Most of us buy our meat from the supermarket, with little thought to where it comes from or how healthy it was when it was slaughtered. What this Fox News article reveals may have you considering going vegetarian.
Expiration dates are meaningless
Most of us assume that the expiration date on perishables like meat means something. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case. Thirty states have absolutely no regulations on expiration dates. This means the store can just pick a date when the meat will expire, and they can even take the expired date off and put a new date on.
Ground beef is the meat that isn’t good for anything else
Young cows are used for more choice cuts like steaks. The parts that can’t be used for anything else are used for ground beef, along with retired dairy cows that no longer produce milk, according to Fox News.
You are getting medicine with your meat
Animals raised for meat production are kept in cramped places where it is impossible for them to be healthy, so they are given medications. They are given hormones and growth promoting drugs so that they reach their optimum weight quicker. They are also given dewormers and antibiotics. A USDA report found 211 different drug residues in meat found in supermarkets.
It may be coming from Mexico or Canada
There are lax regulations about how animals raised for meat production are raised in the U.S., but your meat may be coming from Mexico and Canada. Congress passed a law stating that companies don’t have to list where the meat was raised, slaughtered, and packaged.
Salmonella
Fox News states that 200,000 Americans contract salmonella from chicken and turkey every year. One quarter of the poultry in America is estimated to have salmonella.
Check for the USDA seal
The USDA inspects all the meat that it grades, so if it has the USDA seal it has been inspected. When it comes to beef, prime and choice are the optimum cuts.
Healthier alternatives
If you are lucky enough to have an organic butcher in your neighborhood, this is the best place to get your meat. The butcher should know where the animal came from and its living conditions, and they will definitely know how fresh it is. If you aren’t lucky enough to have a local butcher, companies like Laura’s Lean Beef, D’Artagnan, and Niman Ranch provide quality organic meat that is antibiotic free.
Will knowing what is in the meat in your supermarket change your eating habits? Are you still willing to eat it, or are you going to take advantage of healthier alternatives.
Sources: vitals.nbcnews.com, foodsafetynews.com, nationalchickencouncil.org
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