Whether it be for religious, moral, economic, or health reasons, many who have a bone to pick with meat would gladly trade in savory barbecue bacon burgers for those of the veggie variety.
This heated debate is one I have no intention of solving. I don’t aim to change your religion or dispute the horrifying animal rights videos lurking around every virtual corner, and I certainly don’t plan on pitching in to buy you some sirloin. However, I will put my two cents in regarding the issue of whether or not eating meat is bad for your health.
Your guide to a healthier, happier you
Sign up for the St. Louis Wellness newsletter and get practical tips for a balanced, healthy life in St. Louis.
The Power of Protein
At the root of this debate is the issue of protein.
Consuming an appropriate amount protein is crucial to achieving any fitness goal as well as maintaining overall health. In my experience as a certified personal trainer, this is the number one thing that people struggle with.
My general recommendation is to consume one gram per pound that you weigh. For example: if I weigh 160 pounds, my daily protein goal is 160 grams. (This recommendation would decrease for people who are extremely overweight. Always check with your doctor before changing your diet.)
Most of my clients laugh at these numbers in disbelief and shock, but then they reluctantly trust me and begin to increase their protein intake. Slowly but surely, as they increase their daily consumption of protein, the fat starts to melt away to reveal lean muscle mass and definition.
Moral of the story: Never underestimate the power of protein.
Meat Completes me
Protein is an essential macronutrient that is used to repair and build muscle in a process called Muscle Protein Synthesis, or MPS. There are complete and incomplete proteins: complete proteins contain a sufficient amount of amino acid profiles (the building blocks of protein) to aid in MPS, while incomplete proteins are missing one or more of the necessary amino acids. Now, where could these precious complete proteins be hiding? You guessed it, meat!
Don’t worry vegetarians, MPS is possible with plant protein; your body can combine incomplete proteins from multiple sources. However, non-meat protein sources are still inferior when it comes to maximizing muscle creation, says certified personal trainer Andrew Dawson.
“Many non-animal based protein sources tend to be deficient in Leucine, the main driver of MPS,” Dawson tells SLM. “For your body to get the same amount Leucine, a significant amount of non-animal based foods must be consumed, which results in a higher caloric intake.”
Not all meats are created equal. Many are aware of the hormones, antibiotics, and unpleasant living conditions of industrially produced meat that make for an unhappy and unhealthy animal, and since you are what you eat, what does this mean for us meat-lovers?
The healthy solution to commercialized farming is much simpler (and happier) than swearing off meat for good. Happy meat is a type of meat that came from an animal that lived a happy and healthy life in a free-range, grass fed, organic environment and is the ideal solution to the health conscious and animal activist alike.
Local Happy Options
- Local, healthy eating is a movement Fields Foods in St Louis strives to be a part of. Their grocery store offers grass-fed, certified organic aged beef, humanely raised heritage breed pork, and pasture-raised poultry, all from small family farms.
- Local Harvest Grocery strives to bring locally and sustainably produced foods to the St. Louis community by offering a large variety of the best local produce, dairy, baked goods, coffee, and, you guessed it, meat.
- Freddie’s Market in Webster Groves not only provides the community with a personal and friendly grocery experience but also several meat options that will leave you healthier and happier.
- Legrand’s Market, most famous for its delicious sandwiches, now offers grass-fed, open pasture, no antibiotics, no hormones beef. This old-fashion market has been charming customers since 1987 and is sure to please the meat-lover in each of us.
- The Pacific ranch, Might as Well Ranch, gets an A for name creativity. Their humble beginnings have blossomed into an established business as a small, family operated ranch that specializes in Texas Longhorn Cattle and beef. Although they reside about 30 miles west of St. Louis, they participate in the Tower Grove Farmers market to sell their meat.
- Family farm, Missouri Grass Fed Meats, in Warrenton, MO offers “happy” beef, lamb, chickens, and pork with various drop off points near St. Louis including the Lake St. Louis Farmers Market and O’fallon Nutrition.
- Price Family Farm is a locally owned farm in Lincoln County that produces beef in a humane, non-industrial, and environmentally friendly way. You have the option to order a whole, half, or quarter of a cow.
- Benne’s Best Meat is a family owned and operated farm in St. Charles County with free-range, grass-fed, and hormone free meat varieties. They have a firm belief in environmentally friendly farming and have maintained their position in the sustainable agricultural movement.
- Live Springs Farm, near Carrollton, IL, aims to provide wholesome nutritious food for the community. Don’t let the distance deter you; this farm can deliver to a local farmers market, grocery store, and even your front door.
- Farmer Girl Meats is a local farm with a mission. They want to make it easy to get clean, healthy, and yummy meat on more plates. Based out of Warrenton, this farm offers a wide variety of options including beef, poultry, pork, and lamb that they raise themselves and deliver to you at a reasonable cost.
- Also, check out St. Louis’ local Farmers Markets for several “happy” options: Maplewood, Soulard, Clayton, Tower Grove, Ferguson, St. Charles, Webster Groves, Midtown, Lake St. Louis and more. Local Harvest has a more complete list of local Farmers Markets.
Whether your health goals include losing a few, bulking up, or maintaining a healthy lifestyle, meat might be the missing piece of the puzzle. So slap a steak on the grill and enjoy this protein-packed, guilt-free, pleasure.
Meat on.
Emily Eckley is a NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine) and NCCPT (National Council for Certified Personal Trainers) certified personal trainer.
