Not sure if you intend to discuss this in forthcoming parts, but what pigs consume also directly affects the healthfulness of their meat. This is especially true with fatty acid compositions. Unlike ruminants, that convert polyunsaturated fats into monounsaturated and saturated fats via a process called biohydregantion, monogastric livestock (pigs and chicken) more reflect what they consume. So, CAFO pigs fed lots of soybean and corn meal have very different fatty acid compositions than pigs raised on pasture. CAFO pigs have much higher, often nearly twice, levels of PUFAs (approx 25 to 33% vs 18%) and more specifically much higher rates of Omega-6s (23 to 30% vs 12.5%). Monounsaturated fats (namely oleic fatty acid) is also much higher in pastured pork. One of my friends who raised lard pigs (Mangalitsa) tested the fat on his pigs, and it was 60% oleic fatty acid. Olive oil in 70% oleic fatty acid. His pigs forage in the woods and eat tons of acorns before they're harvested.
Mr. / Ms Beyond---- great points that I would guess most people do not even think about.
But.....one other point most may not have thought about-------we regularly have wild pigs that basically look just like domesticated pigs but.....with time their snouts get longer. Here in Arkansas we live on a farm of approx 250 acres and typically kill 1 or 2 per year. But.....you want to use the big boars for coyote bait because however you cook them they are no good. Big sows are ok but the best is either a young boar or sow from 75 to 125 pounds. I just saw 10 ( I assume litter mates) of 75-100 lb pigs run across my pasture and into the woods. So I will be setting the trap right next to the woods in the hope of catching several. I have several neighbors who asked for 1 if I catch some. I think the most I caught at one time was five but......even 1 is welcomed.
Be Sp, (otherwise it is BS) I got curious about your ability to dissect these tables and statistics and can see your knowledge is somewhere in understanding ratio and stats? What you have "liked" here and there is also revealing. I read a re- post from Jenin Younes that was very interesting to me as well. I look forward to seeing your handle more often here.
Thus SPAM was born! The epitome of “processed meat.” I would be useless on a “working farm.” I would want to make all the animals my pets! (Just being honest) ;-)
Ms. Barbara---- I could see myself eating SPAM if I was very hungry but.....I would posit that really Vienna Sausage is the epitome of processed meat. Real yummy when you open up the can and see all that gelled whatever it is sitting on top. I would rather eat a fried buzzard than a can of Vienna Sausages. I know people that really like them but I almost get sick just watching them eat them.
When I visited Japan in the 1980’s, the Japanese considered spam a delicacy. I suspect because it contained many ‘odd’ parts with lots of nutrients. In the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s I enjoyed occasionally eating spam. But not lately.
The World Health Organization says processed meat is linked to colorectal cancer. They'd really rather we eat bugs, "save the planet," and get it from the mRNA jabs instead. Trust the WEF and the Gates-funded bureaucrats.
WHO and IARC base that on a relative risk of 1.18. Their number is based on their metanalysis that turned up over 800 papers per a keyword search, but relied on only 15 or so observational studies. So, in other words, this associated relative risk number is incredibly weak and confounded. If you don't understand the difference between relative vs absolute risk, feel free to read my blog on this topic: https://beyondspin.wordpress.com/2021/12/10/relative-and-absolute-risk-reduction/
Okay, I just read the link you posted, Be Sp, and I have a much better view of your ability. The closest interaction I have had with anyone similar (besides the Doc) is Spartacus ICENI and that is a whole different can of worms.
We had guests last week, so yesterday , we ran out of raw milk - pick up day is today. So, we had to buy a bit of milk from the grocery last night to tide us over, as our caffeine addiction requires milk.
Probably because it is dead. Pasteurization and homogenization interfere with the body's ability to assimilate the nutrients in the milk (but you know that). What's even more appalling is "ultra-pasteurized", where you're guaranteed to have a substance absolutely alien to the body.
I can't even remember the last time I bought pasteurized milk. Happily, I live in a state where raw milk is legal to sell both on-farm and in stores. :-D
I am not big on milk. I haven't eaten cereal for breakfast since I was a kid. I also like black coffee no sugar, no cream. Warpath Coffee is the brand we order online (Mariner's Blend) because it never needs anything in it and is never bitter. At our old place there were Amish farms and a good Amish store so we bought their butter. Our local grocery store also has Amish rolled butter. Confession = I do have a "jones" for ice cream, particularly a dense vanilla custard sold in pints.
I don't often, but when I do, I do. I recently found a recipe for no-churn ice cream, and I plan on making some today. It'll be ready by tomorrow, just in time for our 88 degree heatwave here in Midcoast Maine. I'm hoping it lasts more than a day.
Did you mean "no-churn"? Most ice cream need some air churned into it for easier to scoop texture. A slow beat with a mixer or a spatula can do the job for homemade. Taking the mix in and out of the freezer a few times to keep it really cold will substitute for the salt and ice used in home ice cream churns. Good luck!
I have a large mug of coffee daily and use coconut milk in my coffee...Native Forest Organic Canned Light Coconut Milk has 64% less fat and I also use So Delicious Organic Coconut Milk, too. It only has 4 grams of fat in 8 oz. I started drinking coffee-milk, when I was about six years old, which was 86 years ago...and I am still drinking coffee-milk, except it is made with coconut milk; and sweetened with Kal Liquid Stevia. I don't like strong coffee..
Isn't it interesting how each person's body assimilates the food we put into it. I can no longer eat spinach because of the oxalates produced. They say cooking it removes much of that, but I really liked adding to salads best.
Mom would say over and over, but spinach is Good for you. We each must do our due diligence anymore. Takes time and effort, for sure.
I don't necessarily not eat fats, but I certainly do pay attention to which ones and try to stay reasonable.
I suffered with migraines for 30 years, until I cut my fat down low. I have not had one headache in the last 32 years. I learned that the liver produces bile, which emulsifies and breaks down fat. I was eating salads using oil and dressings, which were loaded with fat. The industries have made oils readily available...1 TBL is 14- 15 grams of fat. The liver was not designed to function on all the fat that people are eating daily, I stopped salad oil and dressing, mayo, nuts, seeds, and more. I use a gram counting scale to make sure I don't have too much fat. The migraines became worse, when I became a vegetarian and ate lots of salads. It took me a long time to figure out what caused the migraines...I thought I was eating healthfully..
I would posit that the fats were not animal fats but plant oils, since the migraines were worse when you ate a lot of salads. Coconut oil has a totally different structure from seed and nut oils, being a medium chain fatty acid, and has excellent healing properties.
I cut down on all fats to take the stress off my liver for a period of time.
Today, I use coconut milk in my coffee and other things; and butter, when I cook our home-raised chicken eggs. I am aware the body requires fat, but far less than people have been told.
Nourish.com and poly face farm raise their animals humanely and naturally. The chickens live a great chicken life and the pigs live a wonderful pig life free to roam and play and roll in the mud with plenty of space and sunshine.
I am reminded of the Buffalo, used for the survival of the indigenous. Everything was used and given thanks to the Creator! Gradually the buffalo has made a comeback, I can only hope it can stay safe for them and us. Our need for convenience will be the death of us yet!
Thank you for taking on this topic. I look forward to seeing how things have changed in my lifetime, and more importantly what we are getting in the products we buy. = What to avoid, what to have only once in a while and what can be a staple in our diets. I would love to see the ability to bring back more traditional processing, even if it is only small local providers.
The other part about your farm when you bought it reminds me of ours in Vernon Co. WI purchased in 1974. Originally had 35 tillable acres when plowed behind horses. when we got the property it had 12 tillable. The house was built in 1912 of red oak 2 by 4s when that dimension really were 2" by 4" There are the remains of a small spot where the stone for the cellar was quarried. Property tax in 1912 was $7.00. Only 4 families owned the place before the previous owned who only had it for a couple years. The foundation for the old barn was next to the one built in 1951. There was a 100 year old lilac bush next to the house. We did a lot to the house over the 26 years we owned the place. and it was appraised at $175K when we sold it. Unfortunately the new owner from Chicago tore down every building, the Lilac, and any sign that we or anyone else ever lived there in order to build a McMansion that would fit better in a Chicago neighborhood. But they did succeed in raising the property tax from $2,800 to $12,000.
Yes. I can't bring myself to visit. I have only parked at the corner and walked along the river that fronts the property. over the years several of the children (then middle aged had visited us and approved of what we had done to it and loved that we had preserved the buildings. I was hoping to be able to do the same. The works crew cleaning out the house fixtures in prep for it being demolished said to me that this house was better than anything they or their friends had. They could not understand the waste.
Interesting as always Doc. It doesn’t take much to make me happy, fortunately. Bacon and eggs still among my favorite breakfasts . There really isn’t greater satisfaction than producing your own food.
Thank you this interesting and informative first chapter.
Years ago ham was one of my favorite meats, particularly the fat. Brought up preferring bland, sausage has never been a part of my meat fare. Gradually as calories became a concern, pork/ham became less sought after. Next came the salt concerns, further diminishing hams appeal. Then finally came the last bell tolling - mRNA shots. So now no pork in any form.
That said, am looking forward to learning more particulars. It's always valuable to have clear knowledge. I do have to resist hot dog type offerings from time to time. And, as mRNA shots expand their reach into additional meat sources, the ramifications are likely to become relevant.
Thank you again for your excellent read on this timely topic! Looking forward to the next section.
Is it just me, or do the Salatin pigs look about a thousand percent healthier (not to mention happier) than the unfortunate animals at the factory farm?
If you need a Virginia country ham and a slab of delicious bacon, look no further than…Drumhellers Orchard in Lovingston. They’ll be hanging up in the rafters of the main barn.
We’ve been getting one of each every year in October for the last 15 years to enjoy over Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Excellent article Dr Malone. You are smarter than you think. Me, FM MD, unergrad Biochemistry (now called Molecular Biology) for 34 years, now retired. I grew up in Rural Louisiana. I loved Ham sandwiches as a child. I've seeen this change in my lifetime, am now 59. My Family's Business was Forestry. I learned that well as a "tree farmer". My Father taught me well. RIP. The world we now live in is more advanced scientifically, but are we actually smarter? The article reminds me of things I have learned in my life. Thank you.
Not sure if you intend to discuss this in forthcoming parts, but what pigs consume also directly affects the healthfulness of their meat. This is especially true with fatty acid compositions. Unlike ruminants, that convert polyunsaturated fats into monounsaturated and saturated fats via a process called biohydregantion, monogastric livestock (pigs and chicken) more reflect what they consume. So, CAFO pigs fed lots of soybean and corn meal have very different fatty acid compositions than pigs raised on pasture. CAFO pigs have much higher, often nearly twice, levels of PUFAs (approx 25 to 33% vs 18%) and more specifically much higher rates of Omega-6s (23 to 30% vs 12.5%). Monounsaturated fats (namely oleic fatty acid) is also much higher in pastured pork. One of my friends who raised lard pigs (Mangalitsa) tested the fat on his pigs, and it was 60% oleic fatty acid. Olive oil in 70% oleic fatty acid. His pigs forage in the woods and eat tons of acorns before they're harvested.
Great point!
Mr. / Ms Beyond---- great points that I would guess most people do not even think about.
But.....one other point most may not have thought about-------we regularly have wild pigs that basically look just like domesticated pigs but.....with time their snouts get longer. Here in Arkansas we live on a farm of approx 250 acres and typically kill 1 or 2 per year. But.....you want to use the big boars for coyote bait because however you cook them they are no good. Big sows are ok but the best is either a young boar or sow from 75 to 125 pounds. I just saw 10 ( I assume litter mates) of 75-100 lb pigs run across my pasture and into the woods. So I will be setting the trap right next to the woods in the hope of catching several. I have several neighbors who asked for 1 if I catch some. I think the most I caught at one time was five but......even 1 is welcomed.
I hope this information is seriously taken to heart (ha ha). Thank you Beyond Spin.
Be Sp, (otherwise it is BS) I got curious about your ability to dissect these tables and statistics and can see your knowledge is somewhere in understanding ratio and stats? What you have "liked" here and there is also revealing. I read a re- post from Jenin Younes that was very interesting to me as well. I look forward to seeing your handle more often here.
Jenin is a good friend. She represented Jay Bhattacharya in his case against the Biden administration. Jay is also a good friend.
Thanks for letting me know a little more about you, your friends are reputable and admired by me.
Thus SPAM was born! The epitome of “processed meat.” I would be useless on a “working farm.” I would want to make all the animals my pets! (Just being honest) ;-)
Ms. Barbara---- I could see myself eating SPAM if I was very hungry but.....I would posit that really Vienna Sausage is the epitome of processed meat. Real yummy when you open up the can and see all that gelled whatever it is sitting on top. I would rather eat a fried buzzard than a can of Vienna Sausages. I know people that really like them but I almost get sick just watching them eat them.
When I visited Japan in the 1980’s, the Japanese considered spam a delicacy. I suspect because it contained many ‘odd’ parts with lots of nutrients. In the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s I enjoyed occasionally eating spam. But not lately.
At one point farming was a possibility. My answer was focusing on breeder stock. That was slaughter would bea rare issue.
Jep, me too unless my grand kids were doing without.
The World Health Organization says processed meat is linked to colorectal cancer. They'd really rather we eat bugs, "save the planet," and get it from the mRNA jabs instead. Trust the WEF and the Gates-funded bureaucrats.
WHO and IARC base that on a relative risk of 1.18. Their number is based on their metanalysis that turned up over 800 papers per a keyword search, but relied on only 15 or so observational studies. So, in other words, this associated relative risk number is incredibly weak and confounded. If you don't understand the difference between relative vs absolute risk, feel free to read my blog on this topic: https://beyondspin.wordpress.com/2021/12/10/relative-and-absolute-risk-reduction/
Excellent - this is a topic that we are delving into in the series. I will try to remember to cite your Substack on determining RR versus AR.
Okay, I just read the link you posted, Be Sp, and I have a much better view of your ability. The closest interaction I have had with anyone similar (besides the Doc) is Spartacus ICENI and that is a whole different can of worms.
This could also be the story of raw milk. A completely different product then, the carton of dead white liquid we consume today.
We had guests last week, so yesterday , we ran out of raw milk - pick up day is today. So, we had to buy a bit of milk from the grocery last night to tide us over, as our caffeine addiction requires milk.
This morning, my coffee tasted dead to me...
Just add some sugar <sarc>
Probably because it is dead. Pasteurization and homogenization interfere with the body's ability to assimilate the nutrients in the milk (but you know that). What's even more appalling is "ultra-pasteurized", where you're guaranteed to have a substance absolutely alien to the body.
I can't even remember the last time I bought pasteurized milk. Happily, I live in a state where raw milk is legal to sell both on-farm and in stores. :-D
I am not big on milk. I haven't eaten cereal for breakfast since I was a kid. I also like black coffee no sugar, no cream. Warpath Coffee is the brand we order online (Mariner's Blend) because it never needs anything in it and is never bitter. At our old place there were Amish farms and a good Amish store so we bought their butter. Our local grocery store also has Amish rolled butter. Confession = I do have a "jones" for ice cream, particularly a dense vanilla custard sold in pints.
I don't often, but when I do, I do. I recently found a recipe for no-churn ice cream, and I plan on making some today. It'll be ready by tomorrow, just in time for our 88 degree heatwave here in Midcoast Maine. I'm hoping it lasts more than a day.
Did you mean "no-churn"? Most ice cream need some air churned into it for easier to scoop texture. A slow beat with a mixer or a spatula can do the job for homemade. Taking the mix in and out of the freezer a few times to keep it really cold will substitute for the salt and ice used in home ice cream churns. Good luck!
I am so thankful I can drink mine black. If it doesn’t taste good black, it’s crummy coffee. 😉
I have a large mug of coffee daily and use coconut milk in my coffee...Native Forest Organic Canned Light Coconut Milk has 64% less fat and I also use So Delicious Organic Coconut Milk, too. It only has 4 grams of fat in 8 oz. I started drinking coffee-milk, when I was about six years old, which was 86 years ago...and I am still drinking coffee-milk, except it is made with coconut milk; and sweetened with Kal Liquid Stevia. I don't like strong coffee..
Isn't it interesting how each person's body assimilates the food we put into it. I can no longer eat spinach because of the oxalates produced. They say cooking it removes much of that, but I really liked adding to salads best.
Mom would say over and over, but spinach is Good for you. We each must do our due diligence anymore. Takes time and effort, for sure.
I don't necessarily not eat fats, but I certainly do pay attention to which ones and try to stay reasonable.
But why so low-fat, Barbara?
I suffered with migraines for 30 years, until I cut my fat down low. I have not had one headache in the last 32 years. I learned that the liver produces bile, which emulsifies and breaks down fat. I was eating salads using oil and dressings, which were loaded with fat. The industries have made oils readily available...1 TBL is 14- 15 grams of fat. The liver was not designed to function on all the fat that people are eating daily, I stopped salad oil and dressing, mayo, nuts, seeds, and more. I use a gram counting scale to make sure I don't have too much fat. The migraines became worse, when I became a vegetarian and ate lots of salads. It took me a long time to figure out what caused the migraines...I thought I was eating healthfully..
I would posit that the fats were not animal fats but plant oils, since the migraines were worse when you ate a lot of salads. Coconut oil has a totally different structure from seed and nut oils, being a medium chain fatty acid, and has excellent healing properties.
Still, why argue with success?
I cut down on all fats to take the stress off my liver for a period of time.
Today, I use coconut milk in my coffee and other things; and butter, when I cook our home-raised chicken eggs. I am aware the body requires fat, but far less than people have been told.
Can't argue with that! I'm glad you eliminated those migraines.
I appreciate you keeping us so well informed on everything!
Nourish.com and poly face farm raise their animals humanely and naturally. The chickens live a great chicken life and the pigs live a wonderful pig life free to roam and play and roll in the mud with plenty of space and sunshine.
nourishfoodclub.com!
I am reminded of the Buffalo, used for the survival of the indigenous. Everything was used and given thanks to the Creator! Gradually the buffalo has made a comeback, I can only hope it can stay safe for them and us. Our need for convenience will be the death of us yet!
Looking forward to the Polyfarms 2026 seminar event!
As long as animal protein production is done in crowded conditions, the quality of the meat product is questionable.
@Thomas A Braun Which seminar event? Polyface Farms holds many events!
End of August Brownstone
CAFOs and government subsidies: the real reason for low commercial pork prices. Makes me glad I don't eat meat.
Do you test for nutrient deficiencies? I am deficient in Biotin due low red meat consumption.
Yes, I take several vitamins and minerals , most of them in liquid form since I detest taking pills
Great article and good information....thank you
Thank you for taking on this topic. I look forward to seeing how things have changed in my lifetime, and more importantly what we are getting in the products we buy. = What to avoid, what to have only once in a while and what can be a staple in our diets. I would love to see the ability to bring back more traditional processing, even if it is only small local providers.
The other part about your farm when you bought it reminds me of ours in Vernon Co. WI purchased in 1974. Originally had 35 tillable acres when plowed behind horses. when we got the property it had 12 tillable. The house was built in 1912 of red oak 2 by 4s when that dimension really were 2" by 4" There are the remains of a small spot where the stone for the cellar was quarried. Property tax in 1912 was $7.00. Only 4 families owned the place before the previous owned who only had it for a couple years. The foundation for the old barn was next to the one built in 1951. There was a 100 year old lilac bush next to the house. We did a lot to the house over the 26 years we owned the place. and it was appraised at $175K when we sold it. Unfortunately the new owner from Chicago tore down every building, the Lilac, and any sign that we or anyone else ever lived there in order to build a McMansion that would fit better in a Chicago neighborhood. But they did succeed in raising the property tax from $2,800 to $12,000.
Doesn't that wrecking ball episode just make you want to cry? and scream.
Yes. I can't bring myself to visit. I have only parked at the corner and walked along the river that fronts the property. over the years several of the children (then middle aged had visited us and approved of what we had done to it and loved that we had preserved the buildings. I was hoping to be able to do the same. The works crew cleaning out the house fixtures in prep for it being demolished said to me that this house was better than anything they or their friends had. They could not understand the waste.
That's horrifying! The new owner is someone who has no idea of real value (no pun intended).
When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd . . .
It was such a beautiful "tree" The whole house smelled lovely.
Interesting as always Doc. It doesn’t take much to make me happy, fortunately. Bacon and eggs still among my favorite breakfasts . There really isn’t greater satisfaction than producing your own food.
😊
The oldest hog saying is "everything but the squeal is utilized"!
My favorite thing to make soup from is a hickory smoked ham.
Split green peas with celery onion and carrot to make 6 quarts to place in freezer.
Or in winter just outside on a table on the deck.
This cool down really brings out the flavor upon reheating.
When the time come for abundant smoked hams in the stores.
I get real busy in the kitchen as this becomes an easy meal for later.
Yup. My grandfather used to say you used everything but the squeal. Does that mean the "moo" if it's cattle?
Thank you this interesting and informative first chapter.
Years ago ham was one of my favorite meats, particularly the fat. Brought up preferring bland, sausage has never been a part of my meat fare. Gradually as calories became a concern, pork/ham became less sought after. Next came the salt concerns, further diminishing hams appeal. Then finally came the last bell tolling - mRNA shots. So now no pork in any form.
That said, am looking forward to learning more particulars. It's always valuable to have clear knowledge. I do have to resist hot dog type offerings from time to time. And, as mRNA shots expand their reach into additional meat sources, the ramifications are likely to become relevant.
Thank you again for your excellent read on this timely topic! Looking forward to the next section.
Thank goodness they haven't yet figured out a way to innoculate fish.
I recently saw a video where they were doing exactly that! It looks like we'll have to pin our hopes to ‘wild caught.’
Is it just me, or do the Salatin pigs look about a thousand percent healthier (not to mention happier) than the unfortunate animals at the factory farm?
Maybe the pigs are imagining it, too. ;)
If you need a Virginia country ham and a slab of delicious bacon, look no further than…Drumhellers Orchard in Lovingston. They’ll be hanging up in the rafters of the main barn.
We’ve been getting one of each every year in October for the last 15 years to enjoy over Thanksgiving and Christmas.
There’s nothing like it!
Excellent article Dr Malone. You are smarter than you think. Me, FM MD, unergrad Biochemistry (now called Molecular Biology) for 34 years, now retired. I grew up in Rural Louisiana. I loved Ham sandwiches as a child. I've seeen this change in my lifetime, am now 59. My Family's Business was Forestry. I learned that well as a "tree farmer". My Father taught me well. RIP. The world we now live in is more advanced scientifically, but are we actually smarter? The article reminds me of things I have learned in my life. Thank you.