Is grass fed beef better than regular beef? And, if it is better, how is it better? This article answers those questions. (Plus more.)
I’ve eaten 1000’s of steaks in my life and I can say without a doubt that, yes, grass fed beef is better than regular beef.
Stick around and learn the difference between the two. Why one is better than the other. And what to look out for when buying beef.
Is Grass Fed Beef Better than Regular Beef?
What makes something “better” for you might not make it better for me.
“Better” is a relative term. It comes down to what matters to you.
So, what do you care about when it comes to beef?
Is it the flavor?
Is it the price?
The nutritional value?
All of the above?
Well, we’re going to talk about all of that right now. Because what makes grass fed beef ‘better’ or ‘worse’ depends on what you’re looking for.
Grass Fed Beef vs. Regular Beef
Here we’ll breakdown the criteria you can use to evaluate your beef.
We’ll look at quality, price, nutritional content, beef attributes, and overall value.
We rate these two protein sources based on the following criteria and share our opinion. Then leave it up to you to decide what’s best for you.
Quality
When it comes to quality, grass fed beef wins. There’s no questions about it.
It’s hard to describe the difference in quality, but you will taste the difference once you try it.
We can quantify quality with things like nutrition.
We know that if the cow was raised naturally that its beef will inherently be better for you.
That’s because a cow raised naturally is a healthy cow. And healthy cows make healthy meat.
Cows munching of grass all day on the open prairie will be healthier than a cow stuffed in a cage eating seed-oil-laced corn meal.
That’s because grass is cows natural food. Cornmeal is not.
Price
Price-wise, regular beef is cheaper. (Surprise, surprise.) You get more for your money with regular beef.
Normal price for regular ground beef is $7 per pound. Grass fed ground beef is around $10 per pound.
You can even find regular ground beef at the warehouse stores for under $4 per pound.
Luckily, we can also find grass fed beef on sale for less than the normal price of regular beef. I buy heavy when it’s on sale.
You don’t need to pay full price for food. Wait for a good deal and stock up when you find one.
Fill your freezer with meat. It thaws quick and holds in nutrients for a long time while frozen.
I haven’t paid full price for steak or beef in a long time. So long I don’t remember the last time I paid full price on meat at the grocery store.
What’s the best value dollar for dollar?
Again, that depends on you.
If you want more for your money, go for the regular beef. If you don’t mind spending more money for better food then grass-fed beef is the way to go.
Nutritional Value
Grass fed beef is better across the board in terms of nutrition.
It does’t take a rocket scientist to see that a cow raised in its natural habitat, grazing on green grass, basking in the sun and breathing fresh air will be healthier than a cow packed in a cage eating corn feed, forced to stand it its own shit.
Do you think it’s better to eat meat of healthy cows?
Of course it is.
I encourage you to look into the studies done on the difference in quality for the two kinds of meat if you’d like.
Grass fed beef wins the nutrition category. I think most would agree that grass-fed beef is objectively better for you in terms of nutrition.
Overall Value
Value is subjective based on the attributes you regard highest.
These are some things to consider when evaluating regular beef vs. grass fed.
What’s the difference between grass fed beef and regular beef?
The difference is where it came from, how the cow was raised, and how the meat was harvested and processed.
The source and journey directly impacts the quality and taste of the meat.
Here are some things to you’ll notice that are different between the two.
Color
Grass fed beef just looks better. It has a deep red color that looks more real. I’ve heard they add red dye to regular meat sometimes to make it look fresh.
Texture
Grass fed beef has a tender yet firm texture, making it al dente. It’s denser with a slight organic, grainy-ish more fibrous texture.
Taste
Grass fed beef is more flavorful. It has a richness that makes eating it very enjoyable.
The look and feel and the taste and texture of grass fed beef is much better.
Is Grass Fed Beef Really Better for You?
Grass fed beef tastes better. It’s more flavorful. The texture is much better. It’s hearty and dense but at the same time tender.
If your taste buds are tuned in you can taste the difference right away. You can just tell. You can sense it.
Grass Fed Beef vs. Regular Beef Bottom Line
If you want the best quality beef money can buy, then you want grass fed organic beef.
If you want more beef for your money, then regular beef is the way to go.
All fresh meat is delicious any way you cut it. Taste is subjective but I will say this. I’ve eaten thousands of steaks in my life. (Steak and eggs is my favorite meal.) Ate a lot of burgers and beef too.
I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt that grass fed beef tastes better. You’ll notice the difference too once you sink your teeth into an organic grass fed beefsteak.
Concluding Thoughts and Considerations
To be honest, no food is perfect. Everything is relative.
Regular beef isn’t the best, but it’s still better for you then food in a box or a can. It’s infinitely better than anything slathered in soybean and seed oils.
Grass fed vs. Grass finished
You have to read labels closely. A little research goes a long way. Look up what the words of your food labels mean.
You might be shocked, surprised, and/or angry once you learn what you’re been eating.
Marketers are clever and come up with words to trick you.
In general, “grass fed” beef is beef that spent its life eating grass.
“Grass finished” means the cattle were fed corn, wheat and soy seed oil cakes to fatten them up. Then ate some grass right before they were slaughtered.
Grass finished is a health halo term. It’s meant to make you feel good about buying it. It gives the perception of heath, but it’s really not much better than regular beef.
Organic Grass Fed Beef
Organic grass-fed beef is better. This usually means no hormones or antibiotics were injected into the cows or the cows food.
Grass fed isn’t the end all be all. I suppose grass fed cows could still be given hormones. But it’s less likely. Still be vigilant and look into how the beef was produced.
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