Grain vs. Grass Fed Meat & Dairy: is one better than the other?

We have all heard you are what you eat but have you considered taking it a step further & consider you might also be what your food eats? Today we’re going to find out if what your food eats affects its nutritional quality. 

First off: terms you should know 

Grass-fed: cattle were started on a grass diet but were finished on a complete grain diet. This means these cows spent the last few months of their lives eating in feed lots to help them gain weight faster (1). Unless the package says 100% grass-fed you can be sure this cow ate grain at some point in its life. 

Grass-finished: cows only ate grass and foraged for food their entire lives. The packaging could also say 100% grass-fed and finished (2). 

Grain-fed/conventional: Cows grew up eating grain/corn on a feedlot. 

Bonus: 

Certified Humane: this seal means farms must have good living conditions for animals (never kept in cages, crates, or stalls) that allow them space to move and the ability to do what comes naturally. The standards require that all farm workers be trained in humane animal care, and animals must be treated compassionately. Growth hormones are not allowed to be used, however, outdoor access isn't mandatory for all animals (3).

Certified Organic meat: this seal means that this animal was raised in a way that accommodated their natural behaviors (ie grazing), they were fed organic feed and did not receive antibiotics or hormones. This seal does not mean the animal was grass-fed unless otherwise noted on the packaging (4). 

Antibiotic Free: or “raised without antibiotics”, this claim is not as rigorous as certified organic, and no inspections are needed. There is some question about this claim due to a research article published that found that up to 15% of antibiotic-free cattle tested positive for antibiotics (4).

Natural Meat: per the USDA this claim means that this meat does not contain artificial ingredients or added colors and was processed in a way that did not fundamentally change the product.  Natural is not interchangeable with organic. Natural meats do not have to meet the same dietary and environmental standards as organic meats (4).

Why does it matter how your meat grew up? 

Cows were never meant to eat grain (shocker I know). A cow eating grain their whole life is kind of like you eating fast food your whole life. What does this type of diet do to both you and the cow? Not only would you both put on a lot of weight quickly, but you would also be lethargic, and sick. What do you do when you're sick? You take antibiotics to feel better! But what's the problem with antibiotics? Many of the antibiotics given to cows are also given to humans. The worry is if a person eats animal products (meat and milk) that contain antibiotic-resistant bacteria it may infect them with that same resistant bacteria (5) (v bad). If you think about it it makes sense that what your food eats affects its nutrition profile. A healthy cow means better meat and milk right? Let's dive into the research and find out. 

A review study conducted in 2020 found that livestock that eat a varied diet of plants have additional phytonutrients (terpenoids, phenols, carotenoids, and anti-oxidants) in their meat and milk, while their grain-fed counterparts do not.  This study also noted that several of these phytochemicals found in grass-fed livestock’s milk and meat were in quantities similar to those found in plants (6). Why is this noteworthy? Not only were these phytochemicals only thought to occur in plant foods but they are known to have anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic, and cardioprotective effects (6). 

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a type of fat that seems to have anti-carcinogenic and anti-adipogenic effects. Several studies have found that CLA content is 1.5 to 3x higher in pasture-raised meat and dairy compared to grain-fed livestock (6). CLA has been shown in higher concentrations in people who eat pasture-raised meat products compared to people who choose grain-fed meat. 

Grass-fed cattle tend to have lower fat content compared to grain-fed counterparts due to their less concentrated diet (grass compared to grain). Studies have found that grass-fed cattle have less total saturated fatty acids (“bad fat”) due to this. One study found that eating  100 g of grass-fed beef provides 1.58 to 4.85 g less total saturated fat than consuming 100 g of grain-fed beef. Regardless of beef cuts and cattle breed, total saturated fat is higher in grain-fed beef (2,773 mg/100 g meat higher) (7). This review concluded that grass-fed livestock had higher omega-3 fatty acids but lower monounsaturated fatty acids (because of lower total fat content) compared to grain-fed livestock. Grass-fed beef had higher functional fat (omega-3) and less undesirable fat (saturated fat) than grain-fed beef (7). 

Conclusion

Obviously, this post did not cover all aspects of grain vs grass-fed animal products, however, the research suggests that eating grass-fed beef & drinking grass-fed milk results in lower saturated fat intake and higher intake of omega-3, conjugated linoleic acid and added phytonutrients, all of which add positively to your overall health! Of course, choosing 100% grass-fed and finished beef is not always possible, however, when you can go for it! 

Resources 

1.“What Is the Difference between Grass-Fed and Grass-Finished Beef?” Verde Farms, 30 Oct. 2023, verdefarms.com/recipe/what-is-the-difference-between-grass-fed-and-grass-finished-beef/#:~:text=Simply%20put%2C%20grass%2Dfinished%20beef,a%20fully%20grain%2Dbased%20diet.​​

2. “Grass-Fed vs. Grass-Finished: What’s the Difference?” Grass-Fed vs. Grass-Finished: What’s The Difference? - Seven Sons Farms, sevensons.net/grass-fed-vs-grass-finished. Accessed 26 Feb. 2024. 

3. “Certified Humane.” Consumer Reports, www.consumerreports.org/food-labels/seals-and-claims/certified-humane. Accessed 14 May 2024.

4. Migala, Jessica, et al. “Organic Meat Actually Better? What 8 Marketing Terms Used for Chicken, Beef, and More Mean.” EverydayHealth.Com, 14 June 2023, www.everydayhealth.com/diet-nutrition/is-organic-meat-better-for-you-labels-and-what-they-mean/#:~:text=The%20USDA%20requires%20a%20minimum,the%20USDA’s%20official%20green%20seal. 

5. “Antibiotic Resistance Is Beefing Up.” Education National Geographic , 19 Oct. 2023, education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/antibiotic-resistance-beefing/. 

6. Van Vliet, Stephan, et al. “Health-promoting phytonutrients are higher in grass-fed meat and milk.” Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, vol. 4, 1 Feb. 2021, https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2020.555426. 

7. Nogoy, Kim Margarette C et al. “Fatty Acid Composition of Grain- and Grass-Fed Beef and Their Nutritional Value and Health Implication.” Food science of animal resources vol. 42,1 (2022): 18-33. doi:10.5851/kosfa.2021.e73