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Why Grass-Fed Beef?
By Holly | July 17, 2009
As a follow-up to Cara’s post, I thought I’d share some info on grass-fed beef and why it is that we should be consuming this pricey meat.
It seems to be all the buzz now, this grass-fed talk. Back in the day, farmers only fed their cattle grass. But around the Post-WWII era this changed. Due to a demand for beef combined with the surplus of cheap government-subsidized corn and soybeans, farmers began using corn to fatten up their herds.
Pre-corn fed days, the average age a steer went to slaughter was 4-5 years, compared to 14-15 months today. I highly recommend seeing Food, Inc. You will get a nice, clear picture of what life in a feedlot consists of. Freakin’ nasty…..
Upon entry into these feedlots, cattle are pumped full of antibiotics just to survive its stay. They are also injected with growth hormones to make them bigger faster. There is no room for them to move, they aren’t burning any calories and the animal continues to grow at a rapid, unnatural rate. They are stuck in these feedlots, covered in their own feces (and that of their bovine friends), and develop E-coli and other diseases. Now we have a cow with E-coli, so what is done once this sick cow goes to slaughter? Are they tossed aside because they are now contaminated….nope. Their meat is cleansed with ammonia and sent along to be packaged, purchased and consumed. Yum.
Now, picture an open pasture where cattle have room to roam. They eat off of the land and are free from hormones.
The point here is that (and you guys know this) you are what you eat. Hence, you are what your cows eat. We aren’t eating corn, grains, etc. According to Jo Robinson, author of Pasture Perfect, there are an abundance of “feedstuffs” that feedlots use to fatten up their cattle. Some of these meals can include nutritious ingredients such as beet pulp and carrot tops, to junk like stale bread, candy, heat-treated garbage, chicken feathers, salvaged pet food and ground up laying hens!!!!
On the flipside, there are an array of nutritional benefits of grass-fed beef:
~ rich in Omega-3 fatty acids! In fact, grass-fed beef’s Omega-6 to Omega-3 ratio is the same as fish! Our “typical” American diet has far too much Omega-6 and not nearly enough Omega-3. When we lack Omega-3 (or we have too much Omega-6) many health risks are increased such as heart disease, cancer, INSULIN RESISTANCE. With grains including corn, wheat and oats being the main souce of Omega-6, it’s no wonder that Omega-3 benefits have all disappeared after a steer has entered a feedlot.
~good source of CLA (conjugated linoleic acid). Benefits of CLA include increased metabolic rate, decreasing abdominal fat, increasing your immune system. Cows simply cannot produce CLA when being fed grain. (According to Dr. Carol DeFranca, a Certified Nutritionist of Norwell Spine & Sports, “cattle devoid of CLA have a higher propensity towards Mad Cow disease and E. coli 0157:H7″)
~good souce of beta-carotene!
We consume real foods to fuel our bodies for ass kicking workouts and we should want to fuel with the right stuff. I know it’s tough on the grocery bill, but just take some time to think about what you are picking up for your protein.
Like Cara said, Bradford’s is great for natural meats (www.bradfordsmeatshop.com). Some other options on the retailing front are:
~Whole Foods, Hingham
~Common Sense Wholesome Food Market, Plymouth
~How on Earth, Mattapoisett
BTW….
Cooking grass-fed needs about 30% less cooking time than your common meat. It is best if cooked medium-rare to medium. Also, let the beef rest after cooking. This will help redistribute the juices inside before you serve it. Grass-fed is best in a slow-cooker (to retain its nutrients) or via brining.
Okay, that’s it. Thanks for reading this long post. Keep on your Paleo wagon! If you fall off, pick it up again at your next meal. Have a great weekend!
HC
Topics: Cynergy Central, Nutrition | 3 Comments »
July 18th, 2009 at 5:46 am
great post Holly! I think the more we can educate ourselves on what we put into our bodies the better choices we can make.
It is a fascinating topic and I encourage you all to see the movie, Food Inc.
Pay attention to what you eat and what you feed your children….your health and thiers depends upon it!
July 18th, 2009 at 6:37 am
I haven’t seen the movie yet, but along the same lines is the book “The Omnivore’s Dilemma”, which I thought was very well-written and extremely informative. I’d suggest you guys look into that as well if you have a chance!
July 18th, 2009 at 12:51 pm
Oh my God Holly! That is terrific. It’s not just that it is beef, but the quality of Beef is important!