Discover the Truth About Your Beef

What’s the Real Difference?

When you are searching for beef, understanding the difference between: Grass-Fed/Grass Finished/Pasture Raised, Grass Fed, and Conventional Beef is important to make an informed healthy choice. Each type of beef varies not only in terms of taste and quality but also in how the cows are raised and what they eat. And of course, what the cow eats and how it’s treated, impacts your health too. 

1. Grass-Fed, Grass-Finished, Pasture Raised Beef

What it is:
Grass-fed, grass-finished, pasture-raised beef means the cow’s entire life was spent in pastures eating only grass—from birth to harvest. No grains (like corn or soy) are ever part of their diet.

Cow's Health:

• Natural Diet: Cows are biologically designed to eat grass, and a grass-only diet supports better digestion and overall health.

• Stronger Immune Systems: Grass-fed cows have fewer health issues compared to grain-fed cows, which often require antibiotics to address digestive and immune problems caused by their unnatural diet.

• Better Mental Health: Cows raised on open pastures in natural environments experience less stress than those raised in confined spaces with grain-heavy diets.

What You Eat:

• Better Fat Profile: Grass-fed, grass-finished, pasture-raised beef is significantly higher in omega-3 fatty acids (good for heart health) and has a more balanced fat ratio.

• More Nutrients: Grass-fed, grass-finished, pasture-raised beef contains higher levels of vitamins A, E, Heme Iron, Zinc, B6 and B12. 

• Healthy organs: Grass-fed, grass-finished, pasture-raised beef are the best organs to consume because their life and diet supported optimal organ function. These organs are high in nutrients and will directly support your organ function. 

2. Just Grass-Fed Beef

What it is:
The term "grass-fed" doesn't always clarify whether the cow had access to fresh pasture or whether the diet was supplemented with stored grass,hay, or dried grass pellets. Just grass-fed beef means the cow eats only grass for most of its life, but it’s finished with grain before slaughter. 

Cow's Health:

• Healthier Than Grain-Fed: Grass-fed cows still benefit from a grass-based diet for a significant part of their life, but grain finishing can still lead to health issues like bloating and liver problems.

• Less Stress: While they spend most of their lives on pasture, being finished on grain can still impact their overall well-being, particularly in terms of digestive health.

What You Eat:

• Moderate Benefits: You still get some benefits like higher omega-3s, but not as much as with grass-fed and finished beef.

• Possible Lower Nutritional Value: Since the cows are finished on grain, the fat profile and overall nutrient density is only moderate. 

• Good Organs: Consuming these organs aren’t bad, but they are not going to be as nutrient dense. Grain finished organs usually start to become inflamed and stressed before harvest. 

3. Conventional Beef

What it is:
Conventional beef comes from cows that are raised on a diet that is primarily made up of grain (corn, soy, etc.) after weaning. They often spend their lives in confined spaces (factory farms), and their diet is designed to fatten them up quickly for market.

Cow's Health:

• Grain’s Negative Impact: Grain-feeding disrupts the cow's natural gut flora, leading to more toxins being absorbed into the bloodstream, which can negatively impact the liver, kidneys, and overall organ health. This can cause bloating, liver damage, and digestive issues.

• Less Space and More Stress: These cows often live in crowded, unnatural environments, which increases stress and leads to poorer physical and mental health.

• Antibiotic Use: Grain-fed cows are more likely to require antibiotics due to health issues related to their diet and living conditions.

What You Eat:

• Worse Fat Profile: Grain-fed beef tends to have a higher amount of omega-6 fatty acids, which can be inflammatory when consumed in excess. Because the grain these cows eat are unnatural for their body, the cows are more prone to toxin build up which then overflows into their fat cells. 

• Fewer Nutrients: The grain-heavy diet results in beef that is lower in important nutrients like omega-3s, vitamins A and E. The nutrient levels are significantly lower than grass- fed, and grass-fed grass-finished pasture-raised beef. 

• Sick Organs: Unhealthy animals have sick organs that don’t function properly. These are not optimal organs to be consumed. 

Final Thoughts

The beef you choose to eat has a direct impact on your health, the environment, and the animals involved. Grass-fed, grass finished, pasture raised beef is the healthiest option for both you and the cows, offering superior nutrients and promoting better animal welfare. Just grass-fed beef offers some health benefits, but grain-finishing still impacts the cow's health and the beef's nutritional value. Conventional beef may be more affordable, but it comes at a higher cost to your health, the cows, and the earth. Choosing high-quality, grass-fed and finished beef means you’re supporting better health, a more sustainable food system, and ethical animal treatment.