Are you confused about the difference between “grass-fed” and “grass-finished” beef?
You’re not alone.
With the growing popularity of grass-fed beef, it’s important to understand what these terms really mean.
Many consumers assume that “grass-fed” automatically means the animal was raised on a 100% grass diet, but that’s not always the case.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at Simple Truth’s grass-fed beef and explore whether it’s truly grass-finished.
So, if you’re a health-conscious meat eater looking for the best quality beef, keep reading to learn more.
Is Simple Truth Grass Fed Beef Grass Finished?
Simple Truth is a popular brand that offers a range of organic and natural products, including grass-fed beef. But, is their grass-fed beef truly grass-finished?
To answer this question, we need to understand the difference between grass-fed and grass-finished beef.
Grass-fed beef comes from cattle that were started on a grass diet but may have received supplemental grain feed or finished on a fully grain-based diet. On the other hand, grass-finished beef comes from cattle that ate nothing but grass and forage for their entire lives.
So, when it comes to Simple Truth’s grass-fed beef, we need to look at their farming practices to determine if their cattle are truly grass-finished.
According to Simple Truth’s website, their fresh organic 90% lean ground beef is from 100% grass-fed cows raised on certified organic pastures with no antibiotics ever and no added hormones. This suggests that their beef is both grass-fed and grass-finished.
However, it’s important to note that product packaging and materials may contain additional and/or different ingredient, nutritional, or proper usage information than the information displayed on their website. So, it’s always a good idea to read the label carefully before making a purchase.
What Does Grass-Fed Really Mean?
The term “grass-fed” has become increasingly popular in recent years, with many people opting for grass-fed beef due to its perceived health benefits and more humane farming practices. However, the term can be misleading and confusing.
Grass-fed beef refers to meat from cattle that have been started on a grass diet, but may have received supplemental grain feed or finished on a fully grain-based diet. This means that not all grass-fed beef is necessarily grass-finished.
Grass-finished beef, on the other hand, comes from cattle that have eaten nothing but grass and forage for their entire lives. This is considered to be the most natural and humane way of raising cattle for meat.
It’s important to note that not all grass-fed beef is created equal. Some cattle may be labeled as grass-fed, but have only eaten grass for a portion of their lives before being switched to a grain-based diet. Additionally, some grass-fed cattle may not have access to pasture and may instead be raised in feedlots.
When shopping for grass-fed beef, it’s important to look for products that are labeled as 100% grass-fed and grass-finished. This ensures that the cattle were raised in a humane and natural manner, and that the meat is of the highest quality.
Grass-Fed Vs. Grass-Finished: Understanding The Difference
While the terms “grass-fed” and “grass-finished” may seem interchangeable, they actually have distinct differences. Grass-fed beef can come from cattle that were started on a grass diet but may have received supplemental grain feed or finished on a fully grain-based diet. On the other hand, grass-finished beef comes from cattle that ate nothing but grass and forage for their entire lives.
It’s important to note that all cattle are started on a grass diet, so simply labeling beef as “grass-fed” can be misleading. To ensure that you are getting truly grass-fed and grass-finished beef, look for those specific labels on the packaging.
Grass-finished beef has several health benefits over grain-finished beef. It is 20% lower in calories and has higher levels of Omega-3 fatty acids, CLA’s (Conjugated Linoleic Acid), and Vitamins A and E. Additionally, grass-finished beef is free of pesticides, hormones, and antibiotics that are commonly found in grain-fed beef.
When it comes to purchasing beef from a brand like Simple Truth, it’s important to read the label carefully to ensure that their grass-fed beef is also grass-finished. While their website suggests that their organic ground beef is both 100% grass-fed and raised on certified organic pastures with no antibiotics or added hormones, the product packaging may contain additional information or differences.
The Benefits Of Grass-Finished Beef
Grass-finished beef offers several health benefits compared to grain-fed beef. One of the major findings related to grass-finished beef’s health benefits is that it has less total fat and less unhealthy fats like monounsaturated fats and omega-6s than its grain-fed counterparts. Along with this, grass-finished beef has more of the good types of fats like omega-3s and Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) despite having less fat overall.
Grass-finished beef is also higher in several vitamins and nutrients that help your cells fight damage and your body build stronger muscle and cartilage tissue. In addition to being packed with B vitamins, grass-finished beef has been found to be higher in vitamins A, E, and other antioxidants compared to grain-fed beef.
Furthermore, grass-finished beef is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, providing 2-4 times more omega-3 than grain-fed beef. Omega-3 fatty acids have been found to help prevent and treat many diseases including heart disease, stroke, autoimmune responses such as lupus, eczema, rheumatoid arthritis, and a number of other conditions.
Grass-finished beef also has 2-3 times more CLA, a type of fat that may protect against cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. CLA is a nutrient abundant in grass-fed beef and has been clinically proven to decrease the risk of heart disease.
Lastly, lean meat such as grass-finished beef has been shown to have a positive effect on cholesterol levels. Grass-finished beef has significantly lower levels of saturated fat compared to grain-fed beef. Replacing saturated fat in grain-fed beef with the unsaturated fat in grass-fed beef has been proven to reduce your risk of heart diseases.
Examining Simple Truth’s Grass-Fed Beef
Simple Truth claims that their grass-fed beef is from cattle that are raised on certified organic pastures with no antibiotics ever and no added hormones. This is a good start, but we need to dig deeper to determine if their cattle are truly grass-finished.
Simple Truth states that they use animal genetics, quality grass and hay, and minerals to ensure a consistently superior product. They start with a superior line of Trask Polled Hereford cattle, which are known for finishing exceptionally well on grass. They also follow the Albrecht method of soil fertility to produce quality grass and hay. This method involves feeding the soil microbes what they need, so the soil can feed the grass what it needs, which in turn feeds the animals what they need to finish on grass. Simple Truth also uses management intensive grazing practices, or rotational grazing, which is how foraging animals eat in the wild. This encourages distribution of grass and forbe seeds, ensures the animals continually eat the most nutritious grass and forbes, fertilizes the grass, and reduces the carbon footprint by sequestering carbon.
Furthermore, Simple Truth does not use herbicides or pesticides in their pastures and hay fields. They believe that most of the “weeds” that people kill by spraying herbicides are actually full of nutrients and medicine. They mix their own minerals as store-bought bags do not contain enough of most elements. Using their formula learned from Gearld Fry, they no longer need to vaccinate and deworm their cattle.
How To Ensure You’re Getting True Grass-Finished Beef
To ensure that you’re getting true grass-finished beef, there are a few things to keep in mind:
1. Look for the 100% grass-fed and grass-finished label: This label indicates that the cattle ate nothing but grass and forage for their entire lives. This is the most reliable way to ensure that you’re getting true grass-finished beef.
2. Check for additional terms: Look for additional terms like non-GMO/no GMOs, no antibiotics, no artificial hormones, no distillers’ grains (also abbreviated as DDGs), no grains and lifetime grazed. These terms indicate that the beef is raised using sustainable and humane farming practices.
3. Choose certified products: Look for beef or dairy producers who have gained certification with the logo of the American Grassfed Association AGA, Global Animal Partnership (G.A.P.), and Animal Welfare Approved by AGW for assurances that a product is real Grass-fed. These certifications indicate that the products have been inspected and verified by third-party organizations.
4. Know your farmer: If possible, buy directly from a local farmer who can provide information about their farming practices and how their cattle are raised.
By following these tips, you can ensure that you’re getting true grass-finished beef and supporting sustainable and humane farming practices.
