Should You Eat Beef?

Well, that really depends on your genes. Some of us were meant to eat beef, because our ancestors evolved eating the flesh of animals. Those of us whose DNA traces back to early hunter-gatherers need animal proteins to be healthy. The people in this category are for the most part blood type O and B. Type A and AB developed later in the evolutionary tree around the time that farming was invented, and so they thrive on more of a plant based diet. These people can be successful vegetarians. This is covered in detail in the work of Dr. D'Adamo and his blood type diet books. They are a good reference for understanding why we as individuals differ so much in our nutritional needs. Thus red meat is necessary for some of us, and best avoided by others.


What About the Health Risks?

I know you have heard all about the dangers of eating beef due to saturated fats. You have also been told that it increases the risk of cancer and heart disease as well. Sounds like you should avoid eating beef, however it's not quite that simple. There is beef and then there is grass fed beef! When cows are raised on grain, they develop lots of fat, just like a human who consumes too much grain based carbohydrates. When cows are grazed on grass, their meat is nice and lean, containing far less fat. There is also the issue of synthetic estrogens, and antibiotics that are fed to cattle. When cows are raised organically, they don't get synthetic hormones to fatten them, and they are not given commercial antibiotics as well.

Beef vs Buffalo meat

One alternative you might want to consider is Buffalo, because their meat tends to be a lot leaner than cattle. You can get buffalo in an increasing number of restaurants as well. It's a bit less tender than beef, but overall is healthier. The taste is very similar to beef but it is considered a healthier alternative because the buffalo meat contains less fat and cholesterol, and more protein than beef. Since mad cow disease does not affect the buffalo, there is no danger of contracting it from buffalo meat. It does not have to be cooked as long due to its leaner texture, but just the same it can be substituted for beef in many recipes because the taste is very similar to beef.

Eat Beef AND Be Healthy

Three things, grain based feed, synthetic estrogens, and antibiotics are what make red meat a health risk. Cows were not raised that way years ago, and it is modern agricultural methods that have resulted in our commercial beef being a health risk. To get around the problems associated with commercially raised beef, and the saturated fats it contains, there are a few things you should keep in mind.

Try to purchase and eat grass fed beef
Make sure the beef is certified as organically raised
Try to get the leanest cuts of beef you can buy
Trim off the extra fat before cooking and eating
Do not over cook beef, rare to medium rare is best

Overcooking causes problems from toxic substances that can build up due to high heat. Some cooking is necessary to guard against possible bacteria in the beef, but it should cooked as little as possible and still be safe to eat.
Cooking at high temperatures or for too long also destroys important B-vitamins that are essential to your health. Overcooked beef can lead to high Homocysteine levels, so once again, eat beef as rare as possible, and you will get much more nutrition from it.

Remember that if you have type O or B blood, some consumption of red meat is important for optimal health. If you follow the above guidelines and consume it in moderation, it should be health promoting rather than a health risk.