The natural diet of cattle is grass, and is absolutely not grain! Yet most of the beef that comes to us, via traditional routes, has been eating nothing but grain.  When a cow is taken off its natural diet of pasture, and fattened on grain, it loses nutrients.  The fat content of grass-fed beef is quite different from that of grain fed, because the diet of the animals significantly alters their fatty-acid composition. Cattle that are primarily fed grass increase their omega-3 content by sixty percent!

Much research has been conducted that indicates that the ratio of omega-6 fatty acids to omega-3 fatty acids in our diet is of enormous importance to our health. Omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation and help prevent certain chronic diseases such as heart disease. An inappropriate balance of these essential fatty acids contributes to the development of disease, while a proper balance helps maintain and even improves health. The fat of grass-fed beef has a much more favorable omega-6 to omega-3 ratio than the fat of grain-fed cows.

And like we’ve discussed before in the dairy section, ruminants like cows produce another very important fat called CLA, which has long been investigated for its anti-cancer activity, as well as for its ability to reduce fat accumulation, particularly around the abdomen.

If you are interested in learning more about grass farming and its benefits to your health, I would recommend the website www.eatwild.com. Another great site is www.westonaprice.org.