Why should I go for Grass-fed? – including a ‘Labels Glossary’

However, because grass-fed* and grass-finished* animals are raised entirely on grass, their maturation process is slower and the end product is therefore slightly more costly as opposed to the more convenient and cheaper mass production of grain-fed animals. Most important to note here is that mass-production comes at a cost too! The countless side effects of consuming confined, sick and stressed animals that live off a continuous supply of antibiotics, growth hormones and suspected carcinogens and whose diets would usually include restaurant waste and animal byproducts, municipal garbage among many other rubbish feeds… making their meat qualify as junk really!

1. Let’s start with the flavor. Grass-fed beef is absolutely more flavoursome than its counterpart, grain-fed beef. When eating grass-fed beef the meat has a completely different flavor palate that is more delicate, yet meaty with hints of grass and earth, it is almost like you can tell what the animal was eating through the flavour of its meat. Grass-fed does not rely on fat for flavor, the meat itself is very tasty and the experience is always more tender meats as these animals have lived a stress-free life, grazing freely. In the case of OBE Organic meats for instance, because the meat is Organic and no preservatives are used, the meat is very fresh and we all know the fresher the product, the better the flavor.

2. Grass-fed beef is nutritionally superior to factory-farmed grain-fed Beef. According to Dr. Frank Lipman, a specialist in sustainable wellness, and based on various researches conducted on the topic, “grass-fed beef contains higher amounts of Beta carotene, Vitamin A, Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) and Omega-3 fatty acids, all of which help keep cholesterol, obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure in check.” Furthermore, grass-fed animal products are also significantly lower in fat, cholesterol and calories, which also helps consumers maintain a healthier diet, especially those who need to watch their cholesterol and fat intake.

3. Grass-fed animals are eating what they are meant to eat and what their bodies are meant to digest ‘Grass’. Unlike feeding the animals carb-laden grains that exhaust their bodies, digestion and cause them many ailments for the treatment of which the use of antibiotics becomes very necessary. Grass-fed animals live stress-free and are usually antibiotic-free.

4. All recent reports are warning against a post-antibiotic era, where important medicines crucial to treating seriously ill people will become ineffective, due to the current irresponsible use of antibiotics in factory-farms and treat grain-fed animals. Such misuse of antibiotics is creating antibiotic-resistant bacteria (superbugs), which are able to spread, antibiotic resistant, causing infections that are harder to treat and more likely to cause complications and even lead to death at times. This alone is reason enough to go grass-fed.

When we are discussing food products there are many labels to consider, and at times we see many labels and are unsure we understand what they refer to. So, and to take the guessing out of the label reading here is a glossary of the most commonly used labels in the case of Organic, meat and animal feed:

• Organic: Produce or products that are Chemical Free. These products are free of carcinogens, pesticides, and other chemicals, antibiotics, hormones, GMO or any other unnatural components. Organic animals have to also feed on organic food to be considered organic. It is worthy to mention here, that the label ‘Organic’ is not enough to show a produce is organic! Unless the ‘organic’ statement is certified by an authorized authentication for organic (certified 100% Organic), the product is most likely not organic. Therefore, opt for produce that is certified and do not take the word of the merchant or a casual organic label!
• GMO: Genetically Modified Organisms
• Grass-Fed: Fed only on its natural diet, grass.
• Grass-Finished:  Meaning that the cattle are still fed grass all the way up until their slaughter. Often times companies will market their beef as “grass-fed,” but will then switch to grain toward the end to fatten the animal up.
• Grain-fed: Fed on grains and other ingredients but no grass.
• Free-range: Cattle that graze freely in a large area of outdoors that provides a continuous supply of water and food, shade and sunlight, never confined, are referred to as free-range animals. With that said not all products labeled free-range are truly raised free-range. Some companies refer to animals that get an hour outdoors, mainly in the sun without any shade or access to continuous drink as free-range. Free-range, like organic, has to be certified however the best way to tell if animals are actually raised free-range is to do some research and get to know the producers and see if they really raise their animals free-range. (watch this video and see how free-range animals are raised)
• Halal: Animals slaughtered according to Islamic Sharia to cater for Muslim consumers. Here too the label has to be certified by a specialized authority.

#GoOrganic