Grass-fed Beef May Offer Health Benefits

[Nia Imani]

Grass-fed Beef May Offer Health Benefits

Grass-fed beef is healthier than grain-fed beef, and may even be healthier than chicken, says Jo Robinson, author of the book "Pasture Perfect."

Grass-fed beef is up to three times leaner than grain-fed beef, and can have up to 15 fewer calories per ounce than meat from a grain-fed cow. Grass-fed meat also provides more and more balanced omega-3s and omega-6 fatty acids, which help guard against a variety of ailments.

Researchers have found grass- fed beef also contains two newly discovered "good" fats, and more beta carotene, vitamin E and folic acid. These health benefits decline significantly with even three months of grain feeding, even if the grain is organic. "What's not in grass-fed beef that is in grain-fed beef is important, too," Robinson told the magazine Mother Earth News.

For instance, mad cow disease has never been found in grass-finished beef, and it is far less likely to contain dangerous E. coli bacteria. Grass-fed beef has "no extra hormones and no traces of antibiotics ó only cleaner and more wholesome meat than ordinary beef by far," she says. Feedlot cattle may eat "all kinds of products in addition to grain, including chicken manure, chicken feathers, newsprint, cardboard and municipal garbage waste."

Expansion of the grass-fed beef market in the U.S. still faces hurdles, due to the fact that most livestock expertise has centered on grain fed animals for many years, and the feeding, slaughter and handling of grass fed animals is very different. Robinson says, "Everything has to be right for it to be an excellent product, and there isn't a school or an Extension agent to teach you the ropes." She hopes that USDA will start supporting the research and extension needed to bring better quality beef to more American consumers.

Source: http://www.motherearthnews.com/libra...er/Better_Beef