4 Reasons You Should Start Cooking With Grass-Fed Meat

Nowadays, consumers are becoming more and more conscious of how they prepare and eat their food. Meat, in particular, now comes in different cuts and grades. If you want a higher quality of meat, you should also consider the animal’s diet and how they were raised. This is where grass-fed meat comes into the picture.

Typically, grass-fed meat refers to bison and beef. Poultry and pork also feed on grass but they’re called ‘pastured,’ although both names are essentially the same in meaning. Since the animals only eat grass, which is their natural diet, they’re expected to be healthier and of higher quality. The type of grasses that they graze on depends on the region and climate they’re in.

The Benefits Of Cooking With Grass-Fed Meat

With its growing popularity, grass-fed beef seems to be overtaking supermarkets and groceries today. If you’re not in any way familiar with this unconventional meat, you need to note that it’ll look different from your regular beef at the market. Since grass-fed meat tends to have more marbling because of its leanness, you can expect its color to range anywhere from deep mahogany brown to bright red. That being said, its color will no longer be a useful indicator when trying to determine its freshness. 

Cooking with grass-fed meat can be slightly different from how you usually prepare your conventional beef. Grass-fed beef producers, such as Silver Fern Farms, highly recommend cooking the meat closely to make sure not to overcook it. A meat thermometer is also needed to check the doneness of the beef. The price can also be quite expensive but if you’re already aware of the benefits you can get from grass-fed meat, you’ll know it’s worth the price.

If you’re looking for reasons to convince you to start cooking with this highly special meat, here are some you can ponder on:

Cows grazing on farm yard at sunset. Cattle eating and walking outdoors in countryside.

Packed With Several Nutrients And Vitamins

Meat, whether grass-fed or grain-fed, is a good source of nutrients and vitamins, such as B6, B3, and B12. However, grass-fed meat specifically contains higher amounts of certain vitamins like Vitamin E, which is an antioxidant that protects your cell membranes from oxidation. Aside from Vitamin E, grass-fed meat also contains higher amounts of selenium, iron, and zinc. It also has less fat, which translates into fewer calories. 

If you want to buy quality grass-fed meat, read the label carefully before deciding to put it in your cart. To avoid buying artificial meat that claims to be grass-fed when they’re really not, the label should clearly indicate ‘grass-fed’ or ‘pasture-raised.’ Legitimate producers and farms should have the proper label in their grass-fed beef range to guarantee authenticity.

Promotes Heart Health

As mentioned earlier, grass-fed beef has lower fat content than conventional meat. Reduced levels of saturated fat may help lower your risk of cardiovascular diseases such as congenital heart disease and cardiomyopathy or heart muscle disease. This is because lean meat has been shown to positively affect the body’s cholesterol levels. 

Prevents Other Diseases

Aside from lowering your risk of cardiovascular diseases, grass-fed meat may also help prevent and may even treat several diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, eczema, lupus, stroke, and even cancer. This is because pasture-raised beef contains up to six times more omega-3 fatty acid content than grain-fed meat. 

Omega-3 fatty acids have been scientifically proven to provide several health benefits, including fighting inflammation by reducing the production of substances and molecules that can cause inflammation. They also serve as the foundation of every cell wall of your body. 

Helps Build And Maintain Muscle Mass

Grass-fed meat is packed with amino acids, which are necessary for forming proteins. Both proteins and amino acids are essential in building and maintaining muscle mass in the body. If you’re leaning toward a healthier lifestyle that incorporates regular exercise and a good diet, the high amount of proteins in grass-fed beef can highly benefit you.

Furthermore, the beta-alanine in beef can contribute to the formation of carnosine, a compound in the body that aids in muscle function. As a result, you might be able to increase your performance and capacity during exercise.

Making The Switch

Given the nutritional benefits that grass-fed meat can provide, it’s really a sensible idea to switch to this healthier meat option. For instance, it’s packed with lots of vitamins and nutrients, may promote heart health, prevent other diseases, and also helps build and maintain muscle mass. 

Now that you know about these reasons to start cooking with grass-fed meat, you’ll be able to make a better decision the next time you’re in the supermarket and looking at different meat options. 

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