Smarter Meat Choices
by Melinda Hemmelgarn
Choose certifi ed organic meat. Organic certifi cation prohibits antibiotics, added hormones and genetically modifi ed (GMO) feed.
Select grass-fed and grass-fi nished meats. Look for the nonprofi t American Grassfed Association (AGA) certifi cation, which ensures animals eat only grass and forage from the time of their weaning until harvest, and are raised without antibiotics or hormones (
AmericanGrassfed.org). AGA standards apply to ruminant animals only: beef, bison, goat, lamb and sheep.
Support Country of Origin Labeling. This mandates that retail cuts of meat must contain a label informing consumers of its source. The U.S. meat industry has worked to stop such labeling.
Beware of misleading labels. “Natural” provides no legal assurance about how an animal was raised. “Vegetarian feed” may mean GMO corn and/or soy. (See
GreenerChoices.org.)
Buy directly from family livestock farmers. Check out sites like Local
Harvest.org and
Tinyurl.com/Farmers MarketsDirectory.
Pay attention to portions. The U.S. Department of Agriculture serving size weighs three ounces, about the same size as a deck of cards. Think of meat as a side dish and balance the rest of the plate with vegetables, leafy greens, beans and other legumes.
Once a week, cut out meat. Participate in Meatless Mondays (
MeatlessMonday.org).
Assume all retail meat carries bacteria that can cause food-borne illness. Practice safe food handling as directed on package labels. (Also see
FoodSafety.gov and KeepAntibiotics
Working.com.)
26 Central Florida natural awakenings
In 2015, the World Health Organization International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifi ed
processed meat (like hot dogs, ham, sausages, corned beef and beef jerky) as “carcinogenic
To be interested
in food, but not in food production, is clearly absurd.
~Wendell Berry
to humans” and red meat (beef, veal, pork, lamb, mutton, horse and goat) as “probably carcinogenic to humans.” Risk increases with amount consumed, and the evidence is strongest for the relation of processed meats to colorectal cancer. Trentham explains some factors that make red and processed meats risky. “Heating or smoking meat creates cancer-causing compounds. Processed meats contain salts, nitrates and nitrites; a chemical mélange of preservatives that can increase risk,” she says. Trentham and Karen Collins, a registered dietitian and advisor to the AICR, concur that the form of iron found in meat also contributes to cancer risk. Still, the IARC report recognizes, “Eating meat has known health benefi ts.” Meat is a rich source of protein and B vitamins, iron and zinc. Livestock feed further infl uences nutritional
composition, with meat from cattle raised on pasture (grass) containing higher levels of benefi cial omega-3 fatty acids compared to meat from animals fed grain.
According to medical doctor and National
Institutes of Health researcher Captain Joseph Hibbeln, consuming fewer omega-6 fatty acids and more omega- 3s may be one of the most important dietary changes for cutting the risk of chronic diseases, reducing infl ammation, improving mental health, enhancing children’s brain and eye development and reducing worldwide incidence of cardiovascular disease by 40 percent. When it comes to eating meat, the agricultural practices, quantity consumed, and methods of processing and cooking make a difference. It turns out that what’s good for the environment is good for animals and people, too.
Melinda Hemmelgarn is an award- winning registered dietitian, writer and Food Sleuth Radio host with
KOPN.org, in Columbia, MO. Connect at
FoodSleuth@gmail.com.
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