Red Meat: Friend or Foe?

No matter your involvement in the health and fitness field, I'm willing to bet that at some point in your life you've heard that red meat does nasty things to your body.  It has been claimed to increase mortality rate in all sorts of ways, including increased risk of cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.  Those are some pretty hefty claims, all due to the good ol' moo cow.  But let's look at this a little more closely, and try to shed a light on red meat.  You may be surprised to discover that it's not the killer it's been made out to be.

Firstly, I know there have been many studies done on the correlation between red meat and increased mortality.  But every study I come across doesn't quite hold up to the claim that red meat is the actual reason the test subjects died an early death.  In fact, it's virtually impossible to prove that red meat is the reason for premature mortality.  Sure, it's associated.  But hey, if most of those test subjects were on the average American diet of fatty meat and high carb-loaded, chemical packed, sugary junk, then don't you think the latter might have had a bit to do with it?  And what about genetics?  There are just too many factors to blame it all on red meat.  Don't get me wrong, there's some bad red meat out there, but is all red meat inherently dangerous?  Heck no.  Let's look at what makes up the difference between healthy red meat, and the nasty crap.

First thing you should know.  When you eat an animal, you eat parts of what that animal has ingested.  You're getting a little taste of its diet history, and that may be good, or bad.  If you're eating venison, I wouldn't worry too much, as deer tend to have about the cleanest diets going.  If you're eating a cheap cut of beef though, I'd be a little wary, as most of the cheap stuff was fed feed corn and antibiotics on a daily basis in order to make the cows as big, meaty, and profitable as possible.  When fed corn, the cow puts on a lot of excess fat, which marbles (or interlaces) with the actual muscle, making the cuts absolutely delicious, but packed with saturated fat.  The antibiotics most cattle are given have two distinct purposes: First, they prevent the herd from contracting common diseases, and destroying profit.  Second, smaller doses actually cause the animal to gain weight, which INCREASES profit the farmer obtains at slaughter.  Cows are also given growth hormones which...well...cause growth.  All this equates to more meat and more money.

Unfortunately for us, these chemicals remain in the cuts of meat when we consume them, and they don't do our bodies any favor.  And THAT, my friend, is why red meat is bad for you.  There isn't any curse in the meat itself which causes health problems.  In fact, apart from the chemicals, red meat is actually very, very nutritious.

Protein:  Red meat is packed with protein, and has always been a favorite of the muscle building crowd.  In fact, lean ground beef is one of the most useful muscle building tools going.  A little less than a quarter pound of lean beef has about 25 grams of protein, which is pretty darn awesome.  Not to mention it's delicious, cheap, and readily available at almost any grocery store.  And to top it all off, the protein in red meat is very bioavailable, meaning your body can readily use that protein to rebuild muscle fibers with a high degree of efficiency.  Neat!

Vitamins and Minerals:  Surprisingly, red meat has a ton of vitamins and minerals that your body will love you for consuming.  It's extremely rich in B vitamins, and provides about 70% of the required value of B-12 in 100 grams.  It's also very rich in vitamin B-6, vitamin A, riboflavin, and niacin.  Red meat is also one of the best sources out there for both zinc and iron, and will provide about a quarter of the daily recommended value per serving.  Red meat is also extremely rich in selenium, providing about a fifth of the daily recommended value in one 100 gram helping.

Antioxidants:  That's right, red meat has antioxidants!  Actually, it's got a whole bunch, including generous amounts of glutathione, lipoic acid, carsonine, and anserine.  These substances have been proven to help maintain healthy blood sugar levels, act as "anti-aging" compounds, and help maintain healthy metabolic rate.

Fat:  Now you may think you know what's coming here, but prepare to be surprised.  Red meat doesn't just have saturated fat, in fact the majority of the fat in red meat is monounsaturated, and is of the same chemical construction as the healthy fats in olive oil.  It will lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and raise (HDL) cholesterol. The majority of the saturated fat in red meat is stearic acid, which will increase good cholesterol, but have no effect on bad cholesterol, resulting in only a small deficit in the "bad" direction.  The rest of the fat in red meat is polyunsaturated, and will lower bad cholesterol, and have no effect on good cholesterol.  All in all, about 70% of the fat in red meat is beneficial toward your desired cholesterol ratio.  Doesn't sound so bad, right?  Definitely not as bad as it's been made out to be.

So the real question is, how do you get all these health benefits without all the nasty hormones and fat associated with cheap cuts of beef?  What you need to look for in the grocery store is GRASS FED BEEF. Ground, grass fed lean beef is very low in unhealthy fats, packed with protein, and basically eliminates most of the marbled fat that exists within the meat itself.  Grass is a much healthier alternative for the cows, and by eating it the cows retain much less fat overall and build higher quality muscle.  The same can be said for pork, and you should look for grass fed, or pasture raised varities.  This will virtually ensure that the animal was healthier, and carrying less fat at the time of slaughter.

But wait, even if you choose a nice cut of grass fed meat, you're not out of the woods yet.  You should also make sure you look on the label for something like "no hormones" or "no antibiotics," to ensure you're getting meat WITHOUT all the nasty chemicals.  This will provide you with a healthy and fantastically delicious dinner which will definitely help you build some muscle and trim the fat.  Just be smart about your purchase, read the labels, know your red meat.

Here's a link to the FDA's list of labels that can be placed on food, and what you should look for depending on your goals:http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Factsheets/Meat_&_Poultry_Labeling_Terms/index.asp

Still scared of the myths you've heard about huge caloric content?  Let me brush that nonsense aside right now:

This is for lean, ground, grass fed beef.  Not bad at all.  I could fit that into so many diets I couldn't even come close to counting them all.  Don't be scared of red meat.

Hmmm...maybe I shouldn't have put this picture in...a little too cute...

Bottom line:  Red meat isn't inherently bad for you, and is in fact quite healthy in its natural state.  Don't be scared to eat it, and pay no attention to all the haters of red meat and all its glory.

Enjoy your food, love red meat, and as always, GOOD LUCK!


References:
http://www.eatthefatoftheland.com/red-meat.html
http://animalrights.about.com/od/animalsusedforfood/f/AntibioticsrGBH.htm
http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/the-truth-about-red-meat

Food Worship #13: Grapefruit

I am a huge fan of the grapefruit.  If given the opportunity, I'll eat at least two a day, sometimes more.  They're juicy, delicious, filling, packed with nutrients, and HUGE.  They're a fantastic source of natural sugars, and boy do they taste great.  Many of you are probably familiar with the grapefruit as a breakfast food, and probably remembering preparing it by sawing it in half, adding some sugar, and digging in with a spoon.  But did you know that eating these things as you would an orange works just as well?  A ripe grapefruit is plenty sweet on its own, and if you can eat one in its natural state (without the added sugar) you're doing your body a TON of good.  And as I always do with this article series, let's look a little closer at the grapefruit.

Firstly, where does this thing even come from?   Well, it's a subtropical citrus fruit, and actually the largest producer of grapefruits in the world is our own United States of America (obviously in the more southern parts, where it stays a little bit warmer.)  The actual tree that sprouts these remarkable fruits is an evergreen tree, which to me seems somewhat strange, but then again nature always seems to confuse me at least slightly.  Grapefruits generally come in three main varieties, containing either red, white, or pink flesh.  I've only tried the first and the last, and I can say both are absolutely heavenly.  But what makes the grapefruit so darn healthy?  Let's explore a few of the unique health beneficiaries a grapefruit possesses.

Antioxidants:  The grapefruit is packed with a large amount of the very beneficial antioxidant lycopene, which can help to protect your cells from oxidative damage from free radicals.  This means grapefruit has an anti-carcinogenic effect, which I'll take any day of the week.  In fact, a study was recently done on a large group of men, and it was found that men who consumed foods rich in lycopene (such as grapefruits, tomatoes, etc.) had an 82% less chance of contracting prostate cancer.  That's pretty amazing.

Lowers Cholesterol:  Grapefruits have the fantastic ability to significantly lower cholesterol levels.  They contain a type of fiber called pectin which slows the process of atherosclerosis, which in layman's terms means that consumed high cholesterol foods are less effective at raising LDL or "bad" cholesterol.  Red grapefruit also lowers blood triglycerides, another nice benefit to get whenever you can.

Low Calorie:  Surprisingly, despite grapefruits being so large, they're actually a low calorie fruit.  Even the big ones only have about 100 calories, which is fantastic if you want a nice, filling meal without all the calories you're trying so desperately to avoid in your quest for a slimmer waist.  And believe me, a grapefruit can really bulk up a meal.  They're loaded with water, meaning they're very filling.  After you eat an entire grapefruit, you'll more than likely stay satisfied until your next scheduled meal, meaning it's much easier to stay on track with your diet.

Vitamins/Minerals:  Grapefruits are packed with these little guys, and everyone will do your body and mind a whole-lotta good.  Probably the most significant vitamin in grapefruit is vitamin C.  A grapefruit has a whopping 70% of your daily vitamin C, which besides being a great immune system booster also has awesome anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects.  Honestly, the more you can get, the better.  Grapefruit is also very rich in vitamins A, B5, and B1.  In terms of minerals, grapefruit is a great source of potassium.

Fiber:  Last but not least, grapefruits, like most fruits and veggies, are packed with fiber.  This stuff is extremely important to get a lot of, and will help to keep your digestion system healthy as well as provide a full, satiated feeling for hours on end.  That's a pretty sweet double whammy.

So there you have it, a little look at a pretty hefty fruit.  As I've said many times before, I LOVE grapefruits and eat them on a regular basis.  I suggest you do the same, as they give a great energy boost and have a TON of healthy features inside that peel.  What are you waiting for?  Go pick some up and enjoy!

Keep peeling, munching, and living healthy.  GOOD LUCK!




References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grapefruit
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=25

Diet Soda, Savior or Saboteur?

At some point or another, we've probably all hear how unhealthy soda can be.  Perhaps you've heard the story that coca-cola can dissolve a tooth in a night, or that it's the same stuff used to pick up chemical spills.  Maybe you've heard that it eats away at your stomach lining, causing ulcers and other very painful, damaging conditions.  Whether these claims are true or not, you'd be right to think that soda definitely is not a health drink.  The sugar content alone should make most people steer clear.

But what about diet soda?  All those nasty sugars have been replaced by artificial sweeteners, such as Aspartame and Sucralose.  And the nice little nutrition label reads a satisfying "0 calories."  That must mean it's not like it's big brother, caustic and destructive.....right?  I'm sure my mom is on her knees begging right now for me to just end the article with a big, fat "RIGHT!!!" And shut down my computer.  Diet Pepsi is her life.

Well mom, I hate to say it, but that's not the whole story.  Diet soda has quite a few little quirks about it that would inevitably make it a snack you might want to skip...unfortunately.  The thing is, these little devious side effects aren't easily noticeable, and therefore might sabotage your clean eating diet without you even realizing it.  Here's what to watch out for when it comes to diet soda:

Increased Appetite:  Because you're not putting any real calories in your system, diet soda isn't going to save you from the hunger pains.  It's not a legitimate "snack", and if your hunger continues to be ignored you're more likely to binge on that fat bag of pretzels in that long car ride.  If you're hungry, don't expect much out of a diet pepsi.  Grab an apple, a banana, or maybe an orange (after all it is cold season.)

Linked to Obesity:  Hold on there, I didn't say diet soda CAUSED obesity, but it certainly has some frightening statistics associated with it.  Here's a good display of obesity percentages that I found multiple places on the web.

For regular soft-drink drinkers, the risk of becoming overweight or obese was:

• 26% for up to 1/2 can each day
• 30.4% for 1/2 to one can each day
• 32.8% for 1 to 2 cans each day
• 47.2% for more than 2 cans each day.

For diet soft-drink drinkers, the risk of becoming overweight or obese was:

• 36.5% for up to 1/2 can each day
• 37.5% for 1/2 to one can each day
• 54.5% for 1 to 2 cans each day
• 57.1% for more than 2 cans each day.

For each can of diet soft drink consumed each day, a person's risk of obesity went up 41%.

That's pretty ridiculous, though in my opinion it's not diet soda which is causing obesity.  I believe these people who are obese diet soda addicts have switched to diet soda in an attempt to feel a little better, but instead have replaced the lost calories with an extra large fries at McDonald's (one of the most popular places diet soda is sold.)  Diet soda isn't a miracle cure, and usually the food it is accompanied by is extremely detrimental to any sort of benefits that might be obtained by drinking it.

Metabolic Syndrome:  For a long time, there has been evidence that diet soda is linked to this condition.  "MetSyn" is a combination of many smaller symptoms that end up drastically increasing your risk for type 2 diabetes, stroke, and coronary artery disease.  Personally I find it hard to lump diet soda in equally with: low amounts of exercise, a horrible diet, and excessive body fat, but nonetheless the evidence seems to exist that it can be a contributor.  Again, this may be because the majority of people who drink diet soda are obese already, but it's a little nugget of knowledge you should definitely keep in the back of your mind.  

Destructive Chemicals:  Some people will complain about the large amount of aspartame sweetener in diet soda.  I don't jump on the "aspartame =bad" train so easily.  Studies have proven that artificial sweeteners are not NEARLY as dangerous as claimed, and by all means will NOT cause cancer.  I believe that diet soda's more destructive chemical happens to be phosphoric acid.  This chemical is infused with soda to add a "tangy" flavor, and will end up destroying both teeth and esophagus alike.  It's powerful stuff, and I should know.  I don't drink soda, I use it as a rust removal tool when sanding and repainting sheet metal.  The stuff works, and every time I see that shiny steel, once orange with rust, I think "how can people drink this stuff?"  Watch out for that phosphoric acid, it can do more damage than you think.


But wait.  I'm not here to completely destroy diet soda.  No, I believe it does have it's place.  Some people just "need" soda for whatever reason, and I know that I could argue with them all day and they'd never even consider chucking the stuff (and believe me I've tried.)  So here's my little note of encouragement.

Diet soda, if it's going to be enjoyed, should be enjoyed in moderation.  Don't take it for anything else than it is.  It's not a weight loss tool, it's not a justification for sweet snacks, it's not an accompaniment to a dirty, fat filled meal, and above all, it's NOT VERY GOOD FOR YOU.  Diet soda is diet soda, and should be enjoyed merely as that and nothing more.  While this may seem obvious, it's clear to me that to a lot of people it's not obvious at all, especially judging by those obesity statistics.  Sure, if you're going to drink a soda, make it diet.  You could definitely do without all that sugar. But please, whenever possible, have a glass of water, milk, or juice instead of that coke zero.  You'll feel better, believe me.

Drink up, stay clean, and as always, good luck!

Food Worship #5: The Pomegranate

To be honest, it'd been forever since I've had a Pomegranate.  In fact I bet a lot of my readers have never tried one before in their life.  Actually, you might not even know what one looks like (that's OK, it's a pretty strange fruit, not a common buy.)  But last night, when visiting home, I found a big ol' red pomegranate just sitting there on the counter, inconspicuously.  Upon asking about it, my mom said I was welcome to slice it in half and have one of the pieces, as the other was to be saved for my sister (who saves food for months.  She still has Easter candy from two years ago.)  I immediately cut that sucker open and dug in.

The only really edible part of a Pomegranate are the seeds, which seems strange because usually we avoid those in most fruits.  The actual fleshy part of the fruit itself is quite bitter, and although I tried a couple bites, I definitely don't think I could've stomached the rest of it.  Pomegranates have both an interesting flavor and texture, both of which are very distinct.  The seeds are quite sweet, juicy, and slightly crunchy as well.  It's definitely a flavor I REALLY enjoy, and I'd suggest picking up a pomegranate from your local grocery store sometime in the near future and trying it out, as you might find you are very partial to it.

Interestingly enough, the humble pomegranate has had a rich history with all sorts of ancient civilizations.  It's believed that Eve (from the bible) actually picked a pomegranate from the Garden of Eden, not an apple like we've come to believe.  Ancient Egyptian mummies were often buried with pomegranates because it was believed they could offer immortality to the dead.  And in both ancient Greece and China, pomegranates are a symbol of good luck.  That's a lot of history for one fruit.

But what I've found most interesting with pomegranates are that for some reason, to me, they just feel healthy.  The taste is powerful enough to convince you that this big red bulbous fruit is definitely helping your body in some way or another.  And you'd be right to think that.  Pomegranates are one of the best fruits going in terms of nutrients and antioxidants.

Here's a few of their numerous bodily benefits:

Heart healthy:  The antioxidants in pomegranate seeds and it's juice have a plethora of uses in your body, such as preventing the oxidation of bad cholesterol and causing the hardening of arteries.  The juice can even help to clear already clogged arteries to a certain degree.  This will help to keep your blood flowing smoothly, allowing it to deliver more oxygen where it's needed, lowering your blood pressure, and putting less strain on your heart.

Fights Cancer:  There have been all sorts of studies done on pomegranate juice's effect on various types of cancer.  The juice supposedly kills breast cancer cells, can help prevent and slow the growth of prostate cancer (this was proven in an experiment involving mice), and may even help prevent certain types of lung cancer.  That's an impressive resume for a simple fruit, and all the more reason to get a little bit of pomegranate juice into your diet.

Pomegranate juice has been shown even to help prevent an already existent cancer from spreading cancer.  Here's a quote from an article regarding prostate cancer and pomegranate juice:

"The Martins-Green lab applied pomegranate juice on laboratory-cultured prostate cancer cells that were resistant to testosterone (the more resistant a cancer cell is to testosterone, the more prone it is to metastasizing).

The researchers -- Martins-Green, graduate student Lei Wang and undergraduate students Andre Alcon and Jeffrey Ho -- found that the pomegranate juice-treated tumor cells that had not died with the treatment showed increased cell adhesion (meaning fewer cells breaking away) and decreased cell migration."

I definitely suggest reading more of that article, as it shows some pretty extraordinary supporting evidence for the benefits of pomegranate.  Here's the link:  http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/12/101212121741.htm

Vitamins/Other Nutrients:  Pomegranates, like other fruit, are a very rich vitamin source.  They tend to have an especially large amount of Vitamin C, an extremely important vitamin in the now full blown cold season.  Pomegranates also have large amounts of Beta Carotene, as well as Polyphenol, another assistant to decreasing bad cholesterol.

Fiber:  The seeds in pomegranates have a decent amount of fiber in them, which as you can tell by my previous articles I'm a HUGE fan of, because fiber has so many great benefits.  It can help control your weight, aid in healthy digestion, and help keep you satiated.  Just plain awesome.

Clearly, pomegranates are quite the health food.  They taste AMAZING in my opinion, and I would definitely recommend trying one out.  It'll only do your body good, and can be a great alternative to the boring old fruit bowl filled with apples and oranges day in and day out.  Get some variety in your diet, try a fruit you haven't before.  Make the pomegranate a new staple in your clean eating endeavors.

Oh, one more note, pomegranate juice stains any sort of fabric.  I found that out last night while cutting into the darn thing.  Make sure you're wearing an old shirt, or are well protected.

Try some variety, pick up a fruit with both an amazing history and a bright future.  Good luck!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A few reference sites:

http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/the-health-benefits-of-pomegranates/

http://www.ehow.com/facts_5049955_vitamins-pomegranates.html

http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/the-health-benefits-of-pomegranates/

http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/11-health-benefits-of-pomegranate-juice.html

http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/the-health-benefits-of-pomegranates/