6 Benefits of Grass Fed Beef

There are many reasons to choose grass fed beef over grain fed cattle. Open pasture cattle farms are better for the environment, the methods of raising and slaughtering grass fed cattle is usually much more humane and grass fed cows are typically not given harmful antibiotics and hormones. Grain fed cattle raised at feedlots are also much more likely to consume chicken manure, garbage and other waste products in addition to the grain. Grass fed beef not only has more nutrients than grain fed beef, but less unhealthy and dangerous content as well.

Here are 6 health benefits of grass fed beef:

Healthier Fat

Grass fed beef is not only much leaner than the grain fed variety, it contains twice as many omega 3 fatty acids. These "healthy fats" are essential to human nutrition and are even beneficial to cardiovascular health.

Lower Cholesterol

Grass fed beef has lower levels of cholesterol than grain fed beef. High cholesterol has damaging effects on the cardiovascular system and can increase the risk of heart disease and heart attack.

Antioxidants

The amount of vitamin A, vitamin E and other antioxidants in grass fed beef dwarfs that in grain fed beef. These antioxidants play a critical role in fighting free radical cell damage and protecting the body from cancer and age-related sickness and disease.

Conjugated Linoleic Acid

Grass fed beef has twice as many conjugated linoleic acid isomers (CLAs), another healthy fat, as regular beef. CLAs have anti-cancer properties and are believed to lower the risk of developing diabetes.

E. Coli

According to researchers at Cornell University, cows fed a diet of grain have about 300 times more E. coli bacteria in their stomachs than those fed a grass diet. E. coli obtained from grass fed beef also has a greater tolerance to human acidic defenses and is much more likely to make a person sick.

Antibiotic Resistance

Grain fed cattle, especially those crammed into tiny feedlots, are extremely prone to sickness and disease. For this reason, they are often fed copious amounts of antibiotics to keep them alive and to stimulate their growth. Eating the beef of these cattle can lead to antibiotic resistance in humans. Grass fed cattle are far less likely to get sick or to be given any antibiotics at all.