Food for thought
On Monday, January 31, I attended the official opening of the Justice Building in Mistissini. It was impressive. The whole gang can be proud of this accomplishment. It’s another nail in the coffin of dependency. Self-governance is closer than ever and this is something that is recognized by all. But that’s not all I did that day. I also went to the traditional lunch/feast.
Looking at all the great food I nearly looked like Homer Simpson checking out the donuts at work. It was a smorgasbord of delight. There was fresh pan-fried walleye, stewed ptarmigan, oven-cooked beaver galore, moose tenderloins, moose in a sauce put into semi-shelled potatoes, moose stew, traditional rabbit stew and a few veggie dishes, like potato salad and what looked like couscous or a lentil pilaf. The veggies were just for show as far as I was concerned as I unleashed my carnivorian nature and felt it was time for some free-range country food.
The smells were driving me crazy. I thank the Creator for our Grand Chief as he showed his mettle that lunch and led the way to the feast buffet.
I savoured every bite and went up for more. I’m not one of those pile-it-on-the-plate-and-let-God-sort-out-the-nutrients type of guys. I take my food intake seriously and the wilder the better.
Most people don’t pay enough attention to what goes into the old gut but you should and wild game is so much better for you than crowded and penned up slaves to the corporate farming community.
So here’s some fun things to know about wild game. It is usually leaner than domesticated animals with beaver and such being the exception rather than the rule. Even the fat though is generally better for you than farm fatties. Wild game or country food has a higher content of EPA (Eico Sapentaenoic Acid ¬– this is a type of omega-3 fatty acid often referred to as a good type of oil, a.k.a. fish oil) than domestic meat. EPA is recommended as a way to reduce the risk of developing atherosclerosis, one of the major causes of heart attack and stroke.
The virtues of game meat are especially important to people with specific health conditions, including heart disease or kidney failure. Wild game usually has more antioxidants, flavonoids and carotids. These can help to prevent such things as Alzheimer’s and certain cancers.
Other nutrients found in wild game boost your immune system, help with tissue repair and ward off osteoporosis.
There are also zero man-made antibiotics or growth hormones in wild meat.
In Europe, doctors prescribe rabbit as a very good source of protein for patients with digestive problems.
Less fat in the wild game will also help with your diet and may even help you with diabetes.
So what are you waiting for? Get out in the bush and get something more nourishing and healthier than poutine or fatty pig products for your family.