How did pork get a bad rep anyway? Why is Miller's pork exceptional?

Did you know that, globally, pork is the #1 meat? According to the UN, 10% more pork is eaten compared to poultry worldwide. And, 50% more pork is eaten compared to beef worldwide. Wow! But, for some reason, this isn't the case in the US. According to the USDA, pork ranks #3 when it comes to meat. Americans eat 30% less pork compared to poultry and 15% less compared to beef. Why is this? Well, pork has gotten a pretty bad rep in the US. Of course there are some religions that prohibit pork, but that's not the leading factor. Some reasons why pork has a bad rep. 1- Too much saturated fat. The low fat craze started in the 1970s and fizzled out in the 1990s. It came from the belief that (1) fat makes us fat; and (2) that too much saturated fat = high cholesterol = bad things like heart disease and cholesterol. These myths have been debunked. Read more in fats and health blog post. The bottom line is that not all fats are created equal. Natural animal fats from happy, healthy animals are good. It's those highly processed hydrogenated saturated fats that are bad. In other words, eat all the pork fat! 2- Worry about disease. People still seem to think they can get sick from pork. There's fear of parasites (like the roundworm Trichinella spiralis that can cause trichinosis) or bacteria or other things. The reality is that getting sick from pork is really rare nowadays. If you cook pork properly, you don't need to worry about disease. Muscle meat (like chops or tenderloin) should be cooked to 145F. Ground meat and organs should be cooked to 160F. 3- Worry of bad ingredients. This only relates to processed pork like hot dogs and bacon and ham. There's truth to this one. Nitrates and nitrites, commonly used in curing conventional pork, have been shown to cause cancer and other health issues. And stabilizers, artificial colors, preservatives, and other additives have been linked to negative health outcomes, too. But, this isn't the case for all pork. How meat it's processed matters a lot. At Miller's, we don't put any of that yucky junk in our meat, even the salami and bacon and sausages (more on that below). 4- Worry that eating pork will have a negative affect on your blood. The Weston A. Price Foundation did a bunch of research on this. It's true that plain pork can cause blood clotting and inflammation. However, properly preparing pork (by marinating it in vinegar or naturally curing it) or by eating pork with fermented veggies like sauerkraut removes these negative effects. Read more about pork and your blood in this blog post. 5- The belief that pigs are "dirty". I think this one mainly comes from the fact that pigs roll around in mud. They do this to protect their nearly hairless bodies. It's like natural sunscreen. It doesn't mean the meat is dirty at all. It may also come from the fact that pigs are often treated as garbage disposals. They will literally eat anything. And that includes kitchen scraps, meat processing scraps, curdled milk, and more. But again, not all pork is created equal. When you source from trusted farms, you can actually know that the pigs are eating clean food and are rolling around in chemical-free mud. 6- Strange rumors that pigs are deformed. This one came from Nailea on the farm. At some point, she watched a video about how some pigs are born without buttholes or have odd deformities or become cancerous. Yet, despite their weirdness, they're still raised for meat. I don't know how true this is for conventional pigs. But, it's certainly not true for our pigs. They are intact and happy and healthy. And our processor would never give us meat that's weird or cancerous. Why you should eat pork. I'm here to inform you that, when produced naturally and properly, pork is pretty awesome. It's high in protein, zinc, iron, and B vitamins (particularly the "anti-stress" vitamin B1 - read more about thiamine and pork in this blog post). It's packed with quality, healthy saturated fats. And it's the most affordable meat and can be produced year round. This is why people around the world love pork. I think you should love pork, too! Miller's pork is not just any old pork. Here are 6 quick reasons it stands above the rest: 1- Woodland raised. Our pigs get plenty of exercise and forage for countless nuts and grubs and roots. This diverse diet gives our pork some extra flavor. And you can be assured that the environment is free of chemicals and is a happy place for our pigs to live. 2- Corn & soy free. This means low PUFA and no chance of GMOs. We haven't tested our pork like we did for our chicken and eggs. But, if we did, I assume we'd get similar results with our pork having balanced omegas and packed with vitamins and minerals. 3- Heritage breeds. Our pigs are Berkshire, Duroc, Red Waddle, and Black crosses. These heritage breeds are known for their intensity of flavor, juiciness, marbling, and tenderness. It's nothing like the bland, dry pork you often get at the grocery store. 4- No junk like nitrates or additives. We reduce toxins and anything unnatural as much as possible. Our bacon is cured simply with Celtic sea salt (in a store it would have "uncured" on the label). Our sausages have clean ingredients, no weird thickeners or preservatives. Our salami is cured naturally with celery juice powder. 5- Washed in organic apple cider vinegar. No harsh chemicals like bleach or citric and lactic acids touch our pork. We are so fortunate to have a naturally minded processor! 6- No drugs. We don't vaccinate. We don't give antibiotics or hormones or anything like that. Through a natural diet and lifestyle, our pigs stay naturally healthy. Do you eat pork? Why or why not? What do you look for when shopping for pork? I'd love to hear from you. Comment below - no account required (start typing for the guest option to appear). 😊 ----- SOURCES: UN Report: Livestock commoditiesUSDA: Chicken leads U.S. per person availability of meat over last decade False Facts About Pork Everyone Actually BelievesIs Pork Bad for You? Here's What a Dietitian Has to Say

What Is Pastured Chicken? (Customer Review of Miller's Bio Farm)

Ever heard about pastured chicken? It’s gaining popularity right now among the more health-conscious people out there. Pastured chicken offers a superior alternative to conventionally raised poultry. The nutritional values are higher and in my opinion, it tastes better. In this article, we’ll explore what pastured chicken is and why I’ve switched to using Miller’s Bio Farm as my go to for all of the poultry products that I consume. Ready? Let’s dive in! How I Became A Customer Of Miller’s Bio Farm Hey, my name’s Angela. But most people online know me as The Carnivore Gal. And that’s because after getting Lyme disease just over a year ago, I had to transition to eating a carnivore based diet in order to regain my health. I started sharing my journey on Facebook with other people and so far over 150,000 individuals have been inspired enough by my story to follow me. You can read more about my carnivore diet journey here. Anyways… A few months ago, I saw several people online talking about Miller’s Bio Farm and their raw dairy products. Which sent me down a rabbit hole of researching the benefits of raw dairy. And after completing my research, it wasn’t long before I placed my first order. After receiving my order from Miller’s Bio Farm, I was so impressed with the quality of their products that I decided to call them up to tell them how happy I was. It was at this point that I had a conversation with Marie Reedell, who is the Director Of Marketing And Innovation for Miller’s Bio Farm. It was a great chat. And it has led to me sharing Miller’s Bio Farm products with my audience. But it also opened my eyes to the other products that they have to offer. One of them being pastured chicken. What Is Pastured Chicken? Miller’s pastured chicken comes from birds that are allowed to forage for countless seeds and bugs in the pasture. Their birds are frequently moved in mobile coops. In addition to the food that they naturally forage, they feed their birds with a: Soy-freeCorn-free GMO-free feed The additional feed is packed with healthy vitamins and minerals. Miller’s pastured chicken is also chemical-free, antibiotic-free and hormone-free. As someone who cares about how my food is raised and is extremely sensitive to anything that is added to my food, knowing the above is extremely beneficial to me. It allows me to order from Miller’s, with the confidence that my food is as healthy and clean as it can possibly be. Why You Should Choose Miller’s Pastured Chicken Nutritional Superiority Miller’s pastured chicken has a perfect 1:1 omega 6/3 ratio. I do not claim to be an expert on omega ratios in food. And for the sake of the length of this article, I won’t go into the importance of that too much here. However, you can read this article by Miller’s to learn more about the significance of the omega ratios in the food you eat. And just so you know… Miller’s Bio Farm isn’t making these claims to make their chicken products sound healthier than they really are. Their chicken was tested by Dr. Stephan Van Vliet. Dr. Stephan van Vliet is a researcher specializing in nutrition and metabolism. He earned his PhD in Kinesiology and Community Health from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He also completed post-doctoral training at the Center for Human Nutrition at Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine and the Duke Molecular Physiology Institute. His research focuses on the effects of diet on human health. So, it’s safe to say that he knows his stuff! Better Taste And Quality In my opinion, the flavor of pastured chicken is unmatched. The meat is tender, juicy, and richer in taste compared to conventionally raised chicken. Once you try it, you’ll never want to go back to store-bought poultry. Ethical And Sustainable Farming Choosing pastured chicken supports farms that prioritize animal welfare and sustainable practices. Miller’s Bio Farm is a shining example of this commitment, offering products that are good for you and the planet. Why I’ll Be A Customer Of Miller’s Bio Farm Pastured Chicken For Life I do not like the negative impacts of factory-farmed chicken. I prefer healthier and more ethical options. Miller’s Bio Farm will have me as a customer for life because of their commitment to providing clean, high-quality pastured chicken raised on small family farms. One taste of their chicken was enough to convince me. The flavor was incredible, and knowing that the chickens were ethically raised gave me peace of mind. Now, I buy all my poultry from them and I couldn’t be happier. Cooking With Pastured Chicken Cooking pastured chicken can be done in the exact same way as regular chicken. I use a simple method that brings out the natural flavors of the chicken and ensures it’s tender and juicy every time. Here’s my chicken leg quarters in the oven recipe. It’s a no mess, one pan meal! FAQ’s About Pastured Chicken Q1: What Is The Difference Between Pastured Chicken And Factory Farmed Chicken? There are many differences including living conditions, diet, and meat and egg quality, to name a few. But let’s focus on living conditions as an example. Pastured chickens are allowed to roam freely outdoors on pasture, where they can forage for insects, seeds, and plants. They are often kept in mobile coops that are moved regularly to fresh pasture. Factory-Farmed chickens are confined in large, crowded barns (or battery cages for egg production) with little to no access to the outdoors. The focus is on high-density production. Q2: Is Pastured Chicken More Expensive? Yes, pastured chicken tends to cost more due to the higher standards of farming, but the health and ethical benefits make it worth it. Q3: Is Pastured Chicken Safe To Eat? Absolutely! When sourced from trusted providers like Miller’s Bio Farm, pastured chicken is safe and nutritious. Q4: How Can I Buy Pastured Chicken? You can order directly from this page on the website you’re on right now. Miller’s Bio Farm will deliver fresh, high quality chicken right to your doorstep. Pastured chicken is a game-changer if you’re looking to improve your diet with healthier, more ethically raised poultry. Miller’s Bio Farm delivers exceptional quality. They make it easy to enjoy the benefits of pastured chicken. Give it a try—your taste buds and your body will thank you! Order some today from Miller’s Bio Farm and experience the difference for yourself. Thanks for taking the time to read this article,The Carnivore Gal P.S. If you’d like a detailed breakdown of other products by Miller’s, you can read my full Miller’s Bio Farm Review here.

Finally, egg test results are in! Guess what? Yolk color does not matter.

Exciting news --- we've been waiting for months and just got our egg test results in!!! Keep reading for the reasoning behind the tests and a little analysis of what the results mean. Want to skip straight to the hard data from the lab? Click here. A Quick Recap Explaining Why We Tested Eggs. Earlier this year, we lost trust in the feed supplier for our laying hens. Even though they said the feed was corn & soy free, something wasn't adding up (you can read more details about the drama here). So, we switched.At that time, we made the choice to NOT include any colorants in the feed, even natural ones like marigold and paprika (you can read about every single ingredient in our new feed here). Despite having the same new feed and the same pastured living conditions, some flocks produced orange yolks and some produced yellow yolks.This led to a lot of customer confusion. I mean, aren't pastured egg yolks supposed to be orange? Isn't that how you know an egg has max nutrition? That's what I thought, too. I knew we needed to verify some things. So, we bit the bullet and paid for lab testing. We sent 5 different egg samples to Dr. Stephan Van Vliet, PhD. He's the Director of Food Metabolomics Lab at the University of Utah. And, he's the same guy who tested our chicken (without us knowing) and found that our chicken had the perfect 1:1 omega 6/3 ratio, which is basically unheard of even with pastured corn & soy free chicken. The 5 Egg Samples We Tested. Here's what we sent to Dr. Van Vliet. All eggs were from late spring, when pastures are growing. We are choosing to keep the other egg brands’ names private. Here’s some info about each sample provided. 1- Miller’s Bio Farm (Yellow Yolks) Pasture raised in mobile coops moved regularly to fresh pastureRaised on regeneratively tended pasturesCorn & soy free . 2- Miller’s Bio Farm (Orange Yolks) Pasture raised in mobile coops moved regularly to fresh pastureRaised on regeneratively tended pasturesCorn & soy free . 3- National Brand Regenerative Eggs (the most expensive you can buy in the supermarket) Brand Claims: Pasture raised; freedom to forage outdoors year round; 108 ft2 per henRegenerativeCertified Organic Certified Humane . 4- Local Pasture Raised Competitor (using our OLD corn & soy free feed supplier) Brand Claims: Pasture raised Free rangeRegenerativeCorn & soy free . 5- National Brand Conventional Eggs (the cheapest you can buy in the supermarket) Brand Claims: Excellent source of vitamins D, E, B2, B12, and B5140mg omega-325% less saturated fatVegetarian fed . The 4 Most Important Results. There were 100+ tests done on the egg samples. That's a lot of data! I wanted to make it a little easier for you to digest. So, after reviewing everything and having a conversation with Dr. Van Vliet, these are what I think are the 4 most important findings. 1- Yolk Color Does NOT Matter. The Feed And Farming Practices Are Most Important. That's right. As I scrolled through the 100+ tests done on the eggs, the orange and yellow yolks consistently had very similar results. With the exception of a couple vitamins (which technically make the yellow yolk eggs slightly more nutritious than the orange yolk eggs), the nutritional content of our orange and yellow yolk eggs was exactly the same. Wow. Most notably, the yellow yolk eggs had significantly higher Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) compared to the orange yolk eggs. Vitamin B2 is a yellow colored compound, and Dr. Van Vliet thinks this extra pigment might be why those yolks are yellow. From this point forward, we're calling our eggs "honest yolk" eggs. After all, nearly every egg farmer nowadays adds color to the feed. And it's kinda a sad thing, since the farmer then loses an important indicator for what the hens are foraging for. For example, the farmer that had the flock producing yellow yolks noticed that the chickens weren't as interested in the pasture. Maybe it was the plants that were growing. Maybe it was the soil. Maybe it was the nature of those birds. He doesn't know for sure. But, with one change at a time, he can slowly figure out how to get the hens to eat more greens. Without the "honest yolk" that wouldn't really be possible. 2- Our Eggs Had The Best Omega 6/3 Ratio At 4:1. Our eggs had the best omega 6/3 ratio at 4:1 (and we're already chatting about how to get it even lower!). And, the eggs fed from our old feed supplier had the worst ratio at 12:1. Me oh my we made the right choice to switch feed suppliers!!! There must be something in the old feed (maybe soy or corn oil like we thought there might be) that's bringing that ratio waaaay up. I mean, isn't corn & soy free feed supposed to lower that ratio? Corn has a 25:1-60:1 ratio. Soy has a 8:1-9:1 ratio. At the very least, it should be lower than the national conventional brand, whose hens are definitely eating corn and soy. For a little reference, humans should eat a 1:1-4:1 omega 6/3 ratio for optimal health. But the conventional Western diet typically provides a 20:1 ratio. Having too many omega 6s compared to 3s can lead to a host of issues including inflammation, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, arthritis, asthma, depression, fatigue... the list goes on and on. I mean, this is just one reason Americans are overall in poor health. 3- Our Eggs Had The Lowest PUFA Content. When PUFAs are consumed in excess (like the conventional Western diet gives you), it can have some awful health impacts. It can suppress thyroid function, lead to inflammation, cause oxidative stress, and result in a variety of diseases. You can learn a lot more in the PUFA predicament blog post. This is why a lot of our customers are looking to reduce their PUFA intake. And it's a reason many come to us. Since seed oils are a big contributor to high PUFAs, animal-based eating is a good way to lower PUFAs. And especially when animals are 100% grass-fed and not fed corn and soy like our animals, you can get those numbers even lower. I was excited to see the test results verify the impacts of our farming practices and feed choices. We have the lowest PUFA eggs amongst the ones we tested. 4- Our Eggs Had The Highest Vitamin Content. When you look at the individual results for each vitamin, the results were kinda all over the place. But, when you add up all the numbers, Miller's Bio Farm's eggs came out on top! This is especially exceptional because the conventional eggs boasted having high amounts of certain vitamins... and they sure did hold true to those promises. This means they are heavily supplementing their birds. It's incredible that we beat them without oversupplementation! All Of The Data Is Available To You. We are giving you access to EVERYTHING. There are 100+ test results. After all, you deserve to know everything about what you put into your body. The data is available in two formats: A spreadsheet with all of the raw data. It's divided by tabs for fatty acids, minerals, antioxidants, and vitamins (view spreadheet data here). A 30-page pdf that summarizes notable data (not all of it). It has lots of nice charts for easy comparisons (view pdf data here). What do you think about the results? What's the #1 data point you look for when it comes to eggs? I'd love to hear from you. Comment below - no account required, start typing for the guest option to appear 😊

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How did pork get a bad rep anyway? Why is Miller's pork exceptional?

What Is Pastured Chicken? (Customer Review of Miller's Bio Farm)

Finally, egg test results are in! Guess what? Yolk color does not matter.

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