Fantastic Fats (Red Meat Included)
A shift in conventional wisdom has brought red meat into nutrition’s good graces.
Our food system and the food politics that surround it is vast and complex. For over three decades the public has been advised by the government, with support from scientists, to both reduce and avoid our consumption of saturated and polyunsaturated fats because of the health concerns. This information led to a reformation of eating animal fat found largely in cattle. So, what has changed and why is fat so beneficial to our diets?
Pasture-raised, organic meats not only support a food system and a positive shift in farming practices, but in humane animal husbandry practices and our customer's wellness. At Kellner Crafted Meats, we’re standing for something and it is more than just words — it is in our business practices. Our story speaks to transparency and accountability. Join us in today’s post as we navigate fats and the part red meat plays in our diets.
Animal Fats - A Brief History
As fats were demonized in our culture, it led to a massive shift in agriculture. Certain breeds of pigs went almost extinct because their genetics largely produced backfat to keep warm in outdoor conditions — but this was now contrary in the farming industry. Pigs were now being bred to produce much less fat which also led to an increase in antibiotics because included in these drugs is ractopamine, a component meant to keep pigs as lean as possible. Banned in Europe, China, and Russia, the drug is still legal in the US and conventional farmers still widely use it.
Traditional breeds of cattle were now being phased out for larger and leaner conventional breeds which are fed grain before slaughter.
Farmers, over time, changed animals and their genetics to fit with what the government and scientists were asking for, but has the shift from animals (saturated an polyunsaturated fats) been warranted?
The Fat and Sugar Dynamic
The 60s is the decade when the shift away from animal fats began and deemed them the enemy. So, we turned to margarine and fish and steered away from whole fat milk, cream sauces, and steak. These foods that families had been eating for generations were replaced by low-fat options — the fat was replaced with sugar — and the rise of processed foods. The ascent of heart disease and high cholesterol was upon us and largely attributed to saturated fats.
Research has since surfaced and has found that processed sugar may weigh heavier in the correlation to heart concerns than was once previously thought.
Since this new research has come to light, fat is back in the good graces of nutiriton, but not all fats are created equal. Hydrogenated fats are fats that will never be healthy, but when you establish healthy eating habits by limiting processed foods and eating plenty of vegetables and protein, fat is factored in as just another macronutrient vital for many functions of the body.
Fat doesn’t have to be the enemy and shouldn’t be. The quality of meat — from how it is raised to how it is slaughtered — deeply matters. Kellner Crafted Meats cultivates meats with non-GMO, organic, and sugar-free options that provide the finest quality to support your health and wellness.
Find out more about the meats we offer today!
