Nutrition
| Q: |
I’ve been seeing different kinds of beef at the store these days. Is grass-finished or organic beef leaner than regular beef? |
| Q: |
Is grass-finished beef richer in nutrients like Vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids than conventionally raised beef? |
|
|
| Q: |
I’ve been seeing different kinds of beef at the store these days. Is grass-finished or organic beef leaner than regular beef?
Naturally nutrient-rich lean beef, no matter how it’s raised, can be part of a healthy lifestyle. There are now 29 cuts of beef that meet the government guidelines for lean. Grass-finished beef may contain more conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) than other beef. CLA is a polyunsaturated fatty acid health professionals believe has cancer-fighting properties. However, research has not yet shown how much CLA in the diet is optimal to achieve health benefits.
Beef is the number one food source of monounsaturated fatty acid, the same heart-healthy acid found in olive oil. In addition, one-third of the saturated fatty acids in beef are stearic acid, which has been shown to have a neutral effect on blood cholesterol levels and may be considered a good replacement for trans fatty acids.
Top |
|
|
| Q: |
Is grass-finished beef richer in nutrients like Vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids than conventionally raised beef?
All beef is an excellent or good source of nine essential nutrients we need every day. Every kind of beef – including grass-finished beef – is naturally nutrient-rich with eight times more vitamin B12, six times more zinc, and two and a half times more iron than a skinless chicken breast.
Beef has small amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, but no kind of beef is considered a primary source of omega-3 fatty acids. Grass-finished beef has slightly higher amounts of this fatty acid, but still not enough to be a primary source. The same is true for Vitamin E – no specific type of beef is considered a primary source, although grass-finished beef has about 4 percent of the Daily Value of Vitamin E, about double the amount in conventional beef.
Top | More informationAmount of Omega-3 in Types of Beef BeefNutrition.orgBeefItsWhatsForDinner.org
|
|