Grass Fed Meat: Healthy or Hyped?

It's late summer, and chances are high that you've got a barbecue or 3 in your very near future. There are usually plenty of healthy and simple salads and veggie sides to nibble on, but if those plans include a burger or steak on the barbie you may want to think twice about the kind of meat you're eating. There's a lot of hype surrounding grass feed meat and dairy, but does it really matter so much?  The answer is yes, yes, YES!  Grain-fed beef and grass-fed beef are essentially two different foods altogether. Here are 6 reasons why:

1. FEWER CALORIES Grass-fed beef is significantly lower in (the less healthy kind) of fat and calories than grain-fed.

2. MORE OMEGAS Grass-fed beef is a great source of Omega 3 fatty acids, and CLA (a fatty acid linked to weight loss, preventing cancer, and improved brain function.) Grain-fed meat is not.  In fact, grass-fed has 2-4 times the amount of Omega 3's than grain-fed!

3. ADDITIVE FREE Grass-fed beef is typically hormone and antibiotic free, which is great because you probably didn't sign up for steroid toppings or a side of estrogen with that cheeseburger.  

“You probably didn’t sign up for steroid toppings or a side of estrogen with that cheeseburger. ”

4. BETTER FAT The fat in grass-fed beef is far more nutrient dense than grain-fed. The more yellow fat represents higher levels of essentials including vitamin E, A and beta carotene.

5. REAL FOOD Grain-fed animals are fattened on feed lots, eating things like GMO corn and grain - sometimes mixed with all kinds of yucky stuff like chicken feathers and even stale gummy bears.  

6. BETTER FOR EVERYONE Raising grass-fed cows is much more sustainable and safer for the environment.

So, yes true grass-fed beef is more expensive than the standard; but when it comes to what you put in your body, who wants the cheap stuff?  You may pay less now, but a future of doctors and hospital visits to cure chronic illness will cost much more down the line.  So think of it as an investment in your future, and go grass-fed!