Why Organic Meat is Better for You
We know that eating organic fruits, vegetables, and other produce is the way to go. It's healthier, it tastes better, and it doesn't have any nasty toxins or chemicals. When it comes to meats, you should also eat organic! For those who aren't vegetarian or vegan, here are just some of the reasons why you should be buying certified organic animal products, such as organic beef, chicken, turkey, pork, and lamb or organic eggs from free-range chickens.
It's Just Meat. Organic beef, poultry and more contain no pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, chemical or synthetic fertilizers, nitrates, nitrates or preservatives. Organically raised animals are not fed antibiotics, artificial hormones, or the bovine human growth hormone, otherwise known as rbGH. They also do not eat genetically modified foods, and cannot have their genes modified.
It's Not Filled with Toxins, Chemicals, and Drugs. All meat contains fat. And much like your body, fat on animals is where toxins are stored. Hence, growth hormones and antibiotics fed to cows and chickens end up in their fat. Eating organic meat and poultry decreases your risk of being exposed to residues of pesticides and synthetic chemicals, such as DDT, PCBs, dioxin, and more, which end up concentrated in animal fat. Such chemicals can contribute to a number of health problems, including excess weight gain.
Organic Meat is Healthier. Studies show that grass-fed beef contains more nutritional value, including higher levels of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and omega-3 fatty acids, which reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer.
Organic Meat Comes from Animals Treated Ethically and Humanely. Organic farms take care of animals in a humane and ethical manner. Factory farm animals live in feedlots that prevent normal growth and development. Some animals are unable to move more than a few feet their entire lives. Organically raised animals, on the other hand, get to experience the outdoors (you know, like animals should!), grazing on grass and wandering freely on the farm. Always look for “free-range” and “ranch raised” labels on meat and poultry.
It Doesn't Support Cow Cannibalism. Factory farm cows are fed a grain-based diet to fatten them up quicker. They also end up eating feed with animal by-products, or ground-up animal parts. Yes, you read that right - cows eating other cows. Meanwhile, organic animals eat organic feed, which does not include ground-up animal parts, and often consume a wider range of nutrients than do conventionally raised animals.
Non-Organic is Making Us Sick! Because factory-fed cattle eat the ground-up remains of their SAME SPECIES, this can cause bovine spongiform encephalopathy. That leads to Cruetzfeld-Jakob disease, also known as mad cow disease, destroying a human's central nervous system and brain. This can also contribute to the spread of other food-borne bacteria, such as E.coli and salmonella, which cause diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, gastrointestinal infections, urinary tract infections, Reiter's syndrome, and respiratory illness.
It Saves Energy and the Environment. Organic farms use less energy, not just in the way they take care of animals, but also in how they deliver food to your table. Factory farms waste huge amounts of nonrenewable fossil fuels, whereas organic farmers drive shorter distances to sell their products at farmer's markets and organic grocery stores. So when you support local and sustainable organic farms, you're supporting the environment. Moreover, you are supporting the local community by eating locally grown organic food.
When it comes to your health, don’t overlook the facts! Organic meat, like organic vegetables, will better serve your body in the long run.
Learn more about eating organic beef, poultry, pork and fish by reading these research publications:
- Organic Trade Association benefits of eating organic meat
- Union of Concerned Scientists Fact Sheet on Community Supported Agriculture for Meat and Eggs
- Monterey Bay Aquarium on fish farms and aquaculture
Articles and References
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