Superfoods For Health
Lesson 3

Mmmmmmmm... Cow!

By now I am sure you are aware of how important protein is for your muscle building progress… and one major source is from the lean meats we eat on a daily basis.

But and I mean this as a bit but… what if that meat you are eating is harming your health? I know it sounds crazy and I am not trying to get you all worked up… but its definitely something to think about.

But I am going to stop there and let you read on to judge for yourself and decide if the meat you have in the freezer is up to par.

You Might Want To Think Twice Before Eating That Piece of Meat

The meat industry is huge in America. There is no doubt about it, but have you ever stopped to wonder how all that meat is being produced to feed all of us on the continent?

I have been eating primarily chicken and seafood for the past 4 years, thinking that I was being the healthiest possible and dipping into red meat only occasionally. That was until I learned that there was even more I needed to do to be healthy.

I will never eat any meat again that is not grass fed. I am not trying to sound like hippy chick on a soapbox but I care about what goes into my body and so should you. If you are a member of The Art Of Weight, then obviously you do.

I read a recent scientific research report (as I am a huge science geek) that stated that Americans consume more than 90kg/year of meat. That's a whole lot of meat! And how do we get all that?

Well, in the early 1900s animals were farmed privately and sold but today to keep up with high demand, animals are raised in "prison cells" and pumped full of feed to promote fast growth and large size. No sunlight and roaming for these guys.

But that's still not the part that gets me. Its what in the feed that blows my mind.

We trust that the government is out to take care of us and if they say its ok, then it must be. Well yes and no. The animal feed is pumped full of antibiotics, proteins, synthetic chemicals, etc. The hormones and additives have not been in use long enough to know the effects that it may have on humans. But I don't want to find out.

Today's animals are being fed mixtures of plant-based products, rendered animals, animal waste, antibiotics and organoarsenicals. It doesn't take a big time scientists to say you shouldn't be eating animal shit, sorry but there is no way to say it in a lady-like manner.

As for the rendered animals, yes that's correct, cows (and other animals) are being fed meat and bone meal, blood meal and feather meal for extra dosages of protein. To get more specific: in the U.S. there was over 8 million tons of rendered animal products pumped out with around half of it going into animal feed. GROSS!

Yes... you read that correctly: above I did say that animal waste was also going into the meat you may be putting on the grill tonight.

Why? To cut back the cost of feed.

There have been guidelines developed by the AAFCO, I would rather just not have to worry about it at all since the "guidelines" are not enforced or regulated as well as they should be.

Other ingredients include animal fats that are sometimes contaminated with dioxins and PCB's which are harmful to humans. Also antibiotics are added, sounds like a great idea but their use has been linked to cause antibacterial-resistance. Essentially we are making bugs stronger. Think about the recent E.coli breakouts. See the connection?

Where Are Humans Harmed?

Many of the ingredients are known carcinogens and I am personally a big believer that these such habits and environments are what are leading to the dramatic rise in cancers.

Also, If we make bacteria resistant to our treatments it means we get sicker. I don't want to worry about salmonella. And the last concern I am going to mention is a neural degenerative disease (variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD). Which is linked to the animal feeding practices going on. The disease is currently untreatable and fatal.

My last point to argue is who wants to eat their pet's poo? I do not care if the heat of cooking does kills it off. If you eat your meat with a little pink still in the middle I am sure there is still some unkilled bugs hanging around.

I am in no way recommended becoming a vegan. I think that animal protein is very important, especially for those wanting to gain muscle. But I do think it is valuable to pay the extra dollar or two for the grass fed, organic meats to avoid thinking about all that nasty.

Ok, now you know where I stand. If you are currently unsure what type of meat you and your family are eating just read the label. All grass fed, free-range meats will have it stated on the label.

I know this is just one more thing to worry about but you can be the judge as to the extent you want to worry. I don't want to upset anyone with my views it is my goal to present the facts and allow you to decide for yourself where you stand.

So you might be wondering… what is the super food in this article? Thank goodness for the few free-range, antibiotic-free and grass fed facilities that are scarcely located around the country. They provide you with the highest quality proteins for the ultimate physique.

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