Striving4Zen

A diet high in red meat is just not good for us. But some people need to eat meat. If you're one of them, make sure you select grass-fed meat (not grain-fed or even worse!).

According to recent studies, grass fed cattle produce meat higher in beta carotene, vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids than meat produced from cattle raised by conventional ranching techniques. Conventional ranching techniques means cows raised in lots and fed mostly corn and processed feed.

According to Michael Pollan's well known book The Omnivore's Dilemma, cows evolved to eat grass and roam around in pastures. When cows eat grass they are leaner animals and produce leaner meat, which translates into healthier protein for us. Corn creates fat marbled meat, but the corn also upsets the cows four stomachs. Which in turn, leaves cattle more prone to infections, hence the increase in antibiotics given to cows. Historically speaking, corn was not the major feed for cows until after WW II, which is relatively recent in the grand scheme of things.

Unfortunately, the label/term grass fed is not currently regulated by the USDA. Ranchers and farmers raising grass fed animals are lobbying hard to have the term regulated. So your best bet is finding a ranch close by that raises grass fed cattle. If you are interested in finding grass fed beef produced close to you - check out Local Harvest.

Thanks FitSugar!

Labels: beef, corn, eating healthy, Fat, grains, grass-fed, healthier, meat, Michael Pollan, organic farms, red meat

In case you didn't already have enough to worry about, a recent article by the Journal of Horticultural Science and Biotechnology asserts that today's vegetables have fewer nutrients than the ones produced 50 years ago. While today's broccoli, tomatoes, and other produce tend to be larger and more beautiful than the puny specimens of the late 1950's, they allegedly contain between 5% and 40% fewer vitamins and minerals.

One reason for this drop is the so-called "dilution effect." Today's veggies, although bigger than in those of the 1950's, contain roughly the same amount of nutrients. Consequently, their vitamins and minerals are combined with a lot more cellulose and carbohydrates, leading to far fewer nutrients per serving. As larger vegetables are selectively bred to maximize size, this dilution effect grows more and more pronounced.

While dilution is endemic to most forms of agriculture, the industrialization effect can be mitigated by organic and local farming. Organics spend more time in the ground and are exposed to more nutrient-rich soil. While this results in lower yields and higher prices, it also produces vegetables that are more nutritious. In other words, while you might not be able to feed your kids the same high-quality Brussels sprouts that grossed out poor Beaver Cleaver, organic produce might just offer a comparable experience!

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Labels: dilution effect, healthy food, nutrition, organic farms, organics, study, vegetables

It's only January, and the organic industry is already having a bad year. Not only have producers been losing consumers due to the hefty price tag of organic food, but the industry has struggled to maintain its integrity. With organic feed prices at an all-time high, farmers in the UK are lobbying the government to temporarily relax organic feed standards to assist livestock producers who are currently paying twice as much for organic feed as they would conventional.

In California, state investigators have discovered that California Liquid Fertilizer, an organic farming treatment, had been spiking its fertilizer with a synthetic product banned from organic farms. The tainted fertilizer infiltrated up to a third of the organic market, including produce giants such as Earthbound Farms, for up to seven years. Following the incident, investigations have begun into other organic fertilizer distributors in different states. With these issues now in the spotlight, it's my feeling that consumers will be left confused about organic standards of quality, and distrustful of industry practices.

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Labels: California Liquid Fertilizer, eating healthy, organic farms, organics, scam, toxins