| In gastronomy, red meat usually refers to | | | | antibiotics) because they are constantly sick. Cattle are |
| darker-colored meat, like beef, bison, venison, lamb, | | | | ruminants (mammals that chew cud - food |
| duck, and goose. Nutritionally, the meat is red because | | | | regurgitated from stomach to mouth) and they are |
| it contains myoglobin, an iron-containing protein that | | | | ill-adapted to eating corn. Studies show that corn-fed |
| carries oxygen from the blood to the muscles. The | | | | cows carry far more acid-resistant strains of E. Coli in |
| higher the concentration of myoglobin, the redder is the | | | | their stomachs than grass-fed animals. |
| meat. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, | | | | Corn-fed cattle are stuffed with growth-promoting |
| pork and veal are also categorized as red meat, | | | | hormones. It is believed that children are entering |
| whereas chicken is considered a white meat. | | | | puberty earlier than ever before because of all the |
| In the last few decades, you have heard a boatload of | | | | hormones they consume from commercial cattle and |
| bad press about red meat, in particular, beef, and how | | | | chicken. |
| it is bad for your health. But watch out, haven't the | | | | There are vast differences in the nutrition profile |
| experts said the same about eggs and then they | | | | between grass-fed and corn-fed beef. Grass-fed |
| changed their minds? Likewise, they said that partially | | | | beef have: |
| hydrogenated vegetable oils and a high carbohydrate | | | | - Significantly higher levels of Omega-3 fatty acids |
| diet were good, and then subsequently found that they | | | | (EPA and DHA). The ratios of Omega-3 to Omega-6 |
| were actually bad. | | | | in grass-fed beef are about 1:1, whereas in corn-fed |
| Beef has always been the most widely consumed red | | | | beef, 1:20. Remember, Omega-3 reduces inflammation |
| meat in America. In the following, you will learn about | | | | and is essential for the brain and heart, while |
| the good and bad of eating beef and whether the | | | | excessive Omega-6 promotes inflammation and is |
| experts are right or wrong again. | | | | linked to obesity, diabetes, cancer, and immune |
| Are There Nutritional Benefits From Eating Beef? | | | | disorders. |
| Beef is high in iron, something lacking in many teenage | | | | - Five times more Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA). In |
| girls and women in their childbearing years. The heme | | | | animal studies, CLA has proven to be a potent |
| iron in red meat is more easily absorbed by the body | | | | cancer-fighting substance. CLA is also sold as a |
| than the non-heme iron found in vegetable sources. | | | | supplement in health food stores for reducing body fat |
| Beef supplies vitamin B12, which can only be found in | | | | and weight loss. |
| animal products. B12 is vital for the normal functioning | | | | - Higher levels of beta-carotene, vitamin E, and other |
| of nerve cells and the formation of red blood cells. It is | | | | powerful antioxidants. The fat in grass-fed beef is |
| also needed to make DNA, the genetic material in all | | | | yellow in color due to the presence of beta-carotene, |
| cells. Vegetarians and the elderly often run the risk of | | | | while that of corn-fed beef is a vitamin-deficient, pasty |
| B12 deficiency. | | | | white. |
| Beef contains zinc, which keeps the immune system | | | | If you buy "organic" beef, don't automatically assume |
| healthy. | | | | that the cattle are 100% grass-fed. "Organic" means |
| Beef provides a high quality protein, which builds bones | | | | the cattle have never received antibiotics and growth |
| and muscles. | | | | hormones and are raised on organic grains and grass |
| Beef is rich in alpha lipoic acid, a powerful antioxidant | | | | without the use of pesticides and herbicides. Watch |
| which neutralizes free radicals in our bodies and | | | | out for the so-claimed "grass-fed" beef that has been |
| protects our cells from damage. | | | | "grain-finished" (usually in small fonts on the packaging). |
| Ounce for ounce, beef has three times the iron, seven | | | | Finishing refers to the last 90-160 days before |
| times the B12, and five times the zinc of chicken. | | | | slaughter. By feeding the cattle with corn/grain, they |
| What About The Saturated Fat In Beef? | | | | fatten and mature faster; unfortunately, the levels of |
| First of all, I want to make it very clear that saturated | | | | vital nutrients like Omega-3 and CLA also decline |
| fat from beef and other meats and dairy products | | | | drastically. Therefore, always look for organic beef |
| does not increase your risk of heart disease and | | | | that is 100% grass-fed. |
| stroke. Instead, it is the industrially-produced trans fat | | | | Is Grass-Fed Beef Environmentally Friendly? |
| found in margarine, vegetable shortening, and partially | | | | Grass-fed beef has a much lighter carbon footprint |
| hydrogenated vegetable oils that is the true villain. | | | | than conventional beef. Much of the carbon footprint |
| In a new analysis that pooled data from 21 studies and | | | | of conventional beef comes from growing grain to |
| included nearly 348,000 healthy adults, researchers | | | | feed the animals, which requires fossil-fuel-based |
| surveyed their dietary habits and then followed them | | | | fertilizers, pesticides, and transportation. |
| for anywhere from five to 23 years. They concluded | | | | Grass is a perennial plant. When you rotate the cattle |
| that there was no difference in the risks of heart | | | | on grass, the grazing cuts the blades which spurs new |
| disease and stroke between people with the lowest | | | | growth, while the trampling helps work manure and |
| and highest intakes of saturated fat. | | | | other decaying organic matter into the soil, turning it into |
| Here is something you should know about saturated | | | | rich humus. The plant's roots also help maintain soil |
| fat. There are over a dozen different types of | | | | health by retaining water and microbes, and healthy soil |
| saturated fat, but in your diet, you predominately | | | | keeps carbon dioxide underground and out of the |
| consume only three: | | | | atmosphere. Through rotational grazing, land |
| - Stearic acid has no effect on cholesterol levels and | | | | degradation can be reversed, turning dead soil into |
| heart disease at all. Your liver converts it to a | | | | thriving grassland. |
| monounsaturated fat called oleic acid, which is | | | | Further, farmers do not need to use fertilizers or |
| abundantly found in olive oil. | | | | pesticides to maintain their pastures, and need no |
| - Palmitic and lauric acid do raise cholesterol, but they | | | | energy to produce what their animals eat other than |
| raise the "good" cholesterol more than the "bad" | | | | what they get free from the sun. |
| cholesterol. Therefore, you are still lowering your overall | | | | When you put the cow where it belongs - on grass, |
| risk of heart disease and stroke. | | | | that cow becomes not just carbon-neutral but |
| Your Body Needs Saturated Fat | | | | carbon-negative. Researchers estimate that with |
| For thousands of years, humans have been eating | | | | proper management, ranchers and farmers can |
| saturated fat found in meats and eggs. If you avoid | | | | achieve a 2% increase in soil-carbon levels on existing |
| eating all saturated fats, your health will suffer serious | | | | agricultural, grazing, and desert lands over the next two |
| consequences. Although some people may need more | | | | decades. (Note: It is estimated that a 1% increase over |
| saturated fat in their diets than others (due to different | | | | vast acreages can be enough to capture the total |
| body types and metabolic requirements), saturated fat | | | | equivalent of the world's greenhouse-gas emissions.) |
| is essential for your well-being. | | | | The Bottom Line |
| - It is the preferred fuel for your heart. | | | | Do not be afraid to include some beef in your diet. |
| - It provides a concentrated source of energy in your | | | | Beef has great nutritional benefits and there is no |
| diet. It slows down absorption so that you can go | | | | evidence of saturated fat intake and increased risk of |
| longer without feeling hungry. | | | | heart disease and stroke. However, this is not your |
| - It is the building block for cell membranes and many | | | | ticket to eating a 16-oz steak every night. Due to |
| hormones. | | | | metabolic and genetic differences, many people will not |
| - It is a carrier for important fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, | | | | do well on a diet high in saturated fat; in fact, majority |
| and K. | | | | needs only a small to moderate amount of saturated |
| Are All Beef Good For You? | | | | fat in the diet. |
| The answer is: it all depends on how the animal is | | | | Whether beef is good or not depends immensely on |
| raised. A growing body of research suggests that | | | | how the animal is raised. Hence, avoid commercial, |
| many of the health problems associated with eating | | | | corn-fed beef. It doesn't take rocket science to see |
| beef are really problems with the commercially-raised, | | | | that your health is inextricably linked to the health of |
| corn-fed beef. | | | | the animals you eat. So why would you want to eat |
| Cattle have evolved over hundreds of thousands of | | | | sick cattle injected with antibiotics and growth |
| years by grazing on grass in open pastures. Sixty | | | | hormones and fed a diet of genetically modified grain |
| years ago, America's beef industry changed this | | | | corn sprayed with pesticides and herbicides? |
| natural method of raising cattle to concentrating them | | | | Buy organic, grass-fed beef that has never been corn- |
| in feedlots where they are fattened on a steady diet | | | | or grain-fed. Not only are they environmentally |
| of corn and soybeans. A corn-fed cow grows from | | | | sustainable, they are also healthier and tastier. It is true |
| 80 to 1,100 pounds in 14 months, whereas a grass-fed | | | | that grass-fed beef is a lot more expensive but what |
| animal takes 18-24 months. As a result, corn-fed beef | | | | is good health worth to you? We all set priorities in our |
| has become so much quicker and cheaper to produce. | | | | lives, so what are yours? |
| Corn-fed cattle are given an arsenal of drugs (such as | | | | |