6 oz steak protein

As you slide into your favorite booth at your favorite steakhouse, that oft-repeated expression crosses your mind: I know I shouldn't. But when it comes to a cut of top sirloin, the better question might be, Why shouldn't you? A lean cut is packed with protein – exactly what your body needs. And when your server sets down that simmering entree before you, ask for some pointers so you can replicate the “perfect” grilled sirloin at home. After all, why shouldn't you?

Maybe that I know I shouldn't thought was triggered by your fear that steak can be loaded with fat. In fact, some of the most flavorful cuts of beef – especially the rib-eye – are those that are downright fatty. But when you're trying to be health-conscious and keep your cholesterol in check, it's better to choose lean cuts of beef.

In the case of top sirloin, you're in luck. You can enjoy robust flavor and reap nutritional benefits. Top sirloin is one of five cuts of beef that the United States Department of Agriculture classifies as “extra lean.” (The others are eye of round roast and steak, sirloin tip steak, top round roast and steak and bottom round roast and steak.

Still, you may want to go easy on your protein intake by day because that juicy cut of sirloin could cause you to exceed your recommended, daily protein intake at night.

An 8-ounce cut of top sirloin contains 58 grams of protein – and about calories, of which come from fat.

If you're a year-old woman who is 5-foot-6, weighs pounds and whose general activity level is “low-active,” you need 51 grams of protein per day.

If you're a year-old man who stands 6-foot-2, weighs pounds and whose activity level is also “low-active,” you need 69 grams of protein per day.

If you want to compute your recommended daily allowance of protein – and calories and carbs, too – multiply your weight, in pounds, by

As much as you may savor top sirloin, your probably know that sirloin is a tougher cut of meat and so can be chewy. To tenderize it, you may prefer a seasoned rub, a salt rub or a marinade. But whatever you do, broiling, grilling or pan-searing will produce the best result.

As Bodybuilding.com colorfully puts it: “Lean meats like sirloin can quickly become tougher than shoe leather when overcooked. Your best defense against eating a hockey puck is to cook the steak over high heat not past medium-rare, about 3 minutes per side.”

If medium-rare isn't your preference, or you're grilling for others with varying tastes, consider using a “poke test” rather than stabbing the steak with a meat thermometer to test for doneness. While accurate, a thermometer can unleash the juices that help keep the meat tender. The cooks at OntheGas.com have devised a simple strategy: “If you can poke a steak and get no resistance, it’s rare. If you can poke it and it is rubbery, it’s well done. Use that as a basic measure. Medium steaks bounce back when poked. Medium rare steaks bounce back slowly when poked.”

As fun as it might be to poke at a steak – not to mention devour it – you don't want to overdo a good thing. By now, you know the magic word – moderation. In this case, the word comes straight from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which recommend that adults consume no more than 6 ounces of lean meat, chicken or fish per day. So if you carve into an 8-ounce top sirloin one night, go easy on your protein intake for at least a day. You should because as good as top sirloin may taste, it contains saturated fat and cholesterol and teems with sodium, too.

Mary Wroblewski earned a master's degree with high honors in communications and has worked as a reporter and editor in two Chicago newsrooms. She worked alongside a noted Chicago area nutritionist and holistic healthcare adviser whose groundbreaking work focuses on food allergies and the belief that 1) many people have them but don't know and 2) once you identify them, people can make healthy eating an integral part of their life. Mary writes extensively about healthy eating and healthy living topics.

Nutrition Facts

% Daily Values*

Total Fat

g

33%

Saturated Fat

g

50%

Trans Fat

-

Polyunsaturated Fat

g

Monounsaturated Fat

g

Cholesterol

mg

46%

Sodium

mg

28%

Total Carbohydrate

0g

0%

Dietary Fiber

0g

0%

Sugars

0g

Protein

g

Vitamin D

-

Calcium

27mg

2%

Iron

mg

18%

Potassium

mg

11%

Vitamin A

0mcg

0%

Vitamin C

0mg

0%

Nutrition summary:

A 6-ounce portion of sirloin steak is twice as big as the recommended 3-ounce portion, which is about the size of a deck of cards or the palm of your hand, according to MedlinePlus. Eating a 6-ounce, protein-rich sirloin will help you meet — or exceed — your daily protein needs. In addition to being rich in protein, sirloin steak is packed with essential vitamins and minerals.

Every cell in your body contains protein. You must consume protein through a balanced diet to repair cells in your body and make new ones. There are specific times in your life when you might need more protein in your diet, such as during childhood, the teen years and pregnancy.

A 6-ounce portion of beef sirloin steak contains about 52 grams of dietary protein, according to the USDA National Nutrient Database. A woman who eats a 6-ounce sirloin steak will exceed her recommended dietary allowance or RDA. The daily RDA for protein is 46 grams for women and 56 grams for men.

If you trim the fat off your sirloin steak, you'll reduce its overall calorie content. The USDA National Nutrient Database reports that a 6-ounce portion of lean top sirloin steak with all the fat trimmed off contains about calories. In comparison, a 6-ounce portion of sirloin trimmed to 1/8 inch of fat provides calories. Eating some of the fat found on sirloin also means you'll increase your saturated fat and cholesterol intake, which increases your heart-disease risk when consumed in excess.

Although sirloin steak does contain protein and dietary fat, it is a carb-free food. Reducing your carb intake while boosting your protein may help increase satiety and control your overall calorie intake, but your body does require carbs on a daily basis to function properly. The Mayo Clinic reports that carbohydrates should account for 45 to 65 percent of your total daily calories. So if you eat 2, calories, you'll need to eat between and grams of carbs. To round out your meal with some healthy carbs, try adding peas, corn, brown rice or quinoa to your 6-ounce steak entrée.

Beef sirloin is abundant in numerous vitamins and minerals that your body needs on a daily basis, such as zinc, phosphorous, potassium, magnesium, niacin, vitamin B12 and iron. Additionally, because the iron found in sirloin — and other meats — is in the form of heme iron, it is more readily absorbed by your body than iron found in plant-based foods.

Tips on how to cook the perfect steak from Chef Jamie Oliver include letting the sirloin come to room temperature before you start to help the heat penetrate to the middle of the meat. Aim to cook your sirloin medium-rare to medium to retain more of the juices and tenderness. And turn it every minute so that it cooks through evenly. Once it's cooked, rub the sirloin with a small amount of olive oil and enjoy a juicy, delicious steak. Add in a source of healthy carbs, and you're on your way to a healthy, well-balanced meal.

Ounces to Grams conversion table