Meat Good or Bad?

Do you not agree that meat has harmful effects on the human body over time?

I do not believe that research supports the perspective that eating meat necessarily has negative harmful consequences. The impact of meat-eating depends completely on (1) the type of meat eaten, (2) the frequency with which meat is eaten, (3) how much meat is eaten, and (4) how well the meat is matched to a person's biochemical individuality.

Eating non-organic, high-fat cuts of meat (like rib meat) in any significant amount does clearly pose health risks. These risks includes cardiovascular risks related to saturated fat intake, cancer risks related to growth hormone residues, and immune system risks related to antibiotic residues.

Certified organic lean meat (cut from the round bone, like top round, bottom round, or eye of round) eaten in moderate amounts (four to six ounces) twice a week might be highly beneficial to some people's lifelong health. If you look at the research behind a diet like the Paleolithic Diet, you'll find that non-domesticated animals, living in the wild, often have very different types of fat than most of the domesticated, ranch-raised, and grain-fed animals that are raised today. You'll also find that in general, animals living in the wild have a far lower percent body fat than the animals we raise for meat.

While WHFoods website and The World's Healthiest Foods book do emphasize organically grown plant-based foods, I think that lean meat (as well as other animal-based foods such as poultry and seafood) can play an important role in a Healthiest Way of Eating for many people. These foods are incredibly rich in many nutrients-including zinc, iron, vitamin B12, and others—that are more difficult to find in such concentrated amounts in plant-based foods. These foods do contain saturated fat and cholesterol. Yet, I think that by picking lean cuts and including them as a balanced part of a meal as opposed to making them the center stage of the meal (for example, having a dinner meal that includes three to four ounces of meat vs. a sixteen-ounce t-bone steak), people can enjoy meat's nutritional benefits while still ascribing to dietary guidelines important for maintaining optimal health.

Yet, this is not to say that I advocate meat-eating for everyone. The physiological needs of some people can make them better suited for a meat-containing diet while other people's physiological needs may make them better suited to a diet that avoids these foods.

I do think that the quality of the meat is important, which is why I emphasize organically raised meat in website and my book. The organic standards not only regulate the use of drugs and hormones in meat but also the treatment and environment in which the animals are raised. I am happy that this arena of information—the humane treatment of animals—is becoming more widely discussed. Should people choose to eat meat (or poultry or seafood) I think that an inherent respect needs to be in place as we honor our connection to the world around us.

For more information on this topic, see:

* Beef, lean organic
* Lamb, loin
* Venison
* Why Organic Foods are Better for Health

If you have any questions about today's Healthy Food Tip Ask George.
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