Avoiding the chemically loaded processed meats in store can be one of the hardest things to do – especially if you have a family.
Who doesn’t eat meat? So few are vegetarian, and many Americans incorporate meat at almost every meal – from Bacon for Breakfast, to Sausage & Pork on Pizza… to chicken at night. Even lunchmeat is a little daunting in store, with over 50 varieties .. it makes it hard to know what’s actually GOOD and what isn’t.
Most of the processed meats out there contain everything from antibiotics to hormones, nitrates and more – making them a very poor choice for meals. While it’s not necessarily always more expensive to find good quality meat, it’s not easy either – it requires more than just a quick trip to the store, throwing something in your cart.
There are so many reasons to avoid {commercially} processed meat – it’s difficult for many to push it aside and pick better options. Hopefully this will motivate you to do that.
Here are 5 reasons to eliminate this from your diet ~
#1 – Nitrates/Nitrites
Nitrates are added to many varieties of meat to extend the shelf life. If the shelf life is longer, then the meat has more of a chance of selling – right? Therefore it just makes sense that they add it.
But these nitrates are terrible for your body after digestion. They combine in the acidity of the human stomach and many of which are carcinogenic.
#2 – Hormones
2/3 of Cattle in the U.S. are given hormones, that allow their weight to increase – thus gathering a larger profit for the beef industry. From Health.com:
Today most beef cows in the U.S.except those labeled “organic”receive an implant in their ear that delivers a hormone, usually a form of estrogen (estradiol) in some combination with five other hormones. (These hormones are not given to chicken and pigs because they don’t have the same growth-promoting effect in these animals, although antibiotics are given to all three species for similar growth-promoting reasons.)
#3 – Antibiotics
Antibiotics are given to livestock – beef and chicken, even pork, to make them pack on some pounds.
These antibiotics pass through the livestock directly to us when we eat – and contribute to antibiotic resistant bacteria. Which essentially means.. if we get sick on that meat, we may not respond well to treatment in the form of antibiotics.
Read more about antibiotics in your meat HERE.
#4 – Ammonia
Ammonia is aded to beef to sterilize meat that is at risk for contamination. Mixing ammonia with water removes E. coli and Salmonella -and while it’s classified as “Very hazardous in terms of skin contact and ingestion” it’s still a practie that is continued.
That ammonia remains in the meat, which is sold and used nationwide – think of all those fast food chains. Untreated beef that has been treated with ammonia has a higher pH (6). Remember the pink slime situation a few years ago?
How yummy ~ doesn’t this sound enticing?
Looking like human intestines, “lean, finely textured beef” (LFTB) was made from unwanted beef “trim” and treated with puffs of ammonia gas to retard the growth of E. coli.
Now… since 2014, Cargill has eliminated the use of ammonia for something called Citric Acid and are now labeling the beef as Finely Textured.
#5 – Chlorine
In the U.S. processing poultry involves using chlorine to kill bacteria, and slime – it promotes a long product shelf life and helps them wash down and disinfect the water. After the feathers are removed from the birds, workers wash their hands with chlorine to reduce bacteria.
Meat is ALSO disinfected the same way – think about the conveyor belts and all the bacteria that is probable.
The USDA admits that chlorine is used, but it is justified since the amount used (parts per million) is under the allowable level…. (kind of scary -right?)
In the End
The ONLY way to avoid processed meat is to eliminate your purchases from grocers and buy local – know where your beef is coming from and how it’s handled.
That can be easier said than done, sure ~ but it’s not impossible. It takes a willingness to look beyond the grocery ads, and instead look for smaller family farms, who have the same mindset of quality, healthy products.
- Look for Organic, grass fed AND grass finished (both — there IS a difference) at your local farmer’s market, family farm, or co-op.
Learn how to cut back on the meat you eat, and incorporate more healthy vegetables (picking a CSA for your produce is a smart move too!) In the end, you will find your health improve, and you will see noticeable changes in your family – as your immune system continues to strengthen.
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