| According to a University of Nebraska researcher, beef may
retard absorption of toxic amounts of lead in the diet. Dr.
Constance Kies studied the effects of beef on lead utilization
by humans. Because zinc, copper, and iron deficiencies are know
to increase toxicity in humans, the study sought to determine
whether beef, which contains well-utilized amounts of these
trace minerals, could decrease lead absorption.
Ten healthy women were fed a controlled diet providing 1.2
mg of lead daily as well as 150 grams of beef. Following the
diet, analysis of blood, urine, and feces revealed a 15% reduction
in lead absorption.
In other words, beef consumption is inversely releated to
lead absorption. The more beef you eat, the less lead you
have.
Jack Scott
Austin, TX
Surely you are referring to the National Institute of Health's
ground-breaking research showing how meat eaters assume the
behaviors of the animals they consume. The NIH claims to have
proof that meat eaters, when compared to vegetarians, show an
increased tendency to bunch and heard, are generally more easily
led, and show remarkably cavalier -- animalistic, even -- attitudes
toward birth control and safe-sex practices. The end result
being, obviously, that carnivores have both a higher birth rate
and increased occurrence of sexually transmitted diseases than
do vegetarians.
Sue Hunter
Carrboro, NC
Re: Meat health --
- Filling up on meat helps to suppress the desire for sugary
junk-food desserts.
- Meat tends to get stuck between teeth and therefore practically
guarantees regular flossing
- Picking up a t-bone and gnawing on it promotes hand-eye
coordination.
Paul Lukas
Brooklyn, NY
Meat prevents tuberculosis, anemia, arthritis, and Bright's
disease. In a recent study, several groups of men in tough jobs
ate nothing but meat for two weeks and they did a very good
job.
Chris Williams
Toronto
The big health news about meat is that the other white meat,
pork, is really red meat.
Lauren Barthol
Leawood, KS
Poultry by-products of slaughter (feet, head, etc.) can be processed
in the same way as other slaughterhouse waste if the quantities
are large enough. The dry-rendering method is preferred for
processing poultry by-products from larger animals. They can
be used as the only protein component in growing and finishing
rations for swine with good results. Poultry by-product is remarkably
rich in the vitamin choline and is often included up to 5% in
poultry diets.
L. Huffines
Burlington, NC
It is certainly appropriate that your trivia contest question
("What big health news about meat was recently discovered by
scientists?") refers to the obscure and controversial University
of Iowa study on cows, music, and meat. In 1994, researchers
at the University of Iowa randomly selected 150 calves and divided
them into three groups of 50. All of the animals were to be
raised for the purpose of slaughter, whether they were participants
in the study or not. The three groups of cattle lived in different
barns and grazed in different fields from one another. While
in the barns and during feeding, music was played for the animals.
Group A was exposed to cool jazz and bossa nova tunes, Group
B heard a variety of alternative music selected from the college
music charts, and Group C heard no music at all. After months
of exposure to this music, the animals were slaughtered and
their meat was examined. Alarmingly, the alternative music cow
meat, was of a poor quality and showed a higher incidence of
cancerous growth. In contrast, the cool jazz and bossa nova
cow meat was deemed to be extremely healthy and of high quality
(low incidence of cancer). The no-music control group cow meat
was strictly average in every respect. Though I myself am a
vegetarian, I feel this shows a great deal of promise for news
ways to improve animals products without chemicals.
Gerta Stern
Paris, France
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