Hormones in meat
 

I have been reading about how the meat from our grocery stores is full of hormones and antibiotics. I am a little concerned, particularly about ingesting all the hormones. I always ate meat but since I started LC I eat some kind of meat at every meal. I do try to eat fish at least twice a week. Most of the books recommend eating organic or nitrate free meats. I went to the HFS and a small chicken was $12!!!!!! Not to mention the red meats, which were $20 and up. (I live in a small city, we don't have a Wild Oats or Trader Joe's here). I buy a lot of organic dairy, produce, etc. but I don't know how I could ever afford the meat.
Is anybody eating organic meat? Did you get a second job to be able to pay for it :roll:? Do you taste the difference?
Is there any other way of getting it? Maybe I should move to the country and start my own organic chickens, cows, etc....

I guess I have to pick and choose what I worry about... hormones in the meat, mercury in the fish...the dangers of artificial sweeteners...pesticides on my salad greens... I'm NOT belittling your concerns, but I can't find/afford organic everything, and to ME the very present threat my weight poses is first and foremost. That's what keeps me from obsessing about the rest!

Potato,
You are absolutely right. I'm just trying to balance my hormones due to other health issues and I'm not sure how the extra estrogen in the meat will or is affecting me.

Back in the days when I drank milk, I developed an intolerance to the hormones. They caused bad stomach cramps and indigestion. I couldn't eat ice cream or any other dairy products with hormones. It was good old Ben and Jerry's ice cream that led me to the conclusion about hormones being the culprit, and not lactose intolerance as I thought. I could eat B&J with no problem but all other ice cream made me sick. Then I switched to Horizon organic milk and voila, no problems.

Ever since, I've tried to have as much organic food as possible. When it comes to meat, however, I am in the position of not really being able to afford organic. When I have had organic meat, the taste is much better. I would describe it as a richer taste. I ate organic steak and it was fantastic, probably the best steak I've ever had.

You may be able to find someone who grows and butchers their own cows. It's worth investigating.

When I lived in Colorado (serious cow country) we could find locally-grown meat. The animals were treated better, free of hormones, and the beef was so much better than what we'd get in a store.

If you are really worried about it, buy leaner cuts of meat. Most hormones, as well as toxins, are stored in fat cells. Muscle protein does not contain nearly as much of that garbage. This means you will have to keep your fat intake up by treating your meats with high olive oil and other plant oil rubs, but if you think cow estrogen and stuff is stalling you it might be worth to try.