Natural Cures Store - Tricks & Tips
Two weeks ago we talked about organic vs. commercial produce. Today I want to discuss meat and dairy products.
Produce is pretty straightforward.
Meat and dairy aren't quite so simple.
When it comes to meat and dairy, you really have to do your homework.
Talk to your local butcher.
They are asked these types of questions every day. They know the ins and outs of what's organic, what's natural and what's NOT! Often times you can get reasonably priced meat that isn't organic, but it hasn't received any hormones or antibiotics for a certain number of years before slaughter.
Then you have to ask about the feed. Were the cows grass fed or grain fed? Were the chickens free range? Was the feed organic or was it sprayed with pesticides?
Sometimes local farms or small butcher shops will have organic meat without the "stamp," meaning no hormones, no antibiotics, grass fed, but they didn't want to jump through all the hoops and bureaucracy for the "certified organic" stamp.
Some of the big commercial brands have even stopped using hormones and antibiotics and it says so right on the package.
So take a day, shop around, read packages, talk to butchers. It will pay off.
You can find what I call "clean" food without paying ridiculous prices.
Now we need to talk dairy. I haven't found "clean" milk without the stamp. But you can get affordable milk and cream products at the big superchains like Wal-Mart, Sam's Club and CostCo.
When it comes to cheese, if you can't afford organic, the non-cow cheeses are your safest bet. Goat and sheep milk aren't nearly as commercialized yet and are much "cleaner" than cow's milk.