Choosing Good Meat

Meat is usually the main course of the American diet. Notice how we say that someone is a "meat and potatoes" kind of guy. We always call our meals "meat and (insert side dish)." Even though the side dishes provide more nutrients than the meat, those are referred to as the second course. The meat is the main show. As a "flexitarian," this distresses me, but I just have to accept that.

Having watched 'Food Inc.', and having read Fast Food Nation and a couple other books that describe in graphic detail the atrocious methods we use to raise and deliver meat in this country, I can't accept eating meat that doesn't meet certain standards. If you're going to eat meat, then hear are my recommendations.

-Eat seafood. Yes, seafood is meat. Fish are animals too. Sardines, Wild Alaskan salmon, Maine tilapia, mahi mahi, and Gulf shrimp make great choices.

-Free range omega-3 eggs. Eggland's Best makes the best eggs. They're usually brown and they're only $3.50 per box. That's a lot of protein for $3.50, folks.

-Look for meat that meets the USDA organic label. This means the animals have been raised with pesticides, hormones, antibiotics or grains with GMOs. Get grass-fed meat, as it has a lot more conjugated linoleic acid and omega-3 fatty acids. "Free range" and "cage-free" doesn't mean outdoors. If you're not sure, contact the manufacturer. If they actually use good standards, they'll be more than happy to tell you. If not, they'll avoid you like Tyson chicken.

-For beef, don't worry about saturated fat. It's not that bad. Saturated fat plus sugar will kill you. You need a certain amount of fat, and grass-fed beef is a good way to get it.

-Lamb- these animals need a lot of land. Whether or not they're raised humanely, they're still using a lot of resources.

Pork- Refer to beef.

Venison/deer- buy it from a local hunter. Venison is a very lean but tasty meat. Wild game is the best way to eat meat. Humanely killed and not loaded with corn.

Turkey- get heritage turkeys or go to an organic market. I once ordered a turkey from a local farm in Maryland. It wasn't certified but I called them to make sure their standards met mine. Their standards are so good that kids take tours of the facility!

Chicken Breast- skinless has less fat, but so what? If you like dark meat, then eat it. Just make sure the quality is good. Crappy, skinless chicken is worse than a high-quality, full-fat meat.

Buffalo/Bison- Go to Ted Turner's restaurant.

I hope this helps. Your best bet is to go to Trader Joe's or Whole Foods to get the highest quality of meat. Avoid Tyson, Purdue and Smithfield. If it's cheap, don't eat it. There's a reason it's cheap. And you probably don't want to know what it is.

Kevin