Discovery Health Bashes Beef, Dairy

A reader sent me the link to an article that was published in Discovery Health, placing beef and dairy in the fats category and linking them directly to obesity. The article was titled, " Tasty Foods Send Signal to Brain to Keep Eating," and it explained a study that appeared in the September issue of The Journal of Clinical Investigation. Unfortunately, this is another example of the medical community jumping to conclusions about animal products in the diet, while completely ignoring the studies that prove beef and dairy are a vital addition to a healthy, well-balanced lifestyle. Read on for an excerpt from this article...

Tasty Foods Send Signal to Brain to Keep Eating

Can't stop eating fatty food? Blame your brain, researchers say. A new study suggests that molecules of some kinds of fat travel to the brain, which then tell the body that it doesn't need to stop eating just yet.

"Normally, our body is primed to say when we've had enough, but that doesn't always happen when we're eating something good," study senior author Deborah Clegg, an assistant professor of internal medicine at University of Texas Southwestern, said in a university news release.

The study didn't look at humans, however. The researchers examined rodents, in which the effect seemed to last three days after consumption of fatty food. The type of fatty acid that appeared to do the most damage, palmitic acid, is found in beef and dairy products, such as butter, cheese and milk, the study authors noted.

The Positive News...

However, there is a bright side. We've got great people using positive resources to talk about the benefits of beef and dairy in the diet. It's been a few months since I've highlighted one of the alumni members of the Masters of Beef Advocacy, and I'm proud to be affiliated with this great group of agriculture advocates. Here is an interview with one of those advocates. Andrea “Andy” Hutchison was born and raised on the Chain Ranch near Canton, Okla. and has worked actively on the ranch for nearly 35 years. Andy is very active in her church and volunteers on various local, state and national agricultural organizations, including the Cattlemen's Beef Board, the Oklahoma CattleWomen and the American National CattleWomen. She is also an active blogger, too. Check out her agriculture story at her blog: Chain Ranch Lady. Link to past Beef Advocate interviews here. You can listen to my interview with Andy below...

BEEF Daily Quick Fact: Americans weren't big eaters of fresh beef until about 1870, due to the enormous growth of the cattle industry in the West. The introduction of cattle cars and refrigerated cars on the railroad facilitated distribution of the beef.