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Why it’s ok to eat meat?

Meat is good for your health, if you eat it in line with the nutritional guidelines. Even a small amount of meat ensures the sufficient intake of nutrients and vitamins. In line with nutritional guidelines, we at HKFoods emphasise the significance of the versatility and moderation: varied and balanced choices help us feel well.

Healthy diet is a whole where variety is the key. Meat and meat products contain naturally many nutrients, such as protein, B vitamins as well as minerals, such as iron, zinc and magnesium.

An excellent source of protein, both in terms of quantity and quality

B vitamins and minerals, such as iron, zinc, selenium and magnesium

Good, unsaturated fat particularly in poultry

It is smart to choose different meat and plant-based protein sources on the plate. Poultry has mainly unsaturated fat, so it is a good choice along with fish. The Nordic Nutritional guidelines recommend a maximum of 350 grams cooked red meat and meat products per week. Meat loses its weight when cooked, 350 grams of cooked meat corresponds to about 385 - 390 grams of raw meat. Red meat means beef, pork, lamb and game. Our selection also includes several plant-based protein products.

Healthy and tasty food

Plate model's roots are in a Swedish meat company

Britt-Marie Dahlin worked in Scan's product development in Sweden and in the 70s, she developed the icon of a healthy meal, a plate model. The plate model demonstrates nutritional recommendations at the meal level: half of the plate is for vegetables, one quarter is for protein, such as meat, fish or plant-based protein, and one quarter for carbohydrates, like potato and pasta.

Meat is naturally rich in well-absorbed nutrients

Protein

  • Meat is rich in protein, 15–20%.
  • Meat protein contains all the essential amino acids the body needs, always in a well-absorbed form. Amino acids are building blocks of the body; they are necessary to make proteins for the body’s needs.
  • As amino acids cannot be made by the body, they must come from food.
  • Adequate protein intake must be ensured on a daily basis; the average protein requirement is 1 g protein/kg body weight.

Minerals and vitamins

  • Meat is a good source of iron, zinc, selenium, magnesium, vitamin A and B vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B6 and B12).
  • Iron in meat is absorbed better than iron in plants. Red meat has more iron than light meat.
  • Vitamin B12 is needed, for example, for the functioning of the nervous system. It is only found in food of animal origin.

Fat

  • The fat content of meat varies from 2 to 25%, depending on the part of a carcass
  • Fats are classified as saturated, unhealthy hard fats and unsaturated, healthy soft fats.
  • Most of the fat in poultry and pork, and half of the fat in beef is soft, unsaturated fat.