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The Health Benefits of Grass Fed Beef

Grass fed beef is far superior to grain fed beef because it is raised on the diet that nature intended. The diet of cattle can actually change the body composition of the animal, and thus the nutritional make-up of the meat we eat.

In addition, the grains they are fed are largely genetically modified. Most cattle today have antibiotics administered to combat the diseases and infections they develop due to these unnatural diets and feedlot conditions. (70% 0f the antibiotics in this country today are administered to animals to prevent the diseases that they develop as a result of these unnatural diets.)

As if that is not bad enough, many cattle are also injected with hormones to increase their size and weight, and in the case of dairy cattle, to produce more milk. These hormones and antibiotics make their way from the meat and milk we consume into our bodies. Benefits of Natural Grass Fed Beef:

 

1)Grass Fed Beef Has a Fat Make-up Profile Similar to That of Wild Caught Salmon: We all know, and have been told by our doctors and nutritionists that that wild caught salmon is one of the best protein/fat sources we have for reducing cardiovascular disease risk factors. Why is that? It is because Wild caught salmon has the correct fat ratio of Omega 3 fatty acids to Omega 6 Fatty acids.

 

 

Grass fed beef has a similar profile and as a result, is just as healthy for you as wild caught salmon less the mercury content. It is the grain fed animals that have been so vilified as a red meat danger and risk for cardiovascular disease because according to a June 2010 publication of Livestock, Poultry, and Dairy Outlook that represents 97 percent of our beef production. For those of you who love beef, as I do, this knowledge is a Godsend. Red meat is not the culprit. It is the way that the majority of red meat is raised on artificial grain diets that is the culprit.

 

Similarly, Salmon that are not wild caught and are farm raised on grains, develop similar fat make-up ratios to grain fed beef and as such are extremely unhealthy for you. Farm raised salmon is just as bad for you as grain fed beef because the ratio of Omega 3 fatty acids to Omega 6 fatty acids is altered as a result of their diet.(always insist on wild caught fish)

2)Grass Fed Beef is Leaner and Similar in Fat Make Up to Grass Fed Bison and Wild Game: Grass fed beef will invariably contain one third fewer calories as a result of the way they are fed. They have less fat and 1 gram of fat produces 9 calories whereas 1 gram of protein produces 4 calories per gram. The simple fact that they are leaner produces on average 100 fewer calories per cut of meat. (When meat is this lean, it is similar to skinless chicken or wild game and it lowers your LDL- aka bad cholesterol - Cholesterol Levels)

 

 

 

3)Grass Fed Beef is Loaded with CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid): The milk and meat of grass and/or pasture fed animals are the highest known source of CLA. CLA is one of the biggest benefits of grass fed animals, and has been shown to aid in cancer prevention, lowering body fat, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, inflammation and in reducing high blood pressure and high triglycerides. CLA is almost non-existent in the same animals grain fed counterparts.

4)Other Notable Benefits of Grass Fed Beef Animals: Grass fed beef has higher levels of Vitamin E, beta carotene, B Vitamins, minerals and vaccenic acid (which can be transformed into CLA)

One more point that is worth noting is that grass fed beef is far better for you than even organic beef. The term organic in beef simply means that the cattle were raised on a diet of organic grains which still results in most of the aforementioned problems.

In conclusion, if you have been hesitant to eat too much red meat because of the warnings against consuming too much of it, you now know that as long as the animal has been raised on a natural grass fed diet, it's entire body and fat composition has changed and it is actually extremely healthy for you. It will aid you in losing weight, in reducing LDL cholesterol, in preventing cancer and you will reap many other health benefits far too numerous to mention here. In Texas, grass fed beef is available at most HEB grocery stores and as for a nationwide chain, Whole Foods carries it. Demand is rising for this type of beef and that is a good sign for the health of our nation.





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