Issue link: http://cp.revolio.com/i/771993
sources. Research consistently shows that nutri onal deficits are extremely hard to avoid if you limit yourself to a strictly plant- based diet. From the standpoint of ancestral nutri on, the hun ng and foraging of our predecessors resulted in their consuming a much wider selec on of foods than we do today, which means they received a much broader complement of nutrients, including proteins. Research published in the journal Nutri on shows that people who eat a strictly plant-based diet may suffer from subclinical protein malnutri on. This puts one at risk for not ge ng enough dietary sulfur. Sulfur is derived almost exclusively from dietary protein, such as fish and high-quality (organic and/or grass-fed/pastured) beef and poultry. Meat and fish are considered "complete" as they contain all the sulfur- containing amino acids you need to produce new protein. A new Japanese study shows that adequate intake of animal protein may lower your risk of age-related func onal decline. Men who consumed higher levels of meat and fish had a 39 percent lower risk of mental and physical decline compared to those who ate the least animal protein. On the flip side, plant- based proteins may be helpful in reducing your blood pressure. A recent meta-analysis found that removing meat from the diet led to blood pressure reduc ons similar to losing five kilos of body weight. So... which is be er—plant or animal? I believe the answer is neither—meaning, clinically speaking, most would be best served by consuming a variety of high-quality proteins in order to reap the benefits of both plant- and animal-based protein sources, as each offers its own par cular health benefits. Be Very Selective About Where Your Meat Comes From The quality of the meat you eat is as important as the quan ty. As a general rule, the only meat I recommend ea ng is grass-fed, pastured, ideally organically raised meats (and of course, the same goes for dairy and eggs.) Meat from pastured or grass-fed animals is FAR superior to that from animals raised in confined animal feeding opera ons (CAFOs). CAFO beef and poultry is likely to be contaminated with herbicides, pes cides, hormones, an bio cs, and other drugs, as well as GMOs from the gene cally engineered (GE) grains these animals typically consume. Researchers are even sugges ng that CAFO beef may be spreading slow-ac ng prion infec on causing Alzheimer's disease. The damage is iden cal to that seen in Mad Cow disease, except for the rate of speed with which the infec on destroys your brain and causes death. In 2009, a joint research project between the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Clemson University determined a total of 10 key areas where grass-fed is be er for human health than grain- fed beef. In a side-by-side comparison, they determined that grass-fed beef was superior in the following ways: ✓ Higher in total omega-3s ✓ A healthier ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids (1.65 vs 4.84) ✓ Higher in CLA (cis-9 trans-11), a potential cancer fighter ✓ Higher in vaccenic acid (which can be transformed into CLA) ✓ Higher in the B-vitamins thiamin and riboflavin ✓ Higher in the minerals calcium, magnesium, and potassium ✓ Higher in vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) ✓ Higher in beta-carotene Page 64 | Abby's Magazine - www.AbbysMag.com