Jun04
The Dangerous Truth About Commercially Raised Meat
Do You Know What's in YOUR Meat?
Today I want to share with you 4 hidden dangers lurking in commercially raised meat. Trust me…that old phrase “ignorance is bliss” is not true when it comes to your food.
In fact, NOT knowing can be deadly.
So, here we go.
1. Antibiotics
You’ve probably heard about the overuse of antibiotics and deadly superbugs, but have you heard about the emerging link between human antibiotic use and weight gain?
Those who raise cattle have understood this link for a looooong time, and they use it to their advantage.
In fact, approximately 80% of antibiotics sold in the US are used for meat and poultry production.
Now don't get me wrong, antibiotics definitely have their place. They've saved countless lives, and I'm grateful for their existence. But most antibiotics used on commercial farms are NOT being used to treat sick cows but to make their despicable living conditions somehow “acceptable.”
Then there are those superbugs I mentioned earlier.
Strong evidence links antibiotic use in animals to their ever declining effectiveness in humans.
Not only that, but studies show(*1, *2) that these antibiotics actually alter the bacterial populations in our gut. Since 80% of our immune system lives in the gut, these unnatural changes can lead to severe immune dysfunction, weight gain and more. Kinda scary, right?
2. Hormones
Unfortunately, antibiotics aren’t the only thing conventional farmers use to their advantage.
In the 1950s, hormone use became widespread in the US and UK as a way to fatten cows faster.
Just how fast? Get this:
Back in our grandparents’ day, steers were typically 4-5 years old at slaughter. Today, (thanks to antibiotics, hormones, corn and protein supplements) steers go from 80-1200 pounds in just 14 months. Talk about a growth spurt!
Once upon a time, there were 7 popular hormones used in meat production, but one was removed in 1972 after discovering it caused cancer.
That still leaves us with 6 hormones in commercially raised meat that are banned in other countries due to similar findings. One of which is estradiol, which evidence has shown to be a complete carcinogen and tumor producer.
All of this is especially jaw-dropping when you realize that in 1981 the European Union banned the use of these synthetic hormones and refused to even import beef that contained them.
And in her awesome book The Metabolic Approach to Cancer, Dr. Nasha reveals that the European Union's Committee for Veterinary Measures Relating to Public Health determined that these six commonly used growth hormones have the potential to cause…and I quote…
"endocrine, developmental, immunological, neurobiological, immunotoxic, genotoxic and carcinogenic effects.”
That’s a lot of fancy words with one very scary meaning:
Ingesting hormones can alter our health in ways we never bargained for.
3. GMOs
According to the National Corn Grower's Association, the commercial animal feed industry is by far the largest purchaser of US corn and soybean meal – the majority of which are…you guessed it…genetically modified.
Here’s the thing, I found two studies that provide evidence that GMOs don’t JUST harm us, they harm animals too.
The first was conducted by Dr. Judy Carman (adjunct associate professor at Flinders University in Australia) and published in the Journal of Organic Systems.
This study found that pigs fed GMO corn and soy were over 2 times more likely to get severe stomach inflammation. Plus, they had (on average) a 25% larger uterus, which may indicate disease.
A second study conducted by Seralini found that rats fed a seed altered to withstand Roundup died prematurely. The GMOs caused liver damage, kidney inflammation and imbalance of sex hormones as well as mammary and pituitary tumors.
And while these studies (*3, *4) were not conducted on cows, they do provide evidence that GMOs are harmful to animals.
Besides being GMO, corn used for livestock feed is often sprayed with an herbicide known as glyphosate.
Which brings us to our last and final point.
4. Glyphosate
Glyphosate is the active ingredient in Monsanto's Roundup, and it’s a nasty little chemical often sprayed on cow feed.
Here’s why that’s a big deal:
Glyphosate is thought to interfere with mineral absorption, which is exactly what they were designed to do in plants so that’s no surprise. But reports indicate that these cows have lower levels of copper, selenium, zinc, cobalt, and manganese.
Fewer nutrients in the cows equal fewer nutrients for us.
There is also evidence that it can interfere with OUR detoxification and gut health. Glyphosate was patented as an antibiotic in 2010, which we’ve already discussed how antibiotics negatively impact our gut bacteria.
So this alone has widespread implications.
But according to Dr. Seneff's meticulous research, glyphosate exposure in humans interferes with some of our most basic bodily processes and has been linked to disorders such as autism, Alzheimer's, celiac disease, and more.
Now I know what you’re thinking, “Surely there isn’t enough glyphosate residue in my meat to be an issue.”
Please know this:
According to MIT research scientist Dr. Stephanie Seneff:
"Glyphosate has been found in multiple organs in cows, including the muscles. This means that meat from exposed cows is likely contaminated with glyphosate which means we are also likely being exposed when we eat them."
And according to a recent study from King's College in London, markers of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease were noted from ultra-low doses of Roundup – doses that are 437,500 times below the US permitted levels of daily ingestion.
When you look at all these factors – antibiotics, hormones, GMOs, and glyphosate – it becomes apparent that spending a few extra bucks on grass-fed meat could mean a world of difference to your health.
If there’s one thing I want you to take away from this video, it’s that grass-fed beef and conventionally raised beef are two VERY different foods.
With grass-fed, you get more nutrients, no antibiotics, hormones, GMOs or glyphosate, and happy healthy cows.
And if you're worried about the environmental impact, please know that well-managed grass-fed operations can actually benefit the environment – a topic we'll cover in an upcoming video!
Before I sign off, I want to tell you about some farmers I’ve spoken with.
Many of them would LOVE to stop using things like hormones, but since they earn more when their animals weigh more, it won't make good business sense to do so until consumers demand it.
You see, every time you make a purchase, you’re voting for something. This rings true no matter what you buy, but because toxins are stored in fat, purchasing high-quality, grass-fed animals products should be the top priority.
On that note, do your research on companies labeled “grass fed.” Many will claim grass fed, but will feed the cows grain for the last few months. So call them up and ASK if their cows are ever given anything other than grass their entire life. You might be surprised what you find out!
At Paleovalley, we actually visit the farms our meat comes from to ensure everything remains up to our strict standards of quality, responsibility and in the end 100% pure grass-fed and grass-finished beef sticks.
You know how most beef snacks are loaded with bad stuff?
Not these!
They are:
- Gluten free
- Soy-free
- Dairy-free
- Non-GMO
- No artificial nitrates or nitrites
- And of course, NO antibiotics, hormones or glyphosate!
Plus, they contain ZERO preservatives because our grass-fed beef sticks are preserved using the ancient process of fermentation.
The best part about that?
It infuses every stick with 1 billion probiotic CFUs!
Not only will your gut love them, but your taste buds will too with our 4 mouthwatering flavors:
- Original
- Summer Sausage
- Garlic Summer Sausage
- And Jalapeno
Hungry yet? Me too!
>>> Click the link here and learn how you can try our 100% grass-fed beef sticks at a discount!
