WASHINGTON – Another new educational video for consumers, this time outlining the proper portion sizes for meat and poultry products for consumers as recommended by the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, has been unveiled May 18 by the American Meat Institute (A.M.I.). Featuring Betsy Booren, Ph.D., director of scientific affairs of the American Meat Institute Foundation, this video is the fifth installment of A.M.I.’s new “Ask the Meat Scientist” series.

Dietary Guidelines recommend eating 5-7 oz. of meat and beans per day as part of a balanced diet. “That number is an average and protein needs can vary depending upon your age, whether you are a man or woman and how much exercise you get,” Ms. Booren said in the video.

Visuals of a hamburger, a pork chop, sliced turkey deli meat and a ham sandwich are featured in the video to help consumers conceptualize the proper portion sizes recommended in the guidelines.

Beans, which are in the same category as meat and poultry, are nutritious, but they are not a “complete” protein like meat, Ms. Booren explained. “Beans are incomplete sources of protein and must be eaten in combination with other foods to get the necessary amino acids,” se added. “The proteins found in meat provide all of the essential amino acids necessary for good overall health.”

To watch the video, visit A.M.I.’s YouTube channel, The Meat News Network, at http://www.YouTube.com/MeatNewsNetwork.

On average, Americans are eating the proper amount of meat and poultry per day as recommended in the Dietary Guidelines, recent data reveals.

“While many people worry they are over-consuming meat and poultry products, U.S. nutrition data show that men on average consume 6.9 oz. of meat and poultry per day and women consume 4.4 oz.,” Ms. Booren said.

She outlines in the video protein requirements for children of different ages and discusses recent research that indicates meat and poultry not only provide essential vitamins and minerals, both can aid in weight loss, too.

The last three videos of the “Ask the Meat Scientist” series will be released over the next three weeks as part of its commitment to answer commonly asked questions about shopping, preparation, cooking and nutrition of various meat and poultry products.