100% Grass-fed beef is worth it for health and environmental reasons!
Grass fed beef is by far the healthiest type of beef available to us humans. While most of us are accustomed to the delicious flavor of corn fed beef, the benefits of grass fed certainly outweigh the costs. Here are ten reasons why grass fed beef is superior to mass produced commercial beef.
1. Health is enhanced when animals graze phytochemically rich mixtures of grasses, forbs, shrubs, and trees (i.e. vegetation ecology).
Healthy food is healthy due to the evolutionary and ecological conditions that it was raised in — this is true for plants and animals. So when humans consume healthy food, it is more likely to improve our own health.
2. Diverse plant communities are nutrition centers and natural pharmacies that enable health prophylactically and therapeutically.
The problem with mass produced, corn fed beef is not only that the feed is low quality, it is also highly homogenous. In other words, when cows eat identical feed every single day, it decreases their ability to ward off bacterial, viral, and other invasions that healthy cattle would otherwise be able to defend against. Thus, eating corn fed beef is more likely to hurt your immune system and cause cancer.
“Overuse of antibiotics in feedlots adds to antibiotic resistance, a global health challenge.”
3. Herbivore diets that are high in plants create meat/animal products that have higher omega-3 essential fatty acids.
An EXTREMELY COMMON NUTRIENT IMBALANCE in most Americans is the ratio of omega-3 fatty acids to omega-6 fatty acids. The reason is that people don’t eat enough vegetables, wild fish, and grass fed animal products. Also, people eat too many nuts like peanut butter or basic cooking oils that are loaded with omega-6’s.
4. Omega-3 Fatty Acid Balance helps with inflammation and inflammatory related issues.
At the root of all sickness and disease is inflammation, including the coronavirus. A big reason that people have inflamed bodies is due to lack of omega-3 fatty acids. Also, a big reason why people have brain fatigue or why their joints ache is because a lack of omega-3.
“Omega-3 fatty acids have been linked to healthy aging throughout life.”
5. Omega-3’s have been linked to promising results in prevention, weight management, and cognitive function in those with Alzheimer’s disease.
The reason that omega-3’s are so essential is that they are a key building block for cells. For cells with optimal omega-3 to omega-6 ratio, there is superior intracellular and intercellular communication. Neurons are optimized and body fat can decrease because the body is no longer nutrient starved.
6. Natural compounds that are found in grass fed meat such as phenolics, carotenoids, and terpenoids can enhance the flavor and biochemical characteristics of meat, fat, milk, and cheese.
For connoisseurs of rich and complex tasting food, consuming grass fed meat is a must. While corn fed beef might be hyper-palatable, it lacks the richness of antioxidants and other key nutrient forms that can be found in beef the way God intended it.
“‘Adding garlic or essential oils from juniper, rosemary, or clove to the diets of lambs and calves improves the flavor of their meat and each of these plants contains a host of secondary metabolites that can benefit human health.”
7. Our ancestors not only evolved from grass fed meat, they thrived on it.
Evidence can be seen in hunter-gatherer cultures that still exist today. Although the Maasai people in southeastern Africa eat diets high in red meat, fat, and milk, they have less heart disease and cancer than do people who eat a diet high in processed foods.
Why? Because the Maasai honor food that was healthy to begin with. People in Western countries are literally dying from eating sick animals.
Human health is reliant on the health of other living things. It’s the environment, man.
8. Grass-finished livestock can also promote nutrient cycling, soil carbon sequestration, and clean water and support food security.
In other words, grass fed meat is better for the environment and sustainability than corn fed beef. I’ll admit that there are still significant environmental costs in the raising of meat products, but I don’t believe that *most* humans are better off without any meat at all.
Remember that most people who are vegan do it for non-health reasons such as spirituality or that they are just naturally averse to it. I respect them for their choices because I believe in bio-individuality.
We need to choose our food wisely and that means eating right for your own body.
9. Grass fed meat has more Vitamin E and a wider variety of minerals.
The nutrient density of grass fed meat is simply superior to corn fed meat. I’m not shaming anybody for eating corn fed beef because it is common, normal, and tasty. However, you came to this blog post asking about the benefits of grass fed beef so it is my honor to deliver that to you.
10. Simply put, grass fed meat is healthier.
This includes but is not limited to lamb, bison, venison and more. Again, it’s not just about the grass — there are many other plant species that pasture raised and wild animals get to enjoy. By allowing the animals to eat natural, diverse diets, their gut microbiomes are healthy and they do not require antibiotics or hormones for growth and survival.
When you consume meat from animals that have healthy gut microbiomes, you can be assured that the quality of meat and the health benefits will be superior to your own body and your own gut microbiome.
I hope you enjoyed this blog post about grass fed beef.
If you are interested in learning more, join me in reading this awesome new book that will give you enhanced knowledge in your own nutritional journey.
Sources:
- Is Grassfed Meat and Dairy Better for Human and Environmental Health?
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6434678/ - General issues regarding the epidemiology of cancer and consumption of red meat and processed meat
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507972/ - Is Grassfed Meat and Dairy Better for Human and Environmental Health?
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6434678/ - Omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA: health benefits throughout life
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22332096/