He was ecstatic just talking about how the Italian slow food advocates raised pigs or hogs. “They grow them slooooowly to a desired weight!” says NicoloAberasturi, owner of Down to Earth meats—

specializing in grass-fed beef and pork. Nicolo can be ecstatic talking about raising cows or pigs, or even talking about composting, manure and growing organic vegetables.

Nicolo and his partner Paula are one of today’s “slow food” couples. While Paula confesses to not eating much meat, Nicolo swears by his “no rice, mostly meat” diet which has allowed him to keep a trim figure despite all the good food available to him. They grow their own vegetables, raise their own grass-fed livestock and even grow flowers—all part of Down To Earth’s farm businesses based in
the provinces of Bukidnon and Cagayan de Oro.

“Grass-fed beef is alkaline” he proudly exclaims to Dr Albert Jo, who has stopped eating pork, beef and chicken for about nine years already. Dr Jo silently agrees although I know he would not touch meat unless it is part of a tasting or degustation event. Dr. Jo claims that meat which is not “slow” or “grass-fed” is acidic and we know how bacteria can thrive in acidic environments such as our body.

And maybe Nicolo is right. His blood tests (despite his all-meat diet) are good and he has never felt better. Part of the reason, of course, is stopping his “two pack-a-day” smoking habit which he has kicked some years ago. And thanks that even with his grass-fed meat and less if no rice at all, he has maintained his health in good condition.

In slow food principles, cows and pigs are grown until they are a certain size and weight, but without growth stimulants or the nasty growth hormones that are injected in grain-fed and feed-lot fattened livestock.

In slow food, you let Nature take its course and wait patiently for the meats to become more tender and tastier over a certain period of time that it naturally takes for cows and pigs to grow.

Why do people send cows to feed lots or “fattening farms”? It is cheaper for some business people to send them to feed lots after the first few months of grass-feeding. It is expensive to keep a cow for a long time and wait until it’s naturally ready. That makes slow meats more expensive. But like more expensive heirloom rice, grass-fed beef can be enjoyed in smaller cuts or portions if one has to have beef in the diet.

What happens in feed lots? The cows are given growth stimulants so they stay in the feed lot for a shorter period of time, and are commercially-ready sooner than later. That also means being injected with all sorts of antibiotics and medicines so they can get to market in one piece.

“I can taste if the beef is from a grass-fed cow” Nicolo says. He says this as he put away the knife after sharing a “sottofiletto” grilled steak with Patrick Belisario, Organic Certification Center of the Phils. (OCCP) President at our initial dinner together. Well, Nicolo knows his beef and his pork. He makes sausages, too, by the way—“slow” sausages of course.

So, meat lovers, don’t despair. You can have your meat and eat it too. Just make sure it is grass-fed and has been raised slowly according to Nature’s ways.

Thanks to Nicolo I can again look at meat and not be scared of it. In fact, I ordered a slow food tapa for my welcome dinner upon arriving from the Turin trip where I met all these slow food advocates. And after meeting Nicolo, I will also now look at pigs and cows in a different way. Now I know we consumers have a choice. Slow meats or fast food?

Dr. Albert Jo (see article November 4, 2012 on Dr. Health) says we should only have 30 grams of protein for 24 hours. And that’s because undigested meats end up as toxins 72 hours later in our intestines! Well, it better be slow meat if that is all I am having! Whatever your allowable portion of meat is, make it slow. The price differential will be almost non-existent when you think about the benefits of eating clean food. Clean for your body, the environment and clean for the animals as well. That, after all, is what slow food is all about.

Chit Juan is a founder and owner of ECHOStore sustainable lifestyle, ECHOmarket sustainable farms and ECHOcafe in Serendra and Podium malls. She also heads the Women’s Business Council of the Philippines and the Philippine Coffee Board Inc., two non-profits close to her heart. She often speaks to corporates, youth and NGOs on social entrepreneurship, women empowerment, and coffee. You can follow her on twitter.com/chitjuan or find her on facebook:Pacita “Chit” Juan. Email her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .