This post is sure to drum up controversy since everyone has very strong opinions and preferences. The information out there is so erroneous that it is truly hard to get a handle on what one should consume to be healthy. I will not be going into the subject in tremendous depth, but will be posing the issue here to bring your attention to it and to get you started on your own research and informed opinion forming.
Question Your Assumptions
Again, like soy, meat and dairy are not evil, but it is best to realize that we are quite misinformed about the two, and we need to do some research to seriously question our current assumptions.
Protein from Animal vs. Plants
For meat, we have had it pounded in our heads that meat is THE end-all-be-all for protein in our diets. Most of this assumption has come from trainers and the like, who have found rapid results for muscle accumulation with consumption of protein meat (and dairy). But, further research has found that the protein from plant sources (beans, quinoa, green leafies, etc.) may not lead to as quick of results as meat and dairy consumption, but that the muscle mass and tone last longer. And, there isn't the risk of disease that is prevalent with high animal protein consumption.
One of the best analogies I've heard is from Boutenko in Green for Life (which is excellent). She used the analogy of a wedding dress, stating that if you bought a wedding dress (animal protein) and then altered it for your wedding dress, it would look ok, but would not be a perfect fit. But, if you were to buy the material (plant protein) and have a wedding dress specially made for you, then it would be perfect. Your body is designed to take the individual amino acids from plants and assemble them into the perfect proteins (you just need to eat a varied diet to get all the amino acids, but you don't even have to eat the "perfect protein" within one meal--your body can take the amino acids from different meals and assemble them as needed). Whereas consuming animal protein, your body has to take the inferior protein, break it down, and then try to reassemble it from imperfect parts.
The China Study
The China Study is THE seminal work on research of protein from animal sources versus protein from plant sources. The author, Dr. T. Colin Campbell, set out his research years ago to prove that animal protein was the missing health piece in developing countries (having been raised on a cattle farm), when he found that animal protein actually led to diseases not prevented them.
His animal studies, giving animals the same levels of animal protein (casein--the protein from dairy) as the S.A.D. (Standard American Diet) or 20%, found that animal protein actually led to disease, whereas animal protein at 5% actually fought disease. He then continued his research after animal studies to observational human studies in China.
I'll let you read the book to get the nitty gritty details, but suffice it to say, I think this book is an absolutely MUST READ for all! It is incredibly eye opening and shifted my whole thinking. The only thing I wish that Dr. Campbell did do was address the differences between animal proteins (meat, dairy, and egg) instead of lumping them together (although maybe the effect is the same??). I also wished he would have considered the effects of packaged/refined foods with his human observations in China--although maybe that was not within the scope of his studies (would have been nice though).
Too Much is Too Much
We are truly overdoing it with meat consumption. If you look at our animal farming, production, and slaughtering practices, we have gone ridiculously overboard in the U.S. Watch Food, Inc. for quite the eye opener.
The best source for a guide to eating is the LDS Word of Wisdom. It is truly excellent and inspired. The largest portion of text of Section 89 is about food consumption. Isn't it strange that we Mormons tend to gloss over this and think of the Word of Wisdom as just informing us not to consume harmful substances (such as alcohol, caffeine, tea, smoking, etc.)? Verses 10-18 of Section 89 instruct us to eat grains and "whole herbs... in their season" (herbs are referring essentially to vegetables and fruits). For meat, we are instructed to eat it "sparingly" in times of "winter, or of cold, or of famine." We have gotten away from this by eating meat everyday for essentially breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
My Elimination Diet
I did an elimination diet last October in which I didn't eat any wheat, corn, dairy, eggs, soy, or peanuts (or sugar either). The diet included lots of veggies, fruit, and alternative grains, as well as meat (the best kinds - organic, grass fed, and free range--very expensive!!!) for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It wasn't large amounts of meat, but it was interesting what I found through my experience.
My body didn't miss any of the items I had excluded, and I loved eating large amounts of veggies and other grains. What I did find was that I felt a complete overload on meat. It was no more meat than is "normal" for the S.A.D., but I felt I never wanted to eat meat again (or at least much of it). It was an interesting finding to me.
I personally have been so very happy limiting my meat and dairy consumption to less than 10% per week. I eat A LOT more beans and have found that I not only feel satiated longer (which is what protein does) but that my body doesn't balk at the large consumption of meat. I'm getting the protein I need and feel great. It is also amazing to find the variety available when I introduce more beans into my diet, since there are soooo many kinds of beans!
Recommendations
For the recommended 10% or less of animal protein (from The China Study) that you do consume without ill effects, you would do best to consume the right kinds. For meat, it is best to consume organic grass fed beef, free range chicken, and wild fish (FYI - farmed salmon are fed unnatural diets, have lower Omega 3 fats and higher Omega 6 fats than the wild-caught fish, and are often injected with dye to look pink since their unnatural habitat doesn't lead to the natural pink flesh of salmon).
For dairy, the best option is to avoid as much dairy as possible, keeping yogurt or kefir in your diet for the good probiotics. For any dairy you do consume, in a perfect world, it would be best to use raw whole milk (whether as an occasional milk beverage for fun--not large amounts--or for use in making kefir or yogurt--I will give recipes later).
If that is not feasible, the next best option would be to buy organic, whole milk to avoid the antibiotics and hormones in milk that is not organic and the altering of the milk fats (just drink much less!). Fat free milk often has water and powdered milk added to it (crazy, right!). The homogenization and pasteurization of milk alters the milk protein and milk fat making them more harmful/less beneficial. Dr. Mercola has some good articles on raw milk. You can search his website/blog. I don't agree with everything he says (he's a big proponent of meat and dairy, and I trust Dr. Campbell's research in The China Study more). Dr. Mercola also uses scare tactics, which I don't like. But, it's good to read different sources.
Robyn Openshaw (GreenSmoothieGirl.com) gives a good response to Dr. Mercola's attack of The China Study. See http://www.greensmoothiegirl.com/articles/clash-of-the-titans/. She also has some good information on her website on plant vs. animal protein.
I would love to hear your comments.
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