Healing with Food Newsletter
How to Discern Protein Quality
Just as you can readily taste the difference between a slice of home-made and supermarket pie, so you can readily taste the flavor difference between pastured and industrially raised animals. The nutritional value of sustainably raised animals is also superior. Here's the information you need to help you make good choices at the market.
Feed-lot beef, factory-confined hogs and caged chickens create a lot of unnecessary suffering—for both the animals and us. The toxic waste problems generated from confined animals wreak havoc in both our external and internal environment. Whenever possible, purchase sustainably raised animal foods. Sustainable agriculture is a way of raising food that is healthy for consumers and animals, does not harm the environment, is humane for workers and animals, provides a fair wage to the farmer, and supports and enhances rural communities.
Quality meat producers state on their labels the percentage of pasture-derived feed. While the gold-standard is 100 percent grass raised, that is not easy to find today. On the web you can find small ranchers and farmers who sustainably raise superior foods. www.eatwellguide.org has a convenient feature that enables you to locate growers within a 20 or 50 mile radius of your zip code. For a comprehensive statewide listing, see www.eatwild.com.
In the least, get to know your butcher and talk shop with him. Not only can he advise the best buys and preparation techniques, but he will set aside special cuts for you. You butcher can also ask the producer relevant questions such as what an animal is fed and whether the company privately or corporately owned. Or, pick up the phone or hop online and ask the producer these telling questions yourself.
Case-ready meat from a large cut-rate market is cheap, but you’re getting the lowest quality available. Furthermore, case-ready meat is typically altered to extend its shelf life. Pass on purchases of raw, pre-marinated meat which may contain up to 20% of a seasoning solution…meaning that 20 percent of your purchase is water and cheap additives. It’s prudent to know exactly what is in the meat you purchase.
If you are one of the people who is squeamish about cutting raw meat, then purchase “stir-fry” or individual pieces, or ask your butcher to cut the meat to your specifications. Or, cook a large piece and then cut it after cooking.
Whenever possible, purchase meat, poultry and fish with the bones intact. With poultry and fish, favor that with the skin intact. Such cuts are more economical and, often, fresher, as skin is protective. There’s also flavor—flesh cooked with its bone tastes better. Lastly, you can use all left-over bones for a strengthening and mineral-dense soup stock.
Terms worth Knowing
Antibiotic Free – As documentation is not enforced, the claim “antibiotic-free” is as good as the producer’s integrity. Purchase from a sustainable producer who raises drug-free livestock.
Free-Range – Implies that poultry has outdoor access but this doesn’t mean that chickens actually get outside. Even if there’s an open door in a shed the size of football field, the tightly packed chickens remain in one spot as it’s their nature to flock together. As such sheds theoretically permit outdoor access, the producer can claim “free-range”. In better chicken operations where the birds are not tightly packed, they do have outdoor time. However, they’re contained in small yards long since devoid of plants or insects; thus 100% of their feed, typically corn, soy and supplements is provided. A sustainably raised chicken, by contrast, freely roams and eats seeds, weeds and insects. Its diet is typically supplemented with grain. Both the flesh and eggs of these chickens are high in omega-3 fatty acids.
Fresh – Freezing, to most of us, is anything 32 degrees F. or below. Today, however, poultry may be labeled “fresh” as long as its internal temperature does not go below 26 degrees F. Defying all common sense, the USDA permits this subterfuge. The term for a frozen solid “fresh” chicken at 26 degrees is “hard-chilled.” Ask your butcher if the chicken or turkey came in “hard-chilled”. If so, treat it as you would any previously frozen meat by using it as quickly as possible. Do NOT refreeze).
Hormone-Free – By Federal regulations, growth hormones are prohibited in poultry and hogs. (So when you read “hormone-free” on chicken or pork labels it is a marketing ploy.) Unfortunately, hormones are permitted in fish and in “natural” beef and lamb.
Natural Meat – If, following slaughter, meat is not treated with artificial additives or colorants, or its fundamental make-up has not been altered, it may be termed “natural.” This term does NOT refer to what the animal was fed or medicated with or to the quality of its living conditions.
Organic – Yes, we all favor organic, however don’t overlook small family farmers who can’t afford expensive organic certification but who are, in fact, both sustainable and organic. Obviously, a multi-national food company’s “organic” label means less than one from a sustainable operation.
Pasture-raised – A sustainably raised steer grazes in a field or pasture and, during winter months its diet is supplemented with hay. A feed-lot animal is fed corn, farm by-products (silage) and even animal-byproducts. Ask the producer what percentage of the animal’s feed came from pasture. The term “grass-fed” is not regulated.
% Water Retained – In the fine print on poultry labels or in meat or pork luncheon meats, you’ll see what percentage of your purchase is added water. Adding water increases the profit for the producer. The USDA permits up to 8% added water. In the case of poultry, the just slaughtered carcasses are submerged in a chill tank. Ask your butcher to provide quality “air-chilled” poultry which will be labeled accordingly. If that is not available, at least purchase poultry with 3% or less retained water.
100% Vegetarian Diet – In these days of mad cow disease, consume only meat fed a 100% vegetarian diet.
May you be well nourished!
Rebecca Wood