The 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee for 2015 held its second hearing at the National Institutes of Health in Washington. The committee, responsible for reviewing and updating the federal dietary recommendations every five years, evaluated beef nutrition.

Director of Nutrition Research at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Clara Lau said beef has changed over the years and the USDA Nutrient Database should be updated to reflect those changes.

“Beef contributes only 5 percent of today’s calories, yet supplies more than 5 percent of eight essential nutrients, including zinc, iron and protein,” Lau said.

Any revised guidelines will not be made available until 2015.