The Benefits Of Grass Fed, Organic Beef

Much of the cattle used to produce tasty, tender beef are fed with grass. The advantages of grass fed cattle are far superior to those consuming diets laced with chemicals and other additives. Believe it or not, these facts are upheld by hundreds of years’ worth of research, indicating that grass fed cattle are a far healthier choice.

Even so, consumers have to be careful when selecting meat. Unless they go out of their way to make sure that they are buying meat from producers of grass fed cattle, they could be in for a shock. If one thinks the differences between the two feeding methods have tiny effects on consumers - think again. Research in nutrition journals has shown that cattle who eat solely grass result in beef which have less fat. This is an important factor in having a healthy heart. This isn’t a minor health issue but directly tied to premature heart attacks and early heart disease.

Those who are keeping track of their cholesterol can have the peace of mind, knowing that grass fed cattle will be better for them. But it isn’t only the heart that is affected by choosing one type of beef over another. Vitamins A and E and other nutrients may be higher in the grass fed beef.

Of course, the taste test is an important factor when choosing food. Luckily, those who ate grass fed beef typically reported that the meat tasted far superior to other types of beef. Not only that but they weren’t exposed to dangerous chemicals. Although research is still being done, there has been evidence that the chemicals given to some cattle may result in early puberty and hormonal changes in children and young adults. This is simply another strong reason to choose grass fed cattle.

True, using chemicals and grains can result in a very high fat beef product, one that consumers may be trained to think is desirable. However, cattle producers started using this practice to cut costs and not to focus on the health of those eating the beef. Consumers need to be pro-active about their health and realize that producers’ focus on cost cutting may come at the expense of people’s health.

As grass fed cattle are allowed to graze on healthy, organic land, they also live less stressful lives. This lack of stress translates into tastier beef. They are also given fewer hormones and antibiotics in addition to those required by law, and who wants to eat these? These are not only unnecessary, but may do far more harm than good to consumers. The quantities that are administered usually are also far less than are given to chemically-fed cattle.

One major concern with antibiotics is that of acquired resistance to the medications. When the cattle given these excess antibiotics acquire resistance, diseases will spread far more rapidly, and some of these diseased cattle may be made into beef. This will result in higher beef recalls and greater risk to customers. This is far less likely to occur with grass fed cattle, and the meat tastes better besides, making it a win win situation for consumers.