Some local families cut out beef, consider turning vegetarian

By Tina Potterf
Seattle Times staff reporter

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When Carmen Gale's 6-year-old twins return to school following winter break, they'll be packing lunch if beef's on the school menu.

The Poulsbo mother made the decision to remove beef from her family's diet following news of the country's first case of mad-cow disease.

Though the USDA, cattle ranchers and state and federal officials assert that there is little threat to humans, some consumers are nonetheless cutting red meat from their diets and exploring meat alternatives such as organic foods and vegetarian meals.

At the Gale household, steak, ground beef and London broil were served at the dinner table two to three times a week, in addition to the occasional stop for burgers at McDonald's. But concerns over the safety of red meat mean a diet without it — for good.

"My problem is the big unknown," Gale said. "Nobody can say for certain that it's safe."

Now, when the family goes to McDonald's, they order fish or chicken sandwiches instead of hamburgers, Gale said.

Rachel Bjork, co-coordinator of Northwest Animal Rights Network (NARN), a Seattle-based animal activist group, wasn't surprised by the news of mad-cow disease in the U.S.

"It was pretty much a matter of time. The food that they feed the animals is not in any shape or form natural," Bjork said. "For the USDA to say there is no worry is ludicrous."

While NARN advocates a vegan diet, Bjork said people should consider the origins of the food they eat and consider alternatives to meat.

Vegetarians eat a diet free of meat, fish and poultry, but may consume dairy products and eggs. Vegans avoid all animal products, including eggs and dairy.

"We feel that the vegan diet is ideal, but we also realize that for a lot of people it takes a while" to adapt to, she said. "We are happy if people just reduce their meat consumption. If we have 100 people reduce their meat consumption by 10 percent, that's going to save a lot of animals."

On Monday, NARN held two demonstrations in Seattle to draw attention to mad-cow disease and educate the public about the benefits of veganism and vegetarianism. The purpose of the event was to inform people about the food they eat, Bjork said, and provide data about the potential dangers of not only beef but dairy products and poultry.

"We think people should make their own decisions," Bjork said. "We're just trying to spread the truth, really. The more people understand what happens to food before it ends up on their plate, the better educated decisions they can make. Even if they continued to eat meat, if they were going to buy it from an organic farm, that's better."

The organization offers links to vegan recipes and information on vegetarian restaurants in the greater Seattle area on its Web site, www.narn.org.

Bjork believes that more consumers will change their eating habits — at least for a while — from red meat to nonmeat diets or, at the very least, organically produced meat.

Mill Creek resident Eric Hoffman is among those who will not be eating a hamburger or steak because of the questions surrounding the safety of U.S. beef.

"I remember seeing a story on the Discovery channel or PBS about when (mad-cow disease) happened in England, and I just really remembered that it was pretty awful, the way that people died ... and just how resilient it was," Hoffman said. "The scary part for me was that there's a pretty long incubation period."

Hoffman said he generally eats a healthful diet and is now exploring vegetarian options. Friday, he visited a dietitian to get information about vegetarianism and said he was surprised to learn about the choices that exist.

Hoffman isn't alone. According to a 2003 Harris Interactive poll, commissioned by the Vegetarian Resource Group, 2.8 percent of those surveyed, or approximately 5.7 million Americans, are vegetarians, omitting red meat, fish and poultry from their diets.

As for Hoffman, he takes little comfort in the assurances of government officials that it's safe to eat beef.

"I'd feel better if I heard that from a registered dietitian, or someone who is neutral or who has a scientific background," he said. "When I watch the news and see someone who says its safe to eat, it's usually someone who owns a ranch or a steakhouse."

Tina Potterf: 206-464-8214 or tpotterf@seattletimes.com

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