I’ve been fighting the anti-meat crusaders for years. They’d have you believe that eating red meat is an evil you must avoid. But it’s just not true.
Now, the first long-term study investigating whether eating red meat increases dementia risk has finally arrived.
And let me tell you, it’s a punch in the gut to the so-called health advocates telling you to ban red meat from your kitchen.
In fact, the results are so clear I’m hoping it will finally silence the false medical prophets who continue to say red meat is “bad” for you.
As my regular readers already know, grass-fed beef is actually beneficial to your health. Eating healthy red meat is how we evolved into the big-brained species we are today.
It’s what made us who we are.
I’m not talking about the industrialized, processed meat that comes from Big Agra’s malnourished, diseased livestock.
I’m referring to genuine, 100% grass-fed beef and organ meat.
And now, a groundbreaking new study proves what I’ve been saying all along is true.
Red Meat Cuts Dementia Risk 20%
Researchers at the University of Leeds wanted to know if eating red meat increases your risk of developing dementia.
So they tracked 493,888 participants enrolled in the UK Biobank project after gathering extensive data on meat-eating habits.
One decade later, 2,896 of the subjects had dementia.
And researchers served up two major findings.
The first was that even a modest, 25-gram-a-day serving of processed meat – say a few slices of bacon – increased your chances of dementia by 44%.
That’s an eye-opener to be sure. But it really doesn’t surprise me. I’ve been warning my patients for years about the dangers of the diseased livestock raised on factory farms, and the nitrite-laden meat you find on most grocery store shelves.
But
here’s the real news: The study also reported that eating 50 grams of unprocessed meat a day significantly reduces your risk of getting Alzheimer’s – or any other form of dementia.That’s right. After tracking half a million people for a decade, researchers “discovered” that eating unprocessed red meat lowers your risk of getting dementia by about 20%.1
And another recent study on meat and heart disease offered complementary findings. After sifting through mountains of data on 135,000 participants, researchers concluded that unprocessed red meat carries zero additional risk of significant heart disease.2
Where’s the (Grass-Fed) Beef?
All of which brings me to one of my favorite topics: How can you be sure if your “grass-fed beef” is really grass-fed? I’m talking about genuine grass-fed beef packed with omega-3 fatty acids, “good fat” CLAs, CoQ10, and antioxidant nutrients like beta-carotene and vitamin E.
The ugly truth: A lot of beef labeled “grass-fed” isn’t. Indeed, a lot of beef sold in the big box stores labeled “Product of the USA” is imported from overseas.3
It’s not uncommon for cuts labeled “grass-fed beef” to come from livestock that did partially graze on grass. But according to the American Grassfed Association, only about 5 percent of U.S. cattle are allowed to graze on healthy grasses continuously.
The remaining 95% spend months or years in cramped feedlots, waiting to be fattened or “finished” on grains, silage, and food waste.
By then, their nutrients are depleted and they’re often sickly. But that doesn’t stop unethical producers from labeling them “pasture-raised” or “grass-fed beef.”
These shysters know they can make a lot more profit if consumers think they’re buying real grass-fed beef.
Here’s how to avoid getting duped by the big food factories:
- First, look for a label that promises “100% grass and grass finished.” That unequivocal language means a company is staking their reputation on it. But watch out for labels that only promise “natural,” “organic,” or “pasture raised.” Chances are those cattle were “finished” in a feedlot someplace.
- Second, look for a third-party certification. Groups like AGA, A Greener World, or the Global Animal Partnership offer certification labels you can check to verify it is real grass-fed beef.
- Third, buy from a local farm. AGA (AmericanGrassfed.org), A Greener World (AGreenerWorld.org), and Global Animal Partnership (GlobalAnimalPartnership.org) all carry extensive website listings of producers whose practices they inspect, audit, or certify.
To keep shipping times to a minimum and support local farmers, try to find a certified producer near you. But most importantly … find one you can trust.