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Quality of Grass Finished Beef Grass finished beef is very different from other beef. Finishing cattle on pasture increases the percentage of lean and reduces fat percentage by 20 to 30% compared to feedlot corn finished beef. However a U. of Georgia report showed the tenderness of steaks, as measured by objective shear force analyses and trained sensory panel, was equal for pasture and feedlot finished. Supermarket beef is from steers that have been penned up, fed corn for several months and treated with antibiotics, steroids and hormones. This beef has very low levels of the healthy components: Omega 3, CLA, Carotene and Vitamin E. Also it has a higher fat content than grass finished beef. “Natural” beef sold in health food chains is normally devoid of antibiotics, steroids and hormones (ASH free) but is finished on grain. This means that it also has low beneficial compounds and a high fat level. Even “organic” beef is almost always finished on organic grain in feedlots and is low in the healthy compounds. Only grass finished beef without grain has the healthy high levels of Omega 3, CLA, Carotene and Vitamin E with a lower fat level. |
Quality of Grass Finished Beef
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