This vs. That: Grass-Fed and Grain-Fed Beef

Grass-fed vs grain-fed beef has become a debate ever since the popularity of grass-fed beef took over. Before you make your choice of what kind of beef to buy, let us inform you of the facts.

Grass-fed beef means that the cow ate grass in her diet. This is slightly misleading because cows eat grass throughout their lives, so technically any beef could be called “grass-fed”, which is usually not what people are looking for when buying grass-fed beef (refer to our “what is grass-fed beef” article to find out to learn more). One of the most popular differences between the meats is that grass-fed beef tends to have lower fat content, which makes it leaner and changes the flavour slightly. Health-wise and environment-wise, neither is significantly better than the other, they just vary. The one downside to grass-fed beef is its price, as it usually more expensive due to the farmer’s cost being higher per cow.

Grain-fed beef means that the cow was raised on a mostly grain-based diet. As previously mentioned, cows do eat grass through their lives, but grain-fed cows get their nutrients mostly through grain-based feed. Grain-fed beef can have more fat marbling and be lighter in color than grass-fed beef. The flavour may also be different, but nutritionally, the two are virtually the same. Grain-fed beef is less lean than grass-fed beef, but not in a health-impacting amount. The upside to grain-fed beef is its price, as it is a lot more affordable than grass-fed beef, and is more readily available as well.

Overall, both grass-fed and grain-fed beef are great choices to include in your meals. Whichever one you choose to buy depends on your flavour and personal preference, but both will give you amazing nutrients!