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Friday, May 16, 2008
The Most Compelling Reasons Why You Should Switch To Grass-Fed Beef
The health benefits of grass-fed beef cannot be ignored
I've traditionally been the kind of person who looked at food as a means for satisfying my hunger and giving me the energy to get through the day. Of course, I'm also a bargain-hunter and will tend to lean towards those foods that are on sale more often than not. Yes, I'm a part of the Wal-mart generation who looks for cheap food and I usually get what I pay for.
But ever since I started livin' la vida low-carb, I've found my frugality for food has evolved into a search for substance as it relates to nutrition. All food is not the same and the nutritional content of what I buy now compared to when I weighed 410 pounds four years ago is light years apart. Bye bye sugar! See ya starchy carbs! So long fast food and high-carb crap that used to dominate my pantry and refrigerator. Those things aren't in my cabinets anymore!
Today I make better choices about the foods I eat because I care more about my health now than I ever have. Living healthy is arguably the top priority for most of us who are livin' la vida low-carb. Sure, weight loss is a big reason, too, but I consider it merely a side effect of choosing to live healthier. And it doesn't really take willpower to decide to start living healthier right away as is often suggested by well-meaning people who haven't got a clue. You just gotta do it!
That said, there's even a subset of healthy food choices within the realm of low-carb living that you may not even know about. We all know most meats that have not been injected with sugars are acceptable on low-carb, but is it possible to get more nutritional bang for your proverbial buck when you are shopping for beef, chicken, and pork? Absolutely it is!
Up until recently, I've pretty much relied on the good old store-bought meats and the occasional cuts from the local meat market to stock up the Moore household refrigerator and freezer with healthy high-fat, low-carb meat selections. But what I didn't realize was how much extra nutrition I was missing from my diet because I failed to purchase what is known as "grass-fed" beef and other meats.
What the heck is "grass-fed" meat and what's the point, you ask? GOOD QUESTIONS!
Whether you realize it or not, most of the meat supply in the United States has been tainted with things like hormones, antibiotics, and even steroids to (pardon the pun!) "beef up" the cows so they'll weigh more and bring in more money for the cattlemen. It's BIG BUSINESS these days making meat and you and I suffer the consequences of that lack of quality with the end product. Plus, the mistreatment of animals on these factory farms is absolutely atrocious!
Why else are these cattle and other animals so unhealthy to eat? They are fed a diet heavy in processed grains which leads the meat to become LOADED with omega-6 fatty acids. This is the one the standard American diet has too much of and you want to offset it with omega-3s. The higher ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats you have, the more inflammation that is created in the body (as nutritionist Monica Reinagel recently shared in my podcast interview with her).
So what do you do? This is where grass-fed meat comes in. It can be extremely difficult to find, but well worth the effort. Why? Although it costs a little more money than standard meat, the nutritional difference is like upgrading from tin to gold! It's more like goldmine when you see all that you're getting from grass-fed meat which is what your low-carb lifestyle could use to kick it into high gear for both weight loss and health improvements.
The most compelling reasons why you should switch to grass-fed beef have everything to do with properly managing your health which everyone who is reading this right now I think takes a personal vested interest in. If you care about your health, then you cannot overlook these important arguments in favor of consuming grass-fed beef and other meats every chance you can get!
THEY ARE LOADED WITH OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS
Yep, unlike their factory farm counterparts, grass-fed meats only eat grass from a pasture rather than the forced diet of grains, grains, and more grains. There's a reason the big farms feed their cattle grains--IT MAKES 'EM GET REALLY FAT! You avoid the nasty side effect of all those omega-6s and instead reward your body with omega-3s when you choose grass-fed instead.
BETTER TREATMENT FOR THE ANIMALS
Again, the big factory farms just don't care about how the animals are treated. It's a business about making meat as quickly as possible so they can make a buck. But organic, grass-fed animals are treated very humanely and not subjected to the poor treatment that is part and parcel of what happens on those other farms.
THERE ARE NO ANTIBIOTICS USED
Grass-fed animals don't need any antibiotics in them like their grain-eating counterparts do because they don't deal with the health complications that high-carb diet brings on.
YOU GET LOTS OF CONJULATED LINOLENIC ACID
Conjugated linolenic acid, or CLA, is a powerful fat that is created in the stomach of a grass-fed animal which is extremely healthy as an anti-cancer agent.
SAY BYE BYE TO E. COLI
When you select organic meats, the risk of consuming E. coli tainted meat is next to nil. E. coli generally exists inside of animals with a highly acidic environment which is typical of grain-fed cattle. The lack of acidity in grass-fed beef make it less likely that E. coli could even exist there.
NO NEED FOR STEROIDS OR GROWTH HORMONES
You want a cow to get bigger, you inject it with steroids or growth hormones. This has become so routine these days that nobody stops and thinks about the consequences of what happens when humans begin ingesting all that into their bodies. Again, it all comes down to trying to make a buck as quickly as possible instead of insuring the safety of the food supply.
NO ADDITIONAL ANIMAL BY-PRODUCTS FED TO THEM
An organic meat farmer does not risk contaminating his cattle with animal by-products which can subject the meat to things like Mad Cow Disease. Just the grass, man, just the grass.
(Special thanks to Dr. Jonny Bowden for sharing that great list of reasons for choosing grass-fed beef over store-bought beef!)
I gotta tell you about an great company I recently heard about that sells very high-quality, grass-fed meats. They are U.S. Wellness Meats and I encourage you to check them out if you want to take your low-carb lifestyle to the next level. There is a health benefits page on their web site you should check out for even more compelling reasons to choose grass-fed meats over the ones in your local grocery store. (NOTE: U.S. Wellness Meats is not a sponsor of my blog--I was just very impressed by what they have to offer consumers).
Do you have any comments to add about grass-fed beef, chicken, and pork? Have you seen the health benefits in your own life from switching to this kind of meat over conventional cuts? Share your comments below so we can hear how it has changed your life. Hopefully now everyone understands that all meat is not created equal. Make those better choices for your health starting TODAY!
After years and years of using charcoal grills to add a little taste of fire and smoke to my favorite meats and veggies, last year I got a gas grill that is absolutely fabulous! I was concerned about the taste of the food on a gas grill, but quickly discovered those worries were unfounded. The steak, shrimp, kabobs, chicken, and more that I have cooked on that grill have been nothing but AWESOME and I am so happy to enrich my low-carb lifestyle with this flavor-making device!
In Episode 27 of "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb On YouTube," I once again take the show outside the studio with my FLIP camera (can you tell I LOVE this thing?!) to show you a new device called the Grill Daddy that does wonders on a dirty grill as you will see and to cook up some of my favorite Italian Style chicken breasts from Perdue called Perfect Portions. It's a low-carb grilling experience and I'm always happy to help people find a way to make this lifestyle change taste as good as it possibly can. ENJOY!
Watch me grill up some fabulous "cheekin" in today's video:
Grilling out any time of the year is always fun which is why I was so happy to do this in February. Of course, it didn't hurt that it was 65 degrees outside when I shot this video, so that made it even better. I'm looking forward to going to the Hearth, Patio, and Barbecue Association (HPBA) conference in Atlanta, Georgia on February 28th-March 1st, 2008 to see what's new in the world of BBQ cooking! You'll recall some GREAT podcast interviews I did last year while I attended as well as a big grill giveaway for my blogiversary. We'll be working on some more of those for this year's celebration coming up in April! Stay tuned!
Do you love to grill out? Share your grilling tips and what you like to do to enhance your low-carb life with the power of cooking some sizzling meats and vegetables. My favorite part is taking the meat right off the grill like those chicken breasts and immediately slothering some healthy butter and cheese on top for a low-carber's dream meal. Mmmm mmm! Who says this way of eating is BORING?! NOT!
Are you just finding out about our YouTube video series? That's okay, you've got plenty of time to watch 'em all and keep up with the new ones that we release about once a week. You can subscribe to our videos so you'll always be one of the first ones to see the new episodes as they are posted on YouTube. And we love hearing your feedback and suggestions for future shows, so sent us an e-mail anytime at livinlowcarbman@charter.net. THANKS so much for watching!
We will be taking our FLIP camera on our upcoming cruise to Mexico this weekend and next week to show how you can eat low-carb on that big boat! It's NOT impossible if you know what you can and cannot eat. Be looking for that video as well as footage and podcast shows from the HPBA conference when we return back in March!
Chicken is one of the most versatile "diet" foods available for people who are trying to lose weight regardless of the method (except for vegetarians or vegans, bless their hearts). It is completely devoid of any carbohydrates and is low in fat for people who eat a low-carb, low-fat, or whatever kind of diet.
But what makes chicken so truly incredible is when it is cooked up on a grill with yummy seasoning such as garlic and rosemary. Talk about your lip-smackin', have a good time, deliciously healthy way to eat while following your chosen weight loss plan. This is the life.
To butterfly the chicken breasts, slice through the middle horizontally stopping 1/2" before the edge. Flip the chicken open like a book, place between 2 pieces of cling wrap (like Saran Wrap) and with a heavy can, mallet or saucepan, pound out to 1/2" thickness.
Congratulations, you've now created a paillard! :)
At this point, you have a variety of options for the chicken including stuffing, rolling, slicing thin for a stir fry or soups. This recipe calls for grilling them whole.
Place the paillards on a large baking sheet or clean flat surface. Spray lightly with Pam, sprinkle evenly with half of the garlic powder, rosemary and red and black pepper. Press rosemary in lightly. Flip chicken and repeat.
Fold chicken in half and cover to marinate for 30 minutes while BBQ grill heats up. When the grill is ready (make sure it's a very hot grill), cook the chicken 3 minutes on each side and serve immediately!
Grilling up a lot of chicken (or other such proteins) is a great way to save time and have delicious home-cooked food on hand during the week. Leftover chicken can be warmed whole, sliced for Caesar salads, or chunked into soups!
"This leaves the door wide open to another restaurant to step it up and cater to the growing obese and diabetic population. If you make the menu attractive enough to people and still keep the items healthy, then it very well could work. Who's it gonna be? Anyone? The millions of us who are livin' la vida low-carb are waiting...patiently...anyone?"
Applebee's has tried but they are too afraid (of what?!) to call it a low-carb menu item while my former favorite fast food place Subway went the other direction earlier this year when they REMOVED the low-carb wraps from their menu. Idiots!
Well, despite these futile attempts by other well-known restaurant chains, I was pleased to share with you recently about Cracker Barrel and their "Low-Carb Offerings" menu which is perfect for low-carbers. Now I have another restaurant chain to add to the small, but growing list of courageous companies willing to offer people who are livin' la vida low-carb some healthy low-carb alternatives--the Nashville, TN-based Captain D's.
When I was growing up, I just LOVED it when momma brought home Captain D's for dinner. Of course, it was the fried fish and hush puppies that I remember the most with that unmistakable aroma that filled the whole house. Ah, those were the days!
But those things are much too high in carbs for my low-carb lifestyle now which is why I was happy to hear they offer what they call a "Carb Counter Meal" that comes straight from the grill.
Their web site boasts of their new low-carb offerings:
"Counting carbs? Choose baked fish or chicken meals with a variety of low carb side items to customize your meal."
How about that? But are those sides indeed "low-carb?" Let's see!
The Carb Counter Fish meal on the menu at Captain D's
First up, they have a Carb Counter Fish meal that is served with fresh steamed broccoli (low-carb), mixed vegetables (pretty low-carb even with the carrots) and a crisp side salad (with Ranch dressing keeps it low-carb). If you pick out the carrots in the mixed veggies, this meal is only about 5-6g carbs. EXCELLENT CHOICE!
The Carb Counter Chicken meal gives another low-carb option
The other low-carb alternative is the Carb Counter Chicken meal that is also served with fresh steamed broccoli, mixed vegetables and a crisp side salad. Again, if you remove the carrots, then you should keep your carb intake to below 6g carbs. Sweet!
So there you go! Another major American restaurant chain has joined in with Cracker Barrel and decided that people who are on low-carb diets are important enough to provide specific menu items for their dietary preference.
Sure, most places will bend their menu with substitutions, but you gotta respect a company like Captain D's for being unafraid to specifically address a real need--low-carb options for the discriminating low-carb consumer base!
The only problem is Captain D's is not as widespread as Cracker Barrel. In fact, I don't even have one close to my home (the nearest one is 50 miles away!), but I will certainly seek it out specifically when I am traveling. If a company is willing to cater to my needs, then the least I can do is give them my business.
I encourage you to frequent Captain D's as well and let them know how much you appreciate their Carb Counter meals by leaving them feedback about it. I know they will appreciate hearing from those of us who are livin' la vida low-carb, so let's validate their decision to create this special menu for us by sharing our positive feedback about it! THANKS everyone!
Whip up some hot and spicy low-carb honey BBQ wings
When you are livin' la vida low-carb, one of the foods you get to know quite intimately is chicken. I bet I've eaten chicken every which way but loose in recipes that make me cluck just thinking about them. Yes, I LOVE my chicken, but it's hard to surprise me with a recipe that makes chicken stupendous again!
Well, it's finally happened with a recipe from my friends at Low-Carb Connoisseur for a low-carb version of Honey BBQ Wings. But I thought you couldn't have honey on the low-carb lifestyle because of all the sugar? That's right, you can't!
But this recipe uses a delicious low-carb alternative for honey to create the most mouth-watering, spicy BBQ wings that have ever graced the presence of your tastebuds! This is a perfect party platter pleaser whether you are livin' la vida low-carb or not. Don't be surprised when people come back begging for more!
Separate wings at joint with sharp knife. Rinse all pieces with cool water. Discard wing tips.
Place chicken pieces in baking pan. Coat evenly with Emeril's Seasoning and pepper. Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes.
In a small bowl, mix barbecue sauce with honey and hot sauce until well blended; coat baked wings evenly with BBQ sauce mixture. Bake another 10 to 15 minutes, uncovered.
Serve with celery and Walden Farms Blue Cheese or Ranch Dressing and ENJOY!
Oh my gosh, it's low-carb honey BBQ wings!!! WOO HOO!!!
What a gorgeous meal for people who are livin' la vida low-carb
Straight from the kitchen low-carb dieter Lisa Jackson comes this incredible Low-Carb Chicken Crepes Florentine recipe. Mmmmm! That picture looks so delicious and makes for the perfect meal for you and your loved ones or for special guests. You can even surprise them and make this meal for them whether they low-carb or not! :)
This recipe is oh so good! ENJOY!
LOW-CARB CHICKEN CREPES FLORENTINE
3 large egg whites (set yolks aside for hollandaise sauce) 1/2 chicken breast 1/2 cup frozen spinach, defrosted 1 mushroom sliced 1 tsp chopped onion (optional) 1/2 tsp olive oil (optional) 1 Tbsp (per crepe) shredded low fat mozzarella cheese (optional) 1/2 to 1 packet of splenda (depending on how sweet you like your crepes) dash of salt & pepper dash of cream of tartar (optional) butter flavored nonstick spray
Crepes: Combine egg whites, Splenda, salt, pepper and tartar in a mixing bowl and beat until slightly frothy (I use the Silver Bullet Mixer). Lightly spray small nonstick pan with butter spray and pour half of egg white mixture in pan making sure you cover the bottom of pan so you have a well formed pancake shape crepe. Cook on medium heat until slightly brown on bottom and top is done enough to lightly spray with butter spray and flip over.
Remove after a few seconds, place on plate and add 1/2 of chicken mixture on top of crepe. Sprinkle with mozzarella if desired. Roll the crepe over chicken mixture. Set aside and continue to second crepe. Once crepes are complete make the hollandaise sauce (optional).
HOLLANDAISE SAUCE
3 egg yolks 1/2 - 1 packet of Splenda 1-2 Tbsp hot water 1 tsp white wine or white wine vinegar (more tangy) 2 tsp "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter", melted (or use spray since it's already liquid) dash of salt & dash of cayenne pepper parsley (garnish)
You will need a double broiler or a medium pot and a very small non-stick pot (I use the two pots).
Fill the medium pot with 2-3 inches of water or however much to avoid spilling when smaller pan is placed inside. Over medium heat bring water to a boil. In a small bowl mix egg yolks, Splenda, white wine, melted butter, salt and cayenne in a mixing bowl or Silver Bullet. Mix well until creamy. Pour mixture into the smaller pot and whisk mixture quickly until thickened (happens quickly!)
Remove from heat to avoid curdling. Add an extra tablespoon of water if needed for proper consistency. Taste for seasoning. Add parsley for garnish if desired and serve!
Chicken, bacon, Ranch dressing, and cheese--the BEST low-carb pizza!
I love shopping at the grocery store and finding some of my favorite products ON SALE! WOO HOO! Yeah, I'm a tightwad with my money and I pinch pennies every chance that I can. I've always been that way since I was a child and it drives my wife Christine crazy. She knows if I load up on a food item that it MUST have been on sale. What can I say, I like a good bargain!
Sargento makes some outstanding cheeses for your low-carb lifestyle
One such bargain I found recently was on one of my favorite brands of cheese in the whole world--Sargento! Featuring the image and signature of second generation owner Lou Gentine on the back of the packaging, these cheeses from Plymouth, Wisconsin are some of the best around.
So, when my favorite grocery store discounted the Sargento cheeses at an unbelievable 10 for $10 (they usually cost more than TWICE that much at regular price!), I HAD to stock up on them since these cheeses are naturally low in carbs (1g) and loaded with calcium (200mg) and protein (7g) in each 1/4 cup serving! WOW!
Look what I found on the back side of this cheese packaging
I noticed there were some recipes on some of the Sargento cheeses that I bought, so I checked 'em out. Lo and behold, I found one that didn't need much tweaking at all to make it low-carb because it already includes many excellent low-carb ingredients such as chicken, Ranch dressing, bacon, onions, and, of course, CHEESE!
So with a finagling of the pizza crust ingredient which I have substituted with a low-carb version from Dixie Diner, here's that awesome Sargento's recipe that you will want to make YOUR family for dinner sometime soon:
CHEESY LOW-CARB CHICKEN BACON RANCH PIZZA
2 cups cooked chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces 2/3 cup Hidden Valley Ranch dressing (tastes the best!) 1 package Dixie Carb Counters Pizza Crust Mix 6 slices crispy-cooked bacon, crumbled 1/4 cup onions 3 cups Sargento Pizza Double Cheese Shredded Cheese
1. Prepare pizza crust according to packaging and preheat oven to 400F.
2. Combine chicken and 1/3 cup Ranch dressing in medium bowl. Mix well.
3. Spread remaining 1/3 cup Ranch dressing over pizza crust.
4. Spoon chicken mixture over crust; top with bacon, onion, and cheese.
5. Place on baking sheet and cook for 15-20 minutes or until cheese melts.
Chef Becker perfects the art of cooking chicken on dLife this week
After receiving overwhelming feedback from viewers last week about his diabetic-friendly low-carb fried chicken recipe, Chef Franklin Becker returns again this Sunday night to the CNBC show dLife to prepare not one, not two, not three, but FOUR chicken recipes that will delight anyone who is diabetic or following a low-carb lifestyle.
Chef Becker will show you how to make these scrumptious recipes:
Mmmm, I think I've died and gone to chicken heaven! :)
Also appearing on this week's episode is the heart-wrenching and inspiring story of a diabetic Holocaust refugee named Eva Saxl that you won't want to miss as well as how to cut through the sometimes confusing diabetes-speak that exists today with master storyteller and actor Jim Turner.
Tune in on Sunday, October 15, 2006 at 7:00pm ET on CNBC for dLife!
