Wednesday, February 28, 2018

Animal Protein - what not to eat and why

Conventional CAFO (confined animal feeding operation) animals are raised in crowded unnatural circumstances with no opportunity for exercise. Their meat is virtually devoid of beneficial omega-3, CLA, and vitamins A and E, it’s high in dangerous omega-6, and it’s loaded with antibiotics, e.Coli, GMOs, pesticides, and other chemicals. Even if you don't care about the appalling way the animals are treated, for your own health please buy pasture raised or wild.

RUMINANTS (beef, bison, lamb, goat):  Should be 100% pasture-raised and grass-fed.  
Hay is OK in winter but fresh grass is much better.  The healthiest meat is slaughtered in the fall after a summer on fresh grass. 

Some ‘grass-fed’ farms use DDGs (dried distiller grains) which are just as bad as conventional grains – avoid them!

Some slaughterhouses rinse the carcass with a corn-based lactic acid solution to prevent bacterial growth while aging.  Avoid these if you are avoiding corn.

PORK: Pigs should NOT be raised solely on grass – they need carbs and protein, like potatoes and acorns.
Pigs do not have a lymph system, which eliminates toxins, so any toxins they eat stay in the meat. 
Therefore, it's important that their diet is also SOY-FREE and CORN-FREE.  Even if the feed is organic, there will be measurable amounts of GMOs and glyphosate (Round-up) in it

If pigs are fed grains and seeds high in omega-6, like corn and soy, their meat and fat will be high in omega-6 because pigs only have one stomach.  They don't have a 'biohydrogenation chamber' which contains bacteria that can convert the high LA fat in those grains and seeds into saturated and monounsaturated fats. If you cannot find a source for corn-free soy-free pork, please reduce your consumption. 


WILD GAME: Some “wild” game, like venison and ostrich is actually farmed.  If you buy ‘wild’ meat, make sure it’s really wild.


POULTRY and EGGS Must be 100% pasture raised and supplemented with organic feed.
Chickens are not vegetarians – they eat bugs and small rodents if left to forage.  Do not buy 'vegetarian fed' poultry or eggs.
Poultry also need seeds and grain but these must be SOY-FREE and CORN-FREE.  Even if the feed is organic, there will be measurable amounts of GMOs and glyphosate (Round-up) in it
If chickens are fed grains and seeds high in omega-6, like corn and soy, their meat and fat will be high in omega-6 because chickens only have one stomach.  They don't have a 'biohydrogenation chamber' which contains bacteria that can convert the high LA fat in those grains and seeds into saturated and monounsaturated fats.  If you cannot find a source for corn-free soy-free chicken, please reduce your consumption.
Conventionally raised chicken is fed arsenic to combat disease and make the flesh pink.  Because arsenic is 'organic' it IS ALLOWED in 'organic' poultry feed, and...arsenic-laced poultry manure can be used to grow 'organic' vegetables and rice. 

FISH – Should be preferably from the Arctic, Atlantic, or southern hemisphere.  Fukushima is polluting the Pacific and it’s only a matter of time before the radiation reaches the rest of the world.
Must be wild caught.  Farmed fish is full of antibiotics, PCBs, and other chemicals.  Avoid the following unless wild caught:
1.  Salmon
2.  Tilapia
3.  Sea Bass
4.  Catfish
5.  Cod
6.  Shrimp
7.  I have seen some farmed Tuna for sale online
LIMIT HOW MUCH MERCURY YOU EAT:
Larger fish have a higher concentration of mercury but ALL fish has some.

Low in mercury – Eat these
1.  Haddock
2.  Hake
3.  Flounder, fluke, plaice, sand dabs
4.  Tilapia (wild only)

High in mercury - Avoid:
1.  Shark
2.  Swordfish
3.  King Mackerel
4.  Tilefish
             SMASH fish are generally 'safe': Salmon, Mackerel, Anchovies, Sardines, Herring

Honestly, I would limit my consumption of fish that isn't line caught because some 'fishing' practices these days are decimating our oceans
This is not 'fishing' this is raping our oceans!


DAIRY: Pasteurized homogenized dairy has no nutrition (skim milk has even less).  Buy whole raw if possible.  Buy pasteurized but not homogenized if raw isn't available.  Don't buy skim or low-fat - all the nutrition in milk is in the fat.  Milk from pasture raised goats, sheep and cows is best, in that order.
www.realmilk.com lists raw diaries.  BUT...make sure the one you choose does not feed their cows conventional grain or antibiotics. 

One local (raw) dairy brags about how she gives unsalable antibiotic-laden milk to her chickens – who would buy those eggs???

Another admits they use MilkMaker which is full of GMO-soy.
Summer milk and butter from pasture raised cows is more nutritious than winter.  Organic Valley sells pasture butter made from summer milk

Jersey and Guernsey cows are most likely to be A2/A2, which is the healthiest. 
If you can't find A2 milk, butter and cream have much less of the dangerous A1 protein
Sheep and goats don't have this protein at all. 

Butter from southern Europe (France/Italy) is also A2/A2.
Try to buy butter wrapped in paper, not aluminum.





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