Why Grass Fed Beef?

MYTH: FAT IN RED MEAT CAUSES heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, and kidney disease!

TRUTH: There have been many meat eating societies where heart disease, diabetes and cancer are non-existent. Where cholesterol and blood pressure are normal and there is longevity and quality of life.   Studies linking red-meat to disease have all been performed on conventional beef.

It starts at the beginning

Cows were designed to roam green pastures and eat grass, NOT to be raised in crowded feedlots and eat grains like all commercial beef.

It takes 5-8 lbs of “food” to produce 1 lb of beef. That is 5-8 lbs of omega-3 rich grass or 5-8 lbs of pesticide-laden, genetically modified, processed grains (mostly corn). You are not just what you eat but what you eat ate!!!

Problems when cows eat grains

• Grain causes the rumen to expand and apply pressure to the cow’s lungs which can cause suffocation.   The animal will often have to have a tube pushed down their esophagus to avoid suffocation.
• Severe acidosis is common with this unnatural diet. The cow gets very sick (similar to severe heartburn) and begin to eat dirt to try to stop the burning sensation. They will pant and salivate excessively and frequently develop liver disease and ulcers. This results in processors adding a constant, low-level dose of antibiotics to try to combat the problem.
• Most cow’s also have anabolic steroids implanted in their ears to promote faster growth.
• All of this obviously weakens the cow’s immune system

Meat Processing

• Old meatpacking plants slaughtered about 50/hr, 20 years ago 175/hr, now 400+/hr
• American meat production is very centralized…13 meat packing houses now slaughter most of the beef consumed in the US. This is a breeding ground for bacteria and disease (e.coli, staph, etc). It is estimated that one hamburger can contain meat from 100+ different cows.

Bad for the Environment

It takes a heavy amount of fossil fuels to grow feed crops, fertilize them, spray pesticides and herbicides to them, and transport them to the feedlots. Grass feeding is a natural cycle that feeds animals and replenishes the ground with little to no additional effort. The grass fed model is actually beneficial to the environment and the health of Americans.

Health Benefits of Grass Fed Beef

• 2-4 times more Omega-3 fatty acids. (Ratio of Omega 3 to Omega 6- Grass fed beef 2:1, Grain fed beef 20:1)
• 3-5 times more CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid) which is a powerful cancer fighter
• 4 times higher in Vitamin E
• Higher in the minerals calcium, magnesium, and potassium

Great websites for more information and to order grass fed beef:

1. Eat Wild
2. US Wellness Meats
3. Hodge Ranch
4. Two by Two Farms (Bought Vineyard Farms on Macland Rd)
5. White Oak Pastures (ground beef is available at Publix, roasts/steaks/ground beef available at Harry’s, also available online)