Grass Fed Bullshit

No doubt you have heard somewhere that grass fed beef is better (or at least less bad) for you than than beef from cattle raised on grains. Well, its true. If you are going to eat beef (you are far better off limiting your consumption of beef, including grass fed) then grass fed beef has many health benefits over grain fed.

Compared to grain fed, grass fed beef has higher levels of vitamins, antioxidants and many other nutrients. It has significantly higher levels of Omega-3 fatty acid (anti-inflammatory) and lower levels of Omega-6 fatty acid (pro-inflammatory), less pesticide residue and less antibiotics.

So what's the problem?

There are no federally mandated standards for what constitutes "grass fed" or for the using the term "grass fed" in labeling. Like "Natural" or "Supports", anyone can label beef "grass fed" if the cattle had ANY grass in their diet ever. It is common to graze cattle early in their lives and then switch them to a grain diet to add weight before slaughter.

What to do?

Look for labeling indicating that the beef has been certified by the American Grassfed Association (AmericanGrassfed.org) or the Food Alliance (FoodAlliance.org). These are both reliable, independent organizations. To be certified, animals must have lived on pasture and eaten a grass diet their entire lives.

Another good option is to buy beef from a local farm. You can often find this at larger farmer's markets.

The bottom line here is the same as it always is. Food labeling is designed to mislead you, if not outright lie to you. It will skirt the law in every way. So be skeptical.