So I’m reading Fast Food Nation (a fascinating book, by the way) and the chapters on the quality of beef and the atrocities of the slaughterhouses makes me wonder: is organic beef (and for that matter, organic chicken, pork, etc.) processed in the same grotesque fashion? The cynic of me thinks that organic food, while it is grown differently, is processed just the same, while the idealist in me thinks that maybe, just maybe, organic meat is not processed in unsanitary conditions.
Since we all vote with our dollar, I’m starting to think I don’t want to support ‘the man’ by buying meat from the main slaughterhouses and processors of America, seeing the damage the meat industry is causing our nation. But if I go organic, would I still be supporting ‘the man,’ albeit an organic man?
Also, for those of you who read Fast Food Nation, did it prompt any sort of change in your eating habits? I already don’t eat fast food, but I’m wondering about eating meat now. If you went vegetarian, how was the adjustment?
After many years on the organic/local/farm trail, the best I can say is that you should ask questions of the source and processing of everything. As “organic” becomes a marketing power, its definition gets continually watered down. Additionally, “organic” meat may, indeed, be processed through the very same equipment as non-organic meat. Even a walk through your local Whole Foods aisles will expose you to MANY varying degrees of “organic” foods from MANY degrees and means of processing. A walk to your local “Farmer’s Market” will similarly confuse you. Sure, it is locally grown, picked, and processed…but do you know whether certain pesticides or fertilizers were used? If I grow my own garden but use the latest-greatest chemicals from the Lowes or Wal-Mart, am I doing myself any more good than grabbing a sack of produce from the grocery?
Just asking the questions and being aware of what you’re eating is 1/2 the battle. Moderation in everything.
Here’s an even better alternative: Don’t eat meat, period. Read Mad Cowboy by Howard Lyman and that will really open your eyes about the meat industry. It changed me to become vegan back in January of 06 and I’ve never looked back.
As “organic” becomes a marketing power, its definition gets continually watered down.
‘Organic’ is a term that is regulated by the FDA, and there are very strict criteria for something to be labeled ‘organic.’
On the subject of meat, certain markets (like Whole Foods) have cruelty-free standards in place and can give you an outline of what they look for in their meat providers. I’m not completely certain, but I think right now Whole Foods labels which of their meats comes from cruelty-free farms. I don’t think all of it does, but I’m not certain about that. Also, I don’t think there are standards for ‘cruelty-free’ the way that the term ‘organic’ is regulated. I think it’s up to the store’s discretion what they consider ‘cruelty-free.’
Here’s an even better alternative: Don’t eat meat, period. Read Mad Cowboy by Howard Lyman and that will really open your eyes about the meat industry. It changed me to become vegan back in January of 06 and I’ve never looked back.
When you made this switch how did you maintain nutrition necessities? What did you substitute to get the protein, and other vit.'s and nutrients that are present in meat.
I used to be a huge meat eater. I now rarely eat it mainly because of fast food nation, and seeing some film on youtube of how the animals are processed. I have tried subsituting other things for the meat in my diet but find I feel like I need meat in a meal from time to time. I probably don’t know how to cook the substitutes to a palatable and that is what makes me feel this way so who has some good recipe’s and suggestions?
One poster already suggested it, but Omnivore’s Dilemma is a really good read that has some insight into organic vs. non-organic, what is ‘free range’, etc. John Robbin’s book Diet for a New America also has some insight into the current meat industry, though some of it is quite slanted.
I’ve eaten animals I have killed and butchered myself. I don’t think there is a “non-groutesque” way to kill an animal and prepare it to be served as food.
You either have to come to terms with that (I personally don’t have much of an issue with it as long as the killing is done swiftly and with some respect) or you decide to not eat meat (another legitimate choice). Searching for “kindly killed” meat a totally unacceptable childlike avoidance of the issue.
Here’s an even better alternative: Don’t eat meat, period. Read Mad Cowboy by Howard Lyman and that will really open your eyes about the meat industry. It changed me to become vegan back in January of 06 and I’ve never looked back.
When you made this switch how did you maintain nutrition necessities? What did you substitute to get the protein, and other vit.'s and nutrients that are present in meat.
I used to be a huge meat eater. I now rarely eat it mainly because of fast food nation, and seeing some film on youtube of how the animals are processed. I have tried subsituting other things for the meat in my diet but find I feel like I need meat in a meal from time to time. I probably don’t know how to cook the substitutes to a palatable and that is what makes me feel this way so who has some good recipe’s and suggestions?
For protein I use soy, either soy milk or soy protein bars. I have soy milk with omega 3s everyday with cereal so that gives protein along with the omegas. Other than that I try to have lots of vegetables (salad) everyday and fruit throughout the day. Getting the recommended vitamins and nutrients along with protein on a vegan diet is quite easy, you just have to know what to look for and eat.
I was having the same dilemma after watching the slaughterhouses on utube. I became sick to my stomach with tears rolling down my cheeks.
I researched and researched on what brands I should buy that are free range and slaughter humanily. I couldn’t find much so one day almost 4 weeks ago I stopped eating meat and haven’t since then. I do eat fish twice a week though.
The first week I was more tired and I felt weaker in my training but I started to eat smaller meals and snacks throughout the day and after one week I was back up to my same training volume and I feel great. I find myself eating a lot more veges and feeling even better.
I bought a couple of vegetarian cookbooks and a book on becoming a vegetarian so that I can make sure I am getting complete proteins and the nutrients needed to sustain myself. It seems to be working.
" ‘Organic’ is a term that is regulated by the FDA, and there are very strict criteria for something to be labeled ‘organic.’"
Certainly, Austin…it is tightly regulated, as are most food products in the US. But the organic boards are increasingly populated with large industry representation. That has already lead to loosening of the regulations. The more $ to be made from the term ‘organic’, the looser the definition will become…no matter how ‘tightly regulated’ it is.
Your notes on cruelty-free are spot on, and, I think, illustrate my point that in the end, the buyer must still beware…
FWIW, we are nearly 100% Whole Foods/COOP/Farmer’s Market in my house. We buy the majority of our meat from a small Amish farm in Pennsylvania and as much local farmer’s market produce as possible. But we’ve asked hard questions of all of our sources.
My concern isn’t as much how well treated the animals are (though that is a concern) but more the unsanitary nature of a slaughterhouse. Its not just meat in those hamburger patties, but also hair, feces, bone, vomit, etc. In addition to being cruel to the animals, with the advent of mad cow and the frequent ecoli breakouts, I’m starting to think slaughterhouse meat isn’t safe to eat.
Sadly, I think ‘organic’ can become a marketing tool, allowing grocers to raise the price of food.
Prior to reading Fast Food Nation, I had never thought of where my food came from. Its opened my eyes.
So I need some ideas: if I go vegetarian, how can I fix my diet? For example, I eat a turkey sandwich everyday at lunch. Tofu sandwich? Lots of beans? A bean (?) sandwich (is that even possible)?
I have a decent background (which makes me the in house expert) on this and spent a lot of time in college (I should have been given a PhD on the topic) and there is some good news and bad news. (The parenthesis are disclaimers so that I do not come off TOO conceited since my writing style and handle of the english language, I speak american, is like that if i don’t sit on it for a day)
Bad news is organic meat means the animals must eat all organic (good) (free range in MUCH better though, even though the terms “free-range” and “organic” mean they can still be finished off in a feed lot or with organic entirely in a feed lot, really gross and tons of diseases). Organic means no hormones or anitbiotics (really good).
Good news is from my own research and experience with local farmers trying to become certified organic is that it is tough. For honey there has to be a 5 mile radius of all organic flowers, and for beef the process takes 5 years and even the fenceposts cant be painted bc cows chew on them. I know QAL is a good certifier and maybe there are some bad certifiers out there btu I know people who have great setups that are having trouble getting certified so it makes me feel better on one side and mad on the other.
As far as veggies go Scott Jurek (Western States 100 champion something like 6 or 10 times and Badwater 135 winner) is vegan and does great. There are even bodybuilders otu there that are huge and ripped vegetarians.
There are three problems with this process.
You have to know what you doing and know you nutrients and what defiecenties your diet has (jurek is a nazi with this part) and do the change slowly.
The Paleo Diet has some good arguements against veggie and Joel Friel (Triathlete Prophet figure) is a HUGE proponet of it and wrote a book on it and Normann Stadler follows it from 6 weeks out on Hawaii.
I have read many things that say blood type and even sex can play a part in how well you go veggie or vegan so certain people, mainly if you are pushing yourself at the level most triathletes do, this could be a factor.
I have tried all three (only made vegan 1 week) (veggie without dairy for a while, and veggie without dairy but whey included for quite a while) and feel like eating over the RECOMMENDED 12 fruits and veggies (varied, not 6 apples and 6 cans of V8, and only two servings of GOOD juice counts) a day with some added protein from whey and some fish and lean meat regularly is what works for me when I can do it psychologically and money wise (at least right now). It is really tough to get so many fruits and veggies and you really need to cut out sugars, grains and dairy to do it so it leads right into the Paleo diet or a vegetarian with protein supplemented diet.
As a response to reading books, there is a book by Peter Singer, the Rachel Carson (author of Silent Spring which lead to the environmental movement) of animal ethics. The book is Animal Liberation and should be referenced and used about 50 time in fast food nation and the other books referenced in fast food nation all use one of singers books.
What I have found and written pages and pages on is that there is a tough balance between ethical, environmental, and healthy eating that is tough to put together and much much tougher the more you know. It s know my wife and mines dream to own a piece of land and grow all natural fruits and veggies and raise and slaughter our own meat off the grid in the midwest somewhere. I had a garden and raised rabbits for food as a kid and took it for granted and now visit ecovillages to learn how to become truly sustainable, not sustainable-as-long-as-i-can-keep-my-consumer-whore-standard-of living.
I dot need my poop going though miles and miles of pipes that get all concentrated and leak all over the place and then to a giant dead life killing pond so it can be pumped back on my not as god intended manicured lawn only to have the city workers switch a valve on the pipes and have mine and everyones sewage pumped back into my house all of a sudden (in the news today)