Grass-Fed vs Grain-Fed Meat... Is there a difference?

 If you are familiar with the health and wellness space, there's a lot of talk about grass-fed meat. Is there a big difference between grass-fed and grain-fed meat? What are the differences in the nutrition level? Which one is more ethical? Today I am discussing the differences and similarities between grass-fed and grain-fed meat. 

Grass-fed meat means that the animal ate mostly grass. The animals are supposed to have more room to graze and move around; however, guidelines in the United States are often stretched. From an ethical standpoint, it is better to eat grass-fed meat since the animals most likely had a better diet and life compared to animals who ate grain and lived in a factory. From a nutrition standpoint, grass-fed and grain fed-meat have the same amount of Omega 6, a fatty acid. Grass-fed can have 5 times more Omega 3s than grain-fed meat {via}. Personally, I notice a difference in the taste of grain-fed and grass-fed. I have noticed when I cook grain-fed meat there is more grease in the pan compared to grass-fed meat. Grass-fed meat also has more Vitamin A and E than grain-fed beef {via}. Grain-fed and grass-fed are different from a nutrition, ethical, and economic standpoint however grain-fed it still healthy! If your store does not offer grass-fed meat, try to find meats that are leaner.

From an environmental standpoint, grain-fed cows require less water and land than grass-fed cows. Grass-fed cows take longer to grow since they are not fed antibiotics and steroids like grain-fed cows. Also, if a cow is going to be considered "grass-fed", it has to have 9 acres of land to roam while grain-fed cows might only have 3 acres of land. A grass-fed cow will most likely have a better life since it will most likely be eating grass, leaves, vegetables, etc, and have more space to roam. If you care about the wellbeing of animals, grass-fed beef is the way to go. You may be wondering, if I care about the wellbeing of animals then I shouldn't eat meat. Meat is a rich source of essential vitamins, minerals, fats, protein, etc. There are many vitamins and proteins in meat that are rare in nature such as B12 and collagen. Meat is arguably the most nutrient-dense food on the planet. It is possible to care about the wellbeing of animals while also caring about your health by eating meat. 

Grass-fed meat tends to be more expensive compared to grain-fed meat because it takes a farmer much larger to raise a cow on grass instead of grain. Grass-fed meat, most of the time, does not have hormones or antibiotics which helps the animal grow faster. 

Walmart actually sells grass-fed, hormone-free, and antibiotic-free meat! Click here to view grass-fed ground beef, click here to view grass-fed ribeye steak, click here to view grass-fed beef chuck roast, click here to view grass-fed beef top sirloin steak, click here to view grass-fed beef New York Strip steak, and click here to view grass-fed beef tenderloin steak. 

Even though grass-fed meat is better than grain-fed, grain-fed should not be banned or taxed. This is because people who may be financially struggling can only afford grain-fed beef or it is the only kind of meat available in their grocery stores. Grain-fed beef is still nutritious and is healthier than a bowl of mac and cheese!

 

Thank you for reading!

Gabby