Cancer Nutrition Myth of the Week:
This week we will address the myth that hormones in meat and milk cause cancer.
The Myth: Hormones in meat and milk cause cancer.
The Truth: The FDA regulates the amount of hormones allowed in beef and dairy to make sure they are safe. Other types of meat do not have hormones.
The amount of hormones allowed in beef are safe.
The beef industry is the only one approved to use steroid hormone implants to promote growth. Based on extensive scientific studies, the FDA has set safe levels of consumption for hormones in meat. This safe level is expected to have NO harmful effect in humans. All approved steroid hormone implants are safe enough that the meat from the cows treated with it can be eaten any time after the animal has been treated.
There is no clear evidence that the hormone used to increase milk production in cows harms humans.
- Cows naturally have BST (bovine somatotropin, also known as bovine growth hormone), which promotes growth and cell division.
- The man made form of the hormone is rBGH (recombinant bovine growth hormone) and it is use to increase milk production in dairy cows.
- Both BST and rBGH stimulate cows to produce more milk by increasing another hormone known as IGF-1 (insulin like growth factor).
- There is no clear indication that drinking milk produced with BST or rBGH treatment increases IGF- 1 levels in humans to a range that would be a concern for cancer risk.
- If you're worried about the rBGH getting into the milk, you don't have to worry. Bovine growth hormones are not significantly higher in milk from cows treated with rBGH and because BGH is a cow hormone, it is not active in humans.
No hormones are allowed in pork or poultry.
Steroid hormone implants are only approved for use in the beef industry. They are not approved for promoting growth in dairy cows, veal calves, pigs, or poultry (chicken and turkey). If you are still concerned about consuming hormones in meat, you can easily avoid the hormones by choosing pork, chicken, or turkey over beef.
What's the recommendation?
Focus on getting enough protein and spreading it out throughout the day. It is recommended that you aim for 15-25 grams of protein at meals. Whether you get protein from meat, dairy, or plant sources is up to you!
For more information on the the amount of protein in food, view my bog post on the Amount of Protein In Various Foods: Charts and Lists.
Why not try out a new chicken recipe to help you meet your protein needs! Here's one from Chef Don McMillan: Chicken and Stir Fry Asian Vegetables. For a printer friendly version, click here.
Ingredients
- 2 T hoisin sauce
- 1 T soy sauce
- ½ t cornstarch
- 1 lb boneless chicken cut into fork size strips
- 1 carrot, peeled and cut into strips
- 1 medium onion cut into julienne strips
- 1 cup sugar snap peas, strings removed
- 1½ cup red bell peppers cut into julienne strips
- 3 whole green onions chopped
- 2 t dark sesame oil
- 2 T salad oil
- 2 t fresh ginger grated
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 3 cloves garlic pressed
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped
Instructions
- Combine first 3 ingredients into a small bowl and set aside
- Combine the 2 oils
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
- Heat ½ the oil in a wok or large saute pan over high heat. Add ginger, salt and garlic and stir fry for 30seconds.
- Add bell pepper, carrots and onions and stir fry for 3 minutes, set aside.
- Add the remainder of the oil and saute the chicken until meat is firm and color changes to white.
- Add hoisin sauce mixture and stir fry 1 - 2 minutes or until thick.
- Add vegetables and cook until they are crisp-tender.
- Remove from heat and top with cilantro and green onions.
Remember, you don't need to worry about hormones in meat and milk. It's most important that you make sure you're getting enough protein and spreading it out throughout the day.
- Julie
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