The Benefits Of Grass Fed, Organic Beef

Much of the cattle used to produce tasty, tender beef are fed with grass. The advantages of grass fed cattle are far superior to those consuming diets laced with chemicals and other additives. Believe it or not, these facts are upheld by hundreds of years’ worth of research, indicating that grass fed cattle are a far healthier choice.

Despite these odds, consumers must still take care to purchase meat from cattle which have been fed grass. Unless you do your research, you may be in for a surprise, as the effects of a cow’s diet on its meat are not minuscule. Research in nutrition journals demonstrates that meat from grass fed cattle has less fat. Far from being a minor health issue, the amount of fat in diets is a prime contributing factor to early heart disease and heart attacks.

Certainly those who track cholesterol benefit from the peace of mind of this choice, but low fat is not the only advantage. Other research suggests that vitamins A, E and other nutrients may be more plentiful in the grass fed beef.

Taste is another major factor in the foods we choose to eat. To that end, grass fed beef also rallies. Those who eat grass fed beef often report that it tastes better than the alternatives. Not only is the taste improved, but the amount of unhealthy chemicals is drastically reduced. While research in these areas is still ongoing, a growing body of evidence suggests that the extra hormones given to beef cattle may be responsible for the earlier onset of puberty in children, and other hormonal changes in young adults.

Of course, use of chemicals and grains results in a higher fat content beef product that consumers are trained to regard as better. However, this move was not made with consumer health in mind, but rather as a cost-saving measure. As such, it is essential to be proactive in making healthy food choices, as many producers are generally focused on the bottom line rather than health.

The grass fed to cattle is typically healthy and organic. This results in less stressful lives which, in turn, translates to a healthier beef product. Furthermore, grass fed cattle don’t generally get hormones and antibiotics in excess of those mandated by law. Many consumers rightfully don’t wish to consume these, as they often do far more harm than good. While it is impossible to avoid all antibiotics in the beef we purchase, those given to grass fed cattle are generally less than the quantities given to other varieties.

One major issue in the use of antibiotics is that the cattle will acquire a resistance. When this happens, disease will spread more rampantly, and diseased cattle may still be made into beef for consumption, resulting in a higher rate of recalls. Not only are grass fed cattle less likely to develop such resistances, but the beef also tastes better. All in all, it’s a win for consumers.