The Quick Answer: We worry that exposure to carcinogens in pollutants—which we can’t completely control—will give us cancer. Yet a mountain of research shows the quality of our diet—which we can control—is more important to avoiding cancer than carcinogen exposure. The conclusion of The China Study is that animal protein above 5% of calories is a potent cancer initiator and plant protein is not.
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The China Study, written by Dr. T. Colin Campbell, is on my top ten list of nutrition books everyone should read. Campbell addresses the causes of overweight, diabetes, heart disease and autoimmune diseases, but cancer was his primary research focus. Cancer is a big worry for Americans: per the ACS, 47% of American men will get cancer during their lives; the threat is 38% for women. Here’s what Campbell learned about preventing cancer:
Though there are other contributing factors (tobacco use, sugar consumption, family history, etc.), dietary animal protein above 5% greatly increases the risk of cancer and lower levels can be protective. Campbell’s early work involved feeding alfatoxin—a highly potent carcinogen found in moldy peanuts—to rats. He learned that rats fed a diet of 20% animal protein, a level many meat-eating Americans consume, got cancer while rats fed plant protein did not. Campbell makes two more points:
• The amount of animal protein consumed was more important than the amount of aflatoxin. Stop worrying about pollution—diet is more important than carcinogen exposure!
• Meat and animal products have a place in the healthy diet, but it’s best to limit animal proteins to 5% of total calories.
The prior post suggested a reasonable diet that kept animal proteins to about 5% (based on 2500 daily calories). The shopping list for one week included these foods which we greatly enjoy:
a. 1 lb. of meat or fish,
b. 4 eggs,
c. 7 cups of milk,
d. 4 servings (1 oz. each) of cheese.
How-To-Do-It:
Sleeping with a carnivore? Men like to see meat in the center of their plate; it’s something they can get their teeth into. Women usually eat less meat (sugar is more likely their health risk) so the key to reducing meat intake is to win the cooperation of your man. A few suggestions:
1. For the readers, three books will help: The China Study, my favorite, Righteous Porkchop, Finding a Life and Good Food Beyond Factory Farms; and Mad Cowboy, Plain Truth from the Cattle Rancher Who Won’t Eat Meat.
2. Consider the cost. Eating less meat takes pressure off the wage earner as meat is more expensive, besides being less healthy, than the alternatives. Meat runs about $8/lb; plant protein wisely purchased runs about $1/lb.
3. Learn from Chinese cuisine: The Chinese get just 10% of their protein from animal sources (vs. 80% in the US); meat is used more to flavor food and give it a little chewing texture.
4. Stew is a good example of a tasty man dish flavored by a little meat. Add traditional favorites like chili, chicken noodle soup, and clam chowder to the meat-for-flavor-and-chew list. And I'll post my scalloped potato recipe later this week.
5. Make a list of your carnivore’s favorite foods and come up with low-meat versions. (The 1 lb./week noted above can provide 1-2 oz. of meat most days and still allow a roast dinner on Sunday.)
6. Check this N.Y. Times article, “An Almost-Meatless Diet”, for more information.
The Best Meat
We’ll return to the subject of finding healthy meat in the near future, but here is a reminder: Processed meats (hot dogs, pepperoni, salami, bologna, bacon, etc.) are most linked to cancer risk. The best meats are pasture-fed and are available at health food stores for a modest premium. Mainstream supermarkets are even starting to offer better meats.
Please share your favorite ideas or recipes for dinners even a carnivore can live on.