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Red meat has gotten an undeserved bad reputation in recent decades. Certainly, there are negative health effects from certain types of meats that are prepared certain ways, but there are healthy sources of red meat.
Source Matters
It is important to distinguish between grass fed meat that has been raised in a natural environment and meat from cows raised on feed lots where they are often fed genetically modified grain and forced to live in horrible conditions.
You’ve heard the phrase that “you are what you eat,” but it goes a step further to “you are what you eat eats.”
Just as processed and genetically modified grains aren’t good for humans, they aren’t good for cows either. When grass fed and grain fed beef are compared, there are some important nutritional differences and some substantial benefits of grass fed meat:
Saturated Fat Levels
Saturated fat’s good reputation is finally being restored as more evidence shows that it never deserved the bad reputation it got.
Red meat is a great source of saturated fat, no matter the source, but grass fed beef is higher in stearic acid which has been shown to have protective benefits and to have a positive effect on blood cholesterol levels. (source) For the record, I don’t worry about cholesterol levels (here’s why) but it’s good to see some positive press for red meat.
Stearic acid is present in many foods, but grass fed red meat and cocoa beans have the highest amounts. Steak and chocolate anyone?
CLA:
Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) is a potent antioxidant and there is evidence that it has a protective effect against cancer, heart disease and other diseases. Nourished Kitchen explains:
CLA has shown promise in the treatment of various cancers. Research conducted at the University of Alberta in Canada, Dartmouth Medical Center and elsewhere indicates that CLA shows promise in the fight against breast cancer. [1. Lipids. 2009 Mar 6.], [2. Nutr Cancer. 2009;61(1):114-22] Further, CLA even could be valuable in the treatment of brain cancer due to its ability to prevent the development of new malignant tumors as well as inhibit the growth of existing tumors. [3. Brain Res. 2008 Jun 5;1213:35-40. Epub 2008 Feb 16.]
All beef is a good dietary source of CLA but grass fed beef can have more than twice as much CLA as grain feed beef (source).
Omega-3
Omega-3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory and important for health. Beef isn’t a spectacular source of Omega-3s but grass fed beef can have 3-4 times the Omega-3 content that grain fed beef does (source). It seems that the animal’s diet right before slaughter has a big impact on this though, so grass fed but grain finished beef might not have the same benefits.
Fish is a much better source of Omega-3 than beef in general, but grass fed beef is still a good source. (More on Omega-3s and Omega-6s here)
Other Nutrients
Emerging evidence also shows that grass feed beef is higher in the following nutrients than grain fed beef (source:)
- Antioxidants
- Zinc
- Iron
- Glutathione
- B-vitamins
- carotenoids
Does It Matter?
Grass feed meat is a better source of many nutrients, but red meat in general can be a very healthy choice. All red meat is a complete source of protein and a good source vitamin B-12 and iron.
If grass fed beef is not available in your area or you can’t squeeze it in to the budget, don’t let that deter you from eating red meat in general!
Sources:
A Review of the Fatty Acid Profiles in Grass fed and Grain fed Beef
Effects of Grass and Conventional Feeding Systems on Nutrient Composition of Beef
Do you eat grass fed meat? If so, what is your favorite recipe? Share below!
Huevos Rancheros Recipe
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Italian Chicken
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts1 green pepper, cut into strips 1yellow pepper,cut into strips1 white or purple onion,thinly sliced lengthwise1 to 2 large tomatoes, sliced3/4 bottle italian dressing or homemadePreheat oven to 375 degrees.In a 9×13 baking dish place the chicken breasts. place pepper strips then onions and tomato slices on top of each breast.Pour dressing over each chicken breast. Place aluminum foil over top and crimp.Bake in oven for 45 minutes covered,remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes til tomatoes are starting to get crispy.(I try to completely cover the chicken breast with each veggie, layering the different ones as I go) Enjoy!!
Chicken with Sun-dried Tomato Cream Sauce, GAPS friendlyChicken with Sun dried Tomato Cream Saucefrom Against The Grain E-book (Modern Alternative Mama)This was inspired by a boxed meal that I had once – which contained some pretty yucky ingredients. I thought, I can make this at home! Serve this with some spaghetti squash, or, if you do eat grains, some pasta. I think this would also be excellent with some mushrooms added to it!Ingredients:1 chicken breast, sliced into strips (5 – 6 oz.)2 tbsp. olive oil¼ c. diced onion2 – 3 garlic cloves, minced2 tbsp. sundried tomatoes, chopped¼ tsp. oregano½ tsp. marjoram½ tsp. basil½ c. chicken stock1 c. cream or coconut milkSalt and pepper to tasteDirections:Heat olive in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the onion, garlic, and chicken, and cook until chicken is lightly brown. Add the sundried tomatoes and spices (including a little sea salt), then the chicken stock. Cook for 5 – 10 minutes, until the chicken has absorbed the flavors and the chicken stock is reduced. Add the cream and heat through. Serve. Makes 2 – 3 servings.Serving Suggestion:Serve over spaghetti squash and finish with fresh, seasonal fruit.
I am also loving finding ways to cook with zucchini–I grew up with “hamburger hotdish” using macaroni noodles but this one uses zucchini as the noodles!
Grain Free Stuffed Shells (Modern Alternative Mama)Ingredients:1/2 lb. grass-fed ground beef
3 large mushrooms, sliced
1 small onion, diced
1/2 c. spinach, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
1 c. mozzarella, shredded and divided
1/2 tsp. parsley
1/4 c. asiago cheese, shredded
1/4 c. Romano cheese, shredded
1 egg yolk, beaten
4 green peppers or 8 large cabbage leaves or 12 – 14 jumbo shells
2 c. tomato sauceDirections:Brown the beef and add the mushrooms, onion, spinach, and garlic. Cook until done. In a medium bowl, mix ricotta, 1/2 c. mozzarella, and parsley. Add the meat mix. Pour a little sauce in a baking dish. Stuff “shells” with mixture, set on sauce. Pour the rest of the sauce over top and add shredded cheese.This is a very cheesy dish! Serve it with a nice salad and some rooibos tea.
Ribeye, NY Strip, or round steak (marinated overnight) and slow grilled to perfection
Marinade: 1 Tbsp minced garlic, 1/8 tsp himalayan crystal salt,1/8 tsp black pepper,1/4 c sucanat or brown sugar ( i use sucanat-same flavor),1/8 cup dark balsamic vinegar and 1 Tbsp worchestershire sauce.Combine dry ingredients and add the wet ingredients and mix well.I pour all the marinade over the steaks on a deep plate and and put in fridge and turn several times while marinading.When on grill I pour all the left over marinade over the steaks and cook to desired doneness.Savory Sweet Potato Fries (Wellness Mama recipe).They are so good by theirselves I wouldn’t dare put ketchup or mayo on them!!Maybe sprinkle with a little cinnamon.Gingered stir fry vegetables in wok or I use my visions glass saute pan with olive oil to coat bottom and ground ginger.Use a rather high temp and Pour frozen veggies into Wok or pan.Stir frequently for 5-7 mins until tender crisp.
Yummy, yummy!! Enjoy!!
Also been loving espresso rubbed steak: make a rub w/ 2 tsp ancho chili powder and 2 tbsp ground espresso. Add a bit of salt and pepper, and rub all over some thin sliced steak, then cook in butter or oil.
My favorite meal these days is steak w/ turnip risotto. For the turnip risotto, grate 3-4 large turnips. Cook w/ butter and chicken stock for about 10 minutes (I also added a little Italian seasoning). Cook some thinly cut steak (used more flank) w/ salt, pepper and oil. Top the risotto w/ the steak, then sprinkle on some fresh herbs. You can add some fried onion/shallot if desired. So good!
Thanks for the giveaway!
I also love meatloaf, and serve it with mashed sweet potatoes and a steamed veggie. Here is one way I’ve made it to incorporate more vegetables:
1 lb. grass-fed ground beef
1 egg
salt
pepper
1-2 carrots, grated
1/2 onion
1/2 zucchini, chopped
Preheat oven to 350. Mix together and place in a loaf pan. Bake for 50 minutes or until cooked through.
My favorite recipe is Saurerbraten. It is a German pot roast. You begin by placing a roast to brine in wine, vinegar and spices for 1-2 days. Drain, reserving the brine and pat the roast dry. Sear the meat off. Return brine to pot. Then it is slowly cooked in a dutch oven for several ours. The sauce is thickened with Ginger snap crumbs at the end. So yummy!
My husband’s favorite meat is ground beef. Besides hamburgers on the grill, he likes me to make a straganoff-like sauce. Brown 1 lb meat, add onion soup mix (I make sure it’s GF), 1/2 cup water, simmer, then add sour cream. Serve over rice, noodles, or toast.