No, I’m not kidding. I have found that rare steak offers more nutrients and supports a quicker recovery from a stressrelated condition, such as fibromyalgia, than any other food.
First off, what is red meat?
We consider beef, venison, buffalo, and elk red meat. Pork, chicken, turkey, fish are not.
Isn’t red meat hard to digest?
In short no, not unless it’s cooked. Rare meat, which is basically warmed, but not cooked, is quite easy to digest. However, when it is cooked to the point that it could be used as a hockey puck, which is how most people cook it, well, yes.
Isn’t it dangerous to eat rare beef?
First off, all properly cared for meat is sterile, except on the outside. Microbes do not normally live in muscle. The area of the steak where the butcher’s knife has cut it could be a problem though. That is why you want to sear the top and bottom to sterilize them. Additionally, the stomach is at a pH of 1 which will virtually sterilize a well chewed piece of meat. If you are not making hydrochloric acid, then that wouldn’t be the case and hydrochloric acid will need to be taken with meals.
Why can’t it be cooked?
In short, I don’t know. I’ve just found clinically that rare steak supports recovery far better than cooked steak or hamburger. We do know that enzymes inherent in all living things are destroyed with cooking.
Won’t it make my cholesterol go sky high?
Not in my experience. I tenaciously follow my patient’s lipid profiles and consistently see abnormal cholesterol and triglycerides actually improve with a diet high in red meat. In fact, overall I’ve seen dietary fat have a positive effect on lipid profiles, which is the opposite of what those making money off of cholesterol drugs are telling people.
Doesn’t beef have all kinds of hormones, antibiotics and other toxins in it?
Well, yes, unless it was naturally raised. But so does about any food stuff you purchase. There are a myriad of problems with food production in America. So what does one do? First off, I encourage quantity over quality. What I mean is that first focus on getting the right quantity of the foods you need, then, if you have the inclination and resources, worry about quality. If you don’t mind spending 2 – 3 times the amount for your food or have an interest in raising your own beef, chicken, fruits and vegetables, go right ahead. Each person has to create their own balance. Additionally, keep in mind that when a body is supplied with adequate nutrients, is well hydrated and physically active, it can deal quite adequately with the toxins that are almost unavoidable in today’s world.
Why is it so good for me?
The real answer is because you have been genetically adapted to it. In other words, if you don’t like that you need to eat red meat then direct your anger toward your ancestors. Our progenitors had vegetables part of the year, fruit part of the year and even grains part of the year, but meat was always available and animal foods a staple. As a result, the body has centered many of it’s physiological processes on animal foods, particularly animal proteins and fats. A couple of these include blood sugar, which is actually brain sugar, regulation and hormone production. Look at the rise of diabetes, depression and obesity in the United States since red meat and animal fat in general has been labeled “bad” by the nutritional “authorities.”
Additionally, red meat is high in the essential amino acid methionine. Because it is a “methyl donor”, it is essential for effective detoxification in the liver, because it is incorporated into the “N-terminal” position of all proteins, it is essential in the production of proteins within the body. Vegetables, fruits and legumes contain very little methionine.
How do I cook a steak rare?
Start with a hot surface. A briquette grill is my personal favorite. When I cook indoor I use a cast iron grill pan, but a flat surface can work as well. To keep the steak from sticking, especially if it is a lean cut, I will apply some butter. I then grind fresh pepper and apply salt to each side and rub it in with my fingers. Then I place the steak on the grill and, with a ¾ inch thick cut, leave on each side for about 90 – 120 seconds. If the steak is thinner, the time needs to be reduced. Just long enough to take the refrigerator coolness out of the center. When finished it should be warm, but completely raw in the center with about 1/8 inch of gray on each surface. If you overcook it, it will “bleed” liquid onto your plate. That means that you have ruptured the cell membranes and destroyed some of the delicate nutrients.
But I don’t like the taste of it!
Then start out with small portions. Over time you will develop a taste for it. I was a vegetarian for 8 years and almost threw up when I first ate meat. Now, however, a rare steak is one of my most favorite foods, right up there with ice cream!
©2009 Fibro Wellness