FOOD-GRASS VERSUS GRAIN VALUES

This post is for my own reference as much as anything. Anytime I bring up the advantages of grass-fed meats and organically raised foods, I wish I had a list of how much difference there is in terms of nutrition. At the store, everyone sees the higher price tag. What you don't see is what that higher price gives you in nutrition.

Did you know that grass fed beef has LESS fat than grain-fed, dark-meat chicken? And only a little more fat than grain-fed, white-meat chicken? Start eating pasture-fed chicken as well, and we're really talking. To top that off, the fat is also the healthier fat, full of Omega 3 and other good-for-you things.

You can buy and eat three times more grain-fed beef or spend your money on all these vitamin supplements. Or you can just make the effort to get some grass-fed beef and your body will thank you. And get this! The average American eats 66-pounds of beef a year. If you switched to eating grass-fed instead, you'd lose six pounds without changing anything else! How's that for incentive? :-)

BEEF
From 2009 study by Clemson University, NC

Nutrient .......Grass-fed........Grain-fed
Saturated Fat/3 oz serving.......2+ oz.......8+ oz
Omega 3 fat %/serving.......3% .......0%
Vitamin E, mcg/gram beef.......6.9.......1.5
Total Fat.....49% Lower
Tocopherol .....288% Higher
Beta-carotene.....54% higher
B-vitamin Thiamin..... Higher
B-vitamin Riboflavin..... Higher
Calcium ..... Higher
Magnesium ..... Higher
Potassium ..... Higher
Omega 6 to 3 ratio..... 1.65..... 4.84
---(a 1-to-1 ratio is ideal for good health and is close in grass-fed beef)
CLA-cancer fighter.............................117% Higher
Vaccenic Acid/CLA precursor.............90% Higher

MILK
from "Super Natural Milk"

Nutrient.......................Grass-Fed Cows......Grain-Fed Cows
CLA...............................................5x higher
---(conjugated linoic acid)
Omega 3/Omega 6 ratio..............16.5/16.6..........................8.2/47.2
---(a 1-to-1 ratio is ideal for good health and is in grass-fed milk)
Beta-carotene..................................Higher
Vitamin A........................................Higher
Vitamin E........................................Higher

EGGS
from Mother Earth News reports

Nutrient.........................Grass-Fed Hens......Grain-Fed Hens
Vitamin D..........................102-204 IU/100g.............34 IU/100g
---eggs are one of a very small group of natural foods that provide vitamin D
Beta-carotene...................................79.03 mcg.........................10 mcg
Vitamin A.........................................791.86 IU..........................487 IU
Vitamin E...........................................3.73 mg.............................97 mg
Omega 3............................................ .66 g................................ .22g
Cholesterol....................................277 mg...............................423 mg
Saturated Fat.....................................2.4 g.................................3.1g