Nutritional benefits of grass-fed beef vs. grain-fed beef

There are numerous studies on the health advantages of grass-fed beef compared to grain-fed beef. We have compiled information from various sources to include published books, articles and academic studies and are accompanied by a footnote. Please see a list of resources at the end and visit our Links page for other informational sites.

Grass-fed meats are much lower in total fat than grain-fed. When meat is lean, it actually lowers your LDL cholesterol levels. [1]

Data from J. Animal Sci 80(5):1202-11.

Products from pastured animals contain the amounts and kinds of nutrients that your body needs and expects. By switching to grass-fed products the risk of incurring a number of diseases, including diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, cancer and immune disorders such as arthritis and asthma are significantly reduced.

Since grass-fed beef is so lean, it is also lower in calories; it contains approximately 30 % fewer calories. The greater the fat content, the greater the number of calories; grass-fed beef has almost 100 fewer calories per 6-ounce serving than grain-fed due to less fat. If you eat a typical amount of beef (66.5 pounds a year), switching to grass-fed beef will save you 17,733 calories a year, without requiring any willpower or change in your eating habits. If everything else in your diet remains constant, you will lose about six pounds a year. If all Americans switched to grass fed meat, our national epidemic of obesity might begin to diminish.

Omega-3s Benefits. Omega-3s are most abundant in seafood and certain nuts and seeds such as flaxseeds and walnuts, but they are also found in pastured animals. Although grass-fed meat is low in total fat, it has two to six times more omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s are "good fats" that play a vital role in every cell and system in your body. Of all the fats, they are the most heart-friendly. People who have ample amounts of omega-3s in their diet are less likely to have high blood pressure or an irregular heartbeat. Remarkably, they are 50 percent less likely to suffer a heart attack. [2]

Omega-3s are essential for your brain as well. People with a diet rich in omega-3s are less likely to suffer from mental disorders such as depression, schizophrenia, attention deficit disorder (hyperactivity), or Alzheimer's disease. [3]

Another benefit of omega-3s is that they may reduce your risk of cancer. Animal studies suggest that people with cancer who have high levels of omega-3s in their tissues may respond better to chemotherapy than people with low levels. They may also hasten recovery from cancer surgery. [4, 5, 6]

When cattle are taken off omega-3 rich grass and shipped to a feedlot, its supply of omega-3s is diminished. [7] The graph below illustrates this steady decline.

Data from: J Animal Sci (1993) 71(8):2079-88.

Switching our livestock from their natural diet of grass to large amounts of grain is one of the reasons our modern diet is deficient in these essential fats. It has been estimated that only 40 percent of Americans consume a sufficient supply of omega-3 fatty acids. Twenty percent have levels so low that they cannot be detected. [8] Switching to grass-fed animal products is one way to restore this vital nutrient to your diet.

The CLA Bonus. Meat and dairy products from grass-fed ruminants are the richest known source of another type of good fat called "conjugated linoleic acid" or CLA. When ruminants are raised on fresh pasture alone, their products contain from three to five times more CLA than products from animals fed conventional diets. [9] CLA helps convert fat to lean muscle. Research suggests it may play an important role in preventing and slowing the growth of cancer; [In the past two decades research has shown several health benefits from CLA; including a decline in cancer,] lowering the risk of heart disease, onset of diabetes and accumulation of body fat.

CLA may be one of our most potent defenses against cancer. In laboratory animals, a very small percentage of CLA (a mere 0.1 percent of total calories) greatly reduced tumor growth. [10] There is new evidence that CLA may also reduce cancer risk in humans. In a Finnish study, women who had the highest levels of CLA in their diet had a 60 percent lower risk of breast cancer. Switching from grain fed to grass fed meat and dairy products places women in this lowest risk category. [11] Researcher Tilak Dhiman from Utah State University estimates that you may be able to lower your risk of cancer simply by eating the following grass fed products each day: one glass of whole milk, one ounce of cheese, and one serving of meat. You would have to eat five times that amount of grain fed meat and dairy products to get the same level of protection.

Vitamin E. Most Americans are deficient in vitamin E. Meat from grass-fed cattle is higher in vitamin E. The graph below shows vitamin E levels in meat from: 1) feedlot cattle, 2) feedlot cattle given high doses of synthetic vitamin E (1,000 IU per day), and 3) cattle raised and finished on fresh pasture with no added supplements. The meat from the pastured cattle is four times higher in vitamin E than the meat from the feedlot cattle and, interestingly, almost twice as high as the meat from the feedlot cattle given vitamin E supplements. [12] In humans, vitamin E is linked with a lower risk of heart disease and cancer. This potent antioxidant may also have anti-aging properties.

Data from: Smith, G.C. "Dietary supplementation of vitamin E to cattle to improve shelf life and case life of beef for domestic and international markets." Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523-1171

Other Vitamins. Today's leaner beef continues to be a major dietary source of protein, iron, zinc and the family of B vitamins. Grass-fed beef also contains twice as much beta-carotene as grain-fed beef. Beta-carotene helps lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer. The body converts beta-carotene to vitamin A.

Vitamin A is a critical vitamin that is essential for vision, bone growth, reproduction, cell division and cell differentiation. Grass-fed beef contains five times more vitamin A than grain-fed beef.

A good source of iron in the body helps keep us alert, energetic and healthy. Red meat, particularly beef, is our best source of iron and is more readily absorbed by the body than iron found in legumes, grains or green vegetables.

Zinc is a component of every living cell in the body. It is essential for growth and reproduction, night vision, digestion and appetite (enhancing our sense of taste and smell). Zinc is critical for maintaining the body's immune system and healing process.

B vitamins regulate the many chemical reactions in your body necessary to promote growth and maintain health. Some help to release energy, some help maintain good vision and healthy skin, and others are involved in the manufacture of red blood cells. Vitamin B12 is only found in foods of animal origin such as beef.

Source: http://www.eatwild.com/healthbenefits.htm