It's a shame the most delicious cuts of beef are often the ones with more fat. And most of us know that too much fat is a no-no for a healthy heart.

A new scientific study, however, has discovered that eating lean beef can be healthy. The study published in the Journal of Human Hypertension and conducted at the Pennsylvania State University found that nutrient-rich, lean beef consumed daily can cut blood pressure and this helps lower the risk of heart disease.

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Prof. Penny Kris-Etherton, Distinguished Professor of Nutrition at Penn State and one of the researchers involved in the study, said their research adds to the significant evidence that supports lean beef's role in a heart-healthy diet.

Prof. Kris-Etherton and her team of four tested four diets: the "healthy American diet," the BOLD+ diet, the BOLD diet and the DASH diet.

The healthy American diet served as the control for the study and consisted of 0.7 ounces of lean beef per day.

The DASH diet included 1.0 ounce; the BOLD diet had 4.0 ounces and the BOLD+ diet 5.4 ounces of lean beef.

Researchers tested the four different diets on 36 participants between 30 and 65 year old. All participants followed each diet at different times during the study period. The participant's blood pressure was taken at the beginning and end of each diet period.

The study found that the BOLD+ diet was more effective at reducing blood pressure compared to the other diets.

Researchers said the evidence suggests that it is the total protein intake and not the type of protein that is instrumental in reducing blood pressure.

The US Department of Agriculture defines a lean cut of beef as a 3.5-ounce serving (about 100 grams) that contains less than 10 grams total fat; 4.5 grams saturated fat and 95 milligrams cholesterol.

For the average consumer, lean beef is a beef cut that has round, chuck or loin in its name.

The Journal of Human Hypertension is exclusively concerned with all clinical aspects of human hypertension. The journal publishes fully refereed original research papers from around the world.