Grass-Fed vs. Grain-Fed Beef

If healthy cows should be grazing on grass, why are mass-produced commercial cows being fed corn and grains?  The answer is simple:  to get the beef to the market cheaper and faster.  Unfortunately, this also results in lower quality meat that is higher in saturated fats.

Although grass-fed beef is slightly higher in price, not only are you paying for better-tasting beef, you are also receiving many health benefits:

• Leaner than grain-fed beef (contains less overall fat, and less saturated fat)
• Higher in protein
• Contains fewer calories
• Lowers LDL cholesterol levels (“bad” cholesterol)
• Higher in omega 3 essential fatty acids
  • decreases blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels
  • decreases blood pressure
  • enhances brain and nerve development
  • enhances memory
  • decreases inflammation
  • increases immune function
• High in CLA (conjugated linoleic acid)
  • CLA cannot be produced by the human body, and humans cannot activate the form of CLA found in supplements
  • Assists individuals in weight loss and prevents weight gain
  • Anti-cancer properties
• Higher in vitamins, especially antioxidants, beta carotene, vitamin E, vitamin C, and vitamin A
• Contains no hormone or antibiotic residues (even if it is not labeled “organic”)
• From an animal-rights standpoint, cows are raised in pasture for their entire lives, and not in confined feed lots

When cooking, it is important to remember that grass-fed beef cooks differently than its grain-fed counterpart.  Less fat means less moisture, which means less cooking time is required.  Grass-fed beef needs about 30% less cooking time and should be cooked medium to medium-rare to prevent toughness.  For those who prefer well-cooked meat, marinate the beef or coat with olive or coconut oil to retain moisture.