Athlete LogsSo what's the difference between Grass fed and Grain fed animal products, and how can you differentiate the two in terms of nutritional and health benefits?
There are many differences between meat and animal products produced from animals fed a grass diet as opposed to a grain diet. The greatest difference is in the ratio of Omega fatty acids; the polyunsaturated fatty acids composition of all cell membranes is to a great extent dependent on dietary intake. Two of the essential fatty acids are; Omega-6 and Omega-3. Not only are these fatty acids important to overall human health they are necessary in the right proportions. Outside of the recommended proportions they can cause health problems, often particularly serious ones. The recommended ratio of omega-6 fatty acids to omega-3 fatty acids should be less than 4:1. Grain-fed meat can sometimes have ratios (beef is the worst!!) that exceed 20:1 ratio, whereas grass-fed generally has a ratio of around 3:1.
In layman's terms, grass-fed animal products have shown to be rich in all the fats now proven to be health-enhancing, but low in the fats that have been linked to ill-health and disease. From my own personal experience I can say one of the best "supplements" I have added to my diet is grass fed meat, I have seen immediate changes in my overall health and performance since switching to pasture meats.
