Raw Foodie Caught Eating Steak
I’ve been bragging about eating “raw” in Maui. But with the 1.5 hour a day walk to the beach and back – the 45 minutes of swimming and biking – the running up and down stairs all day in our two story home – and my “O” blood type – I began to crave meat. All that exercise has been developing a lot of muscle and I felt I wanted a high-quality protein (like steak!). Luckily on Maui, the cows are fed grass year round — and in this, our third, Vitalizing Foods strategy, I’ll tell you why that’s so important.
Nonetheless, I’d encourage you to read this strategy. You never know what type of situation the future may bring. You could end up in a place where beef may be the only form of protein you can eat. There are some parts of the world where the climate is so dry that only weeds and shrubs grow. The cows (or buffalo) eat the shrubs and the people eat the cows. Or maybe you’ll be stuck in an airport for three days. Or you may have children or relatives who eat beef and you would like to support them in the best way to enjoy their choice of food. Whatever the case, it’s good to have a basic knowledge that allows you to discern good beef from bad beef, and how to prepare it.
Also, I do believe the majority of people need animal protein in their diet. Especially if your blood type is “O”, which is the most common blood type. Now, dairy and eggs may be quite adequate, but sometimes it’s difficult to get dairy that hasn’t been messed with. Suffice it to say, a lot happens to your typical glass of milk on the long trip it takes after leaving the cow’s udder. You may also have an allergy to dairy or eggs. In which case, you may need some animal protein to meet your requirements – (beef lamb, goat, deer or sheep). If nothing else, this information may come in handy for educating family or friends. So, today, we’ll cover the type of beef that is safe and healthy to eat. How much to eat. How to prepare it. What to have with it to help digestion, absorption and prevent toxic build up.
Eat Only Organic
Most people reading this program know that you should stick with organic meat. This does more than just protect you from the build-up of chemicals from cows that were fed corn or soy grown with pesticides. It also protects you from cows fed genetically modified corn and soy. It even protects you from a new fad that’s been reported among struggling farmers, where they are feeding their cows stale-dated potato chips and candy. Has no one heard that you are what you eat!
Along with these cheap diets of grain, soy, GMOs and M&Ms comes a load of antibiotics. Living on such a poor diet in unhygienic conditions, the cows are often sick and they require medical intervention or prevention. In fact, such animals use more antibiotics than humans do. But it doesn’t stop there… non-organic meat is often pumped full of growth hormones (including synthetic estrogen, progesterone and testosterone and three unpronounceable synthetic hormones) to speed up the growing process. Up to 80% of cattle in the US are hooked on hormones.
Eating Out
Okay, a little, once in a while isn’t going to hurt you. If you’re a guest and you don’t want to be rude (although you could always claim you’re a vegetarian), having a meal won’t hurt you. Bless it and get on with it. But I’d recommend that you pass on beef dishes at restaurants unless they offer organic. Besides, organic tastes so much better than non–organic, and you can make a better tasting meal in the comfort of your own home.
Organic Is Not Enough
Don’t stop with organic. You also want to also make sure the cows are grass–fed. And by grass–fed I want you to make sure they have been grass–fed their entire lives. Most farmers will grass–feed cows at first, but eventually they are put into factory farms where they are fed mainly corn and soy.
Cows were not designed to live on corn and soy, even if it is organic corn and soy. They were meant to eat grass. Grass-feeding grows a stronger and meatier cow, making the meat lower in saturated fat and cholesterol and higher in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. It doesn’t grow quite as fast, but it does gain a lot more muscle. Your typical non–organic beef is much fattier, and has lower quality protein. And that, along with all the drug and hormone residue, which has more fat to hide in, is why it’s not healthy to eat.
Also, because a corn and soy diet is abnormal for a cow, its immune system is fighting these strange foods putting it under constant strain. And thus making it very prone to infection. This leads to the overuse of antibiotics and other treatments. Yet, be aware that if the corn and soy feed are organic, the meat is still considered “certified organic.”
What Grade and Cut to Choose
The grade of beef refers to the amount of marbling, meaning FAT, in the beef. And, the more FAT, the more ‘choice’ the cut. How crazy is that! The three most common grades are ‘prime’, ‘choice’ and ‘select’. ‘Select’ has the least marbling, so it is leaner, but it is also less tender. There are also lean cuts and fatty cuts. The seven leanest cuts are: eye round, top round, round tip, top sirloin, bottom round, top loin, and tenderloin.
Where to Get Good Beef
You’re not necessarily going to find organic and grass–fed meat in your typical supermarket. Unless you have an enlightened grocer! You can either go to your local health food store or directly to your local farmers.
Not all farmers can afford certification, but they still do have organic cows. In that case, you should take your family down to the farm to see how the animals are being cared for, interview the farmers, and judge for yourself. If they are out grazing in the fields and the stalls are not overcrowded and the animals look happy enough – those are all good signs.
This may sound like a bit of work, but once it’s done, it’s done, and will provide you with some of the best beef you’ve ever eaten. You may be able to set up a very affordable arrangement where you prepay each month to have beef brought to your home, fresh, after being butchered. Getting the beef directly from the farmer ensures that it’s fresh and costs less. Some families even get together and buy a share in a cow.
When I belonged Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) group in New York one of the offerings, besides organic vegetables and fruits, was fresh organic meat. Otherwise, as I mentioned, just go to your local health food store. Usually the meats will be in the freezer section. Make sure they are organic and grass–fed. If you’re not sure, talk to the staff. If you’re an internet shopper, you can even find grass-fed beef online. My first choice would be Dr. Mercola’s Grass Fed Beef.
Freeze It
When you get it home, put it in the freezer unless you’re eating it the same day or the next day. It should be good for up to a year when frozen. If you live in an area prone to long electrical blackouts, you may want to look at getting some type of backup generator if you plan on stocking up on lots of frozen meat. In the good old days, before refrigerators, people would eat their fill of beef soon after it was butchered and the rest would be salted, smoked and stored. Raw meat is not really meant to be sitting around in a refrigerator where bacteria can rapidly grow. Also, don’t thaw the meat by leaving it on the countertop at room temperature. The outside will thaw before the inside, and begin to spoil. Instead, remove the plastic and drop the meat in a pot of water. If it’s ground, then put it in the oven at a very low temperature. Or just plan ahead and take it out of the freezer the night before and leave it in the refrigerator.
Clean It
Before cooking, rinse the meat thoroughly in a pan with water and 10 drops of grapefruit seed extract. The extract is highly antibacterial, antifungal and antiparasitic. I also ozonate my meat in a pan of water. I just put the ozonating ball, running from a tube in the ozonator, into the water and turn it on for 15 minutes. That ensures sterility. The one I use is called the Dr. Katz Ozonator. Generally, you want to avoid ground beef when you can. It’s difficult to clean and you have no idea what type of conditions it was exposed to before it reached your kitchen. You can always use a meat grinder to make your own ground beef after you clean a cut of meat. It’ll taste fresher, too.
The More Rare The Better
Overcooking beef makes it toxic. If you use a barbeque, don’t charbroil or singe it. If anything turns black during cooking, cut it off. There’s evidence to show that charbroiled meat can be harmful.
Many cultures have lived quite well eating totally raw meat. While I’m not necessarily recommending that extreme, it shows that properly raised or wild meats do not suffer the same safety issues, as far as bacteria goes. It’s when farmers pump the cows full of growth hormones and antibiotics, and crowd them into tight spaces, that they start becoming salmonella factories. As an interesting twist to the raw food movement, I’ve recently spoken to several raw food chefs who tell me there is a growing trend toward eating raw meat. It makes me wonder if after years of eating raw some people are beginning to notice that something is missing.
The best way, I think, to cook meat, is to grill it in the oven and eat it rare. You can also simmer it into soups or stews. The barbeque is fine as long as you don’t blacken it. I don’t recommend frying because it involves very high heats so the outside of the meat can easily become singed. You can season with herbal/sea salt seasonings. The leaner and less tender cuts can be marinated to help break down meat fibers.
3–4 Ounces, 2–3 Times a Week
It is important to eat only small portions of beef. We can’t forget that it is rich in saturated fat, uric acid and animal toxins. Even the best organic beef is prone to mild toxins and bacterial contamination. Too much uric acid build-up can impair joint health.
Three to four ounces (75–100g), 2–3 times a week is plenty for most people. I usually only eat it once a week. There are so many other protein choices that I find I don’t need to rely on beef too much. Steak for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I don’t encourage that at all.
Three ounces of beef has about 21g of protein. For most women, that’s half their protein needs for the day. Four ounces of beef has about 28g, which is half the daily needs of most men. Of course, if you’re a bulky 8 foot giant, then eat more, by all means. Children, because of their smaller size, don’t need as much. If you’re used to eating a lot more beef, then you’ll probably find you feel better with less, particularly your bowels and your joints. Especially if you’ve been eating non–organic beef, with all the chemicals and toxins it contains. Organic, grass–fed beef does cost more. But, really, it costs the right amount. The beef available in supermarkets and fast food joints is artificially deflated through inhumane factory farming, antibiotics, growth hormones and poor feeding. So, while organic, grass–fed beef is going to cost you more, you don’t need to eat as much. Go for quality and taste over quantity.
The amount of beef being consumed in industrialized countries is unnatural and unsustainable. It takes a lot of work, time, energy and resources to raise cattle, naturally. That’s why they are expensive to buy. In the middle ages, beef was something only the rich consumed in large quantities (which is why kings often suffered gout). Today, everybody likes to think they are eating beef, but they are really just eating an inhumanely treated cow, seasoned with artificial flavorings. In many future modules I’ll show you how to prepare other protein–rich foods so you don’t need to rely solely on beef. You’ll find one or two steaks a week are plenty.
In many future modules I’ll show you how to prepare other protein–rich foods so you don’t need to rely solely on beef. You’ll find one or two steaks a week are plenty.
Don’t Just Eat Beef
The bad press beef has received for being carcinogenic is related to our very poor diet revolving around junk food hamburgers (which are only partially made of beef), French fries and synthetic desserts. Beef has toxic counterparts that you can balance out. Anytime you eat beef, it’s best to consume a raw fresh salad or lightly steamed vegetables.
They go great together. It’s also important to eat vegetables with beef because meat has no fiber. Unlike pure carnivores, human intestines are quite long. We require plant fiber to give our bowel movements enough bulk so
they pass before they begin to putrefy. Also, as an added measure of protection you can consume fruits, such as cherries (or unsweetened cherry juice) or blueberries as these can dramatically inhibit heterocyclic amines – a
carcinogenic chemical that forms during the overcooking, frying or barbequing of beef. The main point is to be balanced. Eat some protein. Eat some vegetables. Eat some fruit. Exercise is also important to help detoxify uric acid. In Eat Right 4 Your Type by Dr. Peter D’Adamo, he maintains that an “O” blood type thrives on lots of exercise. I know that to be true for me. Personally, heavy exercise and animal protein go hand-in-hand.
Make It Happen
- Buy only grass–fed, organic beef.
- Freeze it until you need it.
- Wash it before you cook it.
- Cook it rare or medium rare, never well done.
- Only eat 3–4 oz. (75–100g), 2–3 times a week.
- Have salad or steamed vegetables on the side.
Questions and Answers
What about mad cow disease?
Mad cow disease was caused by cows being fed other animals. This is even worse than cows being fed corn or soy. Cows should be fed a strict vegetarian diet. And they certainly shouldn’t be eating other cows. As long as you stick to organic, grass–fed cows, you don’t have to worry about mad cow disease.
Is beef jerky healthy to eat?
If you are going out into the depths of the Arctic Circle for a few months, it might be a good idea. Otherwise, I’m not a big fan of it. Actually, I don’t think I’ve ever eaten it! It’s difficult to hydrate and I question how much of it gets properly digested and absorbed. If you do like jerky, make sure you eat REAL jerky, from a health food store or a quality online retailer. Drink plenty of warm water with it.
What about organ meat?
I generally don’t recommend eating organ meat. Once upon a time, it was probably a good idea. Eating the thyroid of cows, for example, may help with thyroid problems. Today, however, even the most, well–treated cow is going to be exposed to pollutants from the environment – air, food and water. Organs, especially the liver, process toxins. So, organ meat will carry toxins, even if it was grown organically.