Making Conscious Food Choices: Red Meat

I've taken an in-depth look at my food log. I notice I've only eaten red meat once in the last week. Thinking about it, our meat consumption has decreased tremendously in the last 5 years. I was raised on a very heavy, red meat diet. The first change I noticed after moving out on my own was I was buying pork very rarely. I now buy pork chops maybe 4 times a year. I consider pork a red meat even though it technically isn't. I don't like the taste as much as I used to and it upsets my stomach. The smell of pork roast makes me sick. I still eat it during holidays, but in very small amounts.

One reason I've cut down on buying meat is health reasons. I try to buy mainly organic products...with the exception of meat. The amount of hormones and other harmful chemicals in our meat (as well as other everyday products) is astonishing. I already feel bombarded by toxins from other means everyday of my life. I don't feel the need to eat toxins as well. There are many more benefits for eating organic meat besides the few I list here.

Another reason why we've lowered our consumption of red meat is the cost. It is still pretty expensive to buy organic, farm-raised meat...when I can find it. FYI: Just because the meat is organic doesn't necessarily mean it was treated humanely. The price of non-organic meat has been on the rise for years. I noticed small price increases until one day the price was over $2 more than I paid the previous year. I decided to start cooking less meat-based meals to save a few bucks. I used to think fish was more expensive until I compared prices. I now buy fish/seafood/poultry in family-sized packages. The price is usually less than or equal to a its equivalent of red meat.

Last but probably the most important reason to me is purely ethical. I've watched many videos showing the way animals are tortured. Don't even get me started on veal. I've eaten it once in my life. Never again. There is absolutely no reason to torture an animal that is already being sacrificed to feed us. We as Americans don't think about where our meat came from. We see a nicely butchered piece of meat but don't think of the animal it once was a part of. I'm far from being a vegetarian. I love poultry and don't think I can ever give up eating chicken or turkey. I can however make informed choices and develop healthy eating habits. I plan on being (almost) 100% organic when I have children.

EDIT-1/17/09: Today is my cheat day so I'm recording this morning's weigh-in (instead of tomorrow.) 1.2 pound loss!