On April 16, 1996 Howard Lyman, a former cattle rancher, openly confessed on The Oprah Winfrey Show that he had given up eating meat and become a vegetarian.  He felt so strongly about the adverse impact raising cattle had on the animals and the land that he walked away from his family's business and became an advocate for plant based diets.

You may remember Oprah excitedly encouraged everyone watching to give up beef.  That statement cost her a ton of money when the cattle industry filed a suit against her.

Sixteen years later, we're still talking about beef.  The LA Times published an article in the Health section yesterday stating that beef increases mortality rates.  "All red meat is bad for you, new study says."  (Click on the link to read the whole story.)  

I'm a little skeptical when it comes to all or nothing statements.  Especially when they're delivered by a medical system that continually changes its mind.  There's a saying, "one person's food is another person's poison."  I'm more inclined to believe that.  We're all unique, and our dietary requirements should be individualized for each of us.  The best you can do for yourself is to eat more whole foods, less processed foods, eliminate sugar and white flour wherever you can and any meat you eat should be free from growth hormone, antibiotics and chemicals.  Personally I'd prefer to be a vegetarian, but I've tried that route a number of times and it never lasts - my body wants animal protein.

So even though the news says all red meat is bad for you, I'm pretty sure I'm not giving it up.  I'll have it in moderation as I always have.  I suggest you decide what's best for you.  

Ever wonder how much protein you should be eating?  

Some people may be eating too much while others aren't getting enough. Because protein is an important nutrient that is essential for growth and development, it's important to figure out how much you really need.

And how much you really need has lot to do with whether or not you're physically fit and generally active.  And of course, where your protein comes from is key to maintaining good health.  Most people are chowing down on massive amounts of poor quality protein and don't lift anything more than their fork.  And others aren't getting enough so they're binge eating sweets or cheap carbs (chips, etc.) to boost their energy levels.  Or even worse, depending on caffeinated products to do the job for them.

One thing to note is our bodies can't store protein so it needs to replenish it every day with food.  Generally speaking, the recommended daily allowance (RDA) works out to be 0.8 grams of protein for each kilogram of weight or 2.2 pounds.  This works out to be:

44 grams of protein for 120 pound person
55 grams of protein for 150 pound person
66 grams of protein for 180 pound person

Did you know you don't have to rely solely on meat to get your RDA of protein?  Beans provide nearly as much protein as meat, and are much lower in fat and calories. One cup of cooked beans contains 12 to 25 grams of protein, which is 25 to 50 percent of the RDA.  There's also whole grains you can eat to provide healthy protein like oatmeal (6 grams), brown rice (5 grams) or 2 slices of whole wheat bread (6 grams).  Nuts also contain protein: almonds (6 grams/1 ounce), cashews (4 grams) or 2 tablespoons of peanut butter (10 grams).  And dairy: skim milk (8 grams), low-fat plain yogurt (12 grams), or cottage cheese (16 grams).  

Calculate the appropriate amount of protein and incorporate your findings into your daily diet.  You'll notice a difference and feel a whole lot better just taking this one small step!