Is beef stew good for you?

Beef stew is a healthy option . Right? It's full of veggies and protein after all. Although traditional beef stew recipes provide more nutrition than many meals, most still plague you with far too much sodium and calories.

What are the ingredients in beef?

Beef contains several essential nutrients including protein, iron, zinc, selenium, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, phosphorus, pantothenate, magnesium, and potassium .

Is beef stew bad for high cholesterol?

Beef gets an underserved bad rap when it comes to health, especially heart health. However, research shows that a heart-healthy diet and lifestyle that includes lean beef (like in this hearty beef and vegetable stew!) can reduce risk factors for heart disease, including elevated cholesterol and blood pressure.

Is beef stew high in sodium?

A few popular brands of beef stew, for comparison, contain as much as 800-1000 mg of sodium per 1 cup serving, while this recipe contains only 171 mg per 1 cup serving .

What makes beef taste good?

Diet is one of the most influential factors that impacts beef flavor and aroma . This is because the dietary nutrients cattle consume directly impact the fatty acid profile and nutrient profile of their fat. One of the most-common mantras in the meat industry is that fat is flavor.

What ingredient makes beef tender?

Velveting is a simple process of using baking soda or a mixture of egg whites, cornstarch and oil to marinate and tenderize economical cuts of steak, chicken and other meats before cooking. Velveting meat softens fibers to reduce toughness and enhance juiciness for maximum flavor and tenderness.

What gives beef its flavor?

Broadly, meat flavour is the result of the development of hydrocarbons, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids, esters, lactones, ethers, furans, pyridines, pyrazines, pyrroles, oxazoles and oxazolines, thiazoles and thiazolines, thiophenes and other sulfur- and halogen-containing substances during chemical ...

Is stew considered healthy?

When you stew your food, you consume both the meat and the water that the meat was cooked in, so you aren't losing any of the nutrients . You can also add vegetables and other items to the stew, so these nutrients are locked in as well, making the stew even healthier.

Are there any health benefits to stew?

For example, a vegetable stew with legumes or lean meat as the protein source can provide essential vitamins, minerals, fiber, and protein, while also being low in calories and fat . Additionally, using healthy fats like olive oil or avocado can provide additional health benefits.

What are the benefits of eating stew?

“A colorful stew including carrots, mushrooms, potatoes and greens, for example, contains a medley of vitamins, minerals and fiber . Because stews provide so many different ingredients, you can also cut back on meat by adding lots of veggies. This will help you save money and calories.”

Is beef stew good for your stomach?

Lean Beef Stew Beef stew can be made belly-friendly in a number of ways. First, choose beef that is extra-lean and trimmed of fat. Next, reach for a beef broth made without onions or garlic to avoid possibly triggering gas and diarrhea.

Low Sodium Beef Tips and Gravy - Tasty, Healthy Heart Recipes (2024)

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Low Sodium Beef Tips and Gravy is easily prepared on the stove in one skillet with only a few basic ingredients but results in a tender meat smothered in a dark savory sauce that everyone loves! This meal really brings me back to the old days of eating hearty family meals around the table. You also have many options to have it served over wide egg noodles, rice or low sodium mashed potatoes.

Typical sodium amount per serving	620 – 1000 mg
Sodium per serving for this recipe	29 mg
Calories per serving	388

A few of the packaged beef tips and gravy I looked at averaged 620 mg of sodium per ½ cup and jarred beef gravy ran about 300 mg per ¼ cup. Even worse many of the recipes I perused ranged all over the place from 700 – 1000 mg of sodium per 1 cup serving. Once again a dish with so much available flavor is just overdosed in salt. With just a few replacements and enhancements you can easily make a wonderful low sodium beef tips and gravy meal yourself with just a minuscule amount of 29 mg. of sodium.

Low Sodium Beef Tips and Gravy - Tasty, Healthy Heart Recipes (1)

HELPFUL TIPSFOR MAKING LOW SODIUM BEEF TIPS AND GRAVY

If Gravy Gets Thick

If the gravy becomes too thick when simmering just add a few more tablespoons of beef broth to help thin it out. Using no sodium beef broth is a double win here for us because when the broth reduces as it cooks, it intensifies in flavor, and this prevents the final dish from becoming what would be too salty as it concentrates. I find 30 minutes to be roughly the ideal simmering time; this can vary depending on your beef cubes are though.

Wine and Mushrooms

This recipe uses a bit of wine and lots mushrooms. They both add tons of flavors, the wine adds a bit of “bite” and the mushrooms add an essential deeper umami taste to the gravy.

Browning Sauce

My best secret to getting rich dark brown gravy is to use a browning sauce. Browning sauce is a savory flavor concentrate and just a few drops can take your gravy to the next level. I remember my dad using this long ago but I have recently rediscovered its use and value in perking up a dish. Plus, it very low in sodium content as compared to Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce that is commonly used in gravies. I highly recommend it.

Low Sodium Beef Tips and Gravy - Tasty, Healthy Heart Recipes (2)

Cast Iron Skillet is Best

Using a cast iron skillet is perfect for this recipe;the wide surface is great for sautéing. And having heavy bottom and sides isideal for holding the temperature constant during a long simmer.

Use Tupperware instead of Zip-Loc Bag

When coating the beef tips prior to browning, placeand shake them in a large Tupperware container with the flour, pepper and Mrs.Dash Table Blend spice. Shake well to coat the beef. Most recipes call for a Zip-lockbag to do this. But I hate wasting bags just for this and the container is easyto washout without contributing to plastic waste.

Varying Amounts of Meat and Mushrooms

The package of stew beef I used when I made this particular recipe came in 1 1/4 lbs. package using the same amount of ingredients for the recipe and it came out just fine. Also, it barely changes the nutrition index per serving. Likewise, if you want to add more or less mushrooms that’s OK too. Though I would not leave mushrooms out as you will be missing out on a lot of flavor that adds to a low sodium meal. I am not big on the texture of mushrooms but I love the flavor, so I just chop them into smaller bits. It’s all up to you.

WHAT IS THEBEST KIND OF MEAT FOR BEEF TIPS

I personally like to use chuck roast stew meat to make my low sodium beef tips and gravy. They are typically very economical and can be simmered to a perfect tenderness just like any other beef. They generally are already packaged in a cubed form though I generally cut those cubes in half and cut off any excess fat. Since they always simmer to a nice tender “bite” I never saw the need to use a more expensive piece of meat because the majority of the flavor comes from the gravy. The most important thing to remember is, the longer it cooks, the more tender it becomes.

A few other recipes you may enjoy to dip in!

Low Sodium Beef Tips and Gravy

Author: Bill

Low Sodium Beef Tips and Gravy has to be the ultimate family dinner comfort food. Tender cubes of beef are lathered in a rich brown mushroom and onion gravy.

4.75 from 12 votes

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Ingredients

▢ 3 Tbsp butter no salt added
▢ 1/2 lb 8 oz sliced white mushrooms
▢ 1/2 cup chopped onion
▢ 2 Tbsp garlic pre-minced
▢ 2 Tbsp olive oil
▢ 1 lb stew beef (chuck roast) cut in bite size strips
▢ 2 Tbsp flour
▢ 1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
▢ 1 tsp. Mrs. Dash Table Blend spice

For the gravy

▢ 1/3 cup dry red wine Merlot
▢ 2 cups no sodium added beef broth
▢ 2 tsp Herb Ox beef bouillon no sodium granules
▢ 1/4 cup Wondra or regular flour I like Wondra as its easy to shake out and mix
▢ A few drops of browning sauce to taste
▢ Pepper to taste

Instructions

Add butter to large skillet over medium high heat. When melted toss in mushrooms and cook until browned; approximately 8 minutes. Add onions and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes or until onions start to soften and mushrooms turn golden brown. Reduce heat to low and add garlic; cook for 30 seconds. Remove mixture from pan to bowl.
In large Tupperware container with lid add flour, steak bites, Mrs. Dash Table Blend and pepper. Shake to coat. Add olive oil to skillet over medium high heat. When oil is shimmering add steak and cook until browned. Remove previous waiting bowl.
Add red wine to skillet and deglaze the pan; scraping up the brown bits from the bottom.
Then add beef broth and Herb-ox beef flavor. Simmer for 5 minutes; stirring a couple of times.
Whisk Wondra or sieve flour into skillet with beef broth mixture. Cook until slightly thickened; approximately 2 minutes. Add browning sauce a few drops at a time to taste.
Add mushroom mixture and beef back to pan; simmer for at least 15 -20 minutes or until meat is tender.
Mrs. Dash Table Blend & pepper to taste.
Serve over egg noodles, rice or mashed potatoes.

Nutrition

Calories: 388kcal

https://tastyhealthyheartrecipes.com/main-dishes/entrees/low-sodium-beef-tips-and-gravy/

Did you make this recipe?Leave a rating and let me know how it was!

Nutrition Information – The information shown is provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be substituted for a doctors or nutritionist’s advice. Please understand that not everyone’s sodium requirements are the same, therefore some recipes may be higher than you’re allowed. Always consult with your doctor for your recommended daily sodium allowance.

Low Sodium Beef Tips and Gravy - Tasty, Healthy Heart Recipes (6)

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