"Grass-fed" Beef And Milk - Does It Make A Difference?

People are becoming more and more interested in where their food comes from, and the idyllic image of a spotted cow chomping on grass in a lush meadow really hits a foodie’s soft spot.  The assumption of better animal welfare is just one of the reasons why many are opting for “grass-fed” meat and milk. Another belief is that this label equals a purchase that is better for the environment and our health. But here’s the catch - these are all assumptions based on our own interpretations of the term.  Like with many other food labels, what it actually means is not so simple. Tune in to find out more about the truth behind "grass-fed" and if it's worth the hype.

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Transcript

Welcome to Nutrition Bites. The no nonsense podcast where you get the truth about food so you can eat what you want, and be healthy. I’m your host Maggie and welcome to Episode 18 of this series! Today’s topic was inspired by a trip to the Austrian Alps where the constant sight of cows grazing on lush mountain pastures got me thinking... On the menu today, the grass-fed label.

Just like with 90s throwback fashion and grocery delivery grass-fed cattle are having a moment. People are becoming more and more interested in where their food comes from, and the idyllic image of a spotted cow chomping on emerald green grass in a meadow really hits a foodie’s soft spot. At the very least it’s a more pleasing image than the more realistic scene of cattle corralled into crowded feedlots eating corn from a trough. The assumption of better animal welfare is just one of the reasons why more people are opting for “grass-fed” meat and milk. Another belief is that a “grass-fed” label equals a purchase that is better for the environment and our health. But here’s the catch - these are all assumptions based on our own interpretations of the term “grass fed”. Because like with many other food labels, what it actually means is not so simple. So let’s take a moment to unpack the term and figure out the truth.

In order to dissect the label “grass-fed” we first have to better understand cows - those loveable, dopey, giants that help feed the world. Cows are ruminants - a type of animal designed to eat grass. They have a crazy digestive system that is organized to metabolize what we consider indigestible - grass. All cows are technically grass-fed once they are weaned off of their mother’s milk. But at about a year old most farmers will then switch their diets to grain, most of which is corn. One of the main reasons for this change is that a grain based diet is perfect for fattening cows - and a fatty cow often means a tastier steak. Not only that, but a grain-based diet is usually cheaper for farmers and easier to manage - saving them both money and time.

The opposite of this corn, or grain-fed, diet would be “grass fed”. And while there is no universally accepted definition, it’s generally described as a diet consisting of grass and forage, things like hay and alfalfa. This term is also often associated with restricted use of hormones and antibiotics, as well as regular access to a pasture. But that’s not always guaranteed because there is no regulated definition of “grass-fed” - so the rules and guidelines change depending on where you live, and who is claiming it.  There are also many related sub-phrases like “100% grass-fed” or “grass-finished” that add to the confusion about what all this means.

“100% grass fed” implies a grass-only diet after weaning, whereas “grass finished” can refer to cows that were raised on grains and at some time before their slaughter were switched to grass. And because most cows are raised on grass for some part of their childhood, or calve-hood I guess?, they could all technically qualify as “grass-fed”. Adding to this wordplay confusion is that even the definition of “grass” can be up for debate. Some “grass-fed” claims may include a food type called silage - which consists of fermented grains. So, who the heck knows what “grass fed” really means. And unfortunately, it doesn’t look like individual countries are going to provide clarity any time soon. 

Today, Canada, the U.S. and EU all lack a regulated definition of the term “grass fed”. But this wasn’t always the case. Back in 2006, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) created a “grass-fed” designation for beef, but after only a decade it was removed. The reason is pretty stupid, and clasically beurocratic. Essentially one department in the USDA created the label, and another department was left to enforce it - but they didn’t want to. That in-fighting was enough to drop it altogether. It was a frustrating time for many “grass fed” farmers, and definitely halted progress on a universal definition. But that doesn’t mean the “grass-fed” label disappeared from our stores and menus. Some companies still advertise “grass-fed” on their products, even though it can really mean anything. 

So to provide more structure to this space a few independent organizations have created their own “grass fed” certifications programs. To get the American Grassfed Association cert on a product, cattle must be fed a 100% grass and forage diet from weaning, not be given antibiotics or hormones, and be raised on a pasture on a good ol’ American family farm. Sounds pretty ideal. Keep in mind though that these certifications cost money - and some farms may be too small to front the cash, or take on the administrative burden. And ultimately the onus is on you, the consumer, to research these 3rd party organizations and determine if the rules they use are aligned with your own values and idea of “grass fed”. Annoying right?

Well depending on where you live, there may be another small label hack that could be helpful here. Yeah, that’s right - label hack - this is a wild podcast. “Organic” is a popular and heavily regulated claim which can have a lot of cross-over with the ethos of raising “grass-fed” cattle. In the EU organic beef strongly restricts the use of hormones and antibiotics, recommends access to grazing areas, and requires 100% organic feed. In the U.S. the label shares similar guidelines and same in Canada, with the addition of more details on the cow’s diet. In specific, Canadian organic cattle must be fed a diet where 60% of feed is grass or forage. It’s not perfect, but we’re getting closer to what many imagine the diets and lives of “grass-fed” cattle to be. But to burst your bubble once again, I truly can’t help it, we have to remember that many of these additional recommendations in the organic label are just that - recommendations, not rules. At the end of the day, “organic” is not meant to cover all aspects of raising cattle. So while buying “organic” is a great choice - it doesn’t necessarily include all the elements of an ideal “grass-fed” product.  Where you can, it’s probably better to look for trusted third-party “grass-fed” certifications or inquiry with farmers, butchers and dairy producers, about what you’re buying. Which sounds like a lot of work...so is it worth it?

Well the “grass-fed” appeal boils down to three main assumptions: healthier cow, healthier planet, healthier human. Temple Grandin, who’s like the Beyonce of good cattle practices, says that grains are like cake and ice cream for cows. Utterly delicious, and very fattening. But just like how humans shouldn’t subsist off these treats, neither should cattle - it’s simply better for their digestive system to eat grass. And when it comes to raising animals, it’s no shocker that allowing cattle to roam freely in a pasture is more humane than packing them in a crowded barn. Assuming the best practices, “grass-fed” cattle do live a healthier lifestyle than “grain-fed”.

Now when it comes to the environmental angle of this comparison, things get hazy, as if this topic wasn’t complicated enough. Like I’ve said in many other episodes, beef, and by extension dairy, are not planet friendly foods. The #1 change you can make in your diet to positively impact the environment to decrease your beef intake. Full stop. But if you choose to eat beef, or consume dairy products, grass-fed cattle may make a small difference. Cattle who roam freely on pastures are able to spread their manure over large areas. Which is great for contributing to healthy soil, and preventing pollution from mismanaged and crowded industrial farms. Another cool effect of keeping pastures for grazing is that it can actually help reduce greenhouse gases (GHGs) through a process called carbon sequestering. Grass is naturally able to soak up and store carbon - preventing it from being released as the GHG carbon dioxide. The more pastures we have, the better our ability to store, or sequester, extra carbon. Although, it’s not the Captain Planet solution we need to prevent climate change. Many experts argue that while carbon sequestering is a positive effect of grass-fed cattle, it can’t compensate for the massive volume of GHGs associated with beef and dairy production. Also, because “grass-fed” cattle are alive for longer than their grain-fed brethren, remember they take about a year more to fatten up for slaughter, this means they contribute more methane over the course of their lives. Not only that, but in order for some countries to raise grass-fed cattle, forests are cleared in order to create pastures. And oftentimes grass-fed products sold in colder climates like Canada or the Northern EU, are imported - simply because it’s easier and cheaper to raise “grass-fed” cattle in warmer countries like New Zealand, Australia, and Brazil. Another big X on the climate change scorecard. So do the environmental cons outweigh the pros here? It’s really hard to say. 

What is a bit more simple to talk about are the nutritional differences between grass and grain-fed cattle products. Despite the variation in what “grass-fed” can mean, studies comparing beef from grass-vs.grain-fed cows do show nutritional improvements. For starters there are more antioxidants, as well vitamins A and E, but the level is so tiny that it actually doesn’t really impact our health. A more important difference, however, is a change in fat - with grass-fed beef coming in more lean. And this makes perfect sense. Grain-fed cows gobble up their food like Augustus Gloop and get nice and chunky because of it. Grass-fed cattle on the other hand have a less fattening diet AND get more exercise out on the pasture. This results in  grass-fed beef having about 5% less total fat compared to grain-fed. Although this difference is pretty small, what’s even cooler is how the composition of the fat changes. 

Fat is a category of different molecules and one of the most hyped ones in the health world are the omega-fatty acids. These molecules are special because they positively contribute to our health and we can’t make them ourselves - we have to source them from our diet. There are two main types of these special fats - omega-6s and omega-3s. Omega-6s are important for heart health and are found in foods like chicken, eggs, nuts, grains, and  plant oils - like sunflower, corn, palm and canola oil. Now because a lot of processed foods rely on cheap plant oils as an ingredient, this also means that we tend to get more than our necessary share of omega-6s. For omega-3s, the story is flipped. They are found in fewer foods - mostly flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts, and salmon, and we tend to under consume this nutrient. Omega-3s are also seen as a superior, A-list fatty acid because they’re associated with protecting against so many health issues - from heart attacks to cancer, depression and dementia. 

Now both omega-3s and 6s are also found in cattle products like beef and milk. And thanks to the diverse diet of grass-fed cattle, beef from this animal contains around double the amount of omega-3s compared to grain-fed. But, don’t get too excited because the amount is pretty Ron Weasly measly. One serving of grass-fed beef may contain around 50 mg of omega-3s, but that’s nothing compared to a serving of salmon which has over 1000 mg. Reality is the overall quantity of omega-3s won’t make or break your health, but another important difference exists - the ratio of omega-6s to 3s. From total fat, to omega 3, to the omega ratio - it’s like a really nerdy nutrition version of Inception here. But let’s dive in.

Both omega-6s and omega-3s are metabolized by the same enzymes in the body. Which means one thing - competition. If more omega-6s are present in your diet, they will get processed and available for use in the body instead of omega-3s - so it’s important that this ratio doesn’t get out of whack. Now scientists haven’t agreed upon an ideal ratio, but generally speaking a 5:1 ratio or less seems to be a good target for health. That is, 5 omega-6s for every one omega-3. Unfortunately, the average omega 6:3 ratio in the Western diet is estimated to be off kilter- closer to 15:1 - thanks to all the processed foods we eat. So choosing foods with a smaller omega-6 to 3 ratio is recommended. 

Now because omega-6s are found in grains, grain-fed cattle products have a higher omega-6:3 ratio.  One study from the University of Toronto found that milk from grain-fed cows have an omega-6:3 ratio of 10:1 compared to milk from grass-fed cows which came in at 3:1. Similar patterns are also seen in beef. And despite this looking positive for our health, this difference in omega ratio is incredibly inconsistent in grass-fed products. Because of variation in the diet of the cows, as well as their raising practices, the nutritional differences we see in beef and milk can vary a lot. And more importantly there is actually very little evidence that shows eating these products, over one's from grain-fed cows, makes any actual difference to our health. Another mystery to add to the “grass-fed” question pile. 

If after this episode you are more confused about whether buying grass-fed products is better for the animal, planet, and your health - you should be! This is not a straightforward topic. The lack of a regulated definition for this label causes a huge inconsistency in how the cattle are raised, what the impacts on the planet are, and the nutritional quality of the foods. If you’re really concerned about eating in a more humane, sustainable and healthy way, I’d say skip the beef and milk. But if you do indulge in these foods your best strategy is to buy them as close to the source as possible. For many of us that may involve asking questions of your local butcher and researching community-supported agriculture initiatives. After all, you are what you eat. And by proxy what you are eating, eats too. 

That’s been the bite for today. Stay hungry.