Healthy Meat and Dairy Tips
Read these 13 Healthy Meat and Dairy Tips tips to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. Each tip is approved by our Editors and created by expert writers so great we call them Gurus. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Steak tips and hundreds of other topics.
Grass Fed Butters Are Safe for Pregnant and Nursing Mothers
If you are pregnant or nursing and you are wanting to keep your diet free of chemicals and pesticides, not only should you think about where your meats and vegetables come from, but you should think about where your butter originates. The only butter available that is truly free of chemicals and pesticides is grass fed butter. The Pesticide Action Network of North American ranked non organic butter as first on the food list for being the most contaminated product that had persistent organic pollutants. These pollutants are toxic and they can stay in your body for years. These pollutants can even pass through breast milk. If you are a pregnant or nursing mother, you should consider removing commercial butters from your diet and adding grass fed butter.
Tips for Thawing Your Wild Salmon
When it comes time to thaw your wild salmon, you should always do so in the refrigerator. You should plan at least 24 hours for your salmon to thaw. If you are in a hurry, you can rinse the frozen fish under warm water before you put it in the refrigerator. (You should never immerse your fish in a bowl of water, unless you are poaching it.) If you opt for rinsing your fish, you should pat it dry before you put it in the refrigerator for thawing. If you find that there is liquid and/or blood after your fish is thawed, do not worry. That is normal. Simply rinse the fish under running water and pat dry. When handling your salmon, you should avoid picking it up by the tail. It could break and leave bruising.
Swiss Raw Cheese
When you first go online to buy your raw cheese, you may have the choice between aged Swiss cheese and baby Swiss cheese. Many people do not know the difference between the two and are unsure which one to purchase. The differences between the two are in the size of the holes and the taste. Holes develop in the cheese during the aging process. So, the younger the cheese, the smaller the holes. If you are looking for a sweet, buttery cheese, you should purchase baby Swiss. If you are looking for a sharper, semi-hard cheese, you should choose the aged Swiss.
Why Raw Cheese Tastes Different Than Commercial Cheese
The reason that raw cheese tastes better than commercial cheese is that it is organic. This means the cows that the cheese is produced from are fed on pastures that are free of chemicals such as herbicides or pesticides. Another reason raw cheese taste better is that the cows who produce your raw cheese products are not crowded together inside a feedlot. This means they are not frightened (or as stressed) as cows who are in feedlots and their milk will not be laden with chemicals or “stress hormones.”
Many people wonder how these organic animals are kept well, when so many feedlot cattle have to be given antibiotics. One reason organic dairy cows stay well is they are allowed to graze at leisure. They have built in instincts which direct them to pick and choose which grasses their systems need to stay healthy. This means healthier and better tasting cheese for you because it is free of antibiotics and medication. People who eat raw cheese testify that the cheese is smoother and more tasty than commercial cheese. The fact that it is healthier for you than commercial cheese is just a given.
Raw Cheese Tastes Good and Is Good For You
The reason that raw cheese is better for you than commercial cheese is that it is made from animals that are grass-fed. This means the animals only eat natural grasses and clover, instead of being force fed all of the feeds that make “commercial” dairy products unhealthy.
Most (if not all) of the cheeses that are commercially produced are made from animals which are fed feed high in omega-6 fats – which is unhealthy for you. Raw cheese that is made from grass-fed cows has a high count of omega-3 fats. These are good fats that your body needs and unfortunately, many of our diets lack these healthy omega-3 fats. These good fats are linked to reducing your risk of diabetes, heart disease, obesity, mental disorders and even cancer.
It is possible to find smooth, delicious cheese that is actually good for you. However, the chances of finding it at your local supermarket are slim. Healthy, raw cheese is readily available over the Internet. You can find all of your favorite cheese varieties, too. A few of the more popular raw cheese varieties include Swiss, Colby, Gouda, Jalapeno, Cheddar, Mild-Cheddar and Havarti.
Raw Cheese Contributes to Better Athletic Performance
If you are looking for an athletic edge, you should think about the types of meat and dairy products you consume. You can up your body's performance and build stronger, leaner muscles simply by switching from commercial meat and dairy products to grass fed meat and dairy products, such as beef or raw cheeses. These products are performance meats because they have a high level of amino acids, CLA, and Omega 3s. Grass fed meat and dairy products also have a higher concentration of vitamins, particularly vitamins A and E. If you are looking to build your lean muscle while reducing your body fat percentage, as well as your cholesterol level, make the switch to grass fed meat and dairy products.
How to Properly Cook Your Chicken Breasts
Whether you are roasting, frying, broiling, or grilling your chicken, it is important that your chicken is cooked to its proper internal temperature. The only way to know if your chicken is at its optimal temperature is to use a meat thermometer. Here is a guide which will show you what internal temperatures you should look for when cooking chicken.
Whole Chicken (5 pounds)
Internal Temperature: 180 degrees F.
Approximate Cooking Time: 1½ hours
Chicken Breast (bone-in 8 oz.)
Internal Temperature: 180 degrees F.
Approximate Cooking Time: 40 minutes
Chicken Breast (boneless 5 oz.)
Internal Temperature: 165 degrees F.
Approximate Cooking Time: 20-30 minutes
Chicken Thigh (5 oz.)
Internal Temperature: 180 degrees F.
Approximate Cooking Time: 35-40 minutes
Chicken Leg (6 oz.)
Internal Temperature: 180 degrees F.
Approximate Cooking Time: 45 minutes
Vitamins: Raw Cheese vs. Commercial Cheese
If you are looking for a food for your family that is high in vitamins and tasty, you should consider raw cheese. Raw cheese has a higher concentration of all the vitamins (and four times more vitamin E) than cheese that is made from grain eating animals.
One reason that raw cheese has more vitamins than commercial cheese is that cows that are fed on grass diets produce less milk. This means their milk has a higher concentration of vitamins. You should know that many commercial dairies fed their cattle grain because it makes them produce more milk. However, a cow only has so much vitamins to go around. This means that products made from a grain fed cow's milk is thinner, or has a “watered down” supply of vitamins.
If the high concentration of vitamins in raw cheese isn't enough persuasion to get you to think about feeding your family raw cheese, think about this. Raw cheese is full of CLA which is a powerful cancer fighting agent. Raw cheese has 500% more CLA than commercial cheese which is made from grain-fed animals.
Tips for Ordering Wild Salmon
When ordering your wild salmon, you may have the choice of fresh or frozen. If you are throwing a big party or picnic, you should probably opt for fresh salmon. However, if you are planning for the salmon to last many months, it is best to order your wild salmon frozen.
Keep in mind that if you are needing fresh salmon for a party or picnic, you should contact your wild salmon dealer to ensure proper scheduling of your delivery. It would be a shame if your fresh salmon arrived weeks before the event, or a day late.
Thaw Your Chicken Breasts Properly
Chicken should be thawed in the refrigerator. You should plan at least five hours per pound of chicken that you are thawing. If you are in a hurry, chicken can be thawed in the microwave. However, you should carefully monitor your chicken as the microwave cooks the meat from the inside out. Another method for thawing chicken is to use cold water. Simply place the chicken in an airtight bag and place it in cold water. You should change the water every half hour until the chicken is thawed.
Whether you are frying chicken legs or grilling chicken breasts, you should never interrupt the cooking process once it has started. Partial or interrupted cooking only encourages bacteria to grow.
Wild Salmon: Sockeye
Each species of salmon has its own characteristics and subtle taste. At some point you should try to sample each species to find the ones that you prefer.
If you have never tried wild salmon before, you may want to start with Sockeye. Many people prefer Sockeye because of its dark red color and its high oil content. (The oil keeps the fish moist throughout the cooking process and adds flavor.) Most Sockeye will be between five and seven pounds. This will yield between three and four pounds of fillet, after cleaning.
How to Freeze Wild Salmon
If you order wild salmon online, it will come in a box and each of your fish will be wrapped individually. When your order arrives, you should remove the top of the box before you place it into your freezer. You also have the option of removing each fish from the box and placing them directly on the freezer shelves. However, you should not remove the plastic sleeves that surround the fish until you are ready to thaw them. If you have purchased wild salmon in bulk, you should wrap each fish in aluminum foil, as they may be in your freezer for many, many months.
If possible, it is best to store your salmon in old freezers. Many frost-free freezers can promote freezer burn in the fish because the air circulates throughout the freezer – which can remove moisture from the meat. If you have a grandparent or other relative who has an old freezer they want to get rid of, don't let it go to the scrap yard, tell them you want it.
Choose Chicken Breasts Over Dark Meat
White meats, such as chicken breasts, are lower in fat, calories and higher in protein than dark chicken meat. A roasted chicken breast has approximately 165 calories, 4 grams of fat and 31 grams of protein – compared to a chicken thigh which has 210 calories, 5 grams of fat and 25 grams of protein. If you are looking to lose weight and lower your cholesterol, you should consider eating only white meat.
If you are truly wanting to eat healthy, you should switch to organic or free range chicken. These chickens are raised without any growth enhancements on farms that do not use any fertilizers, pesticides or bioengineering methods.
