Animal proteins

An animal is a living organism that feeds on organic matter. Fish are animals that live in the water. Most people make the association of proteins coming from the red meat (four-legged animals), white meat (two-legged animals) or fish (water-born animals). Animal proteins are complete having all the essential amino acids needed in your diet.

The rule for the healthiest proteins is to consider organic meats.

Pesticides, herbicides, hormones, and antibiotics were not part of our ancestor’s consideration. Crowded commercial feedlots, poultry farms, and fishponds were not the norm over a hundred years ago.

Red Meat – Beef, pork, lamb, venison, bison – 4 legged

• Wild – healthiest, not put into any confined area eating a wide variety of natural food nutrients

• Grass fed – grass and plant legumes with a hay supplementation during winter

• Grass fed/grain finished in confinement or pasture – confinement versus pasture finished added weight slower and were fatter when slaughtered

• Conventional feed lot confinement – grain diet that is not natural producing the most inflammatory fats

• Processed meat – least healthy choice with the highest associated incidence of cancer, heart disease and diabetes

Red meat has been vilified as being bad for obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer. What is hard to believe is that red meat use has declined from its peak over 100 years ago and yet in the same period all of those disease conditions have risen significantly.

Wild and range fed animals are relatively lean and full of nutrients from their natural sources of food. When you pen up an animal, overcrowd their living space, feed them junk food and chemical additives (including pharmaceuticals) to artificially grow and gain weight faster, the animal is stressed and puts on inflammatory weight. Since we are up the food chain, we are more inclined to put on weight faster from these inflammatory adaptations. Did you ever hear the phrase “You are what you eat?”

Thus an animal that is humanely raised is one that may be healthier for us to eat. Here is a hierarchy to consider for ancestral health.

Grass fed beef benefits include lower total saturated fat and Omega 6, higher in Omega 3 fatty acids ; higher in vitamin E, beta-carotene, thiamin and riboflavin vitamins.

White Meat/Eggs – duck, pheasant, turkey, chicken – two legged

• AWA – (Animal Welfare Approved) – raised on pastureland its entire life.

• Humanely Raised – nutritious feed, appropriate growing environment, reduced stocking density to stretch wings

• Non-GMO – what they are fed is non-GMO(corn, oilseeds)

• Wild, AWA and Pasture Raised Poultry have the least stress and thus have a higher percentage of Omega 3 fats and fewer saturated or Omega 6 fats which are healthier meats and eggs

• Antibiotic free – no antibiotics used through the life cycle

• Natural – meat (after processing) that does not contain artificial ingredients, colors or preservatives

• White meat has most of its fat in the skin. Those are healthy unsaturated fats that have not been associated with heart disease or cancer.

Poultry and Fish have shown a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, colorectal, stomach, pancreatic, and prostate cancer. They have also shown better weight control.

Fish – Ocean or Fresh Water

Fish is an interesting protein to shop for. Fish that are long lived can accumulate more heavy metal pollutants. Wild caught fish is typically the safer choice being that they are caught in their natural habitat whereas farmed fish is raised in talks or ponds. But that is not always the case.

Nutrition – farmed fish may have an equal amount of Omega 3 oils compared to the wild caught fish due to the fortified feed given. Wild caught fish typically have a lower amount of saturated fats.

Pollutants – farm raised fish can have higher amounts of contaminants and higher rates of disease

Farm Raised – controlled pens within lakes, oceans or rivers, as well as fished raised in large tanks where there is a greater incidence of parasites and disease. As a result, these fish are often fed regular cycles of antibiotics. In the case of salmon farming, food coloring is added to give the salmon the pink colored associated with the wild caught(which get the pink color from eating krill).

Wild Caught – caught by fishermen in their natural habitat within rivers, lakes, and oceans. The nutrients and trace minerals are more diverse. The smaller the fish and thus the shorter the lifespan, the less mercury accumulated.

There are three types of omega 3 fatty acids: EPA (Eicosatetraenoic Acid) is a marine omega 3 found in fish. EPA fatty acids aid in lowering blood triglyceride levels, preventing clogging of blood vessels and platelet aggregation, which are all risk factors for heart disease and stroke

Vegan Choices

This includes, and not limited to:

• Edamame (Soy)

• Lentils

• Pinto Beans

• Garbonzo Beans

• Chickpeas

• Beans(lima, fava, mung)

• Peas

• Quinoa

• Wild Rice

• Pistachios

• Almonds

• Brussel Sprouts

The above list is in order of most to least protein/serving.

Plants with protein have more fiber and antioxidants. They can afford better protection against heart disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes.

Plant milk and dark leafy greens are important to get enough calcium and vitamin D. Fortified whole grain cereals are needed to add zinc and iron and nutritional yeast to make up for missing Vitamin B12. Plant proteins often do not have all the essential amino acids. Exceptions include soy and quinoa.

Health concerns with the above choices are whether they are organic or not. If not organic, they may have herbicides, pesticides or fungicides.