Everyone here is all about grass fed and it doesn’t make sense to me. It’s lean and funky tasting. Is there REAL science behind the movement. I doubt it.
Show me the science re: grass fed beef
LeCheffre
(Banting & Yudkin & Atkins & Eadeses & Cordain & Taubes & Volek & Naiman & Bikman )
#4
It is by no means necessary and it is a different product in terms of taste and texture from grain finished cattle but it is rich in CLA and has omega 3 fat in useful quantities.
Okay Tex, I can explain a little about the science since behind grassfed beef- though it is in no way a Keto-requirement. And, since I’ve been researching and raising grass fed cattle going on 20 years, I’ve got a pretty good handle on the topic.
So, in 1999, the FDA approved the use of beta-agonists (Ractopamine, Zilpaterol or Zilmax) into the livestock feed market for pigs. Beta-agonists basically increase protein synthesis, thus increasing the weight per animal. The higher the weight, the more money the seller makes.
If you think about drugs like Advair-which is a beta-agonist drug for humans, one major complaint from Adair consumers is weight-gain. (Other adverse effects of Advair are increased heart rate, tremors, insomnia, etc.) So, what was a side effect in human’s consumption turned into the primary goal for livestock growers. As of 2003, beta-agonists have been used in finishing-feeds for cattle. Now, while this might not seem terribly problematic to the average consumer, it should be. The FDA conducted nearly no testing on affected meat to determine the residual amounts of ractopamine or Zilmax. The one test they did conduct- that I am aware of - occurred in 2010 on beef - 712 samples from 26 billion pounds of beef. The FDA has not released the results of said testing. (Let me know if you come across it.)
So how did the FDA come to approve this drug in livestock feed? Ractopamine’s manufacturer, Elanco, was kind enough to supply the FDA with the primary research to support its safety and use in our food supply. Read into that what you may. I think it speaks for itself.
So, Zilmax is 125 times more powerful than ractopamine, and is used industry wide for the same purpose. Residuals in meat are up to 20% in sampling by various organizations. I won’t bore you with the plethora of research articles and such on the topic, but I think it speaks volumes that 160 countries out of 196 have banned the use of both drugs, and will not take meat from other countries (like the US) who do use it. The EU forbids it; China and Russia- as of 2012 did not take (affected) imported meats from the US. To counter the economic backlash, Smithfield (huge pork producer) dedicated one plant in the US to being 100% ractopamine free. It sells meat to the EU and China/Russa. The other Smithfield plants however, are still using ractopamine affected meats to sell to countries like the U.S.
Europe’s Food Safety Authority conducted ractopamine ingestion testing on humans, and one guy quit a fews days in because of adverse health effects. The most notable effects on humans were increased blood pressure, increased heart rate and heart-pounding sensations.
To its credit, Tyson has refused to continue use of Zilmax in its feeds, but that was reported some years ago…I don’t know if that has changed.
I could probably go on and on and on, but having researched this factor, plus that of grain feeding vs. grass feeding, I am convinced that grass fed meats are the safest for human consumption. If grass fed meat is finished out on things like non-gmo alfalfa or sundried kelp meal, you end up with good tasting meat. If cattle get enough sweet oils in their pasture grazing, you also end up with good texture and good tasting meat.
You can check out sites like CenterforFoodSafety.org, for more info on the topic.
Hope that lends some understanding to the issue.
SecondBreakfast
You also have to understand that there is no established “flushing period” prescribed by the FDA for to-be-slaughtered livestock. So, manufacturers could stop feeding 2 days before slaughter or 14 days before slaughter. Either way, there are residuals of the chemicals still in the meat, upwards of 20%.
Baytowvin
(TJ Borden)
#6
So my main takeaway from this is
We need to be friends. We already have so much in common. You raise beef, I eat beef. I like LOTR, and I’m guessing by your handle, you do too.
I’m sorry. I was not trying to be adversarial or unkind in any way. I was just throwing out what I’ve learned over the years that I’ve been doing this work. And, it explains much of why I decided to begin farming/ranching in the first place.
I was merely trying to provide some layman’s explanation for the OP, explaining why much of our food supply has gotten some bad PR. What I was hoping readers might “take away” from my reply was some understanding of the actual effects the drugs have on the animals and us - as consumers. Another intended take away was highlighting for the OP the lack of safety standards within the industry. Feel free to disregard what I posted - but it was done so with the best of intentions.
Yes, I am a LOTR fan.
Tex
#10
I hope you’re not apologizing to me. I appreciate the long response and asked for input. The problem I have with the whole grass fed movement is…show me the science!! I’d be open to changing my mind if anyone could show me REAL science saying it’s better for you.
Rian
#11
As far as the actual fatty acid profile, grassfed is better but it doesn’t matter a ton because of the raw amounts. So from a health standpoint I wouldn’t worry too much.
There is another aspect though and that’s what feeding grains to animals does to them and the planet. Ruminants are amazing creatures that can turn grass (something we can’t eat) into meat and dairy which we can. Check out the 2KD episode from Sept 3, 2017, Dr. Peter Ballerstedt does a great job of explaining.
If you want to take it a step further check out The Vegetarian Myth by Lierre Keith, she does an outstanding job of illustrating how agriculture has destroyed the planet. Cows can eat grass but for some reason we grow massive amounts of corn and soy at the expense of several natural resources and feed it to livestock because we basically don’t have anything better to do with the outputs. It’s also hard on the animals, the diet of feedlot cows makes the end of their life pretty brutal.
But from a strictly “does it matter for my health” standpoint, no grassfed beef isn’t a huge deal. Your money is better spent focusing on grassfed butter, wild caught seafood and pastured eggs.
Keigan
#12
Thank you for the very informative post, as a consumer of grass fed it certainly adds value to my decisions.
Keto6468
(Karen)
#13
Grass fed, but more important!y, or at least equally so, grass finished. But of course I am used to, and prefer the taste of corn finished. Oh well.
K
Rian
#14
You have to be very careful with this mentality, it’s become a cheap way to discredit things which have not been thoroughly researched and tested. But just because that research and rigorous testing hasn’t taken place yet does not make a thing untrue.
Some doctors in the late 1800’s suspected cigarettes as a cause of disease. Since the science wasn’t in their beliefs were rejected by much of the medical community. Eventually they were proven right but how many “show me the science” people died in those 5 decades? The point is, if you’re gonna wait for the science on some of this stuff you’ll be long dead before you get your answers.
Is abstaining from carbs for half your life going to be comepletely harmless and produce perfect health? Show me the science.
LeCheffre
(Banting & Yudkin & Atkins & Eadeses & Cordain & Taubes & Volek & Naiman & Bikman )
#15
With all due respect, “fake news” is not an argument. But maybe National Institutes of Health works better for you.
Grass fed has more:
CLA is maybe useful:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/17490954/
As I said, not necessary, but not a waste of time/money, either.
[quote=“goldwingnut, post:16, topic:33558”]
Tex
#20
You guys might find this interesting!
“Researchers in Texas A&M University’s Department of Animal Science have published the only two research studies that actually compared the effects of ground beef from grass-fed cattle and traditional, grain-fed cattle on risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type II diabetes in men.” Article below