Organic vs. Conventional Meat
Tis the season for summer barbecue’s and more importantly, being aware of where your beef and poultry come from, the life it lived, and the impact it has on our soil and environment before it has arrived on your plate.
Though I whole heartedly believe in the benefits of a primarily vegetarian diet, I do love to indulge in a juicy steak, or a piece of grilled chicken, so long as it comes from a “happy cow” or “happy chicken”.
Let’s dive into some of the key differences between organic and conventional meat, and being a conscious consumer.
Organic and Regenerative Practices
Meat that is good for you, as well as our ecosystem.
(Force of Nature)
Animal Welfare- animals are allowed to roam freely, eat more nutrient dense foods, have outdoor access and develop as nature intended.
Free of synthetic growth hormones, antibiotics, GMO feed and cages.
Grass fed beef in moderation is nutrient rich, provides high quality protein, and is abundant in Zinc, and Iron, Vitamin E, B12 and B6.
Regenerative farming allows for measurable improvements to soil health which can help create a ripple effect across the land and for the farmers profitability.
I always advise eating meat as a side and making your vegetables and carbohydrates the majority of your meal. Your portion of meat should approximately be the size of a deck of playing cards, or when you make a fist with your hand.
Conventional Practices
Factory Farming: Production is maximized, while cost and quality is minimized. This often causes over crowding, which leads to diseases spreading more rapidly amongst the animals, causing the stress of the animal to skyrocket and quality of the animals life to be greatly diminished.
Growth Hormones (used for cattle and sheep): Hormones are injected to plump up the animal and make them as large as possible, often beyond what their limbs can support. Growth hormones are used because animals are unable to grow to their natural size due to overcrowding in the Factory Farms. Their growth is stunted, resulting in a small and sickly animal. These growth hormones are often injected to ensure the animal is as large as possible before slaughtering so there is more meat to profit from. We as consumers ingest hormone residues in our food which may increase the risk of cancer in our breast and reproductive systems.
Antibiotics: The World Health Organization (WHO), has stated that using antibiotics in animals, no matter at what stage, can increase the risk and danger of the animal becoming drug resistant, as well as increasing the chances of antibiotic- resistant bacterial infections in humans.
Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO): GMOs put simply, is the changing of an organism on a cellular level, often to achieve a desired result that is not possible in nature.
GMOs are a direct extension of chemical agriculture, and are engineered for herbicide tolerance. GMO crops are responsible for the emergence of superbugs which can only be killed with extremely toxic poisons. Some of the most heavily sprayed GMO crops are soy and corn, the primary makeup of feed for cattle. Given GMOs are new, the long terms affects are undermined, and many consumers make the decision to not ingest this Genetically Modified Organisms and rather support regenerative farming practices, and allowing cattle to graze on grass, and high quality, non GMO feed.
Join me in being a conscious consumer. We as consumers have the power to determine what is sold by how we spend our dollars, and I encourage you to make a conscious choice when you are buying.
Be well,
Catherine xo
