Grass-Fed Health Benefits
The health benefits of grass-fed meats are well documented. The health value of 100% grass-fed beef and lamb is a big part of why we farm the way we do.
Doctors and professional nutrition experts point to the following reasons why grass-fed and pasture raised meats are the healthier protein choice.
Omega 3 fatty acids
-Omega-3 is healthy fat often recognized to be in salmon and other fish.
-Omega-3 has been linked to lower rates of heart disease, heart issues, and cancer. This is likely due to the fact they become anti-inflammatory compounds when we eat them.
-60% of the fatty acids found in grass are Omega-3. Therefore, animals which eat only grass produce meat with a much higher amount of Omega-3 fatty acids than grain fed animals.
-On the contrary, Omega-6 fatty acids are high in animals that eat grains. Omega-6 fatty acids become inflammatory compounds when we eat them.
-The optimum ratio of omega-6 :omega-3 fatty acids is 1:1 to 4:1.
-Grass-fed beef has a ratio of 1.5:1 and grain-fed is 7.5:1. (grain-fed is 5 times as high)
-Other animals such as chickens and pigs have higher ratios, as they often spend their entire lives eating grain rations.
Conjugated linoleic acid (cla)
-CLA is a healthy fat which is known to have anti-inflammatory properties, has been linked to reductions in cancer risks, and is believed to have positive affects on immune system function.
-Ruminant animals (beef and lamb are both ruminants) are the top dietary source for CLAs.
-CLA is found in the highest concentrations in the meat and milk of 100% grass-fed cattle.
-More details on CLA benifits and sources can be found at https://draxe.com/conjugated-linoleic-acid/
Beta-carotene
-The presence of beta-carotene is the reason why grass-fed beef fat is darker and can have an orange tent to it.
-Beta-carotene is a naturally occurring plant pigment and is a natural form of vitamin A.
-Vitamin A is an essential nutrient and antioxidant.
VITAMIN E-
-Vitamin E has been linked to reduced risks of heart disease and cancer.
-Grass-fed beef is four times higher in Vitamin E than grain-fed beef.
Other Nutrients in Beef and Lamb-
-Beef and lamb are loaded with Iron, B-vitamins, and Vitamin D.
-Iron deficiency is one of the most common and widespread nutricional disorders in the world.
-Iron deficiency can have the worst consequences in women and children, especially pregnant women.
-Beef has 4 times the iron of other mainstream meats.
**The above information was summarized from the following sources:
"Defending Beef: The Case For Sustainable Meat Production." by Nicolette Hahn Niman. This book is an excellent source for information about the human and environmental health benefits provided by grazing ruminant animals.
Eatwild.com: This website is a wonderful source for information on grass-fed meats and pasture-based farming.