A Tough Talk About Beef

Today’s post is a little different than what I normally write. But, today is the day! We’re going to have a potentially unpopular chat about meat. Specifically, beef. Hold onto your seat because we are going in deep!

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“People have never worried more, yet known less about food production.” - Diana Rodgers, RD

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This month on the blog, we’re focusing on food. As we take a look at where our food comes from, one large and controversial topic is meat. With the push towards synthetic and plant-based meats, it’s important for us to know exactly what is going on with meat production.

There are 3 major categories that impact popular opinion on beef.

1. Nutrition

2. Sustainability

3. Ethics

Nutrition:

Let’s start with nutrition. According to Dr. B. Bohner and registered dietitian Karine Barlow, with the Beef Cattle Research Council, beef can be part of a healthy balanced diet. The key word there is balance!!! I am not advocating that anyone eat a strictly red meat diet. A balanced diet should contain veggies, meats and whole grains. That being said, let’s take a look at the breakdown of nutrients from beef.

Beef is a wonderful source of Iron, Zinc, Selenium, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Magnesium, and Potassium. Beef is also a great source of protein and is very calorie efficient. For instance, in a three-and-a-half ounce serving of beef, you get about 35 grams of protein for 250 calories. To get the same amount of protein from black beans you would have to eat 2 cups at about 520 calories.

Sadly, global policy is being swayed away from beef as part of a healthy diet and a vital source of nutrients. The Global Burden of Disease or GBD published data in 2019 with a threshold of zero for those eating red meat. Essentially, their research showed that anyone eating red meat was at risk for significant disease or death. Pretty scary huh? Unfortunately, what is not being discussed is how they came to this conclusion. What changed from 2017 to 2019 to cause such a jump? If you’re interested in learning more check out the Sustainable Dish Podcast - Episode 191 by Frederic Leroy, PhD and Diana Rodgers, RD.

We’re really just scratching the surface on beef and nutrition. I would encourage you to dive in deeper and come to your own conclusion about including beef in your diet. You can check out this study from the Beef Cattle Research Council. I would also highly recommend reading Busting Red Meat Myths - ThinkBeef.

Sustainability:

Now let's discuss sustainability. According to the EPA agriculture contributes to only 11% of greenhouse gas emissions in the USA. That’s the entire agricultural system, not just dairy or beef cattle! The agricultural industry actually accounts for the lowest amount of greenhouse gas emissions. The largest amount of greenhouse gas emissions comes from transportation at 27%, closely followed by electricity production, and industry. If you’re worried about sustainability, your efforts would be better spent saving electricity or raising the temperature on you air-conditioning unit. Cows are not contributing nearly as much greenhouse gas emissions as you are being led to believe.

There are other sustainability concerns related to amazon deforestation and water consumption, but I would encourage you to look into your sources. If you’re buying local meat, amazon deforestation shouldn’t be an issue. I also am a firm believer in the idea that water is a renewable resource. If there’s not a severe drought going on, then our concern about water conservation isn’t an issue.

Ethics:

Lastly let’s talk about ethics. This is the topic I am most passionate about. Many feel that it is inhumane to raise and kill animals for meat. I can understand this thought process. It’s not fun to watch things die. It makes us uncomfortable. It causes us to ask deep questions.

But what if deep questions are part of life? What if it’s healthy to see the seasons and cycles of life? What if thinking about death prepares us for the realities of life?

Sadly, something must die for us to live. It’s a fact. Fruits, vegetables, and grains are all viewed as a “cruelty free” way to eat. But think about how many rabbits, field mice, foxes, snakes, birds, and many more animals are crushed under the machinery used to harvest your food. Even if you could hand-harvest every bite you eat (which is impossible), you would still be killing bugs and plants to sustain your life. It’s time we give a proper place to death. It’s something that everyone has to deal with and prepare for. There’s no avoiding the fact that something must die to give us life. When we come to terms with this fact, it can actually make us incredibly grateful for the food we eat!

Now let’s look briefly at the industry. I have seen animals abused. It does happen and it’s not right. But in my experience, animal abuse in the agricultural industry is the exception, not the rule. Farmers have a reputation for “exploiting animals” but think about that statement. Farmers need healthy animals in order to make a profit. They have no reason to abuse their animals. They want happy, healthy animals as much as you do! If you’re not familiar with farming, talk to someone who does that for a living. Most of them are passionate about their land and their animals. They want to be good stewards.

Remember, if you aren’t familiar with the industry be slow to judge what you see. Often, we think that animals act the way we act, and want the things we want. But that’s not always reality. Before you make a conclusion about what is “humane” make sure you really know what it’s like to raise pigs, or chickens, or cows. It’s more than what you see on the surface!

It’s easy to get caught up in fear driven articles and headlines, but we must consider what is truth. When reading or listening to topics it’s always a good idea to ask questions. Here are a few that I think are helpful, not just when considering food, but for any subject in question.

1. What is the motivation behind this information?

2. Am I being marketed something?

3. Do I really understand what goes into this industry or field?

4. Am I making decisions based on fear or other emotions?

5. Are there studies and concrete evidence to support the claims being made?

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This blog post is not meant to convince you to change your eating habits. It’s meant to challenge you to think about what you eat. To think about what you’re being told. To see more than just a burger. I am obviously a big advocate for buying small-scale local meats. But I want you to come to your own conclusions! If you love eating your veggie burgers – go for it! But I would ask that you have an open mind towards learning and appreciating what is really going on with all of your food.

I hope you’ve found this post interesting. For those of you who prefer less controversial posts, there’s more coming your way soon! Leave me a comment with your thoughts on today's post!

Thanks for reading, Abby