Organic Meats

From LoveToKnow Organic

Organic meats represent just one aspect of the growing organic food industry. However, due to the numerous concerns surrounding antibiotic and growth hormone usage in livestock, organic meats are a much safer alternative to ordinary supermarket meat.

Organic meat is full of flavor!

The Overarching Concerns

In reference to meats, the term organic means that the animals in question are fed 100 percent organic feed and are not given antibiotics or growth hormones. What does this mean for the everyday meat consumer when he heads to the supermarket?

Antibiotic Residues

Non-organically farmed meat, poultry, eggs and milk are known to contain certain antibiotic residues that can act as antibiotics within the body of the person who consumes the purchased meat. Why is this a health concern? The human body contains both beneficial and antagonistic bacteria. The many strains of beneficial aerobic bacteria contained within a person's body aid in keeping the harmful anaerobic bacteria in check. An overgrowth of harmful bacteria can suppress the body's immune function and lead to frequent infections and a general decline in health.

Antibiotics frequently destroy both good and bad bacteria, disrupting the delicate balance. Moreover, the lackadaisical use of antibiotics in contemporary American culture has led to the creation of several antibiotic-resistant strains of bad bacteria which can crop up after a course of antibiotics and overwhelm the host.

This is one of the reasons why the overuse of antibiotics has been shown to increase the presence of recurrent ear infections in children. One strain of bacteria is destroyed, but because the good bacteria is not given a chance to replenish in time, sooner or later an antibiotic-resistant strain grows, multiplies, and causes a repeat infection. However, this time antibiotic treatment will not yield results.

Purchasing organic meats means that you will not find antibiotic residues in your food. Your ability to lessen the body's accumulation of toxins is a huge step in the protection and maintenance of your health.

The Effects of Growth Hormones

Hormones are extremely powerful chemical messengers that essentially tell the body how to operate. These hormones are responsible for vital bodily behaviors such as breathing, intestinal peristalsis, heartbeats, etc. Even a small consistent amount of a single hormone can cause massive changes throughout the body.

Bearing that in mind, many cattle are routinely treated with hormones that are intended to elevate the development of lean muscle growth. In fact, there are currently six steroid hormones that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration and the Food, the Agricultural Organization and the World Health Organization. These hormones have been deemed safe by these administrations and committees and contain variations of estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. The synthetic hormones are said to mimic the function of the natural hormones. With routine injections, the production of American veal and beef are increased by approximately 15 percent.

A genetically engineered bovine growth hormone labeled rbGH was approved by the FDA and National Institutes of Health in 1993. This hormone can aid cattle in producing about 10 percent more milk than untreated cows. It is specific to dairy cows, as steroid hormones have not been approved for use in dairy cattle.

Why Buy Organic Meats?

Unless the presence of questionably safe steroid and growth hormones appeal to the buyer, many individuals prefer to purchase organic meats in order to avoid any health issues. With the rise of endocrine disorders such as diabetes and hypothyroidism, extra steroid hormones seem like an unsafe bet for the ailing consumer. Moreover, estrogen is a known carcinogen that has been linked to breast cancer as well as other cancers. Throwing more estrogen into the diet can overload the body with this hormone, thereby causing all sorts of problems.

Where to Purchase

Organic meats such as chicken and beef, can be picked up at your local organic or health food store.



 


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