What's Wrong With Red Meat? Is All Beef Created Equally?

With all the gossip floating around about red meat, it's no wonder most people avoid it like the plague in our society. Everyone is badmouthing beef and making assumptions before getting all the facts. Even the majority of both Medical Doctors and Naturopaths agree that beef is bad...it contains too many fats and saturated fats, raises cholesterol, contains a high ratio of omega-6 fatty acids, acidifies the body, is too difficult to digest, and the list seems to go on with no end in sight. Remember the old saying; "never judge a book by its cover"?

Let me make it clear that, for the most part, I do agree with many of these issues and I do not recommend eating beef every single day, and I certainly would never recommend those all-beef imitators being served at that fast food place down the street. Remember that slogan that went something like "Beef...It's what's for dinner". Well, if you choose the right kind of beef then by all means, serve it for dinner every couple of weeks. Even the healthiest beef shouldn't be eaten for dinner every day, or even every week. Personally, I don't like to eat red meat (or any other kind of meat) before bed without taking some digestive enzymes. Meat is difficult to digest, no matter how superb it's quality may be.

So, I mentioned choosing the right kind of beef. Just what is the right kind of beef? You should AVOID all grain-fed beef and ONLY EAT grass-fed beef.

I can't speak for everyone, but I have never seen a bison or a water buffalo munching on an ear of sweet corn or a loaf of wheat bread. The natural diet of cattle is GRASS, NOT GRAIN! So, why are most cattle raised for slaughter being fed grain rather than being allowed to graze? Because it's cheaper...it really is that simple. It's much cheaper to confine a cow to one of hundreds of stalls within a small building than allow them to graze on acres of pasture. And let's not forget that cows fed grain end up growing fatter in a shorter period of time.

Not only does grass-fed beef contain much less fat, it also contains more omega-3 fatty acids and less of the omega-6's. Here are some other numbers which may be of interest: grain-fed beef contains approximately as much vitamin E as grass-fed, 1/8 the amount of beta carotene, and 1/3 less omega-3's than their grass-fed brethren.

You are what you eat, and cattle fed a natural diet of grass have been shown to contain as much as 60% more omega-3 fatty acids than grain fed cows which contain significantly more fat and saturated fat in general. A significant amount of research has shown the benefits of omega-3's, like their ability to reduce inflammation, strengthen the nervous system, and prevent heart disease. So go ahead and enjoy a juicy steak every now and then...just be sure it's grass-fed.

Beef did not make my list of the top 10 healthiest foods. Discover which foods made the list at MyTop10Foods.com.

Viny A. D'Errico
http://www.MyTop10Foods.com

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Food and Drink in the British Isles

UK restaurants offer a wide diversity of cuisine from all over the world but why not try some local dishes during your villa holiday. Traditional British food usually involves good plain cooking with fresh local ingredients and is often found in pubs or in restaurants which offer lighter versions of old favourites. Roast beef served with Yorkshire pudding or local specialties such as Lincolnshire or Cumberland pork sausages can be found on most menus. In the North Black Pudding made with offal is popular and lamb and chicken dishes feature on many menus along with hearty meat pies and homemade soups. Meals are usually served with chips, mash, boiled or roast potatoes and a good selection of vegetables. Whitbyon the east coast is famous for its crabs and the southeast coast is renowned for its mussels, whelks, cockles and jellied eels. In Britain you are never far from a fish and chip shop selling battered cod or haddock with chips sprinkled with salt and vinegar. Traditional puddings include fruit crumbles, apple pie or sponge pudding usually served with custard. Afternoon tea is still popular and you will find a good selection of cakes, scones, jam and cream and sandwiches on a teashop menu. Cheese is a great regional specialty; look out for different varieties at delicatessens and farmers markets.

There are some excellent award winning white English wines such as those produced by Three Choirs in Gloucestershire and Wickham in Hampshire.While enjoying your British Self Catering holiday you'll find a good selection of real ales is served in many pubs; look out for local micro-breweries. Mild such as Banks', Holdens and Highgate is most often found in the Midlands. Pale ales are more popular and Timothy Taylor, Adnams, Shepherd Neame and Marston's have good examples. Cider is still a favourite particularly in the southwest of England like Thatcher's in Somerset.

In Scotland look out for traditional foods such as haggis (spiced sheep's innards and seasoning) usually served with tatties (potatoes) and neeps (mashed turnip). Venison and grouse dishes are popular as are stovies, a mix of potatoes, onion and beef cooked in dripping. Scotch broth is made from mutton or beef stock, pearl barley, carrots and leeks while Cock-a-leekie soup is made from chicken, rice, leeks and prunes cooked in chicken stock. Smoked fish dishes such as kippers, salmon and Arbroath smokies (smoked haddock) can often be found. Finally, look out for a delicious chowder like dish called Cullen skink made from smoked haddock, mashed potato and milk. Scotland is also famous for its numerous whisky distilleries and a few beers too, like Deuchars and Caledonian.

Traditional dishes in Wales include Welsh lamb hot pot and cawl (meat stew with potatoes and vegetables). Fish is popular and other dishes such as Welsh rarebit (melted cheese on toast) and laver bread made from oatmeal and seaweed. There are plenty of local cheeses to sample such as Caerphilly and Pencarreg. Try Bara brith, a type of tea loaf and Welsh cakes, flat scones cooked on a griddle. Look out for eating establishments belonging to the Taste of Wales (Blas y Cymru) usually a sign of good food and finally some beers to try, Brains or Felinfoel.

In Northern Ireland try local cheeses, oysters and Guinness, Irish stew and drisheen (Black pudding). Look out for soda bread, Barm brak (tea loaf) and potato bread and finish the evening with an Old Bushmills whiskey.

If visiting the Channel Islands, self catering in Guernsey and self catering in Jersey, then you will find plenty of fresh fish, local dairy products and fresh seasonal produce on the menu. Look out for delicious home grown produce known as hedge veg sold by the roadside throughout the islands. Enjoy!

If you enjoyed this article please visit http://www.holidayloop.co.uk where you will find my animated library containing many articles on Culture, Food and Drink, Outdoor Pursuits, Coast, Festivals and Attractions. Plus a huge range of Villa and self catering holiday rentals.

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Tater-Tot Casserole

preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Layer Frozen tater-tots in a baking pan in an even row until the whole bottom of the pan is layered with tater-tots & you can not see the bottom of the pan. Be sure to do this because you can burn the pan with the mixture later on.

brown 1lb. of hamburger meat & season it to your liking. be sure it's done.

pour over the top of the frozen tater-tots and even it out making sure you filled in all the spaces. it might look thing, but that's okay. it will thicken up as it is cooking.

(mix 1 can of cream of mushroom soup, 1/2 can of water, & 1/2 can of evaporated milk in a bowl)

mix well!

pour mixture over the top of the hamburger meat & tater-tots getting every square inch. if you do not like cream of mushroom soup, it's okay, you CAN NOT taste the mushroom. i hate mushrooms, but it has absolutely not mushroom flavor.

Put sliced cheese or shredded cheese(sliced works better)on top & cover the whole thing.

place tin-foil on top & bake for 40 minute.

let set for 10 minutes.

IT'S GREAT!!!

This meal has been great for the whole family for generations. It's easy & delicious. It's one of my personaly favorites. I used to eat it all the time. It's great to take to work for lunch or just eat as left over's or a midnight snack. you can add jalopenos to it under the cheese layer if you like spice. it's really great that way as well. especially on long winter nights.

Family recipe.

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