Grass vs. Grains

Not all beef is created equal at the grocery store. Grain fed beef is going to be the number one type of beef to avoid. Grain fed cows are often force fed grains to speed up the growing process so they can be butchered faster and mass produced. Conditions can be extremely poor, and animal cruelty is likely to occur within mass produced slaughter houses where cows are force fed grains. 

Cows are not made to eat grain, they are made to eat grass. This creates health problems and illness for the cattle and results in the administration of antibiotics, which humans end up consuming (you know the saying; “you eat what you’re animal eats.”) Grain also has a large effect of the nutrient composition of the beef. It is important to prioritize beef that has been grass fed their entire lives because it is possible that grass fed beef has less total fat, more omega-3 fatty acids that are beneficial to the human body, more conjugated linoleic acid that may reduce heart disease and cancer risks, and more antioxidant vitamins. The understanding that grass fed beef is the healthier option is growing, which means more companies are trying to market that their cows are “grass fed.” This can be misleading because some cows may be grass fed but indoor to “grass finish”, slaughtered prematurely, or even grain finished.  

Grain finished beef refers to cows that have been grass fed their entire lives until the last stage before being butchered. During the last 90 to 160 days of their life, they are fed grains to fatten them quickly before being slaughtered. Grass fed beef is a step above grain finished beef, but the disadvantages are still present. Grass fed beef simply means that the cattle were allowed to roam around and graze for their food while having continuous access to the pasture. Grass fed can be misleading because the animal may be slaughtered while still in the growth stage. This is where the term grass finished becomes important. Grass finished still has all the requirements that grass fed has, such as the cattle being allowed to roam and search for its own foods. However, the cattle is slaughtered when they are physically mature in skeleton, muscle, and fatty tissue rather than being butchered prematurely. No grain is ever fed to the grass finished cows. 

In short, opt for the “organic - grass finished” beef, that will be your best purchase to promote healthy living for yourself and for the cattle as well.