by Taetske | 2:28 pm
(Last Updated On: August 3, 2021)

 

Treat cows with care, your health will benefit from it

 

It is so important to know where the meat comes from and in what condition the animals are being kept. The quality of the meat does have an impact on your health, and this also applies to milk and dairy products. We will also have a look at the alternatives to milk.

Mahatma Gandhi only drank milk twice in his life. He said milk is meant for babies.

 

Happy cows in a meadow

Happy cows in a meadow image by Jorg Viel

 

I found the following news very interesting, as this change can be noticed in one’s health and also on an environmental level.
The sale of cow milk has fallen drastically in the US these last 5 years, it has fallen by some 50% which is a lot.

The following YouTube video will show you how to make Non-Dairy Milk at home.

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Plant-based milk

Now there is a dairy in Queens, New York, which, after some 90 years in the dairy business, has decided to stop completely and instead will produce raw, plant-based milk instead.

People nowadays are more aware of the often bad treatment cows get. Cows that are being kept in stables, hardly seeing sunlight and not being free to pasture on a nice meadow. They are fed unnatural food and injected with hormones which after all end up in the milk and their meat.

When in old times one could get raw, fresh milk directly from the farmer that is hardly possible anymore. Cows have been turned into machines. This has caused 1 out of 6 cows to have mastitis (udder infection).

When a cow is infected 90% of the cow’s somatic cells in her milk are neutrophils, those inflammatory cells create pus. The dairy industry says that does not matter as the milk gets pasteurized, which means the pus gets cooked.

Also, the fact that nowadays cow’s milk holds an impressive list of hormones like progesterone, cortisone, estrogen, leptin, IGF-1 growth hormone.
Milk consumption peaked in the late 1940s but declined sharply in the last few years.
This company will now produce a range of healthy kinds of milk like almonds, hazelnuts, cashew, and walnuts.

These new kinds of milk were presented at the Natural Foods Expo West in Anaheim, California. Ideal for vegetarians, and it is made with very few ingredients. It will have no added things like emulsifiers, whiteners, thickeners or Frankenfood proteins.

 

Mother cow with calf

Mother cow with calf image by Yanu Lecointre

 

Laws on animal cruelty

Apart from milk and the products which can be made with it, the cows are being kept for their meat.
In the past, people were not really interested to hear about the living conditions of these animals, but slowly but surely one can notice that people become more conscious of wanting to treat animals more fairly.

Laws are being updated in many countries, animal cruelty is a known word by now and people become more aware that one has to treat animals well, that said I mean all animals. Not so long ago, I heard that in Austria and Switzerland it is now forbidden to keep rabbits sitting alone in a small cage. In other countries like Spain where I live, they have not heard of this yet.

I remember when I told my Spanish gardener about this law he said that everybody keeps rabbits separated in small cages and as everybody is doing it; it is acceptable. I think 1 or even 2 generations are needed until hopefully, most people realize you have to treat all living creatures with respect.

 

For those who love to cook

Do you want to know how to grill, roast, stew, simmer, and saute every cut of artisan beef to perfection? If yes, you need this book by author Lynne Curry. 140 Mouthwatering recipes also including outlandish things like Korean barbeque and Turkish kabobs.

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An Essential Guide to Artisan Meat
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Grass-fed cows

But let’s go back to the cows. One hears the term grass-fed and organic beef. The sales of this type of meat have been on the rise. Ten years ago there were only some 50 grass-fed cattle operations in the US, now there are thousands.

The feeding of cattle with grains could turn out to be a really dumb idea. It needs some 7 to 16 pounds of grain to obtain a pound of beef, seen like this it is not a clever investment. Then one should not forget that most of this grain has been sprayed with pesticides, which ends up in the meat we eat.

Traditionally all beef was grass-fed beef. Cattle are grazing animals, they can convert the grasses, something we can not, into flesh which we eat. We can not digest grasses as we only have 1 stomach.

To feed cows grains can make them really sick. Their intestinal tracts become more acid which favors the growth of pathogenic E. coli bacteria which can kill people who eat undercooked meat.

The meat of grass-fed cows is healthier than from corn-fed cows. A grass-fed steak has about twice as much omega-3 compared to corn-fed meat. Also, it is much higher on vitamin E and higher on linoleic acid (CLA) which helps to lower cancer risk.

A grass-fed cow pollutes a lot less as well. Its waste drops on the meadow and fertilizes the soil. In feedlots, the waste just piles up, forming huge amounts which form a source of water and air pollution.

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Meadow with wild flowers

Meadow with wild flowers image by Helga Kattinger

 

Environmental damage from cattle grazing

There is but a big problem when this wish for lush meadows becomes exaggerated. In Brazil is a good example, the deforestation of the Amazonian rainforest. Brazil is the largest beef exporter worldwide, and by this policy of taking the trees away, it is responsible for 20% of the world’s greenhouse gasses.

In the US the cattle grazing has taken a tremendous toll on the environment, some 70% of the land in the American West is used for cattle. This practice has transformed the landscape, cattle pollute the water, destroy the vegetation therefore the soil is eroded and wildlife is displaced.

 

Less but more healthy meat

To eat too much meat is not healthy, especially if it is grain-fed. Organic and grass-fed is the best option for one’s health but better to have a good piece of meat only now and then and not on a regular basis, like that we also take care of our environment and at the same time think about the wellbeing of the animals.

YouTube video on lucky cows and sheep.

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An afterthought

I respect people who decide to become vegetarian. I am not a vegetarian myself, as I eat fish, chicken, and sometimes meat. Like the Native Americans, when hunting the animal would thank its spirit for the food provided, we should treat animals well when one day they feed us.

I have made a special page for my visitor. Before you leave, I hope you will have a look at Recommendations, there could be something of your interest.

 

Source: The Food Revolution

Photo Source: Pixabay

 

Our actions have consequences on all levels, and so does our diet. You might like to read the following post.

Your Diet Has An Important Impact On The Planet

Comments

Juan Rojas

I found the article very interesting because it perfectly connects health care and the environment. Many thanks for sharing it.

May 24.2017 | 05:52 pm

    admin

    Good evening Juan,

    Thank you for leaving a comment on my website. It is so important people know about these things as all our actions have an impact on our environment.
    I will continue to give more information and I hope you will visit again.

    Regards, Taetske

    May 24.2017 | 07:04 pm

dave

My step daughter started here period at a very very young age – I contribute that to the hormones in so many of our foods. I had throat cancer – a jock – no drugs – no cigarettes – healthy eating -there is much is going on out here that is disturbing. Great article to inform people – keep at it.

Jun 04.2017 | 03:15 pm

    admin

    Good afternoon Dave,

    I personally find it very sad what humans are doing to animals and also to their food. We actually live in the Garden of Eden but we are intent on destroying it all. At the same time, we lose our good health. I just wonder why we are so stupid and do not see the things that are happening around us and ultimately with us and our families. Thank you for stopping by.

    Regards, Taetske

    Jun 04.2017 | 04:01 pm

julienne murekatete

Thank you for sharing with us this great review on happy cows for our health.Many people do not care about the origin of what they eat or drink while it is very important.

We had had a cow when I was young and my grandma always told us to feed it with much love so that it gives us good milk.I am very sure that you are right about your advice about making cow happy so that the products from it be important to our health.

Jan 30.2019 | 08:23 pm

    Taetske

    Good Morning Julienne,

    Thank you for your comment on my website. I hope you downloaded your free PDF?

    All living beings have to be treated with love and care as we all form part of creation. If we kill an animal for food at least this animal must have had a good life. These mass productions are awful for the animals and harm our health.

    Regards, Taetske

    Jan 31.2019 | 07:19 am

Henry

Hi Taetske! I agree with you. Recently I saw a program of all the process by which the meat we consume goes through. And it has really kept me thinking about how important are the health issues derived from eating meat coming from sick animals. And milk and dairy products fall in the same category.

Thank you very much for presenting this alternative of plant-based milk. And there is also a long history in United States consuming it, despite were not so acquainted with it!

Jan 30.2019 | 08:25 pm

    Taetske

    Good Morning Henry,

    Nice to see you again. Thank you for your comment.

    I used to drink milk but that is ages ago. After trying different alternatives I am now very happy with coconut milk. I use it for muesli, smoothies and even in my coffee.

    I eat very little meat, I use the eggs from my happy chickens. I take care they often get their portion of weeds which improves the quality of eggs a lot.

    Regards, Taetske

    Jan 31.2019 | 07:24 am

Promise joshua

Thank you for updating us about how bad and worse our society is. 

Cows are no longer free to eat vegetables that grow naturally and this can affect the milk and other factors. I never have heard of plant milk. 

I love meat and I definitely eat a lot of them. I wouldn’t ask the grocery store what type of meat it is. I wish we could rear cows ourselves. 

Cows that are fed with inorganic foods aren’t good for consumption. I think I will subscribe to plant milk. But how do they process these kinds of milk?

Jan 30.2019 | 08:30 pm

    Taetske

    Good Morning Promise Joshua,

    Thank you for visiting my website and leaving a comment. I hope you downloaded your free PDF

    How cows are treated and what their food depends on where you live in the world. Mass production is no good. I know that beef from happy cows is more expensive but then it would be preferable to eat less meat and buy organic.

    I have put a new link https://www.onegreenplanet.org/foodandhealth/the-ultimate-guide-to-plant-based-milks/ on my post which explains about plant-based milk. I am a fan of coconut milk.

    Regards, Taetske 

    Jan 31.2019 | 07:34 am

Kenechi

It’s true that is important to look into what cows eat but we the consumers can not actually determine whether the cow meat is good or is bad when we see cow meat in the market. I think cattle rearers should be enlightened also about the kind of meat they smugle into the open market.

Jan 30.2019 | 08:30 pm

    Taetske

    Good Morning Kenechi,

    Depending on where you live in the world the laws are different. I would opt for eating less meat but if I do to buy organic.,

    Thank you for your comment on my post. I hope you downloaded your free PDF?

    Regards, Taetske

    Jan 31.2019 | 07:39 am

Muhiyb

Nice write up Taetske, I commend your research into this topic.In addition, for humans to live longer, we need to totally stop the consumption of any chemically enhanced food, either it’s plant or animal. This doesn’t apply to the cattle alone, but everything man consume (be it poultry and products, farm animals and anything we consume). The addition of preservatives and food enhancers to food items has done more harm to the human race.

Jan 30.2019 | 08:34 pm

    Taetske

    Good Morning Muhiyb,

    Thank you for your comment on my website. I hope you have downloaded your free PDF?

    The moment we turned away from nature and started to make man-made food our health went down the drain. All the hidden sugar, bad fats, GMO, and pesticides and the list goes on. All of this has made us prone to new illnesses which were unknown in old times.

    Regards, Taetske 

    Jan 31.2019 | 07:44 am

207Connie

I do remember the cows grazing in the pastures. We would take some to fill our freezer for the winter. Cows have been a part of the food chain for decades. What you say sounds like some shifting is taking place regarding animal cruelty. That’s good news. I had no idea the cows are destroying the landscape. I hope your post of those who read it awareness. Thanks

Jan 30.2019 | 11:09 pm

    Taetske

    Good Morning Connie,

    From what you tell me I understand you had happy cows on the farm. When you personally raise animals for food you know exactly what food they eat. It is the mass production sites which are awful. They are bad for the animals and bad for your health.

    Thank you for your comment. I hope you have downloaded your free PDF?

    Regards, Taetske

    Jan 31.2019 | 07:48 am

Alice

Interesting post. 

I grew up in a farm where we fed our animals with mostly grass and treated every single one of them kindly. So to hear animal cruelty happening in some parts of the world is really upsetting. 

I drink a glass of milk almost everyday and after reading your post, I immediately went to check the label on my UHT treated milk to see where it was manufactured from. I am scared to death with the thought that I am drinking cow’s milk that might have a negative impact on my health. 

I have actually tried some of these healthy milk alternatives such as almond and cashew milks and while they taste great, they’re more expensive than cow’s milk. But knowing now what I didn’t know then, I will be making the switch to plant-based milk and milk products, thanks for this very informative post.

Jan 31.2019 | 01:08 am

    Taetske

    Good Morning Alice,

    Thank you for your comment. I hope you have downloaded your free PDF?

    I have added a new link to my post on plant-based milk.
    https://www.onegreenplanet.org/foodandhealth/the-ultimate-guide-to-plant-based-milks/ I personally use coconut milk for many things even in my coffee. As I eat a mixture of nuts every day I did not want to drink almond or cashew milk. I eat little meat as I have happy chicken eggs and these eggs taste great.

    Regards, Taetske

    Jan 31.2019 | 07:54 am

ccav66

We were just talking about this over the weekend. When I was young in Alabama, we used to go to the farm and get fresh milk. You know the kind with the cream on top fresh milk at its best. Then over the years I moved and the dairy farms became more commercial and the treatment and feeding of cows changed.

I started buying store bought milk and guess what, I developed an intolerance to it. My stomach and body hated it. Thank you for pointing out just what kind of conditions are food really go through now. It is more important than ever to know and educate ourselves on what goes into our bodies.

Aug 06.2020 | 04:26 pm

    Taetske

    Good Morning Cathy,

    Because of my 2 websites since beginning 2017, I learn new things every day. It is so sad we continuously want to improve on Mother Nature when actually things are good like they are. I am not surprised at your intolerance, as the same happens with Gluten. Bread is neither like it used to be. Pesticides, GMO, additives, you name it has made our food unnatural and we suffer the consequences..

    Thank you for your visit and for your comment. I hope you downloaded your free PDF? Tulip widget.

    Regards, Taetske

    Aug 07.2020 | 06:18 am

Harsha Sharma

Hi! I love how informative and great your articles are. Can you recommend any other blogs that share blogs that share information or vegan recipes in general? Thanks a lot!

Nov 23.2022 | 09:42 am

    Taetske

    Good afternoon Harsha,

    Thank you for stopping by and for your comment. I hope you downloaded a free PDF of your choice, at the tulip widget.
    As to your question I am open to collaboration, backlinking, etc, please drop me a line on my email so we can discuss this issue further.

    Kind regards,

    Taetske

    Nov 23.2022 | 03:59 pm

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