Originally published September 12 2008
The Frightening Diet of American Cows: Potato Chips, Chocolate and Chicken Manure
by Joanne Waldron
(NaturalNews) In The Physiology of Taste, written in 1825, Anthelme Brillat-Savarin wrote, "Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are." This is the origin of the popular phrase, "You are what you eat." It's no secret that America is facing an unprecedented obesity epidemic. So, just what are Americans eating?
Cows fed Junk Food
According to an article in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the average American eats about 44 kg (about 97 pounds) of beef every year. That number may be shocking to some people. However, it's not nearly as shocking as the news reported by The Daily Green concerning the latest addition to the diet of the American cow: "potato chip and chocolate waste not fit for the junk food aisle at the grocery store."
That's right. Farmers are feeding cattle potato chips and chocolate scraps. Ever wonder what happens to those broken potato chips and chocolate candies? It's bad enough that many children are permitted by their parents to eat this kind of junk food. Now, to make matters worse, they are experiencing even more ill health-effects through a meat-based diet, courtesy of farmers whose primary concern is turning a huge profit.
Cows Should eat Grass
Ask a little kid what a cow is supposed to eat, and the little kid will almost always give the correct response: grass. What's up with American farmers? Why are they so confused? Studies have shown that beef produced from cows that eat the diet that nature intended is much more beneficial to human health.
What Else are Cows Eating?
However, cows have been given things like corn to fatten them up quickly for the last fifty years, according to The Daily Green, but corn is something that isn't easily digested by cows. In fact, eating corn creates an acidic environment in the cow's stomach that encourages the growth of E.coli. This, of course, requires the cow to be treated with antibiotics.
Of course, cows are also given growth hormones, and CNN reports that some farmers think regular feed is too expensive and are feeding their cattle chicken manure. (Maybe it's so expensive because it's irradiated -- most animal feeds are irradiated, too.) If that's not bad enough, the FDA allows all sorts of chemicals, contaminants, drug residues, and euthanized animals in animal feed. By the way, it's no secret that many of the drugs found in animal feed are linked to weight gain. Anyone hungry?
You Are What You Eat
For those who think they can escape all of this ugliness by eating organic beef, think again. While eating organic, grass-fed beef is certainly healthier than eating the meat of cows that have been fed corn, chicken manure, chocolate, potato chips, euthanized animals, and irradiated feed laden with chemical residues, organically-raised cows still have to go to the slaughterhouse. For a great description of what happens at the slaughterhouse, be sure to read the chapter entitled "The Dead, Rotting, Decomposing Flesh Diet" in the book called Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that the FDA is pretty worthless when it comes to protecting the health of the American people. The FDA even allows chemicals to be added to meat to make it look nice and red at the grocery store so that it will appear fresher longer. You are what you eat. Looking at the backsides of most Americans walking down the street, this is most certainly true.
About the author
Joanne Waldron is a computer scientist with a passion for writing and sharing health-related news and information with others. She hosts the Naked Wellness: The Gentle Health Revolution forum, which is devoted to achieving radiant health, well-being, and longevity.
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