ABCs of Nutrition Prove a Meaty Subject

The meat, poultry and egg industries were jumping with glee when they read “The ABCs of Good Health” (Aug. 16).

We are told that for 19 of the 28 vitamins and minerals listed (nearly 70%), some “good” sources are: pork (four times), liver (seven times), organ meats (three times), poultry (eight times), eggs (seven times). In case you haven’t been reading your own articles, the above are poor sources.

Why do you think our government has recently changed the nation’s food chart to having meats play a much smaller role in a daily diet?

A “good” source doesn’t contain large amounts of fats, cholesterol, sodium and remnant pesticides, antibiotics and hormones, which is what you will consume if you eat most meats and, to a slightly lesser extent, poultry.

In addition, research has demonstrated that if you define good as “percentage of vitamins and minerals available for absorption,” you will always look to vegetables, fruits and grains.

Where do you think a cow gets its muscle from?

DAN LITOV, San Diego