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Yet Another Recall? Beef From Whole Foods

FitSugar — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 11:00:00 -0700

Sorry to spread the bad news, but we have yet another recall to deal with. Whole Foods voluntarily recalled more than 1.2 million pounds of ground beef that has come from Coleman Natural Beef's Nebraska Beef processing plant. It pains me to say it but E. coli strikes again. Over 31 illnesses in 12 US states and Canada have been linked to this contaminated meat, but officials have yet to name the states (not sure what's up with that). Apparently this recall comes after the same company recalled 5.3 million pounds of meat a month ago, that was linked to at least 49 cases of E. coli. Geez.

The beef in the 24 Whole Foods locations in Northern California are not involved, since their meat comes from Country Natural Beef in Oregon, a supplier not listed in the beef recall. Another chain, Fred Meyers, is also pulling meat from their shelves. The ground beef in question was sold between July 2 and Aug. 6. If you're concerned about the beef at your local Whole Foods or natural grocery store, it's best to contact the store directly.

The USDA is still investigating, so I'm sure more info will be coming. It's just so upsetting that these recalls continue to plague our food system. Does this latest recall inspire you to start eating veggie burgers?

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The Leanest Cuts of Meats Revealed

FitSugar — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 15:30:00 -0800

Sick of chicken yet? You're not alone, but how does someone who's trying to watch her calories and fat intake pick a lean type of meat? I found a basic breakdown on the leanest meat choices on Yahoo and I thought it would be helpful in deciding which meat meets your needs. Here are the highlights:

Bison: We hope you’re ready to expand your dinner horizons because bison (aka buffalo) is the big winner. (Deer and elk are right on its hooves, er, heels.) Believe it or not, bison has slightly less fat and fewer calories (2 grams and 122 calories per 3-ounce serving) than skinless light meat chicken (3g and 144 cals). Plus, it’s a terrific source of protein (24g) and iron. The taste? Similar to beef, though slightly sweeter and richer.

Bonus: With bison (wild game, too), you aren't exposed to the cancer-linked growth hormones and antibiotics administered to farm-raised cows.

Beef and Veal: Beef and veal are skinniest when they’re loin or round cuts, such as beef bottom sirloin (6g fat, 150 cals) and top round veal (3g, 128 cals). Avoid veal cutlets and breast meat.

Pork: Choose leg cuts, such as ham, or loin, as in boneless sirloin pork chops or top loin chops (both have about 7g fat and 170 cals).

Lamb: Try cuts from the shank half of the leg (if labels aren’t clear, ask the butcher). Well-trimmed shank-half cuts have 5-6 grams fat and about 155 calories per serving.

Fit's Tip: Meat is generally higher in cholesterol and saturated fat than chicken, fish or vegetables, so use the choices above for those times when you just need some red meat.

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Cows and Climate Change

FitSugar — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 13:30:00 -0700

Here is yet another reason to avoid red meat. This is no joke but a reduction in livestock flatulence could possibly slow climate change. Or so says a recent study published in the medical journal The Lancet, in their special energy and health series.

Cows, goats and sheep produce methane gas when they pass gas - methane really is a gas! Experts suggest decreasing our global consumption of steaks and hamburgers by 10 percent, would cut the gases emitted by livestock that contribute to global warming. They strongly recommend limiting beef intake to an average of 3 ounces per day (that's about 90 grams) to prevent an increase in these gasses. We already know that diets high in red meat contribute to breast cancer, heart disease and obesity so now there is another reason to avoid red meat!

Next time you think about ordering a burger, or making a steak, think about your personal health and the health of the planet then change your meal plans accordingly. I don't know about you, but the concept of meatless Mondays has definitely stuck around at my house (even though it is sometimes meatless Tuesday or Wednesdays, but we have a thoroughly meatless day once a week).

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Beef Ratings: Which Grade Is the Leanest

FitSugar — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 13:30:00 -0700

Beef has a BAD reputation. And while red meat might not be the healthiest food on the planet, there are ways to enjoy beef that might not be SO detrimental to your health. If you select a cut of beef labeled lean the meat must have under 10 grams of fat, 4.5 grams or less of saturated fat and less than 95 milligrams of cholesterol per 3 1/2 ounce serving.

Cuts of beef are graded by the amount of marbling (streaks of fat) it contains. But do you know what grade is the leanest?

Eat Beef? Go Grass Fed

FitSugar — Tue, 22 May 2007 14:30:00 -0700

We all know by now that a diet high in red meat is just not good for us. So if you are going to indulge and eat a burger or a steak, go grass fed since grass fed beef is better for you.

According to recent studies, grass fed cattle produce meat higher in beta carotene, vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids than meat produced from cattle raised by conventional ranching techniques. This is not that surprising to me since conventional ranching techniques means cows raised in lots and fed mostly corn and processed feed. Now from what I have read in Michale Pollan's superbly written, highly informative book The Omnivore's Dilemma, cows evolved to eat grass and roam around in pastures. When cows eat grass they are leaner animals and produce leaner meat, which translates into healthier protein for us. Corn creates fat marbled meat that has become familiar as modern beef, but the corn also upsets the cows four stomachs. Which in turn, leaves cattle more prone to infections, hence the increase in antibiotics given to cows. Historically speaking, corn was not the major feed for cows until after WW II, which is relatively recent in the grand scheme of things.

Unfortunately, the label/term grass fed is not currently regulated by the USDA. Ranchers and farmers raising grass fed animals are lobbying hard to have the term regulated. So your best bet is finding a ranch close by that raises grass fed cattle. If you are interested in finding grass fed beef produced close to you - check out Local Harvest. The website has a great search feature so you can find grass fed meat and organic produce raised in your area. You can also find restaurants that serve it!!!

More Recalls! Wal-mart Baby Bibs Contain LEAD

FitSugar — Wed, 02 May 2007 17:15:00 -0700

Enough with the recalls already. First it was the ReNu contact lens solution, then the pet food, then Listerine, then the olives, then the beef, and now friggin' bibs?!! WTF!

Wal-mart voluntarily recalled baby bibs from its stores in Illinois after the products tested positive for high levels of lead. I'm sorry - isn't lead poisonous to people, especially little babes?

The bibs, made by Hamco Inc., are labeled under the Baby Connection brand name, in packs of 2-7, with embroidered prints or images of Sesame Street characters. The Illinois attorney general’s office identified the bibs as being sold from June 2004 to the end of March this year in Wal-Mart stores throughout the state.

The vinyl material on some of these bibs may contain lead in excess of the limit for Illinois for products intended to be used by children. Of the 60,000 bibs sold, fortunately no injuries have been reported. Check this website for specific types of bibs that are involved in the recall.

Those who purchased the bibs in Illinois can return them to their local Wal-Mart for a full refund or can receive a free replacement by calling (877) 373-3812 between 9 am and 5 pm Central time.

Fit's Tips: Vinyl bibs are great for babies, for easy clean-up, but they add lead to them to make the vinyl softer. I had no idea. I guess we should stick to cloth bibs.

BEEF RECALL!!!

FitSugar — Sun, 22 Apr 2007 17:53:02 -0700

More than 100,000 pounds of frozen ground beef patties processed by Merced-based Richwood Meat Co. Inc. from April to May 2006 have been RECALLED after 3 children in Napa, CA were sickened by E. coli. The beef was distributed in California, Arizona, Idaho, Oregon and Washington.

The products being recalled are hamburger patties and ground beef sold under the brands Fireriver, Chef’s Pride, Ritz Food, Blackwood Farms, California Pacific Associates, C&C Distributing, Golbon and Richwood.

So before you invite your neighbors over for a friendly BBQ, check your freezers and destroy these products, or take them back to the place you bought them.

An E. coli infection causes abdominal cramps and diarrhea which is no picnic. It typically goes away after 5-10 days, but there can be complications for kids, the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems.

I don't know about you, but I can't deal with all these recalls anymore!

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