The Health Benefits Of Eating Grass-Fed Beef And Dairy

LOADING ERROR LOADING Grass-fed beef and dairy are seemingly more popular than ever — though it’s less of a trend than a revival of traditional farming practices, including those of Indigenous populations around the world who’ve long understood the benefits of grazing animals. But the most studied nutritional difference in grass-fed versus grain-fed beef and dairy is its fatty acid composition — specifically, the ratio of pro-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids to heart-healthy omega-3s. Beef in low in Omega-3s to begin with, so “swapping grass-fed beef for conventional beef is unlikely to make much of a difference in your overall omega ratio,” Rodgers said. Organic Valley Cows fed on diverse grasses grown in good soil can increase what’s called phytochemical richness — the tens of thousands of secondary compounds like alkaloids and carotenoids beneficial to health. “And I think that has a lot more to do with health outcome and access to a nutritious diet and healthy lifestyle than, ‘Do I pick this grass-fed or the corn-fed version of this product?’ We’ve always known that if we are protecting the land and the water and maintaining an appropriate and healthy relationship with the landscape, then nutritious food follows from that.” Looking for grass-fed meat or dairy during COVID-19?