Over the last few years, many people have started eating less beef for health and environmental reasons. More and more are coming back to beef because it remains a great source of protein and nutrients. It can also be farmed in a way that is good for your health and is more sustainable. Grass fed beef is not well understood by many people in the general public. Here are some of the benefits to buying beef that has been grass rather than grain fed.
Many people ask, what do is the opposite to grass fed beef? One reason people ask this is that they do not have a lot of experience around cows or on farms. When they pass any cow farms that might be near population centers, they see animals out in the field, eating grass. The catch is that these are not beef cows, they are dairy cows. In most large scale beef cattle farms, the cows are moved to lots where they ae fed grain, rather than grass. This practice was started because they grow faster but herding and eating grass fed beef is much better for everyone.
- Grass fed steaks are full of CLA. CLA,conjugated linoleic acid, is a powerful compound that can help prevent the development and growth of cancer cells. New research has also shown that this can help people burn more fat so eating it can lead to weight loss. Getting CLA from organic sources and from food, rather than in a pill, is the better way to go.
- Grass fed cows do more for your local ecosystem. When farmers use a more holistic approach to raising cattle, they do a lot more to help maintain sustainable soil. A lot of the reason this is the case is that the animals who eat grass produce waste that is better for the environment. Grain fed cows eat a plethora of items from soy products to wrappers. These products find their way into the cows’ poop and is bad for the entire ecosystem. In fact, one of the biggest contributors to the changing climate on the planet is the methane that is produced by cattle. Better cattle poop equals a healthier planet.
- Beef can be a great source of good omega 3 oils. In general, people link good omega fatty acids with wild caught alaskan salmon and other fish. What many people do not realize is that while they should up their intake of omega 3, they should reduce the amount of omega 6. Most consumers do not also know that they can up the amount of good omega oils, while reducing the bad by buying grass fed steaks and free range chicken. New research shows that eating grass fed beef is a great way to get the right balance of omega fatty acids in your body.
- Grass fed steaks taste better. Sure people care about sustainable beef but how does it taste? The best news about grass fed beef, other than the health value and health of the planet, is the way it tastes. You can taste the fresh air, warm sun and healthy grass the cattle was fed. This beef tastes more natural and pure. When you taste this kind of beef for the first time, you may feel like you are eating this kind of meat for the first time. That is how different the grass fed experience is from the grain fed variety.
- You can support local businesses. Most of the time, the grass fed beef you can buy has been raised by local meat farmers. That means when you buy these products, you are doing more than getting yummy beef that helps the planet and is healthy. It is good for your local economy. That makes this a real win-win-win!
There are a number of people who have abandoned eating all kinds of beef for health reasons. Some stopped after the World Health Organization released data showing a link between cured meats and cancer. New data show that eating good, healthy grass fed beef will not increase a person’s chance for developing cancer or any other serious health problems. Try it and you will like it.