Tuesday, March 7, 2017

Health Benefits Of Grass Fed Meats Omaha

By Anna Stevens


For all those people who love beef but have limited their consumption for health reasons, there is good news. Grass fed meats Omaha style have a lot of the positives of good protein and dense nutrition with a much lower list of negatives. Pastured meat also tastes great and is humanely raised. A win win for all!

Consider the way most of the beef in this country is raised. Half-grown cattle are confined in crowded pens called feedlots, where they have no access to their natural pasturage. They are fed concentrated feeds - hay and grain - that make them gain weight rapidly. The feed does not contain the nutrients found in fresh, mixed grassland plants, so it's hardly surprising that the meat from these animals is low in food value.

Grass fed beef contains much less fat than conventional beef, being one-third to one-half lower in fat content. This means that it is heart-healthier and much lower in calories. Fat has more calories per gram than protein or fiber. Anyone who wants to lower their saturated fat consumption (and their triglycerides and cholesterol), take note.

Of course, there is also grass-fed chicken. This is another humane award winner. Anyone who knows chickens knows how much they love to run around pecking at things, roll in the dust and spread their wings in the sunshine, and maybe eat a bug or worm. Even their eggs are more nutritious than the ones sold from caged birds, and the meat is flavorful and tender.

There are many essential fatty acids which we must get from our diet or by supplementation. Grass-fed meats are rich in Omega-3s, the fatty acids that are also found in wild-caught fish. Those who don't care for fish will be happy to know that they can get their EPA and DHA from pastured meat. LNA is another one that people cannot manufacture within their bodies but must get from foods; this one comes from fresh grass that animals eat. CLA is needed for the proper digestion of saturated fats; there is almost none in feedlot raised beef and confined chickens.

These essential fatty acids have been shown to be invaluable for the health of our hearts, skin, and brains. They help fight the effects of aging, lessen anxiety and depression, slow the advent of Alzheimer's and other degenerative diseases, and keep our hearts healthy and our blood pressure low. They are high on the list of anti-cancer nutrients. Children who are given fatty acids in supplement form have fewer behavioral problems and are less hyperactive.

Meats are only a part of the grass-fed story. People now are searching out eggs, milk, and cheese from free-ranging animals. They are getting Vitamin E and C as well as all those beneficial fatty acids, dense protein, and minerals. Those who want to have a healthy diet and also want to support humane farming have many good ways to do both. It's nice to use your dollars in a way that benefits small producers as well as the animals themselves.

Omaha, Nebraska, has long been known as a meat-packing center. It's name is associated with the finest meat. Look for websites that contain information about the health benefits of pastured meat and the ways to get it.




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