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Grocery shopping part III: What animal products should I buy?
Fourth of July is right around the corner and that means one thing for many Americans, barbecue time. This year, be sure to have the healthiest version possible of the all-American burger. Labeling on meat can be very confusing with so many options. Here is an explanation of the most common terms to give you a better understanding of what you are buying.
* Organic: Means the animal was given only 100% organic grain feed without any ground up animal parts. This is an important safeguard against mad-cow disease. Also the animal could not have been given; antibiotics, bovine human growth hormones, or other drugs. In addition, it is required that the animals have fresh air, sunlight, freedom of movement and access to pasture (grass-fed). The down side of organic regulation is that the animals are not required to eat their natural diet, i.e. 100% grass instead of grain feed.
* Conventional: The animals are able to be treated with antibiotics and hormones. There is no requirement for the way the animals live or are treated. In addition, the animals can be fed grains containing pesticides. For a look inside conventional factory farms, check out the Meatrix video below.
* Natural: Be cautious with foods that are labeled “natural”. There are no regulations on this word, so it is often used as a sales term, and means you have to investigate further to see what they mean.
* Grass-fed: Grass-fed means that the animals were fed mostly grass (or their natural diet) instead of grain. Research shows that this results in products that are lower in bad fats, higher in good fats and richer in vitamins. However, there is no regulation on this label.
The best option is to become familiar with your local farmer and find out how they are practicing. For more information on locally sourced organic and grass fed meat visit: http://www.eatwild.com/products/newyork.html.
Source: Nestle, Marion. "What To Eat". New York: 2006
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