Grain versus Grass - Why choose grass-finished beef?

Today's beef consumer is interested not only in high-quality, healthy beef, but also beef that is free from antibiotics and growth hormones. There is much confusion about what truly constitutes leanmeat that is healthier to eat. Unfortunately, the grain-fed meat products purchased by most consumers today contain unacceptable ratios of fatty acids and saturated fats that are not nutritional and may be detrimental to our health.

When selecting beef products, it is very important to know the difference between goodfats (essential fatty acids) and badfats that are harmful (saturated fats). Many experts have come to believe that it is the type of fat, not the quantity, that is most important.

A high level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels can be very harmful to our health. Saturated fats are known to raise the circulating LDL levels that can contribute to Coronary Heart Disease (CHD). The most beneficial fatty acids are poly-unsaturated; these are composed of two essential fatty acids: Linoleic Acid (Omega 6) and Linolenic Acid (Omega 3).

Theses two essential fatty acids are manufactured by plants such as grasses, hay and flaxseed - but not by humans. These fatty acids are absorbed by cattle from grasses (NOT grain) through their rumen. Omega 3 is a cardio-protective fatty acid and is essential for the brain and retina. Omega 6 lowers LDL levels, but is not needed by the body in large quantities.

So, you might be thinking that cattle that have been strictly grass-fed should contain fairly high levels of these important essential fatty acids. You would be correct. Research has shown that the process of feeding cattle grain during the feed-lot fattening process is directly responsible for the differences in fatty acid composition between grain-fed and grass-fed cattle.

Ongoing research has continually proven that grass-fed beef is consistently lower in total fat and saturated fat. It is high in beneficial Omega 3 fatty acid and lower in Omega 6. It has an excellent Omega 6 to Omega 3 ratio. In other words, it is more nutritional than grain-fattened beef most consumers purchase today.

Grass-fed beef that grades Choice or Prime has optimal flavor and tenderness because it is well marbled. Therefore, it is important to note that the marbling of grass-fed beef should typically have more essential fatty acids and less saturated fat than grain-fed beef. Variations do occur with cattle breed and genetics.

Grass-fed animals should also have less exposure to antibiotics than animals in a feed-lot on grain. Antibiotic resistance is becoming one of the major concerns of today's physicians according to the National Institutes of Health. Feed-lot cattle are typically given prophylactic antibiotics, (whether or not they are sick), because of the wide-ranging diets they are fed during the fattening process. Many of these diets are not easily digested by cattle and result in weakened immune systems in the cattle and an increase in diseases.