It’s one of the most common debates you hear when it comes to beef. Which one is better? There are multiple factors to look at to answer this question.
With strong evidence regarding the nutritional benefits of one, there is surprising opposing evidence for the other when it comes to the environment and sustainability.
Is Grass-Fed Beef Better For You?
Beef all together is a nutrient-dense food that provides a complete source of protein and important minerals like iron, zinc, and selenium. However, beef contains high levels of saturated fatty acids (SFA), considered the “bad” fats for our health. Because of the high-fat content of beef there is a constant health concern surrounding heart health and increased weight gain, this can make beef a less desirable choice.
However, what if there were potentially better options out there that provide the same product? A review published by Klopatek et. al in the Journal of Animal Science analyzed 3 decades’ worth of comparable research between grain-fed and grass-fed outlined the nutritional benefits provided by grass-fed beef.
Beef cattle finished on a grass-fed pasture diet had an improved fatty acid composition and antioxidant composition. It also tended to contain less cholesterol elevating SFA’s than grain-fed. Grass-fed had more precursors for the vitamins A & E, as well as cancer-fighting antioxidants.
Overall grass-fed beef had lower overall fat content when compared to grain-fed beef.
Is Grass-fed Beef better for the environment?
Research is scarce on the true environmental impact of grass-fed beef vs grain-fed beef. However, one study conducted in 2022 compared the environmental impact of both grain and grass-fed beef production and found neither system was superior to the other.
The grain-fed operations produced the least amount of greenhouse gases but required higher energy input. Grass-fed beef required less water than grain-fed operations.
Grass-fed operations also cause less soil erosion and increased biodiversity compared to field grain operations. However, it requires more acreage of land per kg of beef.
Which Beef is more sustainable?
With regards to sustainability, since there isn’t concrete evidence to prove which system is more sustainable it becomes more opinion based. Personally, a best practice would be one that helps preserve our vital topsoil, supports biodiversity and uses less water. We want to support longevity in our production systems.
So, if you are just looking for better health options then grass-fed is probably your best choice. However, when it comes to the environment and sustainability it is still very up for debate and is more of a personal choice given the pros and cons of each system
References
Klopatek SC, Marvinney E, Duarte T, Kendall A, Yang XC, Oltjen JW. Grass-fed vs. grain-fed beef systems: performance, economic, and environmental trade-offs. J Anim Sci. 2022 Feb 1;100(2):skab374. doi: 10.1093/jas/skab374. PMID: 34936699; PMCID: PMC8867585.