Hi, I'm Dr. Terry Simpson, your chief medical explanationist. Welcome to another edition of FORK U—where we bust myths, make sense of the madness, and teach you a little about food and medicine.

Today, let's explore how our food choices impact the environment and our health. We'll discuss lab-grown meat, grass-fed beef, and sustainable seafood.

🍔 Lab-Grown Meat: The Future of Food?

Imagine enjoying a burger that didn't require raising or slaughtering an animal. That's the idea behind lab-grown meat, also known as cultured meat. Scientists grow real animal cells in labs to create meat without the traditional farming process.The Spruce EatsVox

Why consider lab-grown meat?

• Environmental Benefits: It could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 96% and use 99% less land compared to traditional meat production. California Management Review+1University of Colorado Boulder+1
• Animal Welfare: No animals are harmed in the process.
• Health Potential: Lab-grown meat can be produced without antibiotics, reducing the risk of antibiotic resistance. California Management Review+1Wikipedia+1

While it's not widely available yet, lab-grown meat is a promising step toward sustainable eating.

🐄 Grass-Fed Beef: Is It Worth It?

Grass-fed beef comes from cows that eat grass instead of grain. Some people choose it for potential health benefits and better animal welfare. Modern Farmer

Pros:

• More Omega-3s: Grass-fed beef has about three times more omega-3 fatty acids than grain-fed beef.
• Better Fat Ratio: It has a healthier balance of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids. Grass Roots Farmers' Cooperative+3Wikipedia+3Understanding Ag+3

Cons:

• Taste Varies: Not all grass-fed beef tastes the same. The flavor depends on the pasture quality, and some might find it less tender.Reddit+8Vox+8Grass Roots Farmers' Cooperative+8
• Cost: It's often more expensive than grain-fed beef.

While grass-fed beef has benefits, it's essential to consider taste preferences and budget.

🐟 Sustainable Seafood: Making Smart Choices

Seafood is a great source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids. However, overfishing and unsustainable practices harm our oceans. Seafood Watch

Tips for Choosing Sustainable Seafood:

• Use Guides: The Seafood Watch provides up-to-date recommendations on sustainable seafood choices.Seafood Watch+4Seafood Watch+4Seafood Watch+4
• Farmed Salmon: While some criticize farmed salmon, it's often a sustainable option. Farmed salmon get their pink color from astaxanthin, a natural compound also found in wild salmon's diet. Modern Farmer
• Wild-Caught Options: Alaskan salmon is a delicious and sustainable choice, rich in omega-3s.

By making informed seafood choices, we can enjoy tasty meals while protecting marine life.

🛒 Final Thoughts: Small Changes, Big Impact

Eating sustainably doesn't mean giving up your favorite foods. It's about making smarter choices:

• Try lab-grown meat when it becomes available. The Guardian+9Nature+9Vox+9
• Choose grass-fed beef if it fits your taste and budget.
• Opt for sustainable seafood using trusted guides. Seafood Watch+1Oceana+1

Every small step contributes to a healthier planet and a better future.

>> Dr. Terry Simpson: Today we're talking about something that's gaining more attention than

ever. Sustainable eating. Now I know what you're

thinking. What's sustainable eating and why should I care?

Buckle up. Because this isn't just

about saving the planet. It's about making

smarter, healthier food choices that benefit both you

and the environment. Isn't it odd if you

eat something that's healthy for the planet, it

turns out it's also healthy for your

body.

I am, um, your Chief Medical Explanationist, Dr. Terri

Simpson, and this is Fork U Fork

University, where we bust myths, make sense of the

madness, and teach you a little about food and

medicine.

So let's start with the basics. Sustainable

eating means choosing foods that are not only healthy for

you, but have a low impact on the environment.

It's about making choices that support long term

ecological balance, reduce the greenhouse gas

emissions, minimize food waste and

protect biodiversity. We're talking

about eating in a way that ensures future generations can

also have access to fresh, healthy food. But

here's the kicker. It doesn't mean you have to

become a full time environmental activist.

It's about small manageable shifts.

Choosing plant based meals over meat, heavy ones,

buying locally grown produce, or cutting down on food waste.

All of this matters. So why should you care?

Because the obvious environmental reasons.

Sustainable eating can also improve your personal

health. I know you've heard about the Mediterranean

diet, which is packed with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy

fats. But guess what? It's sustainable.

By reducing your intake of animal rich products, you

can lower your risk of heart disease, diabetes

and even certain cancers. But beyond that, you're

also reducing your carbon footprint. The environmental impact

of producing animal based foods is far greater than

plant based ones. We're talking about the massive

amounts of water, energy and land used to raise

livestock. It's not about what's on your plate,

it's about the system that gets it there. Okay,

so how can you start making better food choices today?

Here's a few practical. Eat more plants.

The environmental footprint of plants is far smaller than

that of, uh, meat and dairy. You don't have to go full

vegan. I certainly couldn't do that. But incorporating more

plant based meals into your routine will make a difference.

You know, you might be like my friends down the road who are

calling themselves Chigans. Yes, I know, they

want to come over and have me make a steak and that's just fine.

You know, supporting local farmers and reducing the carbon

footprint of your food by choosing products that's in season and grow

nearby is great. And Delicious. We

here in California have an abundance of local

markets. One of my favorite ones is in Ojai, where I can find

fresh and sustainably grown options. And yes,

the carrots that they have and the berries they have are

better than any I can find in the supermarket. But hey,

I know not everyone has access to local markets. And

buying local can sometimes be more expensive or

less practical, depending upon where you live. Here's the good

news. Frozen and canned fruits and vegetables

can be a great alternative. They're often

just as nutritious as fresh produce. And unlike

the items in your refrigerator that can wilt and spoil,

they won't go bad before you eat them. Frozen

fruits and vegetables are typically harvested at their peak

ripeness and frozen immediately, which means they

retain maximal nutritional value. They're a

great option because you can store them for longer and have

them available when you need them. No waste, no rushing

to eat them before they go bad. Canned fruits and

veggies are also affordable and long lasting. And if you're

careful about the brands that don't add excessive

sodium or sugar, they can be as healthy as their fresh

counterparts. That also helps reduce

food waste. It's estimated that nearly 40% of

food in the US goes to waste. Planning your meals, using

leftovers. Composting food scraps helps you.

You know that onion that's been sitting on my counter that I now have to

throw away? The sliced onions in my

freezer can be thrown into my saucepan and

immediately made to make the basis of a meal.

And guess what? I didn't have to watch that lonely

onion slowly become compost.

Now I want to bring up something that's incredibly exciting

in the world of, uh, sustainable eating. Lab

based meat. It's one of the most talked about

innovations in food production today. And for good

reason. Lab grown meat, or so called culture

meat, is produced by cultivating animal cells in

a lab rather than raising and slaughtering animals.

This has huge implications for sustainability.

Why does it matter? Because if we're serious about

reducing the environmental impact of food production, we

need to address the carbon footprint of raising

livestock. Traditional meat production is responsible

for a huge amount of greenhouse gas emissions,

Amazon deforestation, land and water use. But the

lab grown meat, it drastically cuts down

on all of that. Now, before you go thinking this is

some futuristic fantasy, it's actually happening.

Companies are already producing lab grown chicken, beef, even

seafood. The sustainability benefits are impressive.

Less land use. You don't need vast tracts of land to

raise animals. Less water. Producing lab grown

meat significantly reduces the amount of water

compared to traditional livestock farming and lower, uh,

emissions. Cutting out the need for livestock farming helps

slash greenhouse gas emissions,

AKA lots of cows farting.

But here's where things get a little heated in the marketplace.

Many grifters out there want to push you toward grass fed

beef and there's nothing wrong with that choice. In fact, that

can be a better option than conventional beef. But let me

be clear. As much as grass fed

beef sounds great, there are some

that taste awful. Why?

Because not all pastures have grass or forage that

tastes great. So if you spent a lot of money buying some

of that beef thinking it was better for you and it didn't

taste that great, you weren't wrong.

Others will say, oh, there's more omega 3 fatty acids than the grass fed

ones. That's not that much more. In

fact, you'll find 100 times more omega 3

fatty acids in the wild caught or farm raised salmon that

we're going to talk about later. The truth is, grass fed

beef may be a better option and certainly a better

environmental option, but there are still many

variables involved including taste, cost and

even how it's raised.

Now let's talk about sustainable seafood.

There's a lot of buzz about wild caught versus farm raised

fish, especially when it comes to salmon. A lot of people give

farm raised salmon a bad rap, but it

tastes delicious and if you're concerned about the environment,

it can be a great choice when done responsibly.

The farming practices for salmon have evolved and many

operations now use methods that have

minimal environmental impact. Here's a fun

yes, farm raised salmon does get colored.

It is not some chemical concoction that you should be

afraid of. They add coloring to the fish food, which is

actually the same coloring that wild salmon get when

they eat krill in the ocean. It's

all natural and it helps give salmon that beautiful

pink hue. So don't let the rumors about fish coloring

scare you off. In fact, the coloring called

astaxanthin is actually found on your supplement

shelf as anti inflammatory supplement.

You can get all of that by eating farm raised salmon.

So when choosing farm raised fish though, be sure it's coming from

sustainable farms which are now being regulated

and certified to meet high

environmental and health standards. Seafood

watch.org seafood

watch.org I'll repeat it again.

Seafoodwatch.org does a remarkable job of

helping you find the places where you can get sustainable

fish, whether wild caught or salmon as opposed to

fish that are caught in very bad areas or not.

Using practices, etc. Here's the

bottom line. Sustainable eating is about

making conscientious choices that reduce your

environmental impact and they do

nourish your body even better. You don't have to be

perfect, none of us are. But you can do your part.

And guess what? Your health will thank you too.

So next time you're at the grocery store, think about where your food comes

from and how it's affecting the planet.

If it's a little more eco friendly, great. If not,

that's okay too. Just think about making

small steps in the right direction.

This has been 4Q where we bring you the truth about food,

science and everything in between. If you found this episode

helpful, share it with someone who could use a little more

sustainable eating in their life. And please follow me

on Substack, where

I'm@tsimpson.substack.com

or TikTok, where I'm Rterry Simpson and

apparently Instagram seems to be growing like crazy.

This podcast was researched and written by me, Dr. Terry

Simpson and while I am a board certified physician, I

am not your doctor. If you're making dietary changes,

please see your Western trained doctor and registered

dietitian, not a chiropractor or some eastern trained

shaman. Simpler Media handled all things

audio and distribution with the help of the pod God,

Mr. Evo Pera.

Have a good sustainable week everybody.

Remember when we tested that version of Lab based Burger

and made a podcast about it? Now I want

that burger. I

have fond memories of that burger. In fact,

I've actually incorporated some of the nuggets into

my diet as well. Really, really

good Stu.