Grass-fed versus grain-fed beef
Before you buy your next thick, juicy steak, there are a few things to consider.
- How can you get the best bang for your buck?
- Is there a substantial difference between grass-fed and grain-fed beef?
- Where can you buy local beef?
Grass-fed beef 101
The main differences between grass-fed and grain-fed beef are nutritional content, availability, price, taste, cooking technique, and the health and treatment of the animal before slaughter.
Nutritional Content
- Grass-fed beef is higher in the essential fatty-acid Omega-3, an essential fat critical for growth, development and fighting inflammation.
- Conjugated linoleic acid, CLA for short, helps your body burn fat, boosts your metabolism and improves thyroid function. CLA may also help protect us against cancer. Grass-fed beef is 2-4 times higher in CLA than grain-fed beef.
- Richer in antioxidants: four times higher in Vitamin E and high in Vitamin C and beta-carotene.
- Higher in protein than grain-fed beef.
- Grain-fed beef is nearly three times higher in Omega-6 fatty acids. A balance of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fats is critical for health. Our diets tend to be overly high in Omega-6 fats which promoting various health risks.
Availability
Commercial grain-fed beef is more widely available in supermarkets and restaurants. Unless specifically labeled otherwise, assume that it is grain-fed beef and not grass-fed beef. In Santa Cruz, 100% grass-fed beef is widely available. Supply and demand determine what is available and some places that used to carry local and/or grass-fed, grass-finished beef may not continue or vice versa with grain-fed beef. Stay alert when reading signs and labels and when in doubt, ask! Currently, you will find grass-fed beef at the following:
- Grocery stores such as Staff of Life, New Leaf, Deluxe Foods, and Shoppers Corner
- Butcher shops: el Sachichero on the West Side
- Local farms: Morris, Paicines, Pacific Pastures, N-A Ranch, Gleason, Devil’s Gulch, Ratay and Claravale. Look online using your zip code on eatwild.com
- Restaurants: Michael’s on Main, Bluewater Steakhouse, Burger., Gabriella Cafe, Oswald’s, and Ristorante Avanti. Menus change all the time so always ask the wait staff if their beef is 100% grass-fed.
- Farmers’ Markets. Talk to the farmer about the option of buying large quantities for a discount.
Price
On average, grass-fed beef is more expensive (anywhere from $2-6/lb). Buying in bulk will almost always save you money. Price varies depending on the cut of beef, ground usually being the cheapest. Keep your eye open for sales and if you have a large freezer, consider buying part of a cow from a local ranch.
Taste & Texture
Grain/corn-fed beef have a reputation of being more tender and “better” tasting. This depends on the cut, how you cook it and of course, personal opinion. Grass-fed beef is leaner and is therefore easy to overcook. Following these tips ensures excellent taste and tenderness.
Health and treatment of the cow
Cows are supposed to eat grass. When they eat corn or grain, they get sick, overwrought with E. coli, and are given antibiotics. These antibiotics as well as growth hormones accumulate in the fat tissue of the cow, which is then passed along to you.
When you pay more per pound for grass-fed beef, the difference in cost helps to cover the cost spent to give the cow room to move around, cleaner living conditions, a better diet, improved health and more humane slaughter. Cows sold for grass-fed beef are slaughtered an average of 7 months later than grain-fed, commercial cows since the grass doesn’t make them over fat (taking them longer to reach an appropriate weight).
Getting the best value
- Buy in bulk
- Buy locally, try to buy part of a whole cow with some neighbors
- Buy less expensive cuts of beef at the store and cook them longer (i.e. chuck roasts)
Considering the nutritional superiority and more humane treatment of grass-fed cows, it is no wonder more people are using their dollar to vote for grass-fed beef.
Continue reading on Examiner.com: Grass-fed versus grain-fed beef – San Francisco Healthy Living | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/healthy-living-in-san-francisco/grass-fed-versus-grain-fed-beef#ixzz1GiXWmzXz
Exercises to improve balance
Injury prevention, improved performance in a wide range of sports, and becoming more graceful on the dance floor all have one thing in common: good balance. The media would have us believe that balance is a function of age and that we lose more and more every year, but age is not directly related to losing one’s balance. Function is. The truth is that balance is like a muscle and if you want good balance, you need to do exercises to strengthen it.
Why is good balance important?
- Injury prevention-You decrease your risk of falling, twisting your ankle and breaking bones when you optimize your stability and core strength. A bad fall can result in expensive surgery (or worse) and a lifetime of babying an old injury.
- Sports performance-Balance can be as critical to one’s athletic ability as strength, speed or endurance.
- Ease of day to day life-Walking, sitting, getting in and out of your car, playing with your kids and hobbies like golf or bowling all require good balance.
Exercises to improve balance
Balance can be improved in many ways. Here are a few suggestions:
- Core and balance training exercises such as weight shifts, standing on one leg, lunges, or using a stability ball, BOSU, agility ladder, slide board, or DynaDisc for a few minutes each week can help you improve your balance in a couple of weeks.
- Heel to toe walking
- Multidirectional catch with a ball or Frisbee
- Cardio machines that require you to balance if you aren’t holding onto the handles like ellipticals, stair climbers and treadmills
- Walking/hiking on uneven terrain
- Classes such as dance (any form), yoga, Qigong, or martial arts. Santa Cruz has plenty of local fitness centers, yoga and martial arts studios, and classes offered through Parks and Rec and Dominican Hospital to choose from.
The most important point is to move your body and do things that safely challenge your balance. Chances are if you use it, you won’t lose it.
Published on examiner.com, February 26, 2011
Is Hand Sanitizer Bad?
It is a bit ironic to sanitize your hands hoping to fend off colds and flus when the sanitizer you’re using may be contributing to much more serious health issues. Hand sanitizers and anti-bacterial soaps with synthetic parabens and triclosan are found to suppress proper thyroid function, increase risk of allergies, mimic estrogen, and contribute to long-term compromised immunity. Fending off illness needn’t be so risky. When it comes to hand hygiene, good old soap and water and/or an essential oil based sanitizer does a great job in killing germs.
Health risks of alcohol-based hand sanitizers?
- Kills good as well as bad bacteria. Like our intestines, there is beneficial flora on your skin as well. Hand sanitizers kill microorganisms indiscriminately, however, good flora appear to repopulate quickly after use.
- It is not safe to drink. Thousands of poisoning cases are reported annually to the American Association of Poison Control regarding children and alcohol-based hand sanitizers. A simple solution, use sanitizing towelettes rather than gels around kids.
- Reduced ability to fight off infections with continued use of sanitizers doesn’t appear to have consistent results.
- Skin irritation, drying and redness can accompany continued use of alcohol-based sanitizers. Some people are more sensitive than others.
- Methylparabens have an estrogenic affect on the body. Most research agrees that parabens are best avoided.
- Triclosan, a pesticide used to slow the growth of some bacteria and viruses, was found in 2005 to not be superior to washing your hands with soap and water. Evidence is mounting that it is dangerous (disrupts thyroid, mimics estrogen) and should be avoided.
- Some germ exposure helps us build a strong immune system, so one must ask themselves if they actually want to keep a mostly sterile environment or not.
Benefits of hand-sanitizers
- When soap and water aren’t available, hand sanitizers do reduce spread of germs that can cause respiratory or gastrointestinal illness by about 59%.
- Hand sanitizers were found to be better at killing norovirus than just soap and water.
Safer sanitizing options
- Wash with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds.
- Use an essential oil based sanitizer. Essential oils are naturally antimicrobial and antibacterial. Some brands are CleanWell, Herban Essentials, Young Living Essential Oils “Thieves” products, and All Terrain Hand Sanz. Santa Cruz County has plenty of health food stores that carry natural sanitizers and hand soaps including New Leaf, Staff of Life, Herb Room/Food Bin, and Way of Life.
Even with the best hand hygiene, you will probably get sick once in a while. Building a strong immune system through proper diet, an active lifestyle and stress reduction is your best shot at avoiding illness.
