Raw Meat Obsession on Reality TV
It’s a bit unsettling, to say the least.
Wendy Marshall, a tattoo shop owner from Florida, has an unusual passion for raw meat, consuming around two pounds daily. From chuck flour to cold cuts, and even whole roasts, it seems the bloodier, the better for her.
“I really enjoy peeling meat right off the bone,” Marshall, 28, says before munching on a piece of marbled steak, as seen in footage from the recent premiere of My Strange Addiction. Almost instantly, you hear a loud “raw meat burp.”
Diving into raw meat isn’t as rare as one might think. It has deep roots in various cultures, including indigenous communities in Ethiopia and the Arctic. Even some reality TV figures, like Heidi Montag, have adopted similar diets.
Numerous cultures savor raw meat dishes, too. Think steak tartare, which consists of finely chopped raw beef, or carbaccio, a classic Italian starter made from thin slices of raw beef drizzled with olive oil, lemon juice, and Parmesan.
However, Marshall’s raw-meat-eating habits raise eyebrows and safety concerns. Many experts caution that raw meat can host harmful bacteria like Salmonella and E. coli, alongside parasites such as Trichinella.
Marshall’s approach doesn’t seem very hygienic either. In the premiere episode, she can be seen devouring ground meat straight from its packaging at a nail salon. Understandably, her manicurist was so appalled that she declined to give Marshall a manicure.
“I get that eating raw meat isn’t exactly accepted in society,” Marshall admits. “People usually gag and look at me as if I’m insane, but honestly, I don’t mind.”
Her passion also causes friction with her boyfriend’s family, who don’t exactly share her love for raw meat.
Reflecting on her childhood, Marshall recalls bonding with her grandmother by chewing on raw meat fat together, which she describes as a special connection. Sadly, her grandmother passed away from bladder cancer five years ago.
Marshall’s boyfriend, Robert, doesn’t seem to have a problem with her eating habits, though his family is a different story. During the show, his cousin’s wife expresses concern as Marshall dives into raw steak, warning her, “You’re going to throw up.” It’s clear that not everyone appreciates Marshall’s choices.
Due to these concerns, she expresses a desire to speak to a nurse, Vanessa Cabrera, about the potential health risks of her habits.
Cabrera finds evidence of a chronic E. coli infection from a stool test. While many E. coli strains are harmless, some can lead to severe illness.
“It’s notable because those with this condition typically encounter symptoms like nausea and diarrhea,” Cabrera informs Marshall. “Your lack of symptoms suggests it might have been around for a while, and your body is getting used to it.”
Cabrera warns about the danger of bacteria that can compromise immunity, noting that if Marshall were to contract another illness, antibiotics might not be effective.
Marshall finds this information to be “very scary.” She promises to make more “healthy decisions” and establish some rules regarding her meat consumption moving forward.
“I won’t stop eating raw meat; I’ll just focus on grass-fed options from reliable sources,” she pledges on the episode.
Later, she mentions feeling that while eating raw meat, there’s nothing wrong at all. She’s committed to her health and her family.
Marshall added that since filming last summer, she hasn’t eaten raw ground meat. “But I can’t rule out doing it again in the future,” she admits.
Interestingly, she claims to have never faced any negative side effects from her diet. “Other than the medical findings, I feel fine. I don’t believe anything will happen to me or my family in the long run because we’ve been eating raw meat for ages,” she suggests.
“In fact, it’s surprising we haven’t shown any symptoms of E. coli, which can be fatal, unlike those who don’t consume raw meat. We seem to have built up some immunity,” she concludes.
The show, My Strange Addiction, makes a return after a ten-year break, airing every Wednesday at 9 PM ET/PT on TLC.
