Beef provided through our grass fed program harnesses the naturally occurring characteristics of Florida’s cattle ranches. This allows us to deliver an authentic product with nutritional attributes that are superior to conventional grain-fed beef.
Cows in the grass fed program graze on the plentiful native grasses and forages of expansive pasturelands, afforded stress-free lives in their natural environment. By contrast, feedlots expedite the growing process in unnatural ways by substituting grain in the diet and supplementing weight gain with synthetic hormones. Antibiotic use is also common because animal confinement enhances the transmission of bacteria and disease amongst the herd. These factors have a significant impact on the flavor profile and nutritional content of the meat.
Health Benefits of Grass Fed Beef
When heart disease became the leading U.S. cause of death in the 1950s, health authorities demonized saturated animal fats and unwittingly promoted the use of polyunsaturated fats, principally vegetable oils, as a healthier substitute for cooking. As science has advanced, not only have we learned that oilseed fats do not lower the risk of heart disease, but the high content of Omega-6 and deficiency of Omega-3 causes residual inflammation in the body. This has led to the continuing rise of cardiovascular disease, which is highly correlated to the changes in Western diets over the last half century.
Your diet is closely correlated to your overall health partly because the cell walls in the human body contain membranes that are composed of the types of fats you choose to eat. All fats for human consumption are a blend of saturated or unsaturated, and research supports the notion that high levels of saturated fat in most diets are generally unhealthy. As a result, health-conscious consumers have shifted their diets towards unsaturated fats, which include both mono- and polysaturated varieties depending on chemical or cell composition.
These essential fats are intrinsic to cell membranes and the structure of the central nervous system, but they are not synthesized by the human body and must be obtained from food. The ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 in your diet has a direct impact on overall health and your risk of heart disease. The recommended balance is no higher than 4:1, but most American diets contain 20-30x more Omega-6. Grassfed beef contains up to 6x more Omega-3s than grain-fed beef.
Additionally, grassfed animals are the richest known source of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), another essential fat that fights cancer and inhibits body fat. In fact, meat and dairy products that are produced from grassfed cattle is the richest known source of CLA available.
A natural grass diet is better for the health of the animals, and the meat has a significantly better nutritional profile than grain-fed beef. The health and cardiovascular benefits of choosing grassfed beef include the following attributes: