Part 4 is here and we are going to talk about meat. Yeah, now we are getting to the meat of it. I did talk a little bit about meat in Part 1 when referencing fats. Remember how we talked about omega-3 fatty acids being very important in weight loss?
Meat is the best source of omega-3 fatty acids. Now wait wait… I am sure you are thinking “No, Tim, flaxseeds and walnuts are better sources”. Actually plant and nut sources contain omega-3’s in the form of alpa linoleic acid or ALA which then must be converted in the body to EPA and DHA. The conversion rate is not that great mind you… I have seen numbers all over the board from 1% to 35%… either way the omega-3’s found in fish are not only in high amounts but are also more readily available to the body as EPA and DHA.
Most people have an aversion to eating meat often and say “everything in moderation”. While it is true that we need to have things in balance in life and with moderation (everything can be overdone), with healthy meat this saying makes it seem as unhealthy. In fact, most people would be healthier if they had meat everyday and more than once a day… it all depends on the meat and the quality… which most people cannot get at the grocery anymore.
Overall the best foods are vegetables and animals that eat vegetables and fish. Having access to meat from grass-fed animals (cows, bison, lamb, chickens, turkey, etc) and wild caught fish will do wonders for the health of the body. Meat from grass-fed animals has over four times the amount of Vitamin E, two to four times more omega-3’s, and three to five times more CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) than meat from modern day grain-fed diets. Remember the discussion in Part 1 about CLA and omega-3’s? Good. All products from animals that are grass-fed are better for it… eggs, cheese, milk, butter, and meat.
There are numerous examples of people and farms that are going back to traditional methods and raising grass-fed animals. At the end of the series I will provide some examples of where you can get each type of food in the series (if you have trouble). One example that I would like to note for those in the Nashville area is: www.gourmetpasturebeef.com. There are places like this all over the country now. One key thing to look for is to make sure that the meat is truly grass-fed and “grass-finished”. Some farms say grass-fed as a marketing tool but they finish (prepare for butchering) with grain and it is the “finishing” period that is among the most important for the quality of meat.
Eating high quality grass-fed meats and fish will provide excellent nutrition as well as tremendous weight loss potential as they are packed with CLA, omega-3’s, and equally important, they will not cause massive insulin swings and raise your blood sugar and thereby cause weight gain that way.
Look for:
–Grass-fed (and grass-finished) Beef, Bison, Lamb, Goat, Dairy (raw)
–Pastured Chicken & Turkey (not just “free-range”, pastured chicked will eat grass, bugs which eat grass, and also be given some grain). Eggs from cage free hens are much better (these are an easy find in most groceries now, although eggs from pastured chicken and turkey will be better).
–Wild Caught Fish (preferably Pacific side and smaller fish because they have less mercury contamination) Examples are Wild Caught Alaskan Salmon, Wild Caught Sardines, Herring, some Halibut. ¬†
Avoid:
–Pork, Ostrich, and I don’t have to say cat, dog, and all that stuff do i?
–Shellfish, Shrimp, Catfish, Shark, Lobster
Stay tuned… next week we are going to talk about water. And you thought water was water.
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Foods For Weight Loss – Part 1
Foods For Weight Loss – Part 2
Foods For Weight Loss – Part 3
Foods For Weight Loss – Part 5
Foods For Weight Loss – Part 6
Tim is a health researcher and educator based out of Nashville, TN. Connect with him on Instagram @eattodaytolivetomorrow.
