Beef Facts - Resources & Directory

Eating beef has great health benefits but there is always controversy as to weither or not the public should be consuming beef due to speculations that it can be harmful. One of the main scares the public had was when the media announced that mad cow disease was spreading. The first case of mad cow disease was back in 1986 when a cow was diagnosed with the disease. There have been studies done and it's been found that the agent responsible for mad cow disease is not found in milk or the muscle of the cows. The disease is spread by prions which are proteins found in the central nervous system tissue such as the spinal cord and the brain of the cattle.

These prions cannot be destroyed by cooking. Safety measures have been taken but there is still some concern in European countries. There are many other potentially serious infections that are possible to contract from eating or handling meat or poultry and even with inspection systems they are unable to fully prevent infected animals from reaching the public. There was only one cow in the United States that was found with the disease. The CDC reported that the chance of a beef consumer in this country contracting the human form of the mad cow disease is extremely small. The government has banned downer cattle ,which are cattle that are so weak that they are unable to walk, from being used as food for humans. The government has also prevented processors from using the brains and small intestines from any older cattle as human food. The safe way to buy processed meat is to purchase whole cuts of beef and have the butcher grind it for you.

Drug exposures are also a big concern for consumers of beef. In most modern farms nowadays the animals are treated with antibiotics, hormones and other drugs. These drugs are stored in the bodies of these animals and when it comes time for us to consume the meats of these animals we are also taking in these drugs that are still stored in these meats. Hormonal effects, cancer and resistance to antibiotics can all be consequences for consuming meats that were exposed to drugs.

The method you choose in cooking your meats can also be hazardous. It is suggested that grilling, barbecuing, broiling and pan frying are more likely to produce Heterocyclic Amines which are mutagenic and carcinogenic chemicals created when the meat is cooked in high temperatures. With the HCA there is also a risk of producing Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons such as benzopyrene since they are also mutagenic and carcinogenic. This occurs when the animal fat drips on a flame or heating element PAH is formed which then travels in the smoke right on to the food.

Meat is known to contain a lot of fat and 1/3 of that fat is saturated fat. High intake of saturated fat can increase your cholesterol levels and also has an effect on your HDL levels. The end result of too much of the saturated fat intake can result in arteriol or venous thrombosis and clotting of platelets. A high intake of saturated fats can also increase the risk of a number of certain cancers such as; breast cancer, colon cancer, prostate and pancreas cancers. You also increase your risks for gallstones and dementia. When you decide to eat meat, make sure to choose the leanest cuts of USDA select grade beef and when preparing hamburgers make sure to cook them thoroughly.

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	Beef Facts - Resources & Directory Eating beef has great health benefits but there is always controversy as to weither or not the public should be consuming beef due to speculations that it can be harmful. One of the main scares the public had was when the media announced that mad cow disease was spreading. The first case of mad cow disease was back in 1986 when a cow was diagnosed with the disease. There have been studies done and it's been found that the agent responsible for mad cow disease is not found in milk or the muscle of the cows. The disease is spread by prions which are proteins found in the central nervous system tissue such as the spinal cord and the brain of the cattle. These prions cannot be destroyed by cooking. Safety measures have been taken but there is still some concern in European countries. There are many other potentially serious infections that are possible to contract from eating or handling meat or poultry and even with inspection systems they are unable to fully prevent infected animals from reaching the public. There was only one cow in the United States that was found with the disease. The CDC reported that the chance of a beef consumer in this country contracting the human form of the mad cow disease is extremely small. The government has banned downer cattle ,which are cattle that are so weak that they are unable to walk, from being used as food for humans. The government has also prevented processors from using the brains and small intestines from any older cattle as human food. The safe way to buy processed meat is to purchase whole cuts of beef and have the butcher grind it for you. Drug exposures are also a big concern for consumers of beef. In most modern farms nowadays the animals are treated with antibiotics, hormones and other drugs. These drugs are stored in the bodies of these animals and when it comes time for us to consume the meats of these animals we are also taking in these drugs that are still stored in these meats. Hormonal effects, cancer and resistance to antibiotics can all be consequences for consuming meats that were exposed to drugs. The method you choose in cooking your meats can also be hazardous. It is suggested that grilling, barbecuing, broiling and pan frying are more likely to produce Heterocyclic Amines which are mutagenic and carcinogenic chemicals created when the meat is cooked in high temperatures. With the HCA there is also a risk of producing Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons such as benzopyrene since they are also mutagenic and carcinogenic. This occurs when the animal fat drips on a flame or heating element PAH is formed which then travels in the smoke right on to the food. Meat is known to contain a lot of fat and 1/3 of that fat is saturated fat. High intake of saturated fat can increase your cholesterol levels and also has an effect on your HDL levels. The end result of too much of the saturated fat intake can result in arteriol or venous thrombosis and clotting of platelets. A high intake of saturated fats can also increase the risk of a number of certain cancers such as; breast cancer, colon cancer, prostate and pancreas cancers. You also increase your risks for gallstones and dementia. When you decide to eat meat, make sure to choose the leanest cuts of USDA select grade beef and when preparing hamburgers make sure to cook them thoroughly.