The Primal Shift 121: The Hidden Contaminant in Even the Best Meat
You can do everything right on paper — organic, grass-fed, pasture-raised, regenerative — and still end up eating the very compounds you were trying to avoid.
That's the blind spot I'm digging into in this episode: the ways food gets contaminated during processing and packaging… often without the consumer noticing, and without small farmers even realizing they're doing it.
The most vivid example is something most people would never question: A turkey can be raised well, harvested cleanly, and still get compromised at the finish line when it's put into a plastic bag and then heat shrink-wrapped in hot water.
Combined, heat, fat and soft plastic create the perfect conditions for microplastics and chemicals like phthalates to migrate into meat. The label still looks perfect. The outcome isn't.
From there, I widen the lens to other "healthy" foods that carry hidden landmines. Pastured poultry can still be built on genetics designed for rapid weight gain, and the feed can still be heavy in polyunsaturated fats that end up stored in the meat.
Grass-fed beef can still pick up microplastics during processing and packaging.
Even when the animal was raised well, the last steps can quietly undo a lot of the benefit.
The point isn't perfection. It's awareness. Once you understand where contamination can happen, you can ask better questions and make smarter trade-offs — like requesting butcher paper before plastic, avoiding heat shrink-wrapping, or choosing producers who are willing to adjust their process when you explain why it matters.
In many cases, the only way to reduce these risks is to shorten the distance between you and your food – whether that means buying from someone local you can talk to, getting involved in the process, or raising even a small amount of food yourself just to learn what actually happens behind the scenes.
This episode is my attempt to give you that lens without turning food sourcing into a new anxiety. You don't need to chase purity. But you do need to understand what labels can't tell you.
Learn more: 15: Dr. Anthony Gustin: The Shocking Truth Behind Pasture-Raised Chicken and Pork: https://www.primalshiftpodcast.com/dr-anthony-gustin-the-shocking-truth-behind-pasture-raised-chicken-and-pork/
The Truth About 16% Protein Feed [Chicken Feed]: https://youtu.be/ctGBMwMEG1U
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In this episode: 00:00 Intro: Hidden dangers in organic food 00:47 Biohacking conference insights 02:56 Thanksgiving turkey: A case study 04:34 The problem with plastic packaging 07:32 Issues with pastured poultry 10:51 Grass-fed beef: Not always safe 11:32 Practical tips for safer food 13:47 The importance of knowing your food source 18:43 Conclusion: Take control of your food
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[Medical Disclaimer]
The information shared on this video is for educational purposes only, is not a substitute for the advice of medical doctors or registered dietitians (which I am not) and should not be used to prevent, diagnose, or treat any condition. Consult with a physician before starting a fitness regimen, adding supplements to your diet, or making other changes that may affect your medications, treatment plan, or overall health.
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