Random thought re grassfed meats ...
... I'm listening to Jimmy's podcast with Zoe Harcombe and she's discussing Lierre Keith and feeding grain to animals vs. humans, etc. I don't have a beef (pun?) on this topic, but it reminded me of something I read a while back regarding grassfed meats and grain consumption in general.
It went something like this: The current population of the world could not be sustained if every human on the planet were to consume grassfed livestock and tried to eliminate grains entirely as a carbohydrate energy source. What this says to me is that were we to try to transition to such a diet for "everyone", it could not be sustained. Then the question becomes which humans get access to the good stuff, and which are relegated to consuming what's left, and what are the ethical implications?
Anyone else here ever read or consider this?
Comments
I guess the people who get the grassfed meat are those who are willing to spend the extra money.
But it is an interesting ethical question. If the richer among us are the ones who can afford the food, are we not in theory relegating a portion of the population to death by deprivation?
If peak oil comes to pass and the cost of grains multiplies tenfold we'll all be raising rabbits in our backyards.
One can imagine a small taste of what's to come; Stuff like this has already happened in limited niches. When Cartier came to the New World the stories are that off the coast of Newfoundland the French sailors could hold their arms out and within a short time they would be holding a big cod. Exaggerated, most definitely ... but since there are a lot of stories like that, stretching all the way back to the Vikings, one wonders how much.
There are stories of even greater abundance in the US pacific northwest & southern British Columbia.
That (arms full of fish) won't happen today anywhere in the world. Well, maybe parts of the Brazilian rainforest (which has more than 70% of the world's clean water)
The small fraction of the humans that eat seafood have reduced stocks by 95 to 99%.
This is one of my issues with Paleo-based eating. Many of our modern foods do not mimic those of that day, from fruits to livestock. So I'm not sure eating grains to which we've adapted is necessarily all that much different. Cordain's approach of using modern foods to comprise a similar nutrient profile to Paleo days seems worthy of consideration vs. just trying to eat modern versions of their foods and act like it's all the same.
There is a new movement on I've heard about, and seen some products in the local markets .. the "sustainable seafood" that promotes eating fish species that can be caught sustainably.
I really do feel the pain though ... except for eggs, high protein food in Canada is 30 to 50% more expensive than in the US, all costs considered. The cheapest proteins I can get are actually protein powders. Cheaper per gram of protein than even the cheapest, toughest cuts of beef.
The milk used for those powders is made the same as the milk in the corner store, PLUS it's run through a factory full of expensive separation equipment, and in the end that turns out cheaper. I suspect mostly because one is not paying to transport water.
PS - (thought I would post this on the one post where we don't discuss Insulin) ... speaking of insulin (ha ha ha), I'm currently living just south of the University of Toronto, near the art gallery - my apartment's a 5 minute walk from where Banting & Best did their research.
I actually took some of my undergrad courses in the same building. If Sanger had also done his work there it would be a trifecta of sorts ...
I also must attest that once I stopped eating farm raised fish, and grain fed beef. Started eating raw dairy, grass fed meat, organic produce, and properly prepared grain (that's a big one coming from a former low carb fanatic.) I feel unbelievable. Always in a good mood, never sick, gaining strength with minimal exercise, and look more firm across the board. I pay $20 for a steak and thank god its available.
Right now grass fed meat is a niche market and therefore the price can be high...Increase demand will bring in more players and the competition will drive the price down. To What?
Let the free marked and not government subsidies decide that.
Personally, I've gone through my phases eating organic, raw, wild, etc., (never could develop a taste for grassfed beef, yuck to me!) and I didn't feel any differently than eating the cheaper counterparts. It's mostly been cutting almost all junk from my diet, eating real foods and preparing them more and more at home so I know everything that goes into a sauce or rub, etc. that has made a huge difference.
Muata that sounds like a great idea. My issue with fish farming is that the feed. If I could get "fed a natural diet" and not something totally foreign to the fish, that would be sufficient for me. I don't like the dyes either, but y'know, we all have to draw our lines somewhere. I love tilapia :) No dye needed for those!
one can raise cattle on grassland that is not suitable for commercial farming.
Goats and other hardy animals on even "worse" land.
IMHO if everyone started eating meat it would still not be enough, like the fisheries were not enough to survive the onslaught of the big commercial trawlers.
I think that many people would be surprised at what they can grow in a simple 3-5 gallon bucket using "organic" hydroponic fertilizer (BTW, the one I use is actually made from molasses...)
I should also point out that the people I have met who now come to the site for answers are vastly varied. From the LC community (such as myself) to former vegan/raw foodist. For a great story about one man's personal journey to find health. See:
http://www.danielvitalis.com/2010/03/hunter-safety-why-i-am-not-a-vegan/
It makes me believe that there must be something to this stuff if such vastly different people come to the same place looking for answers to the same question. What is the best diet of overall health?
As for weight loss. Sally Fallon, the lady who runs Weston A Price, wrote a book "Eat Fat Lose Fat". It encourages a high fat, moderate carbohydrate, and CALORIE RESTRICTION for weight loss. But beyond that recommends nutrient rich traditional foods.
As far as the paranoia about low-fat, I believe it's a false alarm and the low-fat grain diet is actually quite conducive to health and longevity, and much more so than low-carb meat diets (though nothing beats a diet of mostly greens plus a small amount of fish). Right now, I balance the omega-6's in my 400g/day of oats with omega-3's from canned salmon/mackeral/sardines. All of these fish are wild caught and all are cheap if you buy them canned. Some people says canned fish tastes like catfood. And exactly what is wrong with the taste of catfood? If I can't afford canned fish in the future, then I believe algae farming will become widespread on a sustainable basis, and algae is the ultimate source of omega-3's. So I'm not worried about my future.
I'm also not worried about starvation and malnutrition in the third-world. When I go hiking in nature, I routinely see starving animals. Starvation is nature's way. If the third-worlders starve, too bad for them. The concern most people show regarding starvation in the third-world is socially programmed rather than springing from our biological nature--I am absolutely certain of that.
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