Consumers are getting excited about incorporating more beef into their diets. Is the beef industry ready to capitalize on the opportunity?

Amanda Radke

January 17, 2017

3 Min Read
3 popular articles promoting beef in the diet

January is typically the busiest month for dieters as a new year is often the most popular time to start a new health and fitness program. Yet with all of the calorie counting, meal planning and gym memberships, could there be a more simple solution to the nation’s expanding waistline? And could that simple solution rest with foods like beef, eggs, bacon and butter?

A growing trend that’s sweeping the nation is getting people excited about eating saturated fats from animal products once again. And it's not just a phase but a return to the way grandma and grandpa ate such as using whole, fresh ingredients and not skimping on the fat when cooking.

This could be an exciting opportunity for U.S. beef producers to take advantage of. Our cattle efficiently turn cellulose into the most nutritious food on the planet, and our consumers are starting to tune into that message!

Don’t believe me? Here are three popular articles that are circling Facebook this week. These articles address how saturated fats and animal proteins keep us leaner, fuel our brains and keep us satisfied while curbing cravings. Check them out and let me know what you think.

1. “What not to eat: The case against sugar” by Dan Barber for the New York Times

A review of low carb advocate and author Gary Taubes’ most recent book reveals how politics played a huge role in demonizing saturated fats and cholesterol in foods.

Here’s an excerpt: “Just when it looked as if the sugar industry, for all its campaigning, could no longer overrule scientific fact, it was saved by saturated fat. The rising belief that dietary fat consumption was the cause of obesity and heart disease — which had been written about sporadically for decades — suddenly coalesced into fact, shifting the public’s attention away from sugar. This wasn’t planned or paid for. It was just dumb luck. The American Heart Association, long considered unbiased and authoritative, played a crucial role by blaming fat and cholesterol for heart disease. The press, Congress and the Department of Agriculture followed suit.”

2. “Fat finds favor on U.S. tables again” by Tara Duggan for the San Francisco Chronicle

Here lies a golden opportunity for U.S. beef producers. The millennial consumer, who is the largest consumer of beef in the U.S. today, is wising up to the importance of saturated fat in the diet, particularly when it comes to brain development and function in their small children. Why don’t we promote the heart-healthy fat that comes from beef and really embrace the nutritional powerhouse that beef really is?

Duggan writes, “Attitudes about fat are experiencing a sea change in the country, but the transformation is only very slowly reflected in official government advice. Between 1970 and 2014, the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that the annual per capita consumption of red meat dropped by 28%, and whole milk by almost 80%, from 6 ounces to 1 ounce per day. Meanwhile, we increased our consumption of grains by 23%.”

3. “The cure for diabetes” by Adam Campbell for Men’s Health

Here’s an excerpt from a decade-old article featured in Men’s Health that is making the rounds once again. The underlying message? Eat meat to curb cravings, lose weight and cure yourself of diabetes.

Campbell writes, “Unlike protein, fat and fiber — which have little if any impact on blood sugar — carbohydrates such as starch and sugar are quickly broken down into glucose during digestion, which is then absorbed into your bloodstream. The more you eat, the higher and faster your blood sugar rises. Therefore, if you have diabetes, it would make sense to control your blood sugar by limiting your carbohydrate intake. Another benefit of consuming fewer carbs is that you often end up consuming fewer calories and that can help lower weight, which in turn, reduces insulin response.”

 

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