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Grass Fed Vs. Grain Fed Beef

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Grass Fed vs. Grain Fed Beef

Once upon a time, there was no such thing as "Organic" produce or "Grass Fed Beef". There was simply "produce" and "beef". The advent of pesticides, irradiation, hormones and antibiotics changed the way we cultivate our food supply. They also turned our food vocabulary on its head. Food processing is now so common, that we refer to food in its natural state with qualifying adjectives rather than the other way around.

All other things being equal, we bet that most people would choose to eat unprocessed food. But obviously, not all things are equal. Price, flavor, availability, size, color and a host of other factors are impacted by processing food. What we will explore in this lens are the differences between Grass Fed Beef and Grain Fed Beef, the advantages and disadvantages of each.

(Photo by F Delventhal)

Grass Fed Beef

What exactly is grass fed beef?

Grass fed beef comes from cattle raised entirely on grass, pasture and other forage. Prior to World War II all beef was grass fed. For the first six to twelve months of their lives, all cattle graze on pasture. Grass fed beef, however, refers only to beef from cattle who spend their whole lives eating nothing but grasses.

Grain Fed Beef

What exactly is grain fed beef?

Grain fed beef comes from cattle raised on a diet comprised of grain (corn, soy, barley) as well as other ingredients. Although grain fed cattle do spend the first months of their lives feeding on grasses, once they reach a certain age they are typically moved from pasture-land and "finished" in feed-lots where a grain-based diet is used.

Grass Fed Beef - Characteristics

What difference does it make if beef is grass fed or grain fed? What are the advantages and disadvantages?

Grass fed beef has different characteristics from grain fed beef. You could call them pros and cons, but one person's pro might be another person's con. You be the judge:

Grass fed beef:
  • is leaner
  • lacks fat marbling
  • has higher levels of Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA)
  • has higher levels of Omega-3 fatty acids (ALA, EPA, DHA)
  • has a distinct grass or game flavor
  • has higher levels of beta-carotene
  • can be chewier, drier and yellower due to the higher levels of beta-carotene

Grain Fed Beef - Characteristics

What difference does it make if beef is grass fed or grain fed? What are the advantages and disadvantages?

Grain fed beef has different characteristics from grass fed beef. You could call them pros and cons, but one person's pro might be another person's con. You be the judge:

Grain-fed beef:
  • has more internal fat (marbling)
  • is more tender
  • has a milder flavor
  • is usually less expensive

StickyNote

Did you know?

Before World War II, all beef was grass fed.

Grass Fed vs. Grain Fed - Health Issues

Are there health benefits to choosing one type of beef over the other?

Grass fed beef is being "re-discovered" and is gaining in popularity due to the perceived health benefits derived from consuming grass fed rather than grain fed beef. Some of the bad rap that grain fed beef has received lately, however, stems more from the feed-lot practices rather than from the grain feeding itself.

Grain fed cattle are usually "finished" in feed-lots. This environment can be unhealthy due to several factors such as over-crowding and dirty conditions. Because of this, antibiotics are often added to the cattle feed, and these antibiotics then find their way into the meat.

Not all grain fed beef, however, is raised in crowded feed-lots, and it would be unfair to assume that all grain fed beef is raised with these unhealthy practices.

Grass fed beef contains nutrients which contribute in different ways to greater health: higher levels of CLAs (helps lower LDL cholesterol, helps lower the risk of heart disease, diabetes and some cancers); Omega-3 fatty acids (helps reduce blood pressure and helps prevent cardiovascular disease, arthritis and depression); beta-carotene (helps the immune system) and Vitamin E (helps prevent cardiovascular disease and some cancers.)

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Grass Fed Beef vs. Grain Fed Beef

Do you have a preference for grass fed beef or grain fed beef?

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Grass Fed vs. Grain Fed - Cooking Methods

Should grass fed and grain fed beef be cooked differently?

Since the vast majority of the beef sold today in the United States is grain fed, most people are familiar with the best methods for cooking grain fed beef. Some cuts need to be cooked low and slow, some turn out better when seared at very high heat. So, the question is, does grass fed beef need to be treated any differently?

In a word, yes.

Since grass fed beef tends to have less fat, extra care must be taken to not dry it out. Some ways of doing this include brushing it with olive oil, marinating it, and using medium high heat. When turning grass fed beef you should use tongs, If you use a fork you risk losing the juices. Of course, you lose the juices if you use a fork to turn grain fed beef too, but since grass fed beef has less juice, so it is even more important to retain it. Grass fed beef should be brought to room temperature before cooking, but not in a microwave. And after it is cooked it should sit for 5-10 minutes.

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Grass Fed Beef vs. Grain Fed Beef - Cost

Grass fedbeef usually costs more than grain fed beef.

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Important!

The Most Important Thing

Remember, whether you prefer grass fed beef or grain fed beef, the most important thing is to purchase quality beef from a reputable source.

Link List

Nutrition Journal | Full text | A review of fatty acid profiles and antioxidant content in grass-fed and grain-fed beef
Growing consumer interest in grass-fed beef products has raised a number of questions with regard to the perceived differences in nutritional quality between grass-fed and grain-fed cattle. Research spanning three decades suggests that grass-based diets can significantly improve the fatty acid (FA)
Greener Pastures: How Grass-fed Beef and Milk Contribute to Healthy Eating (2006) | Union of Concerned Scientists
Report by Dr. Kate Clancy of the Union of Concerned Scientists explores how grass-fed beef and milk contribute to healthy eating
Cattle feeding - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cattle feeding
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  
The grass-fed vs. grain-fed beef debate - CNN.com
A large herd's worth of beef cattle has passed through the Cooking Light Test Kitchen over the past 24 years, almost all of it standard-issue, grain-fed supermarket meat.
Hearst Ranch
Since 1865, the Hearst family has raised cattle on the rich sustainable native grasslands of the Central California coast. The result is beef with extraordinary flavor that's as memorable and natural as the surrounding landscape.
Eat Wild
Eat Wild - The clearinghouse for information about pasture-based farming.
Grass Fed Traditions!
Grass Fed Traditions is your source for grass-fed meat and dairy products.
Silver Springs Ranch and Alhambra Valley Beef
Grass fed beef, hormone free, no antibiotics, no growth hormones, slow food, stress free, open environment.
Grass Fed vs. Grain Fed Beef?
Lucies Farm - Grass Fed vs. Grain Fed Beef?
The Differences Between Grass-Fed Beef and Grain-Fed Beef | Mark's Daily Apple
When making the transition into the Primal way of life, a lot of people get tripped up on the question of grass-fed beef. Is it necessary? (No.) Is there really that big a difference between conventional beef and grass-fed beef? (Kinda.) What does grass-fed actually mean?
Why Grass-Fed?
Cattle, like all other ruminants, developed on this Earth eating green leafy plants, mostly grass. They ate virtually no grain.
Grass-fed beef vs. Grain Fed beef - General Chowhounding Topics - Chowhound
Everyone who likes steak loves a nicely marbled piece of meat. But what about grass fed beef... The flavor can be very different. Anyone who's tried grass-fed beef care to weigh-in?
La Cense Beef
La Cense Grass Fed Beef get its flavor from the nutrients in the soil and the clean air and waters at our Montana ranch after being aged for 19 days, locking in that succulent, juicy flavor. This helps make our grass fed beef both savory and rich%u2026to give you, your family, and friends a truly enjoyable, and flavorful dining experience.

We believe La Cense Beef offers the best beef that nature has to offer. Which is why we guarantee your 100% satisfaction or your money back. So give our tasty trial offer below a try risk-free - it includes FREE Steakburgers and our NY Strip Steaks, recently voted #1 by the Wall Street Journal!
Grass-Fed Beef
Grass-Fed Beef
Have you ever heard a dietitian tell folks to go down to the "Top Notch" Supermarket and stock up on all the USDA Prime beef they can find? That's right, have you heard a dietitian tell folks to buy the fattest meat they can find?
Of course, the answer is flat out "No!"
Organic Grass-Fed Beef - Richer in Omega 3 Fatty Acids
Provide yourself and your family with high quality animal protein from organic grass fed beef by learning the truth about natural and real beef.
Niman Ranch
Niman Ranch produces the finest tasting all natural meats by raising livestock traditionally, humanely, and sustainably on more than 650 U.S. family farms and ranches.
Harris Ranch Beef Companies
Harris Ranch Beef Company
Defining grass fed beef: Don't be scammed by companies playing word games
Every day new studies and information demonstrate the health benefits of eating grass fed beef.
How to Find and Buy the Best Meat On Line
In Missouri, we raise some of the finest prime beef anywhere in the state. Because it's grass fed and processed locally.
Grass fed Vs. Corn Fed Beef
Grass fed Vs. Corn Fed Beef The top arguments for grass fed beef just don't stand up. If people preferred grass fed, the sales numbers would support that.
The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan
What's for dinner is the question that sets Pollan on a quest for the perfect meal.

Books on Grass Fed Beef

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You Will Have No Beef With The Big Green Egg!

The perfect place to grill your beef is on the Big Green Egg. The perfect place to check out all the best Big Green Egg links is on our lens!
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New Guestbook Comments

  • naheedahsan Mar 21, 2012 @ 1:19 pm | delete
    Great info here,enjoyed the read
  • GenesisLabs Jan 20, 2012 @ 10:35 am | delete
    Very interesting and thorough lens. Thanks.
  • 2muchtrash Nov 13, 2011 @ 4:01 pm | delete
    I am a Kiwi but have lived in California for the past almost 10 years. I do not like marbling in my beef and yet that is what is commonly available. I guess I have been spoiled by being raised on grass fed beef, and I really crave a good quality beef steak. Oh well......
  • CruiseReady Nov 13, 2011 @ 10:26 am | delete
    I am reminded that, due to the extreme drought conditions in a huge chunk of the US this year, there just wasn't enough grass to go around ... many tarmers and ranchers had to reduce their herd, as even bailed hay rose to untennable prices.
  • kiwinana71 Nov 8, 2011 @ 5:19 pm | delete
    Very interesting lens enjoyed the read. We are farmers and our animals are all feed on their mothers milk, weaned and grass feed. Thanks for sharing. Blessed.
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