Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Mormon,Mormonism Meat

Included in the warning known as the Word of Wisdom is counsel about meat.
Yea, flesh also of beasts and of the fowls of the air, I, the Lord, have ordained for the use of man with thanksgiving; nevertheless they are to be used sparingly;
And it is pleasing unto me that they should not be used, only in times of winter, or of cold, or famine (D&C 89:12-13)
That warning is pretty clear. We should only eat "flesh also of beasts" (red meat) or "fowls of the air" (chicken, turkey, game birds) during the "winter, or of cold, or famine". Meat is a valuable source of protein, but apparently we should look to plants rather than animals for our protein. Wikipedia summarizes the nutritional value of meat.
All muscle tissue is very high in protein, containing all of the essential amino acids, and in most cases is a good source of zinc, vitamin B12, selenium, phosphorus, niacin, vitamin B6, choline, riboflavin and iron. Several forms of meat are high in vitamin K2, which is only otherwise known to be found in fermented foods, with natto having the highest concentration. Muscle tissue is very low in carbohydrates and does not contain dietary fiber. The fat content of meat can vary widely depending on the species and breed of animal, the way in which the animal was raised, including what it was fed, the anatomical part of the body, and the methods of butchering and cooking. Wild animals such as deer are typically leaner than farm animals, leading those concerned about fat content to choose game such as venison. Decades of breeding meat animals for fatness is being reversed by consumer demand for meat with less fat.
However, Wikipedia gives the following caution for those who consume no meat.
Most meats contain a full complement of the amino acids required for the human diet. Fruits and vegetables, by contrast, sometimes lack several essential amino acids contained in meat. It is for this reason that people who abstain from eating all meat need to plan their diet more carefully to include vegetarian sources of all the necessary amino acids.
The Lord did not mention fish. This is strange since fish are eaten by a large percentage of the world's population. This might have been because the eating of fish was uncommon among the Saints, or perhaps the Lord wanted his revelation to be a general guide, and he was content to let the Saints make their own decision about fish. Another speculation is that the Saints may not have been abusing the use of fish like they apparently were abusing red meat and fowl and needed no guidance about fish.

No comments:

Post a Comment