In today’s world
it seems everyone is looking for a new way to eat healthy. From using Pinterest
to try numerous new workout challenges to drinking soy milk versus your typical
dairy milk. One question that arises is; whether grass fed beef is healthier for
you than grain fed ground beef? Grass fed would be cattle that are entirely
raised on forages and water. While grain fed cattle are fed forages along with
concentrated mix rations. People automatically assume grass fed is better for
you because it doesn’t have antibiotics or hormones in it or the extra fat from
grain. The real accuracy is there are no antibiotics in any meat as USDA
guidelines prohibit antibiotics in any animal product that is sold (this is
another discussion though). There is really only one real study out there that
has proven whether or not grass fed is better for you than grain fed. This
study was done by the Texas A&M department of Animal Science who compared
the cattle to risk factors for cardiovascular disease and type II diabetes.
The study proved
that grain fed cattle were in fact not healthier for you than those fed grain.
Much of Americans consume a high amount of their total beef intake through
ground beef. This particular cut of beef is higher in fat than many other cuts
but at the same time has the most health benefits in terms of fatty acids you
need in your diet. Grass fed beef has three times the amount of Omega-3 fatty
acids than that of grain fed beef. Omega-3 is a very important fat to your diet
as it has many health benefits. Omega-3s have been shown to lower blood fats
that cause heart disease. To continue, it can improve mental skills in children
who have ADHD. However, one downfall of this is that it is higher in saturated
fats along with trans fat. Trans fat has no benefits to your body, it is the
unhealthiest ingredient you can have in your diet. Saturated fat is right
behind that with the fact it is the biggest cause of high blood cholesterol and
can lead to heart disease and stroke. Saturated fat is different in the fact it
may not actually hold as much medical issues for those who are active and
regularly eat healthy.
Ground beef from
grain fed cattle was found to have significantly lower saturated and trans far.
Where is higher in oleic acid. Oleic acid, other wise known as Omega-9,
preserves the food and is often found naturally in avocados, olive oil, beef
tallow or lard. Omega-9 is beneficial to those that have been diagnosed with
diabetes or prediabetes, in relation to controlling the disease. Oleic acid is
often used in bakery products or for skin cream and soap. It is great for
helping prepared food remain safe for consumption. In conclusion, when it comes
to choosing between grass-fed and grain- fed beef, the question should not be
which is the healthiest but what health benefits you are looking for.
http://beefmagazine.com/beef-quality/grass-fed-vs-grain-fed-ground-beef-no-difference-healthfulness
http://www.acaloriecounter.com/diet/saturated-fat-trans-fat/
http://www.livestrong.com/article/438717-what-is-oleic-acid/
Pictures:
http://hallhall.com/blog/the-booming-industry-of-grass-fed-beef/
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