Hunting and eating meat has been done for millennia. Meat is high in protein, iron, vitamins, zinc and magnesium. These are all nutrients essential in a healthy diet.

But, these days we no longer have to hunt and kill our own food, we can just pop over to the nearest super market and choose from a wide variety of meats. Over the past few decades people have started following alternative diets, which cuts out certain or even all meat.

Here is a list of a few “non-meat” eating societies and their descriptions:

• Lacto-ovo-vegetarian – the most common type of vegetarian who may eat both dairy products and eggs, but no meat (chicken, beef, pork, fish, etc.)
• Lacto-vegetarian – they do not eat any meat or eggs but may eat dairy products like milk, yogurt and cheese
• Ovo-vegetarian – is the same as lacto-vegetarian but where lacto-vegetarians eat dairy, ovo-vegetarians eat eggs but no dairy products.
• Semi-vegetarian – these are vegetarians who eat dairy products, eggs, chicken and fish, but no red meat.
• Vegan – Is the true form of vegetarianism where they do not eat any dairy products, eggs or meat. Their diets consists of grains, nuts, fruits and vegetables.

People who go vegetarian each have their own reasons. Some are as you would say “tree-huggers” who do not believe in killing animals for food, where others have to cut meat from their diet due to health reasons. Whatever the reason going vegetarian is not great for your health but it is also not bad. Vegetarians have to focus on eating grains and seeds high in protein, iron and zinc as most fruits and vegetable will not be able to provide enough nutrients.

But, for those die hard meat eaters out there, meat is essential in most diets and has numerous health benefits. Thus choosing the right meat is very important. All types of meat have their pros and cons, but I believe that our biggest problem when preparing meat is the amount of oil we use, added sauces or marinades and the quality of the meat. All meat has a great taste so why would you want to soak it in oil or sauce? Stick to salt, pepper and olive oil. Having a small amount of sauce on the side will not hurt but remember each 17 grams of sauce contains at least 6 grams of sugar!

When buying meat, stay away from processed meats (ham, salami, bacon, pastrami and turkey slice) as they contain sodium nitrates which is used to improve the colour of the meat. Sodium nitrates are very dangerous and is a leading cancer causing agent. Try buying fresh, free range and 100% organic meat. Yes, this is a bit more expensive but decreasing your chances of developing cancer is more important. When eating more expensive meat rather eat less meat and add more vegetable to the dish. Remember to always look at the nutritional information and ingredients listed on a packet.

Going for Ozone Therapy will help clean your body from toxins and impurities left behind by years of eating dangerous sodium nitrate containing meat. Ozone therapy will also reduce chances of developing, heart disease, osteoporosis, fibromyalgia, high cholesterol, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease and cancer.

Will you be selecting your meat more carefully?