli meats have added sodium. Check the ingredient and Nutrition Facts label to help limit sodium intake. Fresh chicken, turkey, and pork that have been enhanced with a salt-containing solution also have added sodium. Check the product label for statements such as “self-basting” or “contains up to __% of __”, which mean that a sodium-containing solution has been added to the product.

Sunflower seeds, almonds, and hazelnuts (filberts) are the richest sources of vitamin E in this food group. To help meet vitamin E recommendations, make these your nut and seed choices more often.

How much food from the meat & beans group is needed daily?

The amount of food from the Meat and Beans Group you need to eat depends on age, sex, and level of physical activity. Most Americans eat enough food from this group, but need to make leaner and more varied selections of these foods. Recommended daily amounts are shown in the chart. Click here to see chart.

What counts as an ounce equivalent in the meat & beans group?

In general, 1 ounce of meat, poultry or fish, 1⁄4 cup cooked dry beans, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon of peanut butter, or 1⁄2 ounce of nuts or seeds can be considered as 1 ounce equivalent from the meat and beans group.

The chart lists specific amounts that count as 1 ounce equivalent in the Meat and Beans group towards your daily recommended intake: Click here to see chart.

Why is it important to make lean or low-fat choices from the Meat and Beans group?

Foods in the meat, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, and seed group provide nutrients that are vital for health and maintenance of your body. However, choosing foods from this group that are high in saturated fat and cholesterol may have health implications.

Nutrients

Food sources of the nutrients can be found in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

• Meat, poultry, fish, dry beans and peas, eggs, nuts, and seeds supply many nutrients. These include protein, B vitamins (niacin, thiamin, riboflavin, and B6), vitamin E, iron, zinc, and magnesium.

• Proteins function as building blocks for bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, and blood. They are also building blocks for enzymes, hormones, and vitamins. Proteins are one of three nutrients that provide calories (the others are fat and carbohydrates).

• B vitamins found in this food group serve a variety of functions in the body. They help the body release energy, play a vital role in the function of the nervous system, aid in the formation of red blood cells, and help build tissues.

• Vitamin E is an anti-oxidant that helps protect vitamin A and essential fatty acids from cell oxidation.

• Iron is used to carry oxygen in the blood. Many teenage girls and women in their child-bearing years have iron-deficiency anemia. They should eat foods high in heme-iron (meats) or eat other non-heme iron containing foods along with a food rich in vitamin C, which can improve absorption of non-heme iron.

• Magnesium is used in building bones and in releasing energy from muscles.

• Zinc is necessary for biochemical reactions and helps the immune system function properly.

Health implications

• Diets that are high in saturated fats raise “bad” cholesterol levels in the blood. The “bad” cholesterol is called LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol. High LDL cholesterol, in turn, increases the risk for coronary heart disease. Some food choices in this group are high in saturated fat. These include fatty cuts of beef, pork, and lamb; regular (75% to 85% lean) ground beef; regular sausages, hot dogs, and bacon; some luncheon meats such as regular bologna and salami; and some poultry such as duck. To help keep blood cholesterol levels healthy, limit the amount of these foods you eat.

• Diets that are high in cholesterol can raise LDL cholesterol levels in the blood. Cholesterol is only found in foods from animal sources. Some foods from this group are high in cholesterol. These include egg yolks (egg whites are cholesterol-free) and organ meats such as liver and giblets. To help keep blood cholesterol levels healthy, limit the amount of these foods you eat.

• A high intake of fats makes it difficult to avoid consuming more calories than are needed.

Why is it important to include fish, nuts, and seeds?

• Many people do not make varied choices from this food group, selecting meat or poultry everyday as their main dishes. Varying choices and including fish, nuts, and seeds in meals can boost intake of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Most fat in the diet should come from MUFAs and PUFAs. Some of the PUFAs are essential for health—the body cannot create them from other fats.

• Some fish (such as salmon, trout, and herring) are high in a type of PUFA called “omega-3 fatty acids.” The omega-3 fatty acids in fish are commonly called “EPA” and “DHA.” There is some limited evidence that suggests eating fish rich in EPA and DHA may reduce the risk for mortality from cardiovascular disease. (EPA is eicosapentaenoic acid and DHA is docosahexaeonoic acid.)

• Some nuts and seeds (flax, walnuts) are excellent sources of essential fatty acids, and some (sunflower seeds, almonds, hazelnuts) are good sources of vitamin E.