When we shop there are so many questions a label asks us - Organic? Hormone free? Additive free? Etc. Lets focus on a great starting place….. If you are a beef eater, I highly recommend looking for GRASS-FED on the label. Are you asking yourself why right now? Why would a cow be fed anything but grass & hay? If you’re curious to know more, keep reading….
80% of cows eat a diet consisting of gmo corn, soy and DDGS – distillers dried grains with solubles. As one can imagine, these foods do not nourish humans so how could they nourish the cows we eat? The reason grain-feed is commonly used throughout the cattle market is because it allows cattle to reach their target end-weight quicker and also increases the amount of marbling that so many of us love because of the flavor and tenderness it provides. When the cattle eats grain-feed its body becomes stressed as this is not a natural form of food for it just like if you were to give a guinea pig a steak to eat, it cannot process it, resulting in stress hormone to be released. Stress hormone goes into the meat which results in more tender meat; however, we can question the quality of our stress-filled beef now. Since I likely ruined grain-fed beef for you, let me apply the icing on the cake – grain-fed beef is at the top of the inflammatory charts. If you didn’t know, now you know.
Ok, grass-fed time!! Cattle grazing in the grass produce meats higher in vitamins and antioxidants, with twice the amount of omega-3 fatty acids. Another bonus to grass-fed beef is it contains about twice as much conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) which has been proven to possess anti-carcinogenic, anti-obese, anti-diabetic, and antihypertensive properties – ummmmm yes, we all need those bonuses!! Grass-fed cattle give us leaner, nutritious meat with lower calories and fat. As you scan your labels, try to find those magical words: GRASS-FED.
PS: try and grab Grass-fed dairy items too (i.e., yogurt, cheese, milk, etc.)
Check out some of my favorite grass-fed options at local shops & be sure to let me know what you think of them!
Costco: sous-vide sliced grass-fed beef sirloin.
Whole foods: Chomps beef sticks - Organic rancher grass-fed ground beef - the organic meat co grass fed burgers - force of nature ground venison - Teton waters ranch
Stop & Shop: Natures promise 100% grass-fed – Kettle & Fire grass fed bone broth – chomps beef sticks
Trader Joes: Organic ground beef 100% grass fed
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