Grass-fed vs. grain-fed: Beef up on the facts

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                 Almost all beef cattle graze in a pasture at times, but most are then sent to a feedlot to be "finished" on grain before being slaughtered. Grass-fed beef cows are not finished on grain.

 

Labeling:

             According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, beef labeled grass-fed means that the animal, with the exception of milk before weaning, ate grass and forage for its entire life. These animals cannot be fed grain or grain byproducts and must have continuous access to a pasture during the growing season. Hay and other roughage may be included in their feed source.

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Grass-fed vs organic:

             Don't confuse the two terms. Both grass-fed and grain-fed beef can be organic, and both can be conventional. It depends on what they eat. However, many people feel grass-fed beef is more "natural" than grain-fed, that cattle and other cud-chewing animals are not meant to eat grain because it's hard on their stomachs.

 

Appearance:

             Grass-fed beef has less marbling because it is leaner.

 

Cooking:

             Grass-fed beef takes less time to cook. That's why it's also easy to overcook it.

 

Flavor:

             Grass-fed often has what can be described as a lighter, grassier flavor, although this varies from brand to brand. Most people are used to the taste of grain-fed, and no matter how it's described, grass-fed beef does taste different.

 

Nutrition:

             Ounce-for-ounce, grass-fed cuts such as steaks are lower in calories because they don't contain as much fat as grain-fed. Some studies have shown that grass-fed beef also contains more beneficial omega-3 fatty acids.