Hilary McClure <[log in to unmask]> writes:

> Raw meat is supposed to be only minimally easier to digest. Meat is
> supposed to be pretty thoroughly digestible either way. Some
> researchers, like Harold McGee, say meat is more digestible when cooked.
> I have no idea why cooked meat would be causing gas and wonder whether
> there is some other factor.

I would be interested in knowing more about why meat is supposed to be
more digestible when cooked, because I have never heard this.

I know this is not a raw foods email list, and it is not my intention
to be pushy about raw foods or say that everyone should eat like i do.
But it is hard for me not to share what I have discovered, especially
since I was eating cooked paleo for a while before i tried eating raw
animal foods, and this list was so helpful when i was transitioning
from my high carb ways about a year ago.

What I want to share is regarding bacteria.  I think we are scared of
bacteria giving us food poisoning, but it is mostly fear-mongering on
the part of either well-meaning or not so well-meaning health
officials.  I am getting a glimmer of what it might be like to live in
balance with the environment, like a wild animal might.  To me, the
essence of "paleo" eating is to live "wild" although i realise this
can get silly because in many respects my lifestyle is completely
civilized.  but there is some reason we are all here, thinking that
the paleo era is the place to look to understand more about how to
restore our health.  I am not sure what to do with the information
that paleo humans ate cooked foods.  Somehow it just isn't enough to
convince me that therefore I should eat cooked foods.  There is no
evidence that I have seen that raw meat is unhealthy, whereas I do
know that cooked foods produce toxins.

What I have discovered is that living in balance and regaining health
is to a large extent a bacteria issue.  We all have the bad bacteria
in us, but our level of health keeps us strong and the bad bacteria
cannot poison us.  So what makes us healthy?  Not consuming toxins,
but consuming utilizable food does.  To me, after seeing what raw food
does in my body, I would say raw food is more utilizable because of
the enzymes and its faster digestion.   Also I know of a raw diet's
ability to rebuild tissue.

The health of the innuit allowed them to eat rotten meat, did we ever
think that the rotten meat might have been part of what was making
them healthy?  Think of all the acidophilus powder people scarf down.
Eating food in which the bacteria has not been cooked away, like aged
raw meat for example, is what acidophilus powder is replacing.
cultured bacteria.
Anyway, I think this is totally fascinating and my body is full of
bacteria and a lot happier for it.  :)

Jana