More Reasons to Avoid Processed Meats

re: More Reasons to Avoid Processed Meats

Witch Doctor — Fri, 04 May 2007 18:16:34 GMT

Witch Doctor 101 Multiple choice test. Please answer all questions.

Which of the following is healthier to eat?

A) Brains, eyeballs, kidneys, liver, heart, stomach, intestines, marrow, cartilage, skin, kidney fat

B) Muscle meat

Which have we been conditioned to believe is unhealthy?

A) Brains, eyeballs, kidneys, liver, heart, stomach, intestines, marrow, cartilage, skin, kidney fat

B) Muscle meat

If you saw two societies that ate the following things, which do you think is closer to nature?

A) Brains, eyeballs, kidneys, liver, heart, stomach, intestines, marrow, cartilage, skin, kidney fat

B) Muscle meat

To get credit, press the thumbs up button once and then submit your answers using the reply button.

re: More Reasons to Avoid Processed Meats

cretan-herbs — Fri, 04 May 2007 14:33:14 GMT

Part 2

In my young day, in Scotland, saltpetre was in every household cupboard.

If you asked someone if they would eat Potassium Nitrate, on a regular basis, I think they would answer No. But if you ask them, ‘would you eat food made with saltpetre’ they will say ‘Oh sure it’s harmless’. I think that it’s the ‘salt’ part that makes them think that it’s harmless.

I think back, on my last bacon and boiled ham day, many times, and wish I could have learned about saltpetre earlier.

Saltpetre … http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potassium_nitrate

re: More Reasons to Avoid Processed Meats

cretan-herbs — Fri, 04 May 2007 14:31:26 GMT

When I first came to live in Greece I found it impossible to get sausages (I’m no longer a meat eater) so when my brother came for a visit (ex-butcher) I asked if we could make some and if we could make some bacon and boiled ham.

‘We need to get some Saltpetre’ (Saltpeter) he said. ‘The pork sits in the saltpetre for 6 days until it has a lovely rainbow colour, then its bacon. That’s how you also cure ham’. The sausages have a special powder (mixture of chemicals) in them a bit like gluten, which preserves and helps the meat to stick together (rice flour does the same).

Well, the only place we could find the saltpetre was in a garden centre, where the man looked up the code number on the bag to see if we could use it for the bacon. The code number tells how much cancer you get from it and this is what they use in some of the vegetable gardens. So meat and 2 veg. took on a whole new meaning for me.

I then remembered when I was young my mother telling me that cigarettes had saltpetre in them so that they didn’t go out and you had to keep lighting them, like the roll-up cigarettes (I also don’t smoke anymore). It made me wonder if it was the tobacco that gave people the cancer or the saltpetre.

re: More Reasons to Avoid Processed Meats

sucram — Fri, 04 May 2007 09:52:30 GMT

What type of meats can be eaten raw? Sushi was a great option but dr.mercola says no fish :(
What about chicken? You can't eat that raw can you?

re: More Reasons to Avoid Processed Meats

saynotoquacks — Fri, 04 May 2007 03:56:57 GMT

I wonder if it's the hormones in this processed meat that cause breast cancer and heart disease? Just the smell of ham or lunchmeat makes me want to puke. I love FREE-RANGE ground chuck burgers with garlic and onions. I crave the fat. It's good for my hormones and all. Saturated fat and cholesterol are not what's bad! It's all the HORMONES that get into the fat of feed-lot beef!

I wonder if it's better to cook it on low heat rather than sear it? Searing is burning, and that produces carcinogens. Cooking in some water on low heat makes it nice and juicy and just cooked enough to feel 'safe" for me. Can't stand the smell of raw meat.

Someone mentioned parasites-- Did you know that your mitochondria are the most important symbiotic bacteria in your body? They are what enable you to live and respire! We are totally dependent on bacteria!

re: More Reasons to Avoid Processed Meats

tarkaygivon — Thu, 03 May 2007 12:39:29 GMT

Taken from Union of Concerned Scientists
When many Americans think of farm animals, they picture cattle munching grass on rolling pastures, chickens pecking on the ground outside of picturesque red barns, and pigs gobbling down food at the trough.
Over the last 50 years, the way food animals are raised and fed has changed dramatically--to the detriment of both animals and humans. Many people are suprised to find that most of the food animals in the United States are no longer raised on farms at all. Instead they come from crowded animal factories, also known as large confined animal feeding operations (CAFOS).
Just like other factories, animal factories are constantly searching for ways to shave their costs. To saye money, they've redefined what constitutes animal feed, with little consideration of what is best for the animals or for HUMAN HEALTH. As a result, many of the ingredients used in feed these days are not the kind of food the animals are designed by nature to eat.
Same species meat
Diseased animals
Feathers, hair, skin, hooves, and blood
Manure and other animal waste
Plastics
Drugs & chemicals
Unhealthy amounts of grains

Are these ingredients legal? Unfortunately, yes. Nevertheless, some raise human health concerns. Others just indicate the low standards for animal feeds. But all are symptoms of a system that has lost sight of the appropriate way to raise FOOD animals.
CHECK OUT THE SITE. http://www.ucsusa.org
WRITE LETTERS.
Hey, WAKE UP AMERICA!! This is the same thing that they make dog food from.

re: More Reasons to Avoid Processed Meats

kfarias_203 — Thu, 03 May 2007 11:09:30 GMT

I was at a Japanese resturaunt the other night with my husband. When asked how we wanted our meat cooked we said "medium rare" the other couple at the table said "well-done" - the food was mainly chicken and steak with an array for stir-fry vegetables - as the other couple ate, the man, whilst sipping on his coca-cola made the remark that he was eating healthier and was sticking to "lean cuisine" to stay healthy. He barely ate the vegetables and said the meat was too fattening, so he wasn't going to eat it all.....his wife, over-stuffed herself, and when finishing refused the fresh pineapple her daughter offered her. I leaned over and said "Pineapple has enzymes in it, maybe if you eat a small piece, it might help you digest all that food" - she too was sipping on cokes as were her two children.

It is really sad that most people don't see these things. Even when eating out, one needs to be careful. But steak over-cooked and soda is sad.

We rarely eat red meat here, and never buy processed foods...we try, we're not perfect, but we try, we are informed and keep informing ourselves, we drink raw milk [goats], etc. I actually felt sorry for them, I wanted to talk to them, but, its none of my business. Dr.Mercola, although I don't really care about politics on a healthfood sight, you are a dynamite array of good information, and I'm sure I speak for many, when I say: THANK YOU!!!!!!! and God Bless.

re: More Reasons to Avoid Processed Meats

certifiedorganic — Thu, 03 May 2007 04:50:13 GMT

Raw meat? That's a good way to pick up parasitic infections, is it not?

~Bonny.

re: More Reasons to Avoid Processed Meats

Witch Doctor — Sat, 21 Apr 2007 02:39:18 GMT

According to the AJRC study: "Rationale (of the study): Cured meats are high in nitrites. Nitrites generatereactive nitrogen species that may cause nitrative and nitrosativedamage to the lung resulting in emphysema." So they were studying nitrites in diet.
According to the BJC study: There were no statistically significant linear associations with consumption of poultry or offal in either pre- or postmenopausal women.

What I take away from this (just my opinion):
1) Don't eat processed meats, especially if they contain nitrites.
2) Eat offal meats and poultry.
3) Either:
    A) avoid grain-fed feedlot beef/pork from the UK; or
    B) red meats may be appropriate for only certain metabolic or blood types; or
    C) red meat contains significant iron, which is highly reactive in the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that damage tissues- as we age we tend to accumulate too much iron.

All bets are off if the meat is grass-fed, though - right?

re: More Reasons to Avoid Processed Meats

Katy B — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 21:43:51 GMT

This post was deleted because it violated our Terms Of Use :
Comment does not pertain to the topic of the article or does not provide value or insight to the discussion. Submit stories or comments linking to affiliate programs, multi-level marketing schemes, or off-topic content or any other system that will result in your personal financial or commercial gain.

re: More Reasons to Avoid Processed Meats

PPARGammaGirl — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 21:55:56 GMT

Another good reason to avoid sausages – not least because they are full of snouts, eyeballs, guts, trotters etc, is that in the FINRISK study, which followed over 24,000 people for 15 years, the dicey practice of sausage-eating (eating daily vs > 1 per month) carried the highest risk ratio for obesity (1.87) than any other lifestyle factor in both men and women - I kid you not!
Anyone unwilling to give up their sausage addiction is advised to read about "Cut-Me-Own-Throat" Dibbler's sausages in Terry Pratchett's excellent Discworld series; you'll never want to eat another sausage again.

1. Lahti-Koski, M., et al., Associations of body mass index and obesity with physical activity, food choices, alcohol intake, and smoking in the 1982-1997 FINRISK Studies. Am J Clin Nutr, 2002. 75(5): p. 809-17.

re: More Reasons to Avoid Processed Meats

Russ Bianchi — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 15:33:22 GMT

'Soylent Green,' absolutely a delicious and well balanced meat product, from the same folks who brought you burnt bacon....found at fine retailers everywhere!

You think I'm being sarcastic?

Oh ye of little knowledge....

Uncle Russ

re: More Reasons to Avoid Processed Meats

cheftodd — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 14:44:43 GMT

looking at the issue of all the problems going on with processed foods,I do not think that your butcher won't tell you , as that maybe he/she does not know. A lot of the lunch meats,hotdogs ect are already pre-packaged. The only way they are going to know what is in it , is if they are making it themselves. The key is education. Learn about all that is going into these so called Meats. Then you can make an good decision not to buy these things. because it can be very bad for your health!