Meaty issues: do you have a beef with meat? Read on to learn what's healthy. (food matters).(Brief Article)

After years of vegetarianism being chic, meat is making a comeback. Maybe it's because of the skyrocketing popularity of celebrity-endorsed, low-carb diets. Or maybe it's that Americans, in an age of virtual reality, are drawn to the grounding influence of meat. Whatever the reason, meat is back--and, in moderation, it can be a healthy part of nearly any diet. But with recent publicity about mad cow disease and the use of hormones in raising cattle, how do we make certain that beef will be a healthy addition to our diets? Read on to learn what food labels really mean.

WHERE'S THE BEEF?

If you purchase meat from your natural foods store, it probably bears a label claiming it's natural, free-farmed or organic. Here's how to tell the difference:

Natural. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) definition, natural means minimally processed, without artificial ingredients. This means that the meat from nearly any animal raised under any conditions would qualify. But some companies have developed a natural products niche, so the term may mean more. If a label says meat is hormone-- and antibiotic-free, it means the source never received even a therapeutic dose of antibiotics. If the label says the animal was raised without antibiotics in the feed, it means it may have not been given sub-therapeutic doses of antibiotics, but it may have received antibiotic treatment if it was ill. Some companies go one step further and test animal feed for herbicide and pesticide residues. Because the USDA verifies label claims from meat manufacturers, you can be pretty sure they're accurate.

Free Fanned. This definition was developed by the American Humane Association (AHA) and is approved by Agricultural Marketing Services, a subdivision of ...