Everybody loves a good juicy burger. But a common misconception is that burgers don’t fit your macros and aren’t the healthiest choice on the menu. Now, if you’re hitting up White Castle or In-N-Out that may be true, since they cook burgers in vegetable oil, and put it between two slices of simple carb white bread buns. But when you’re cooking a burger at home, it’s a different story. We’re going to talk about the 5 delicious types of burgers you can cook at home in your kitchen or on the BBQ, that will fit your macros and help you meet your health and fitness goals to get some gains.
Beef Burger
There’s nothing quite like a delicious and traditional beef burger. When you’re cooking at home, go for the Grass-Fed hormone-free 90% lean/10% fat burger. A 4 oz burger will have 197 calories, 22G of protein, 11g of fat, and a healthy number of essential micronutrients such as zinc, magnesium, vitamin B6 and iron. Did you know that these micronutrients, can also help establish healthy testosterone levels?
Bison Burger
Bison burgers are not only delicious, but also edge out Beef in protein content at 24G per 4oz serving. If you’re looking for a lean piece of meat, Bison is a definite must have. In addition to a variety of essential micronutrients zinc, potassium, selenium, Vitamin-E, and B-Vitamins, Bison contains omega-3 fatty acids as well. Like beef, look for bison that is 100% grass-fed to avoid any hormones, which may cause inflammation.
Black Bean Burger (Vegan)
The advantage that veggie burgers have over animal-based burgers, are the micronutrients. Black beans are packed with fiber, vitamins, and minerals, and have much lower fat and cholesterol content. The downfall? Protein content. If you’re looking for a lean option, black beans have less protein at around 5G and a higher net carbohydrate content per serving. Additionally, they’re not a complete source of protein, meaning they do not contain all 9 of the essential amino acids, to initiate the muscle-building process or protein synthesis. Nevertheless, black bean burgers are a great plant-based alternative.
Turkey Burger
Turkey burgers are another great burger option, that will help keep you lean and healthy. A 4oz 90% lean/10% fat turkey burger, contains 160 calories, 11g of fat, and 20g of protein. Turkey burgers like beef, contain iron, potassium, and even have calcium. However, unlike beef, turkey isn’t the juiciest of meats and is much different in taste.
Venison Burger
Venison Burgers are the leanest burger option out there. A 4oz Venison burger contains 160 calories, 6g of fat, and 23G of protein. The only drawback to Venison, is that it can be a bit gamey in taste and you'll have a hard time finding it, unless you're the one putting it on your table from the deer tag you pulled. Make sure you dress this bad boy up in some delicious seasoning when you pound out that patty.
The Fixings
No matter what burger you go with, it’s nice to have some alternatives to keep things fresh. Remember to dress up your burger with some fixings, condiments and get creative. You can add things like
- Tomato
- Onion
- Lettuce
- Avocado
- Mushroom
- Sweet Relish
- Bacon
- Egg
- Jalapeño Jam
- Bacon Jam
- BBQ Sauce
- Ketchup
- And don’t forget the Cheese!
The Bun
If you choose to go with a bun, make sure to use whole-wheat. Whole wheat is a complex carbohydrate, and won't spike your blood sugar, which can lead to creating more body fat. But, remember to pay very close attention to the other ingredients. Just because a product says whole wheat, does not mean that it is made with 100% whole wheat flour, or cracked wheat. Many food manufacturers, will claim a product is whole wheat, but they will contain other types of flour, and refined sugar additives such as high-fructose corn syrup, barley malt, dextrose, maltose, and many other additives hidden in plain sight. When in doubt, go for the organic, 100% whole wheat option. That is if it's available.
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