One of the modern trends that has people talking is the switch to naturally and humanely raised meat. Grass fed beef and pork are now available in supermarkets, as well as at farmer's markets and farm stores. There are documented health benefits to eating meat from animals that have never been fed grain, as well as the satisfaction of supporting a more natural way of life for animals that are raised for food.
A great deal of research has been done on beef to compare the meat from pasture-raised cattle with that from a feedlot. Pastured pork is a more recently introduced product, and it's hard to find the same information for it. Both animals are raised commercially in large numbers. Conventionally, steers are confined to feedlots, with no access to green grass. This causes them to grow them rapidly to desired size, to be tender, and to 'finish' them for market. Pigs, which grow very fast and convert feed to meat efficiently, are often raised in complete confinement and never have neither an interesting nor a comfortable life.
Comparing grass-fed meat and tallow to that of a grain-finished animal is interesting. Research has found that the Omega-3 content of grass-fed is significantly higher than conventional meat, which has a greater concentration of Omega-6 fatty acids. Since most American diets are low, if not deficient, in Omega-3 fatty acids, which are important for heart and brain health, it make sense to try to get them wherever you can.
Research has shown that grass-fed beef is not necessarily lower in total fat content than the product of feedlots. However, there are differences in the kind of fat in each meat. A fatty acid called CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) that helps the human body convert animal fats into energy rather than storing them in fat cells is higher in pastured meat; in fact, feedlot animals lose this fatty acid from their tissues as they consume their grain-based feed.
There are some interesting research findings online, from gas chromatography studies sponsored by the Weston A. Price Foundation, an organization that is dedicated to health through whole, untainted foods. This study examines polyunsaturated fats as well as saturated fats in beef, and compares feedlot meat to that from pasture-raised and finished animals.
Many consumers don't want traces of herbicides, pesticides, and chemical fertilizers in their food. They also want to avoid genetically modified foods, as well as animals fed on them. They feel that animals raised on natural pasture - green grass and the other plants that are native to the area - are healthier and provide more vitamins and minerals to those who eat them. Grass-fed meat is often proudly produced without the use of antibiotics or hormones.
Pastured animals also are 'greener' than those confined to pens or feedlots. The run-off from factory farms is a major source of water pollution, and the production of so-called 'greenhouse gases' is much higher from feedlots than from a field of happy cows with room to roam and a diet of mixed grasses and native plants. Neighbors are happier, too, without the smells and humane-farming concerns of large commercial farms.
Pastured animals are happier and healthier. This trend in sustainable, humane farming practices is worthy of support. It's also a healthier way to eat.
A great deal of research has been done on beef to compare the meat from pasture-raised cattle with that from a feedlot. Pastured pork is a more recently introduced product, and it's hard to find the same information for it. Both animals are raised commercially in large numbers. Conventionally, steers are confined to feedlots, with no access to green grass. This causes them to grow them rapidly to desired size, to be tender, and to 'finish' them for market. Pigs, which grow very fast and convert feed to meat efficiently, are often raised in complete confinement and never have neither an interesting nor a comfortable life.
Comparing grass-fed meat and tallow to that of a grain-finished animal is interesting. Research has found that the Omega-3 content of grass-fed is significantly higher than conventional meat, which has a greater concentration of Omega-6 fatty acids. Since most American diets are low, if not deficient, in Omega-3 fatty acids, which are important for heart and brain health, it make sense to try to get them wherever you can.
Research has shown that grass-fed beef is not necessarily lower in total fat content than the product of feedlots. However, there are differences in the kind of fat in each meat. A fatty acid called CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) that helps the human body convert animal fats into energy rather than storing them in fat cells is higher in pastured meat; in fact, feedlot animals lose this fatty acid from their tissues as they consume their grain-based feed.
There are some interesting research findings online, from gas chromatography studies sponsored by the Weston A. Price Foundation, an organization that is dedicated to health through whole, untainted foods. This study examines polyunsaturated fats as well as saturated fats in beef, and compares feedlot meat to that from pasture-raised and finished animals.
Many consumers don't want traces of herbicides, pesticides, and chemical fertilizers in their food. They also want to avoid genetically modified foods, as well as animals fed on them. They feel that animals raised on natural pasture - green grass and the other plants that are native to the area - are healthier and provide more vitamins and minerals to those who eat them. Grass-fed meat is often proudly produced without the use of antibiotics or hormones.
Pastured animals also are 'greener' than those confined to pens or feedlots. The run-off from factory farms is a major source of water pollution, and the production of so-called 'greenhouse gases' is much higher from feedlots than from a field of happy cows with room to roam and a diet of mixed grasses and native plants. Neighbors are happier, too, without the smells and humane-farming concerns of large commercial farms.
Pastured animals are happier and healthier. This trend in sustainable, humane farming practices is worthy of support. It's also a healthier way to eat.
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