You and I evolved to eat red meat… Our primal ancestors thrived on meat as a healthy source of protein and fat.
In fact, without the protein and fat from meat, we never would have made it into the 21st century.1
Almost every cell in your body needs protein to survive.
You use protein to build and repair tissues. It’s an important building block of bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, hair, nails and blood. You also use protein to make enzymes, hormones and other body chemicals.
And eating the right fat is equally important. Fat helps you transport nutrients around your body and deliver them where they’re needed. Vitamins A, D, E, K and CoQ10 can’t even be absorbed without fat.
But there’s a big problem with today’s red meat…
Modern beef producers care more about making a profit than the quality of protein you eat.
As a result, they raise animals in “confined animal feeding operations” or CAFOs. These meat factories feed cows a combination of soy, corn and other grains.
It makes them sick, fat and diseased.
These animals are also pumped full of hormones to fatten them faster.
Herbicides, pesticides, toxins and antibiotics collect in the animal’s fat. And then end up on your dinner table.
The animals aren’t allowed to run or get exercise so they collect unhealthy levels of omega-6 fats that lead to heart disease.
I can’t say this enough… You should stay away from factory-farmed meat.
Fortunately, there is a much better choice.
I’m talking about all-American bison meat.
Our Native American ancestors didn’t have domestic animals. In the old West, they hunted bison both on foot and horseback, then killed them with a spear or bow and arrow.
They believed bison was “real food.” All other meat was considered inferior.
It’s no
wonder the bison was named our national mammal in 2016.Bison meat is higher in protein, zinc and vitamin B12 than most beef.2
It’s also very high in iron — in fact, that’s what gives the meat a bright red color. It also has more omega-3 fats, and a much better omega-6 to omega-3 ratio.
Our ancestors had a ratio of 1:1 in their diets. That means for every bit of omega-6 they consumed, they also ate the same amount of omega-3s.
In our modern world, the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats we eat has skyrocketed to as much as 20 to 1.
And too much omega-6 increases inflammation in your body, which results in premature aging, heart disease, arthritis, diabetes, Alzheimer’s and other autoimmune diseases.
But there is an even more important reason to make bison your first choice when it comes to beef.
All bison are grass-fed only.
Bison need to graze on open acreage. That’s because they would rather starve than eat grains!
Here’s one of my favorite ways to prepare bison. But be careful… Bison is so lean it cooks quickly. It’ll get tough if you cook it too long or at too high heat.
Basic Primal Bison Burgers
- 1 lb ground bison
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine ground bison with salt and pepper.
- Form meat into 4 patties.
- Cook 4 to 5 minutes per side to 160 degrees F. internal temperature.
- Remove from grill and serve with lettuce, tomato and avocado slices.
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD, CNS
1 Palmer, J. “Tool-making and meat-eating began 3.5 million years ago,” BBC News. Aug 11, 2010.
2 USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference Release 28, Full Report (All Nutrients): 17149, Bison, ground, grass-fed, raw. Accessed 8/1/17.