Meat: Clean, Lean, and Green
Should I eat meat? At some point, just about everyone asks themselves that question. As you know from reading ETR, we strongly believe that the answer is yes – because meat is an essential part of a healthy, fat-burning diet.
When deciding how meat will fit on your family’s plate, consider these four factors:
1. Type. Fresh meat from your grocer’s organic section is quite different from meat that’s been commercially prepared, processed, and preserved. The meat in frozen or canned “entrees” and the slimy cold cuts stacked onto a sandwich at your local sub shop is what I’m referring to here. Avoid those mystery meats and opt for fresh, organic, “clean” meat that’s free of harmful additives.
2. Amount. When I prepare meat, it is treated as a flavor-rich accompaniment, not a main dish. The meat perfectly complements the stand-out seasonal veggies and low-glycemic carbs featured on our plate du jour. I serve about three ounces of meat (about the size of a deck of cards) per person – and no one ever complains about the “small portion.”
3. Preparation. Treat your meat right! Muscle meats form dangerous carcinogens called heterocyclic amines (HCAs) when cooked at high temperatures (grilling or broiling). Instead, opt for slow roasting or simmering. Marinating beforehand is another good way to prevent the formation of cancer-causing HCAs.
4. Farming Methods. It’s absolutely essential to choose “green” meats free of antibiotics, hormones, and pesticides. These compounds are powerful endocrine disruptors in our food supply – and even “cutting back” does not safeguard against their effects. It’s also important to choose grass-fed beef, which is leaner and provides more beneficial omega-3s and more vitamin A than its grain-fattened counterparts.
By following these guidelines, you will be eating less meat and getting more of what you want – clean, lean, and green protein.
[Ed. Note: A balanced diet is part of a healthy lifestyle. And by making a few simple changes to the way you eat, you could live a longer, healthier life.For simple, healthy, and delicious meals, check out Kelley Herring’s website, HealingGourmet.com.]
Kelley Herring
Kelley Herring is the Founder & CEO of Healing Gourmet – a multimedia company that educates on how foods promote health and protect against disease. As a young adult, Kelley battled a debilitating health condition that went misdiagnosed by multiple doctors for more than a year. Finding no help from “modern medicine”, she turned to her own knowledge of biochemistry and her passion for health research. She soon learned that her symptoms were related to nutrition and within weeks, she charted a course back to health with nothing more than simple lifestyle changes and the power of the plate. The lessons she learned spawned the creation of Healing Gourmet. Kelley is a firm believer in vigorous exercise, moderate sun exposure and delicious, healthy, home-cooked meals. She is also the creator of Healing Gourmet’s Personalized Nutrition Software and Editor-in-Chief of the Healing Gourmet book series published by McGraw-Hill including Eat to Fight Cancer, Eat to Beat Diabetes, Eat to Lower Cholesterol and Eat to Boost Fertility.