Is pasture fed beef better for you? YES, according to a peer reviewed article by Daley et al [1]. Compared to grain fed beef, pasture fed beef has:
- Better HDL/LDL ratios
- Higher concentrations of beneficial fatty acid such as CLA, creating a better Omega-3 to Omega-6 ratio
- Higher concentrations of precursors for vitamins A and E
- Higher concentrations of antioxidants such as GT and SOD
In order to get these benefits, the beef has to be 100% pasture fed. Even a few weeks of ‘finishing on grain’, which is the standard in the UK, will negatively alter its biochemical properties. Look for 100% pasture fed beef, ideally certified by the Pasture for Life Association. Beef – if grown right – is the ultimate super-food and the only food people can live on exclusively. Cattle have lived alongside us for centuries, producing delicious and nutritious food from materials we cannot digest, and from terrain we cannot cultivate. It’s an evolutionary marvel. Do we need to do away with industrial beef production? Absolutely! How can we all play our part in that? By supporting farmers that are doing the right thing. Noam