4 Reasons Beef > Poultry
This one’s for all the unfortunate souls out there who resort to eating fake burgers.
Inspired by my real-life encounter with my first ever turkey burger.
Not to be dramatic, but that turkey burger was the worst thing I’ve ever eaten—in comparison to the real thing, that is. I cannot think of ANY SANE REASON someone would eat that hot garbage instead of beef. [Unless you have moral/ethical reasons for not eating meat] The only other possible reason for eating these tasteless phonies is because they’re believed to be “healthier”.
We have certainly come a long way in the last several years as far as the myths about nutrition go. But for whatever reason, it’s still a common misconception that red meat is the worst thing for you. So I want to present you with 4 reasons why that is NOT the case, and you can be free to enjoy a REAL burger from now on. (I’m not saying a burger is the healthiest choice, but if you’re gonna eat one, at least make it taste good!)
Nutrient density: Beef is PACKED with nutrients like Vitamin B12, all the essential amino acids, zinc, choline, potassium, and heme iron (the one most easily absorbed by the body) just to name a few. As compared to chicken & turkey, beef crushes in all of these nutrients. So in a piece of beef vs a piece of chicken or turkey, basically you’re going to get more bang for your buck. Which is why Michael and I pretty much only eat red meat.
B12: This Vitamin gets its own category, that’s how important it is. It does a few semi-important things… like helping create DNA and red blood cells, no biggie. Among many other roles. Animal products are the ONLY place you’ll get the right form of B12. Chris Kresser says that plant versions of this vitamin are actually “B12 analogs called cobamides that block the intake of and increase the need for true B12”. So plant B12 apparently makes your body need it even MORE! B12 deficiency is seen in almost all chronic diseases, and symptoms can include brain fog, memory issues, depression, anxiety, fatigue, digestive distress, and more. All this to say, beef wins because
red meat contains 780% more B12 than chicken!!!
Fat: This is a necessary macro nutrient for countless reasons. A few being brain health, hormone balance, vitamin absorption, immune function, and so on. While there is nothing WRONG with eating lean meat like poultry, we still need to get lots of healthy fats into our diet—one easy way being from red meat. If you’re still not convinced that saturated fat isn’t the devil, take a look at this meta analysis of 21 studies done on the topic. While it’s easy for nearly any study to skew the results, a meta analysis is a much more reliable source of information. They found that there is “no significant evidence for concluding that dietary saturated fat is associated with an increased risk of CHD or CVD.” So no need to be scared of those fatty ribeyes.
Sustainability: *Please excuses the impending sass* Now this one might be the most surprising of all because of the plant-based propaganda that is rampant these days. “What the Health” and “The Gamechangers” would like you to believe that by eating meat, you’re personally responsible for destroying the earth. *major eye roll* I am not in denial of the fact that we need to take better care of our planet, but properly raised meat isn’t the problem.
Of course, factory farmed meat is awful, BUT SO IS THE WAY WE GROW CROPS!
I’m soooo tired of hearing about how much water is wasted producing meat (data which is twisted BTW) and blah blah blah because many in the plant based community are unwilling to come to terms with the reality of just how bad conventional farming practices are. We must be conscious of the sourcing of both our animal products AND produce.
But before I go on, I want to make one thing clear: I have zero problem with someone choosing a plant based lifestyle. But what I DO have a problem with is those who are ignorant to the problems THEIR lifestyle creates, while simultaneously shaking their finger at the meat-eaters. (Also read more about the deaths caused by eating plants for some mind blowing stats.)
The main thing to understand here is that when meat is done right, grass fed and pastured using rotational grazing, it actually HEALS the earth. How so? Follow Diana Rodgers of Sustainable Dish for more info, but she sums it up well here: “Cows urinate and poop, which adds water and microorganisms to the soil, increasing biodiversity underground and helping to sequester carbon. Cattle grazing stimulates grass growth, which is good for the health of the pasture. They walk on the ground, which allows for rain water to pocket and seed germination to take hold. None of this happens in a chemical, monoculture system of farming.”
I digress... Back to poultry for a hot second. While pastured poultry is definitely a better option than factory farming, there’s still no comparison to the beneficial effects that well raised cattle has on the planet.
There is a WHOLE lot more to this conversation, but I just wanted to give you something to think about and research more to decide for yourself. Like I said before, I don’t judge anyone for whatever they choose, but I certainly respect when those decisions are made from an educated standpoint. That’s why I read articles and watch documentaries on topics that differ from what I believe, so that I can consider the evidence and make an educated decision. This is my encouragement for you to do your research before deciding what kind of meat to eat, if any at all.
And if you decide red meat isn’t so bad after all, you must do me one last favor: please don’t overcook it. A little piece of my heart dies when someone orders a steak well done. Once you go medium, you’ll never go back. Oh and here’s my honey seared steak recipe. You’re welcome.