If you hang out with me you know that grass fed beef is one of my favorite foods, that I eat all the time, but you probably don’t know why I am so crazy about it.
Why Prefer Eating Grass Fed Beef:
You also probably do not realize what a huge difference there is between most beef at the grocery store and pasture-raised, 100% grass-fed beef. Almost all the beef at your local grocery store is grain finished, meaning the cow spends the last 2-4 months of life in a feed lot eating corn and soy feed.
This does not sound so bad, right, but the problem is that this feed is full of pesticides, growth hormones, antibiotics (FYI-the biggest users of antibiotics in the U.S are for livestock), plus unknown by-products thrown in, such as animal parts. The other problem is that cows are not meant to eat grains and by doing so the PH in their stomachs becomes out of balance, which is what causes deadly strains of E-coli. One more major issue is that cows at feed-lots are standing knee deep in their own feces for an average of 60-90 days, facing major overcrowding and rampant disease, another way the beef gets contaminated at high volume slaughterhouses.
Also cows don’t live more than 6 months when fed corn because they tend to die from infection or liver failure, which is why they can only be fed grains for a few months before slaughter. Feed laced with growth hormones fattens cows quickly, which causes marbling in the meat and increases their value, but this also makes them full of estrogen. Eating estrogen in meat makes us fat too, which could be a contributing factor to the obesity crisis. Fat marbling is also where all the toxins from pesticides and antibiotics are stored waiting to be stored in our fat.
These facts may be enough to make you want to be a vegetarian but there are good options left such as eating grass fed beef! Eating rich green grass, filled with Omega-3’s, on the open field is the way cows are meant to live their whole lives. This way of living is beneficial to the cow and to us because the pasture is a sustainable circle where the cow fertilizes it’s own feeding ground. There is little or no waste generated unlike the run off from feed-lots that contaminates our drinking water. The best thing about grass fed beef is the health benefits, including a powerful polyunsaturated fats called Conjugated linoleic acids, also know as CLA.
This amazing fat has been proven to fight cancer in numerous studies. CLA is also sold as a fat burner but studies are inconclusive if it is safe as a supplement. Experts agree the best form of the fat burning CLA is found in grass fed beef, lamb, and wild game. There are 300-500 times more CLA in grass fed beef than in grain fed beef.The fat that is in grain fed beef is where the CLA is concentrated so you do not want to trim it. A big problem in the American diet is the imbalance of Omega 6 to Omega 3 ratio, which should be 4:1 but is now commonly 20:1, because of over use of soybean, corn oils, and the fat in grain fed beef.
In grass fed beef the ratio is 3:1 Omega 6 to Omega 3, and this positive ratio has been shown to help prevent inflammation, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, triglycerides, osteoporosis, and other chronic diseases.
Another benefit is that grass fed beef has 100 fewer calories per 4 oz serving. It is also higher in magnesium, calcium, B-vitamins, vitamin E, and potassium than it’s grain fed inferior. Grass fed beef is a super food filled with vitamins, minerals, fat burners, and omega-3’s.
To find 100% grass fed beef look online such as US Wellness Meats, or find a farmers market in your area. My favorite is a simple hamburger patty with cumin, sea salt and pepper cooked to medium, and enjoy!
Sources: Mercola.com
