When faced with the label that reads “grass-fed” beef, we’re forced to stop and think. If not munching on grass and hay, what are cattle eating? It’s just this kind of question that has us thinking about how estranged we are from the food we put into our mouths and onto our plates. Learning – and featuring – more about where our food comes from and how it’s produced is one of our resolutions this year. We’re starting with the all-American burger. Let’s break down why grass-fed beef matters – and why it’s worth that more substantial price tag.
Cows are ruminants, meaning they naturally eat grass, not grain. Throughout time, cows have always roamed open plains or grazed on ranches, munching on hundreds of different species of nutrient-dense grasses, shrubs, leaves and even medicinal herbs. This is their natural diet, what best suits the health and happiness of the animal, and also results in better quality products, whether beef or dairy.
If beef is not grass-fed, then it is grain-fed. Grain-fed cows eat mostly genetically modified corn, grain and soy, in addition to the occasional animal by-product, and non-food substances (think peanut shells and candy wrappers). And while we have been led to believe that ‘meat is meat’ – all having the same nutritional value – this couldn’t be further from the truth. Because we are what we eat, and what we eat eats, the diets of the things we consume really does matter.
When cows are fed foods that they were not intended to eat, i.e. grains, a slew of negative side effects follow. These side effects range from poor health in the animal, negative effects on the environment and a lackluster, and potentially antibiotic-filled, nutrient profile. Few realize just how far reaching the consequences of purchasing grain-fed beef are. We’re giving you seven reasons to switch to the grass-fed fare.
One other important take-away: Organic is not always the same as grass-fed. Natural food stores often sell organic beef that is hormone and antibiotic-free, but that does not necessarily mean grass-fed. So make sure that when you are purchasing organic, it is also is labeled grass-fed (and vice versa). This way you can be sure that it is not only free of antibiotics, growth-promoting hormones and genetically modified foods, but that it was also born and raised on organic pasture, with unrestricted access to feed on grass, not grain.
