One of the modern trends that has people talking is the switch to naturally and humanely raised meat. Grass fed beef and pork are now available in supermarkets, as well as at farmer's markets and farm stores. There are documented health benefits to eating meat from animals that have never been fed grain, as well as the satisfaction of supporting a more natural way of life for animals that are raised for food.
Much research has been done on beef that is produced without the use of grain. Fewer studies have been published on pork or chicken, but it's known that the animals raised on pasture are healthier and happier. Pigs will grow to market size in crowded pens, but it's a horrendous life for the animals to be confined from birth to slaughter. Pasturing pigs is a much more humane way to raise pork for human consumption.
Tests have shown that pastured meats, from animals raised on grass and never fed grain, are much higher in Omega-3 fatty acids. These nutrients, known to be good for the brain and the heart, are often deficient in American diets. Omega-6 fatty acids, however, are plentiful in liquid vegetable oils, which many people consume as oils or in baked goods. Meat from cattle fattened and 'finished' in feedlots, on a diet of grain and plant products like beet pulp, is high in Omega-6.
Research has shown that grass-fed beef is not necessarily lower in total fat content than the product of feedlots. However, there are differences in the kind of fat in each meat. A fatty acid called CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) that helps the human body convert animal fats into energy rather than storing them in fat cells is higher in pastured meat; in fact, feedlot animals lose this fatty acid from their tissues as they consume their grain-based feed.
There are some interesting research findings online, from gas chromatography studies sponsored by the Weston A. Price Foundation, an organization that is dedicated to health through whole, untainted foods. This study examines polyunsaturated fats as well as saturated fats in beef, and compares feedlot meat to that from pasture-raised and finished animals.
Many consumers don't want traces of herbicides, pesticides, and chemical fertilizers in their food. They also want to avoid genetically modified foods, as well as animals fed on them. They feel that animals raised on natural pasture - green grass and the other plants that are native to the area - are healthier and provide more vitamins and minerals to those who eat them. Grass-fed meat is often proudly produced without the use of antibiotics or hormones.
Pastured animals also are 'greener' than those confined to pens or feedlots. The run-off from factory farms is a major source of water pollution, and the production of so-called 'greenhouse gases' is much higher from feedlots than from a field of happy cows with room to roam and a diet of mixed grasses and native plants. Neighbors are happier, too, without the smells and humane-farming concerns of large commercial farms.
More humane, natural production methods; healthier meat products; a cleaner environment. These are all goals worth supporting with our food dollars. Many consumers think grass-fed meat tastes better, too.
Much research has been done on beef that is produced without the use of grain. Fewer studies have been published on pork or chicken, but it's known that the animals raised on pasture are healthier and happier. Pigs will grow to market size in crowded pens, but it's a horrendous life for the animals to be confined from birth to slaughter. Pasturing pigs is a much more humane way to raise pork for human consumption.
Tests have shown that pastured meats, from animals raised on grass and never fed grain, are much higher in Omega-3 fatty acids. These nutrients, known to be good for the brain and the heart, are often deficient in American diets. Omega-6 fatty acids, however, are plentiful in liquid vegetable oils, which many people consume as oils or in baked goods. Meat from cattle fattened and 'finished' in feedlots, on a diet of grain and plant products like beet pulp, is high in Omega-6.
Research has shown that grass-fed beef is not necessarily lower in total fat content than the product of feedlots. However, there are differences in the kind of fat in each meat. A fatty acid called CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) that helps the human body convert animal fats into energy rather than storing them in fat cells is higher in pastured meat; in fact, feedlot animals lose this fatty acid from their tissues as they consume their grain-based feed.
There are some interesting research findings online, from gas chromatography studies sponsored by the Weston A. Price Foundation, an organization that is dedicated to health through whole, untainted foods. This study examines polyunsaturated fats as well as saturated fats in beef, and compares feedlot meat to that from pasture-raised and finished animals.
Many consumers don't want traces of herbicides, pesticides, and chemical fertilizers in their food. They also want to avoid genetically modified foods, as well as animals fed on them. They feel that animals raised on natural pasture - green grass and the other plants that are native to the area - are healthier and provide more vitamins and minerals to those who eat them. Grass-fed meat is often proudly produced without the use of antibiotics or hormones.
Pastured animals also are 'greener' than those confined to pens or feedlots. The run-off from factory farms is a major source of water pollution, and the production of so-called 'greenhouse gases' is much higher from feedlots than from a field of happy cows with room to roam and a diet of mixed grasses and native plants. Neighbors are happier, too, without the smells and humane-farming concerns of large commercial farms.
More humane, natural production methods; healthier meat products; a cleaner environment. These are all goals worth supporting with our food dollars. Many consumers think grass-fed meat tastes better, too.
About the Author:
When you are looking for information about grass fed beef and pork, visit our web pages online today. More details are available at http://www.crestwoodfarmsllc.com now.
No comments:
Post a Comment