Milk Nutrition Video
Here is an interesting video regarding the subject of Raw Milk.

Organic meat differs from regular meat in the way the animal farmer raised the animal prior to butchering. Organic meats must be certified through one of several certification organizations, including the Midwest Organic Services Association.

Farmers must follow strict organic guidelines in the production of the meat product and be certified organic. Meat certified organic are often born on farms and raised with the utmost of respect and animal dignity. Beef cattle are not raised in pens but are often free to roam the farm with unrestricted access to water, food, sunshine and outdoor air at all times. Everything that goes into an organic farm animal must also be organic. The pastures the animals graze in must be certified organic themselves. Organic forage and grains grown organically must be fed to the animals and organic pest control must be utilized on these farms. No synthetic or chemical pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers are applied to local fields or pastures. Organic animal farms must apply specific conservation practices to preserve the natural surroundings and the soil in the area. Water is not wasted and recycling is used whenever possible. No organic meat can be certified organic if the animal has been fed any antibiotics, growth hormones, steroids or animal byproducts. Animals are fed what they eat in the pastures and organically grown farm products, such as organic hay. Water is free from contaminants.

In many cases, animals grown on organic animal farms are removed from the program if they ever become sick enough to require antibiotics. They are removed from the herd as soon as their illness is discovered. While antibiotics are an excellent way to treat bacterial infections, there is always the risk of developing resistant strains of bacteria and no one knows the health effects to consumers who eat meat treated with antibiotics. Antibiotics speed the growth of cattle that seem to grow using less feed but, because of resistances, sick animals often can not be well treated and often die of their illness.

Most organic meat comes from animals grown from birth on small farms in which the animal has free range to move around on the pasture and to eat when it wants to. Such animals generally are healthier than their conventional counterparts and are treated more humanely. Animals are allowed to mate as they wish, adding to the sustainability of the farming practice. Much of the organic meat is derived from bull meat, which is some of the leanest meat around. Farmers who raise bulls and sell them (called seed stock producers) must provide affidavits stating that their bulls were not raised using antibiotics or growth hormones from the time of their birth. Such affidavits generally go back at least twenty months prior to the time that the organic farmer purchased the animal.

Organic meats, particularly organic meat, may be somewhat more expensive than conventionally-grown meat. In general, however, the meat is fresh and the consumer can guarantee that there is nothing unhealthy in the organic meat product.

What do Organic Meat Labels Mean?

Organic Natural Meat

The most recent growth in the food industry had been in organic products. It’s definitely a giant step forward; however, the labels on organic meats are notoriously misleading. The appeal of organic foods is that it is completely natural, no pesticides or contaminants have been within 100 foot of it and we can feed it to our family in the safe knowledge that we are giving them the best that our plant has to offer.

That is certainly the case with organic vegetables, but the world seems to be looking at how organic meat is produced with rose tinted glasses. The fish is a very strange one. The USDA has decreed that any wild fish can be labelled and sold as organic. But there is often mercury and other harmful contaminants present in the fish.

The official regulations regarding the welfare and living condition of the animals that organic meat comes from also seems open to debate.

The types of food fed to these animals obviously is very strictly regulated, so we are guaranteed to be eating meat as it should be, without loads of stuff like hormones and chemicals. But personally, I think the living conditions are important too.

So what can we, as the consumers, do about it? Well overall, organic is a better choice than non organic. There are better options however. You can look for meat that has labels on saying it has been approved by the RSPCA and other such bodies which have thoroughly checked out the welfare of the animals prior to slaughter.

There needs to be some radical changes to the organic meat industry, and sooner the better. The customer should know that what they read on the labels is the absolute truth. If there is any kind of misconception as to what organic actually stands for, we need to get our weight behind the reputable consumer pressure groups to force these changes through.

Organic Meat Certification is an ongoing and evolving process that is starting to come together in some countries.

Free range and organic meat and poultry are supposed to be better for you as well as taste better, but do you honestly know what the difference between the two is? I though I did, or at least would be close, but I looked it up and I was somewhat surprised.

Organic means it meets the requirements of the Organic Food Production Act of 1990. The meat and poultry needs to have been fed certified organic feed since birth. So what qualifies as organic feed then? Organic feed is grain and soybeans grown in soil that has been pesticide and chemical fertilizer free for three years minimum. Also the animals and poultry need access to the outdoors and no antibiotics or drugs can be used on them.

The term free range is commonly applied to poultry, for example chickens and turkeys. Free range simply means that the birds have some access to the outdoors. There are no USDA requirements as to the size of the yard or its cleanliness or if the birds actually have to use it.

It’s pretty obvious from the above descriptions that organic is better than free range. For example a chicken could be labeled free range if it had access to a junkyard and was pumped full of antibiotics and other drugs!

What is most important is not the label, but the source. I try to obtain my meat and poultry from trusted and local sources. For example I get lamb from the farm down the street. I know they do a good and humane job.

So what should an average shopper do? When it comes to agricultural products such as produce, grains, dairy and meats, most of us don’t have the ability of getting to know our local farms and farmers. Here are some general tips: 1. Buy your meat, dairy and produce from a trusted source. 2. Learn how to “read between the lines” of food labels. 3. Calculate based on concerns such as taste, convenience, health, food safety, the environment, humane animal treatment, and advocating small family farms. 4. Support for accurate labeling by the USDA and the FDA.

Organic Different Than Natural?

The easy answer to the above question is Yes. While some producers of “natural meat” may follow organic farming practices, there is no enforced definition of the term. Organic meat, on the other hand, is enforced to adhere to strict standards accepted by the USDA National Organic Program.

Here’s are some simple, useful definitions of Natural, Hormone Free, Organic and Grass Fed:

Natural – “Natural” sounds good, but the truth is that it doesn’t mean much on a meat label. The FDA does not enforce the use of the term “natural” except for added color, synthetic substances, and flavors. For example: meat labeled natural can be raised on farms that use pesticides on their fields and in their animal feed.

Hormone Free – This assertion can be deceiving even when it’s technically true. All poultry is free of hormones. Hormones haven’t been allowed in poultry or pork in the U.S. since 1959.

Organic – When you see the USDA “organic” label, you know the food inside has passed rigid guidelines. Here’s a summary of what it means when meat passes the organic test: – Organic farmers do not use antibiotics or synthetic growth hormones. – Organic meat comes from animals that are given 100 percent organic feed. – Organic animals are given access to the outdoors and/or pastures. – Organic farms do no use most conventional pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, bioengineering, or ionizing radiation. – Organic farmers emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations. – Organic farms are inspected by a Government-approved certifier to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards. Companies that handle or process organic meats must be certified, too.

Grass Fed – In November 2007, the U.S. Department of Agriculture began regulating a voluntary “U.S. Grass Fed” label for beef and lamb. The regulations require that the animal has access to pasture and isn’t fed grain. Grass-fed beef is lower in saturated fat and cholesterol than conventional beef, with more vitamins and “good fats” like Omega-3s and CLAs.

Organic is a term not used lightly in 2011 and it’s now a serious standard for producers.

Eating organic beef

These are my top 3 reasons to eat organic meat. These tips will not only help you lose weight and look better but they will save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars in the future. Oh and you will be helping the environment as well but that is just a great side benefit and not the focus of this article. This article will focus on:

1) Preventing Heart Attacks
2) Losing Weight
3) and Feeling Better

Why Eating Organic Grass-Fed Meat Can Prevent Heart Attacks

The short answer to this starts with Omega 3. The benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids have been around in the media for a while. These include reducing inflammation, improving brain function, improving cardiovascular health, and reducing the risk of heart attacks and strokes. There is also evidence that Omega 3s can reduce symptoms of depression, reduce symptoms of ADD/ADHD and even reduce the risk of certain types of cancers.

Omega 3s have been shown to help lower cholesterol, triglycerides, LDLs and blood pressure, while at the same time increasing good HDL cholesterol. This all means that if you get more Omega-3s, you may reduce the risk of having a heart attack.

However, the media always focuses on fish and fish oil to get your Omega 3s. Did you know that Organic Grass-fed Meat has the same if not more Omega-3s than wild caught salmon.

Why Eating Organic Meat Can Help You Lose Weight

This works in 2 ways. 1) Organic Grass-Fed meat has more good fat i.e omega-3s in it. Higher fat and protein content in food has been shown to keep people feeling fuller longer. That means that after eating a great meal with organic grass-fed meat you won’t be back at the refrigerator 30 minutes later to find something else to snack on. This leads to less snacking and overall eating fewer calories.

2) Organic meat still costs more. The prices are coming down but it does still cost more than conventionally raised meat. However, because it has more fat and higher qualities of vitamins, minerals and of course protein you don’t need to eat as much of it. If you are used to eating 2 1/4lb burgers at a BBQ, pretty reasonable right, and the meat costs about $3.50/lb, you would be spending about $1.75 for the meat. Now if you go and eat 1 1/3lb organic grass-fed burger and the meat costs $5.99/lb, you would spend just under $2 for the meat. Well in my book spending about a quarter more and eating healthy meats and fewer calories is a winner in my book. Since the organic meat costs a bit more you may be willing to eat less of it and lose weight.

Why Organic Meat Makes You Feel Better

It has been shown that organic grass-fed meat has higher vitamin and mineral content. This is directly related to the natural diet of grasses and weeds that make up the diet of these animals. When you eat this type of meat the vitamins and minerals are in their natural state and are most readily absorbed by our bodies. The vitamin companies have spent millions of dollars to research the effects of vitamin deficiencies and the benefits of taking vitamins. Well now we can get those same benefits of feeling better, looking younger, etc. and we don’t have to buy their expensive pills. We can get everything we need from eating organic foods, especially meat. So now we feel better and we save money in the long run.

So now it’s time to get to the store and ask the butcher for some organic grass-fed meat and try it for yourself. I know that you will love the fact that you will feel better, lose weight and why not prevent a heart attack at the same time.

Of course these tips are just a start to living a healthier life. It does take some work on your part but luckily there are some great resources out there now to help you get started.

Neil Bogan writes about the latest info on health and fitness helping to separate the myths from the facts. Get free instant access to diet reviews and tips! Visit http://edietsthatwork.com

Losing Fat

It’s pretty common knowledge that protein is the food that burns fat. The problem is that it leaves the question of which works best wide open. To further confuse the matter, there are forms of protein that inhibit burning fat. Overall, organic animal protein is the best.

Why Organic Meat is the Best

You may be wondering why exactly organic meat would be the best food that burns fat. After all, doesn’t meat eating make you fat, and what does “organic” have to do with it anyway? In reality, eating meat shouldn’t make you fat, and organic meat has a lot to do with keeping things that way.

As a matter of fact, the higher percentage of red meat (supposedly, the most unhealthy of all) that you eat, the better. Red meat contains more precursors for the hormone that helps weight loss than the others. Eat in moderation, of course.

Meat Production is More than an Ethical Issue

The reason it’s important for meat to be organic lies in the upbringing of the animal. In conventional meat production, the animals are kept in pens, fed on grains and injected with growth hormones and antibiotics. Besides any ethical issues of this treatment, this upbringing makes the meat less effective for weight loss.

Organic meat production doesn’t use any of these treatments before the steak hits the store. What this means to you is that the meat is leaner, there aren’t any excess carbs from its diet, and you don’t ingest the growth hormones and antibiotics. In short, there’s nothing that would make you fatter or impede your ability to digest the meat than store-bought meat.

Sorting Through the Vegan Protein Options

It may still be that meat eating is an ethical issue or a problem with karma. That’s perfectly fine because there are vegan protein options. You do have to be careful what you eat, though.

Many vegans gravitate immediately to soy products. Soy has gotten a lot of hype for supposed health benefits. However, soy has a number of health issues, especially for men, and especially in weight loss.

Many men simply cannot handle consuming soy as a major protein source. It causes digestive issues similar to lactose intolerance. Many believe that this is tied to its problem in weight loss-that it has precursors for estrogen, which prevents weight loss. Any way about it, it’s counterproductive to your weight loss goals.

Instead, you will have to rely on nuts and nut products. Of course, they should be organic and non-roasted. Among the options you have available, nuts and to a lesser extent, legumes are the best protein for your weight loss program.

Are you looking for an HONEST and ALL-NATURAL Diet & Nutrition Program? Visit The Diet Solution Program to sign up for a free video filled with Tips and Tricks to Jumpstart Your Weight Loss. Stop Dieting…Start Eating…and Start Living!