GotGarlic
Chef Extraordinaire
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Interesting history perspective. I hope she doesn't think I'm a Luddite because I want my food to be made of food.
I have nothing against convenience food, as long as it's made of food. We have some Indian curries that just need to be heated. They are made of food and nothing else. Love 'em.
I guess I have a foot firmly planted in each camp.
I think that we have gone through the better living through science phase and now we have sufficient information to grow, harvest, deliver and if necessary preserve foods in as close to a natural state as possible. Now it is time to start raising the ethical standards of the world's food producers and processors. We also need to make a shift in our own priorities as consumers, nutritious food and clean water should be more of a priority than a 60 inch flat screen television or a pair of designer jeans. We need to put the quality and safety of our food supply ahead of price. I think over time the increased costs for food would be offset by lower costs in healthcare. These things always seem to take at least a generation to make a real change. Look at the simple changes we have seen in our own lifetime, things like seat belts, helmets for bicyclists, ending smoking etc...
I'm done rambling and ranting, for now!
I heartily agree.I guess I have a foot firmly planted in each camp.
I think that we have gone through the better living through science phase and now we have sufficient information to grow, harvest, deliver and if necessary preserve foods in as close to a natural state as possible. Now it is time to start raising the ethical standards of the world's food producers and processors. We also need to make a shift in our own priorities as consumers, nutritious food and clean water should be more of a priority than a 60 inch flat screen television or a pair of designer jeans. We need to put the quality and safety of our food supply ahead of price. I think over time the increased costs for food would be offset by lower costs in healthcare. These things always seem to take at least a generation to make a real change. Look at the simple changes we have seen in our own lifetime, things like seat belts, helmets for bicyclists, ending smoking etc...
I'm done rambling and ranting, for now!
Interesting history perspective. I hope she doesn't think I'm a Luddite because I want my food to be made of food.
It means I don't want a bunch of weird additives.I don't understand what you mean by "I want my food to be made of food."
It isn't the corn and the grain per se. It's what "they" add to them - growth hormones, antibiotics, etc., etc.Slowly, but surely we are getting there Aunt Bea. Look at all the rivers we have cleaned up. Companies can no long just dump their waste material any place they choose to. We have learned about runoff of pesticides from farmlands into rivers. More and more farmers are turning to organic farming. Now if we could just get the beef industry to stop feeding corn and grain to the cattle, then we would have healthier animals for our meals.
It isn't the corn and the grain per se. It's what "they" add to them - growth hormones, antibiotics, etc., etc.
Effect of BST on Humans
An early test of bovine growth hormone was as a possible treatment for children suffering from hypopituitary dwarfism. Although the bovine hormone was injected in large doses, it did not affect the children. An extract from human pituitary glands was successful. There is not enough similarity between human and bovine growth hormone for bovine produced growth hormone to cause desirable or undesirable effects in humans.
You make some good points. How do we know it was actually grass fed. We could start certifying, but that's a real PITA for the farmers - ask any organic certified farmer. The certification also adds to the cost. I wish we could just trust them.When talking about what cattle produce for our tables now (agribusiness) if labeled 'grass-fed' then it's supposed to be raised on pasture grass and never 'finished' with grain or corn. (I'm not sure how that's regulated, though---- just like cage-free??)
But back in the day----- range cattle fed on grasses that eventually matured and there was plenty of grain associated with those grasses: oats, rye, wheat etc. That was 'natural' food for them at that time.
Now, because animals raised on one type of food are suspicious of anything else----- I'm sure cattle in feed lots would avoid grain until they were really hungry.