America is a nation of meat eaters.

In 2015, beef consumption alone was 24.8 billion pounds. In 2016, the average American consumed 110 pounds of red meat, 73.6 pounds of poultry, 16.1 pounds of fish and shellfish, and 32.7 pounds of eggs.

But wait, is anything really wrong with that? Didn’t folks back in pioneer days eat plenty of meat—even bacon and lard—on a regular basis?

The meat our ancestors ate was a far cry from what the average American consumes in the 21st century. They ate wild game and animals they raised themselves—or that was raised on local farms—with nary a growth steroid or artificial hormone to be found. (They also spent much of the day in hard labor; no one made a living sitting at the computer back then.)

Drugs & Food Animals

Beginning in the 1950s, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved various steroid hormone drugs for beef cattle and sheep (not poultry, pigs, dairy cows or veal calves) to increase growth rate and the efficiency of feed conversion. Among these drugs are natural estrogen, progesterone, testosterone and synthetic versions of these hormones.

Typically in the form of pellet implants, these steroid hormone drugs are placed under the skin of the animal’s ear and dissolve over time. (FYI, ears are not part of the human food chain.)

“The USDA and FDA uphold that the approved hormones have no physiological significance for humans. Hormones are used to speed up growth and development of the animal to yield a cheaper product, which is one reason why hormone- and antibiotic-free animals are more expensive to breed, rear and bring to market,” notes Amy Freeman, RDN, LDN, CDE, a nutritionist and certified diabetes educator who works at Ocala Health’s Senior Wellness Community Center. She is also an American Council on Exercise Certified Health Coach (ACE-HC).

According to the FDA, all approved steroid implant products have a “zero-day withdrawal,” meaning meat from treated animals is considered safe for human consumption at any time after treatment.

Our friends across the pond aren’t so accepting of such drug use in food animals. The European Commission prohibits the supplemental use of hormones and prohibits importation of animals treated with growth-promoting hormones.

“The European Food Safety Authority banned the use of the six hormones approved in the USA in 1989,” says Freeman. “In 2007, the European Food Safety Authority concluded that there is evidence linking hormone-exposed livestock—in this case beef—and cancer in humans who consume them. Their published statement asserts, ‘At present, epidemiological data provide convincing evidence for an association between the amount of red meat consumed and certain forms of hormone-dependent cancers. Whether hormone residues in meat contribute to this risk is currently unknown.'”

This past summer, after testing of edible tissue samples collected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the FDA alerted a beef cow-calf operation in Nebraska that one of their cows had more than 8,000 percent the legally allowed amount of a standard-use antibiotic.

“If the livestock industry is this lax in using drugs in their livestock, how lax are they in using other livestock drugs, such as hormones?” asks Freeman. “These are the operations that the FDA and USDA catch. My concern is the numerous other suppliers that the FDA and USDA do not catch.”

There’s a simple way to be certain you’re eating meat with no hormone residue. When shopping, look for meat that is USDA Organic Certified, which cannot contain any antibiotics, artificial hormones or artificial chemicals.

Even if not for health reasons, Freeman encourages consumers to purchase meat that bears the Certified Humane® label, to ensure that animals do not suffer in the process of contributing to the food chain. This label means the animals have been raised with ample space, shelter from the elements and gentle handling so their stress level is low to zero. They have fresh water and healthy diets, with no added antibiotics or hormones. They are not confined to cages, crates or tie stalls, so they spend every day of their lives participating in natural behaviors (think cattle on pasture, pigs rooting in the dirt, chickens scratching and pecking, flapping their wings and moving about freely).

Freeman notes that two additional certifications that are verified by independent audits rather than the U.S. government are American Grassfed Certified (animals eat 100 percent forage for their lifetime, are raised on pasture and not confined and were never treated with hormones or antibiotics) and Animal Welfare Approved (animals required to be raised on pasture or range with the most comprehensive standards for high welfare farming).

Becoming more mindful about your meat choices is the first step to healthier eating. You don’t have to give up meat altogether, although some people come to that decision for health, moral and ethical reasons. It’s possible to still include meat in your diet and eat healthy, so let’s look at ways to do just that.

Watch Portion Sizes

If you’ve eaten in a restaurant in the last decade, you’ve noticed that portion sizes are larger than ever—and that definitely includes meat.

That tantalizing 10-ounce filet mignon at your favorite steak house might seduce you with its sizzle, aroma and flavor, but it’s over three times the serving size recommended by the American Heart Association (AHA).

To put it in perspective, picture a deck of cards or a computer mouse. That’s the amount of cooked meat—three ounces—you should consume as one serving. (For a visual image, one serving is about 3×3 inches and just 1/4-inch thick.) If you’re eating chicken, it’s half a chicken breast or one chicken leg and thigh (minus the skin).

For many Americans a meal isn’t a meal without meat, but animal protein should make up no more than one-third (preferably less) of any given meal.

“I use the American Institute of Cancer Research (AICR) recommendations, which call for limiting animal-based protein foods (meat, fish, seafood or poultry) to one-third of the dinner plate,” says Freeman, adding that the remaining two-thirds of the plate should contain vegetables, fruits, whole grains or beans.

The AHA and the AICR advise limiting meat, chicken and fish to under six ounces per day. To increase the amount of healthy fat and omega-3 fatty acids, they recommend eating fish such as salmon, trout or herring twice a week.

Cut Back On Red

Research reveals that consuming more than 18 ounces of red meat per week raises your risk of colorectal cancers. According to the AICR, compounds in red meat have been shown to damage the lining of the gut and may promote cancer. Cancer-causing compounds can also be produced when you cook red meat at high temperatures

Beef, pork and lamb are red meats. (Yes, despite a successful national advertising campaign—remember “the other white meat?”—nutritionists and researchers still consider pork red meat.)

You don’t have to sign off on red meat completely. Just don’t exceed 18 ounces max per week. When shopping, choose lean cuts, such as “choice” and “select.” Trim visible fat before cooking.

Another option is to choose grass-fed beef, which has less total fat, lower cholesterol and fewer calories than feed-lot raised beef. It’s also higher in beneficial omega-3 fatty acids and higher in conjugated linoleic acid, which has anti-cancer properties.

Or you can have your red meat naturally lean by opting for Wagyu beef, which also contains a high percentage of monounsaturated (good) fat.

Step Away From That Hot Dog

According to the National Institutes of Health, 22 percent of meat consumed in the United States is processed, which refers to meat that is preserved by smoking, salting, fermenting or the addition of chemicals, and includes bacon, sausage, deli and luncheon meats, and, of course, hot dogs.

In 2015, The World Health Organization (WHO) classified processed meat as a human carcinogen, citing “sufficient evidence” (more than 800 studies) linking processed meats to colorectal cancer, and noted associations with stomach, prostate and pancreatic cancers.

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers, but you can easily lower your risk because studies prove that diet plays a major role in whether or not you’ll get this type of cancer.

“It is estimated that over half of the cases of colorectal cancer per year (impacting 63,700 people) could be prevented if most Americans would adapt a lifestyle that included limited meats and processed meats,” observes Freeman. She notes that research by AICR shows that processed meat regularly consumed over a number of years increases the risk of both stomach cancer and colorectal cancer. Smoked and charred meat is also associated with higher risk of stomach cancer.

Does that mean you must forever banish hot dogs from your summer cookouts? No. Just avoid eating processed meats and charred meats on a regular basis, saving them for special occasions only.

Research also shows that risk of colorectal cancer is lowered when you’re physically active, eat more fiber and consume more whole grains. Just eating three servings a day of whole grains was shown to lower the risk of colorectal cancer by 17 percent. (Brown rice with that hot dog, anyone?)

Additional methods of reducing cancer risk include eating more fish and foods high in vitamin C, maintaining a healthy weight, stopping smoking and limiting alcohol use.

Pick A Day & Go Meatless

During World Wars I and II, the U.S. government came up with the idea of “Meatless Mondays,” not for health reasons but to save resources. The practice was resurrected in the early 21st century with the idea of improving human health, while reducing the carbon footprint and conserving natural resources required to raise food animals for human consumption.

You don’t have to choose Mondays to skip meat. Pick any day that works for you and your family. For recipe ideas and reasons to go meatless one day of the week, check out meatlessmonday.com

If you’re weighing the decision to give up meat entirely, Freeman suggests seeking guidance from an experienced registered dietician who can assist you in making informed choices to obtain optimum health using a plant-based diet.