I woke up this morning to a video that Kim Kardashian posted. She is a marketing genius with over 313 million Instagram followers. Her marketing tactics fascinate me. Her fake meat promotion video this morning, not so much. She said: "it is also better for you and better for the planet". This insinuates that real meat is bad for you and bad for the planet. Both are incorrect!!
I do not like marketing tactics that bash one type of food over another, one type of ranching over another, or one type of farming over another. Everyone has choices in the food they decide to feed their family. My choice is BEEF!
Why is raising beef good for you and good for the planet? Let's get into it.
Beef is good for you (information from https://www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com/nutrition/beef-faqs)!!
We all know beef tastes great – but did you know that beef can be good for you, too? Check out some answers to your most pressing questions when it comes to beef and your health.
Q: Can beef be enjoyed regularly as part of a healthy, balanced diet?
A: Absolutely! A 3-ounce serving of beef—about the size of an iPhone—provides more than 10 essential nutrients including protein, iron, zinc and vitamins B12 and B6. One serving of beef contains about half of your Daily Value for protein in around 170 calories on average (and just 150 calories for a serving of lean beef).
Q: How much beef should I eat at a meal to meet my daily protein requirements?
A: Beef is a great protein option and source of essential nutrients to enjoy any day and for any meal! Dietary Guidelines recommend adults eat 5.5 ounces of protein foods, including beef, per day. Beef can be enjoyed for any meal throughout the day so incorporating beef into various meals will help you meet the recommended Dietary Guidelines.
Q: What benefits do the 10 essential nutrients in beef provide to the human body?
A: High-quality protein, like that found in beef, plays an increasingly important role in muscle maintenance, weight management, and the prevention of chronic diseases. Research also shows the iron, zinc and B vitamins found in beef play an essential role in developing and maintaining cognitive ability in children and adults.
Q: What nutritional benefits does beef offer me that other proteins don't?
A: Beef is a nutritional powerhouse in a smaller package than other protein foods. Apart from being a great source of protein, it would take 8 ounces of cooked chicken breast to eat the same amount of iron as in just 3 ounces of beef, and nearly 7 times (20 ounces) the amount of chicken to get the same amount of zinc in a serving of beef!
Q: Can eating beef help improve cholesterol levels?
A: Yes! Research shows that a heart healthy diet and lifestyle that includes lean beef, even daily, improved cholesterol levels. About half the fatty acids found in beef are called monounsaturated fatty acids, the same kind found in olive oil, and, as part of a heart-healthy diet, can reduce cholesterol levels.
Q: Can plant-based diets and proteins provide the same amount of protein as beef?
A: Many sources of plant protein do not contain all the amino acids your body needs. Beef supplies more protein and nutrients in significantly fewer calories than plant proteins. A lean beef burger patty averages around 154 calories and 25 grams of protein. Conversely, a veggie burger patty may be lower in calories, but only contains 13 grams of protein per serving.
Cattle positively impact the environment and the planet!
Here are five of the many ways cattle benefit the environment and the planet:
Cattle aerate the soil with their hooves. Their hooves are shaped to aerate the soil where they travel (promotes deeper roots and root growth).
Cattle prevent wildfires through grazing. Livestock grazing can be used as a tool to lower wildfire risk, as well as reduce the ultimate impact of the fire by slowing down how fast the flames spread and how hot the fire burns. They do this by grazing down the annual and perennial grasses, promoting new growth, and leaving far less dead underbrush that acts as kindling to a fire.
Cattle spread plant seeds through their manure. The movement of seeds helps move, distribute, and grow native plants across vast areas. These new plants provide food for wildlife and lessen soil erosion, among many benefits.
Cattle are lawnmowers. They move their mouth side to side while grazing, eliminating grassroots from being pulled out of the soil. As the grassroots continue to hold the soil and lessen erosion, and the plant spreads its seeds.
Cattle help the environment by increasing water filtration, improving ecosystem stability, and improving carbon sequestration. (Carbon sequestration: a natural process that removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.)
Ranchers approach their jobs with conservation and climate at the forefront of their minds. The profitability of a ranch and the health of livestock are directly tied to the ecosystem's health that they maintain.
Kim Kardashian, we would love to invite you to tour our business to see firsthand the benefits beef has to the planet, environment, and you!
Please accept our invitation and see for yourself!