To Beef or Not to Beef: Musings of a Healthy Carnivore

"To beef, or not to beef - that is the question..." Okay, so Shakespeare is twitching a little in his grave right now; but punning aside, this is a valid and hotly-debated question in food and nutrition circles, and invites discourse in the environmental arena as well. I could produce reams of prose with all the pros and cons and ramifications and caveats and arguments about the eating of red meat, and still not begin to encompass the scope of the topic; so let's just concern ourselves with a quick review of the undisputed nutritional aspects, and learn why small amounts of lean organic beef can very rightly be part of a healthy and beneficial diet. Of course organic is the only way to go here, as it will ensure that you are getting no residue of hormones, pesticides and antibiotics in your meat.

First of all, let us address portion size. A nice big one-pound porterhouse steak may dazzle you, but it's a big no-no - unless you're sharing it with a couple of other people! Four ounces is the recommended amount to be consumed in any given meal - that's about the size of a pack of playing cards. And that amount will still furnish you with 64% of your daily protein requirement, along with other nutrients necessary to enhance cardiovascular health and to aid in the prevention of certain cancers.

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