More and more doctors and nutritionists are advising people to eat grass-fed rather than grain-fed beef. However, many people are not sure exactly what the difference is between traditional and grass fed beef in Jackson MS or why it matters. In fact, the way a cow is fed throughout its life has a significant impact on the nutritional value of the meat people consume.
Almost all calves begin life in the same way: they drink their mother’s milk and graze freely in an open field. At the age of six months to one year, grain-fed cows are moved from the field to a feed lot where they are given a diet of mainly soy and corn. Because corn is cheap and high in starch, it fattens the cows quickly and promotes the development of fat between the muscles, known as marbling in beef. In addition, conventionally raised cattle are typically treated with hormones to promote growth and antibiotics to treat the diseases that spread due to the close contact and poor sanitation of the feed lot.
Grass-fed cattle, on the other hand, consume primarily grass through grazing. Not only do they get a more natural diet, but they also get exercise from roaming in their grazing fields. In addition, grass-fed cattle are not fattened up prematurely with hormone injections, and they are not treated with antibiotics.
Because of the differences in the cows’ diets, grass-fed beef is leaner than grain-fed beef and thus lower in calories. However, grass-fed beef is much higher than grain-fed beef in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s are beneficial for lowering triglycerides and promoting cognitive health, among other things. Grass-fed beef is also higher in another type of fatty acid, known as conjugated linoleic acid, or CLA. CLA is associated with lowering overall body fat and providing protection against some types of cancers.
Grass-fed beef is also higher in many nutrients than grain-fed beef. For example, grass-fed beef contains more vitamin A, beta-carotene, vitamin E, potassium, iron, zinc, phosphorus, and sodium than grain-fed beef. And since grass-fed cows are not treated with drugs and hormones, their meat is also free of those substances. To find safe and nutritious grass fed beef in Jackson MS, Visit
