Why grass raised beef?
You have probably heard that beef consumption is linked to heart disease. That can be true but it’s not the whole story. The heart disease link is with Grain-fed animals – but animals fed only grass have some huge benefits for your health.
First of all, we must recognize that the body needs certain nutrients in order to “take care of business” on a daily basis. Taking care of business includes insuring proper cell growth, regulation and function. One essential element we must have (the body can’t make it) is fatty acids. We need a regular supply of Essential Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids. The ideal ratio is 2 Omega 3 to one Omega 6. Most people get a ratio of between 15:1 to 50:1. That is where the trouble starts and the link to disease comes in.
What’s the benefit of grass-fed beef?
Omega 3’s are found abundantly in seafood and some nuts and seeds like flax and walnuts, as well as grass fed beef, lamb, bison and wild meats. The Omega 3 in meat is much more available for our body than the omega 3 from plants so that make meat our main, and most dependable source. We get too much Omega 6 in our diets which is found in over-abundance in grains and vegetable oils (Olive oil or coconut oil are the best to use.)
Omega 3 is found in the chloroplasts of green leaves and algae. Cattle eat the Omega 3’s in grass and put it in their fat. Cattle switched from omega 3 rich grass, and put on omega 6 rich grains, lose the omega 3 fat benefits in their own fat in a short time. The same thing happens in eggs from Chickens deprived of greens have a similar effect.
Grass-fed meat has 2 to 3 times the amount of Omega 3’s than grain-fed animals.
So what happens when we get lots of omega 3’s? Here are some important changes that happen in our body. Lower blood pressure, less heart beat irregularity and 50% less likely to suffer heart attack. In addition, you see lower bad “LDL” cholesterol levels. (1)
The brain needs plentiful amounts of omega 3’s too, and getting it can result in less depression, ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) or Alzheimer’s disease. (2)
And we don’t have to stop there. Omega 3’s have been shown to slow cancer growth and keep cancers from spreading. As well as speed surgery recovery and protect the body from weight loss which goes along with advanced cancer. (3)
Grass-fed meats are lower in total fat and calories.
As if all that isn’t enough. Grass fed meats can have 1/3 as much fat as grain fed meats. That is about the same as elk, wild deer, skinless chicken breast and other lean meats. If you eat a typical amount of beef (66 pounds a year) and switch to grass fed beef, you could save approximately 18,000 calories a year. Without any other changes you would lose about six pounds a year.
So, for your health, look into supplying grass-fed meat to your family. And, for the record, it tastes great too.
1. Siscovick, D. S., T. E. Raghunathan, et al. (1995). “Dietary Intake and Cell Membrane Levels of Long-Chain n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and the Risk of Primary Cardiac Arrest.” JAMA 274(17): 1363-1367. 2. Simopolous, A. P. and Jo Robinson (1999). The Omega Diet. New York, HarperCollins. My previous book, a collaboration with Dr. Artemis P. Simopoulos, devotes an entire chapter to the vital role that omega-3s play in brain function. 3. Rose, D. P., J. M. Connolly, et al. (1995). “Influence of Diets Containing Eicosapentaenoic or Docasahexaenoic Acid on Growth and Metastasis of Breast Cancer Cells in Nude Mice.” Journal of the National Cancer Institute 87(8): 587-92.