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Post from Allison.

I recently finished a 30-day strict Paleo diet challenge. I’d been following a primal diet prior to this so the only major change I had to make was to give up dairy. I stopped using sea salt, vinegar, honey, and caffeine. I also stopped chewing gum and eating bacon. Honestly, the first 25 days were not that tough. I was looking forward to seeing what would happen to my body in terms of appearance and in terms of food sensitivities, and to my performance at the gym, so that was enough motivation to stick with it.

It was in the last 5 days or so when I started to think about all the things that I could have once the 30 days were up. I was trying to decide what I wanted to do to celebrate, i.e. cheat, and I finally decided on a latte. The thought of lattes consumed me. It seemed like every person I saw was drinking coffee, and I was stuck with my herbal tea. Granted, it was good tea, but it wasn’t milky and delicious. I’ve never had a craving like that before, especially for something as simple as a latte. I realized that the reason I was craving it so much was because the day was finally approaching when I could have one. Prior to that, the end of the challenge was so far away, and I wasn’t really craving anything, so it wasn’t that big of a deal to stick with it; I just made the necessary changes to my diet and that was that. But once the end was in site, I noticed that I started thinking about “off-limits food” and how I couldn’t wait to get my hands on some.

I don’t mind following a strict Paleo diet, as long as I know that there is some leeway in it. I definitely couldn’t stay strict 100% of the time. I love chocolate and cheesecake and lattes too much for that. My plan is to eat strict essentially all the time, but allow some “cheat” meals. I didn’t want to put a number on the cheats but I thought I should just so that I can keep track of them. So I plan to allow 1 “cheat meal” per week, but I don’t necessarily have to use it, and unused “cheats” won’t accumulate.

I found that not being able to cheat made me want to cheat. Knowing that I can have an occasional latte or some other treat takes the pressure off of eating strict and that is sometimes enough. If I can have some coffee now, I can also wait and have it the next day, and sometimes that is enough to get me beyond that initial urge.

My advice to anyone who is doing a strict challenge, or just trying out the Paleo diet, is to take it easy when it’s over. Don’t freak out and start eating everything in sight just because you are no longer part of a diet challenge. The restricted foods are still restricted. You can incorporate them into your “cheat meals” but they shouldn’t become a regular part of your diet. Introduce one food group at a time, and pay attention to your body and how it reacts to those foods that you’ve restricted for the last 30 days.

Now that the challenge is over, you’ve (hopefully) noticed a lot of changes in your body composition, your performance at the gym, your energy levels, your sleep, and your overall health. You might have struggled with the diet, but you probably also figured out some coping mechanisms that you can incorporate into your post-challenge life. Use these lessons to make the Paleo diet work for you.

- Allison

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The best burgers are made at home. I know this to be a fact.

I have scoured Saskatoon looking for a good burger. There are some decent
ones, but nothing that compares to a homemade patty.

And simple to make too. Very few ingredients are required. It takes less than 5 minutes.

The best burgers start with the best meat. I like lean ground meat, like the ground meat that comes from grass-fed animals. Extra lean
doesn’t have the flavour and is too dry, and regular is way too fatty for my tastes. Beef makes great burgers, with elk being my favourite.

The basic recipe is very simple.
1-1.5 lbs of ground meat
1 egg
Mix together and form into patties. Grill. It really is that simple.

Topped with your favourite garnish, this will make a very tasty burger. To make an extraordinary burger you can add any of the following
ingredients.

I always add:
¾ cup of diced onions. 1 clove of garlic, Ground pepper

Other possibilities:
Mushrooms, bell peppers and other finely chopped veggies go great in burgers.

Feta cheese tastes wonderful and allows you to get the cheese inside the burger. Another option to get cheese inside your burger is to put a single chunk of cheese inside the patty as you are forming them. This is especially good with a flavourful hard cheese such as Asiago, good cheddar or swiss.

Peppers – cayenne, chilli or other hot peppers will add some heat. Most commercial sauces, like Worcestershire or tabasco sauce, contain sugar, but they taste wonderful in a burger and because of their potency, don’t require large quantities. You can also make your own sauce to add to the burger as you make it, or to top the burger as it's cooking. BBQ sauces can be found in most Paleo cookbooks.

Experiment with the spices too.  Basil, cilantro, cumin, oregano and curry are just a few that add great flavour.

Of course, you can’t have a burger without a bun. Large leafy lettuce is an excellent gluten-free substitution.  Add some homemade guacamole and tomato slices and you're set.

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After unpacking the groceries on Sunday, I thought our fridge looked really impressive. It's quite a difference from the fridge I used to eat from not very long ago. My past fridges were usually pretty sparse, and except for a few staples such as milk and cheese, the food often stayed in there for a while before it was eaten or tossed in the garbage. I always had eggs, but had to check the date on them before using. Milk, bulk cheese,bread, pasta were all items that I ate regularly in the past that aren't even found in our house now.

Fast forward to today. We now regularly restock the fridge every week with an assortment of vegs, fruit and other essentials as they are depleted. With a supply of grass-fed meat, we don't have to buy meat as regularly. Our diet has changed quite extensively over the past year to reflect an increased desire to be healthy and increase performance at the gym. We are eating a primarily Paleolithic/Primal diet.

The essentials of the Paleolithic Diet are:
Eat none of the following:
· Grains- including bread, pasta, noodles
· Beans- including string beans, kidney
beans, lentils, peanuts, snow-peas and peas
· Potatoes
· Dairy products
· Sugar
· Salt

Eat the following:
· Meat, chicken and fish
· Eggs
· Fruit
· Vegetables (especially root vegetables, but definitely not including potatoes or sweet potatoes)
· Nuts, eg. walnuts, brazil nuts,
macadamia, almond. Do not eat peanuts (a bean) or cashews (a family of their own)
· Berries- strawberries, blueberries, raspberries etc.
Try to increase your intake of:
· Root vegetables- carrots, turnips, parsnips, rutabagas, Swedes

We deviate from a paleolithic diet slightly. We desire some foods that aren't paleo and do allow some dairy and some caffeine, except for when we are eating a strict Paleo diet. The allowance for butter and good cheeses makes our diet more similar to a Primal diet.

Prior to converting to a Paleo/Primal diet, we got rid of all of our unwanted food items. Cooking became essential to eating. We rarely eat out
now, as there are few places we can go that don't serve grains, processed foods, or lather the meal with sauces filled with sugar or
other ingredients of unknown origin. But we aren't deprived, as we eat better at home than we could anywhere else. And we do allow ourself to "cheat" occassionally when we feel we want to do something special, or when circumstances require it. When life requires it, eating anything is still better than eating nothing at all.

The switch to this healthy eating style has been remarkably easy. I am horrible with temptation. If food is in front of me and it looks appetizing, I'll eat it. For this reason I usually allow myself to eat what is served when I eat at other people's houses. Even shopping for groceries or going through the market isn't too bad. I get temptations, but I am doing this diet for a reason, and knowing there is other good food available, it makes it easier to stick with healthy decisions.

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More specifically, I'm an omnivore. But the point is, people need meat to perform as we were meant to function. Just as herbivores need grass to function as they were meant to function. Just as grass needs herbivores to function as they were meant to function.

From The Vegetarian Myth by Lierre Keith.

"The grass and the grazers need each other as much as predators and prey.
These are not one-way relationships, not arrangements of dominance and
subordination. We aren’t exploiting each other by eating. We are only taking
turns.

We need to be eaten as much as we need to eat. The grazers need their daily
cellulose, but the grass also needs the animals. It needs the manure, with its
nitrogen, minerals, and bacteria; it needs the mechanical check of grazing
activity; and it needs the resources stored in animal bodies and freed up by
degraders when animals die."

Carnivores cannot survive on cellulose. They may on occasion eat grass,
but they use it medicinally, usually as a purgative to clear their digestive
tracts of parasites. Ruminants, on the other hand, have evolved to eat grass. They have a rumen (hence, ruminant), the first in a series of multiple
stomachs that acts as a fermentative vat. What’s actually happening inside a
cow or a wildebeest is that bacteria eat the grass, and the animals eat the
bacteria. Lions and hyenas and humans don’t have a ruminant’s digestive system. Literally from our teeth to our rectums we are designed for meat. We have no mechanism to digest cellulose."

I can eat meat ethically without guilt because I am part of an ecosystem. As much as possible, I eat meat and vegetables that were grown in a system that mantains the natural balance of an ecosystem. This means vegetables and fruit from gardens, farmer's markets and meat from farmers who producer their animals in a way that is part of a natural ecosystem.

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Imagine living without chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, heart disease or cancer. Think it's possible? Or are we destined for a life of suffering?

Currently close to one in two people in North America suffer from a chronic condition of one kind or another. 60% are between the ages of 18 and 64. The number is projected to increase by more than one percent per year by 2030 (1). Those statistics are pretty intimidating, especially when there are basic life choices that can decrease your risk of developing a chronic condition. Mark Sissons of Mark's Daily Apple is an advocate of Primal Eating and living a healthy lifestyle.

When asked how he describes his healthy living philosophy Mark's list includes:
- fresh, organic, unprocessed food – no junk!
- daily activity – whether it’s the gym or a walk along the beach, it all counts
- plenty of quality sleep
- plenty of water, no soda or sweetened drinks
- antioxidants galore – the key to limiting stress
- a good fish-oil supplement
- essential fats, reckless amounts of vegetables, and lean, clean protein
- time for fun – don’t take anything too seriously – ethical behavior – because what goes around comes around
- taking responsibility for yourself and your life – openness to new things and ideas

Healthy eating, stay active, have fun, and live responsibly. It's not easy, but it is simple.

1. Chronic Care in America: A 21st Century Challenge, a study of the
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation & Partnership for Solutions: Johns
Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD for the Robert Wood Johnson
Foundation (September 2004 Update). "Chronic Conditions: Making the
Case for Ongoing Care"

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Feeding ruminant animals grains greatly increases the incidence of liver abscesses. Feeding practices are by far the dominant influence on liver abscesses. The incidence and severity of abscesses increase as roughage
level in the diet decreases. Cattle on grass only diets virtually eliminate the
incidence of liver abscesses. High roughage levels promote a more stable ruminal
fermentation and decrease the variation in feed intake, thereby lowering the
incidence of acidosis and rumenitis. Grains are categorized as “rapidly
fermented,” and promote greater
fluctuations in ruminal pH and intake; this leads to acidosis, rumenitis, and, subsequently,
to liver abscesses. Control of liver
abscesses in feedlot cattle has depended on the use of antimicrobial
compounds.Liver abscesses
are detected only at the time of slaughter, because cattle, even those that
carry hundreds of small abscesses or several large abscesses, seldom exhibit
any clinical signs. With the absence of clinical signs indicating illness, all
animals are treated with microbial feed additives. There are five antibiotics
used as feed additives to control liver abscesses. These antibiotics are
only somewhat effective in controlling abscesses. Even the “best” antibiotic only reduces
incidences by 40% to 70%. 1. Nagaraja,
T. G. and Chengappahttp, M.
M. 1998. Liver abscesses in feedlot cattle. J Anim Sci 76:287-298. http://jas.fass.org/cgi/reprint/76/1/287
2. Smith, G.C. "Dietary
supplementation of vitamin E to cattle to improve shelf life and case life of beef
for domestic and international markets." Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523-1171

3. Effect of Ration on Lipid
Profiles in Beef, n.d., (http://www.csuchico.edu/agr/grassfedbeef/mission.html).

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As the filter for everything that mammals ingest, the liver is a reflection of what the animal ingests. In addition to the diet, the age and condition of the animal will reflect it's composition. More on the effect of diet on the liver will be covered in part two.

Three ounces (85 grams) of pan-fried beef liver provides more than 22 grams of protein. Liver provides the most concentrated amount of vitamin A of all food sources. It is considered an efficient aid in vitamin A deficiency. Liver is a rich source of heme iron (the organic iron in animal foods). This type of iron is five times more easily absorbed than non-heme iron. Liver is a good source of the mineral phosphorus. One of the few natural sources of vitamin D, liver is also an excellent source of all the B vitamins (particularly B12), copper, vitamin C and trace minerals.

There are many ways to cook liver to preserve the flavour or mask it. Sauteeing over med-high heat in a non-stick pan with onions is a quick and cheap meal that accents the natural flavours of liver. Many cooks soak the liver in a white wine marinade or milk or use herbs to soften the flavour. And of course, pate is a fine use of liver.

Sauteed Liver with Onions, Balsamic Vinegar and Bacon

In a large saute pan, heat 4 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add 2 large onions, thinly sliced and cook slowly until onions are caramelized. Remove to a bowl.

Add 1/4 pound bacon, and fry until crisp. Remove and place on paper towels to drain.

Turn the heat up to medium high, and dredge the liver (1 pound, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices) in seasoned flour and place in the pan, in batches. Cook until dark brown on one side, about 3 to 4 minutes, without moving, then remove from pan. When all the liver has been cooked on one side, return it to the pan onto the uncooked side, and add 1/2 cup dry white wine, 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, and the caramelized onions. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes.

Top with bacon and serve.

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Isn't that what ketchup is for? If that is what your response is, this post isn't likely for you.

For the rest of you who want the tastiest burgers that taste like a burger and not just BBQ sauce, take a look at the meat you are working with. Carrie Oliver gave some tips on How to Choose your Burger Meat. And it has little to do with the grade.

      "We have been trained to think that USDA Grade (Select, Choice, or Prime) is the key contributor to quality, flavor, and juiciness. This
     is not true; flavor and texture also vary (a lot) depending on the breed, region, diet, aging techniques, and the relative talent of the
     grower, slaughterhouse, and butcher."

Grocery stores and butchers compete based on price and pay little attention to other qualities that determine what your burger will taste like. Carrie suggested the following to get the most taste out of your burgers.

              "If you’re a flavor hound, for burgers I would suggest that you look even harder for a good source of grass fed beef. When raised and aged properly, you’ll often find it to have a far more adventurous flavor. You will likely have also done a good thing for animal welfare and the environment while you were at it. That’s a win-win-win if I’ve ever heard one!"

The Artisan Beef Institute has posted some factors to finding great tasting beef. Next time you are buying meat, ask the butcher (if the store even has one) about a few of them. See how many answers you will get.

Artisan Beef Institute® - Minimum Criteria For Artisan Quality Beef

* Specific farm or producer group (source-verified).
* Single breed or cross-breed.
* Known growing region.

* No added growth hormones (steroids, yuck!).
* No preventative antibiotics (if they can't keep healthy without 'em...).
* All vegetable diet, no funky stuff in there like stale chewing gum.
* Low stress conditions on farm, in truck, at yard (if relevant), & at slaughterhouse.
* Dry-aged or wet-aged for at least 14 days
* Bonus points: certified organic, humane, grass-only diet, holistic.

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The relatively modern foods in a typical American diet--cereal grain, dairy products, beverages, vegetable oils and dressings, and sugar and candy--constitute more than 60% of all calories consumed. These calories would have contributed to none of the energy in the typical hunter-gatherer society. Paleolithic hunter-gather diets were mainly "nuts, fruits and
vegetables, and small game. Later, as societies developed the skills
to hunt big game, we began consuming substantial amounts of meat and
animal fats. These Paleolithic diets were extremely high in protein (19-35% of calories), low in carbohydrates (22% to 40% of energy) and comparable or higher in fat (28-58% of energy).

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Simple Paleo Breakfast

Preparation time - 5 minutes
Cooking time - 10 minutes

Season Grass-fed Sirloin Elk Steak with cracked pepper. Heat BBQ to 400. Grill for 4 to 5 minutes on each side for a medium rare 3/4 inch steak. Remove. Do not leave for longer. Elk does not tolerate overcooking. Slice tomato and fry for 5 minutes on med heat. Fry two eggs on low - medium heat in preferred manner. Enjoy!!

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It's not surprising, really. When you look behind the steak to see what the animal was fed, you will find dramatic differences in the health properties of grass-fed meat compared to grain-fed meat.  Grass-fed meat is a far superior product than an equivalent cut of grain-fed meat. As the saying goes, You are what you eat, and you are also what you eat, eats.

Why are grass-fed meats healthier?

Ruminant’s digestive systems function on low energy high fibre diets. Their digestive system is not able to function properly on a diet with high energy low fibre diets, such as corn and barley.

The University of California Cooperative Extension and California State University, Chico, conducted a literature review of articles, letters and commentary of scientists and compiled it in a website to show the health benefits of grass-fed beef (1). Another joint study was conducted in 2009 by the United States Department of Agriculture and researchers at Clemson University in South Carolina (2,3).

These studies compared grain-fed meat to grass-fed meat.  They found the benefits of grass-fed meat to include:

1. Lower total fat and saturated fat content. Correspondingly, the leaner steaks and ground meat have fewer calories.
2. Higher total omega-3 content. The omega-3 fatty acids ALA, EPA and DHA are all higher.
3. A more desirable ratio of omega-6 fatty acids (linoleic acid) to omega-3fatty acids. The Omega-6:Omega-3 ratios in grass-fed animals approaches the natural 2:1 ratio recommended for human diets.
4. Higher in conjugated linoleic acids (CLA)
5. Richer in antioxidants, including vitamins E, beta-carotene, and vitamin C.
6. Higher in minerals calcium, magnesium and potassium
7. Higher in the B-vitamins thiamin and riboflavin.
8. Does not contain traces of added hormones, antibiotics or other drugs.

The Details

1. Total and saturated fat

Grass-fed meat can have one third as much fat as a similar cut from a grain-fed animal. Grass-fed beef can have the same amount of fat as skinless chicken breast, wild deer, or elk.Because meat from grass-fed animals is lower in fat than meat from grain-fed animals, it is also lower in calories. (Fat has 9 calories per gram, compared with only 4 calories for protein and carbohydrates. The greater the fat content, the greater the number of calories.) As an example, a 6-ounce steak from a grass-finished steer can have 100 fewer calories than a 6-ounce steak from a grain-fed steer.

2. Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Meat from grass-fed animals has two to four times more omega-3 fatty acids than meat from grain- fed animals. Omega-3 fatty acids are essential nutrientswhich must be obtained from food. Omega-3 fatty acids include: α-linolenic acid(ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid(DHA).There are numerous health benefits from consumption of omega-3 fatty acids. The heart-health benefits of the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids — DHA and EPA omega-3 — are the best known. Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to stimulate circulation and to reduce blood pressure, reduce triglyceride levels, and reduce the risk of secondary and primary heart attacks. Some benefits have been reported in conditions such as rheumatoid arthritisand cardiac arrhythmias. There is preliminary evidence that n-3 fatty acids supplementation might be helpful in cases of depressionand anxiety. Several studies report possible anti-cancereffects of omega−3 fatty acids (particularly breast, colon and prostate cancer). (4,5,6)

3. Omega-3 to Omega-6 fatty acid ratios

Evidence is emerging that the ratio of omega-6 fatty acids to omega-3 fatty acids in the diet may be an important factor in human health. Diets of early humans contained roughly equal amounts of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids—a ratio between 1:1 and 2:1 (7).Americans’ consumption of omega-6 fatty acids has increased enormously over the past 150 years (particularly in the form of vegetable oils) while their intake of omega-3 fatty acids from fish, meat, and dairy foods has declined. Recent studies suggest that the average U.S. omega-6:omega-3 ratio is now about 10:1 (7).

Ratios of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids in animals will vary considerably based on diet, environment and other factors. Grass-fed animals consistently have a lower ratio than grain-fed animals, and studies have shown that grass-fed animals meet the recommended 2:1 ratio. For example, this ratio is consistently and significantly lower in steaks from grass-fed animals than in steaks from grain-fed animals.

4. Conjugated linoleic acids (CLA)

Conjugated linoleic acids are a family of linoleic acidfound especially in the meatand dairy productsderived from ruminants. CLA is best known for its anti-cancer and antioxidant properties. Research studies with animal models suggest that CLA reduces the risk of cancers at several sites (mammary tissue, prostate, gastrointestinal tract, lung, and skin). CLA can also reduce body fat, especially abdominal fat, and enhances growth of lean body mass. Researchers have also found that CLA can reduce the risk for cardiovascular disease and help fight inflammation. (8)

Research conducted since 1999 shows that grazing animals have from 3-5 times more CLA than animals fattened on grain in a feedlot. Fat from milk and beef contains an average of 4.0 and 3.5 mg CLA/g of fat, respectively. Simply switching from grain-fed to grass-fed products can greatly increase your intake of CLA. (9).

5. Vitamin E

Meat from pastured cattle was found to be four times higher in vitamin E than meat from feedlot cattle and, interestingly, almost twice as high as meat from feedlot cattle given vitamin E supplements (1,000 IU per day) (10). Another study found vitamin E found in beef raised on a conventional diet is 3.7 micrograms per gram of meat (11). The amount of vitamin E per gram in beef raised on the grass-based diet is 9.3 micrograms, a nearly threefold improvement Vitamin E in humans is linked with a lower risk of heart disease and cancer. This potent antioxidant may also have anti-aging properties.

6. Beta Carotene (Vitamin A)

The major storage site for beta-carotene in cattle is the liver, though it also appears in the fat of grass-fed beef, giving it a yellow color (12). Beta-carotene is converted to vitamin A in the body. While excessive amounts of vitamin A in supplement form can be toxic, the body will only convert as much vitamin A as it needs from beta-carotene. Vitamin A is a critical fat-soluble vitamin that is important for normal vision, bone growth, reproduction, cell division and cell differentiation. A three-ounce serving of grass-fed beef supplies 10 percent of the recommended
dietary allowance of beta-carotene for women, compared to 5 percent from conventional beef. 6. Calcium, Magnesium and Potassium, and
B-Vitamins thiamin and riboflavin

7.  Calcium, Magnesium and Potassium, and B-Vitamins thiamin and riboflavin

Finishing steers on pasture was determined to significantly increase calcium, magnesium and potassium content as well as the B-Vitamins, thiamine and riboflavin, compared to grain-finished steers. (13)

References
1. Grass Fed Beef, 2004. California State University, College of Agriculture, Chico and University of California, Cooperative Extension. http://www.csuchico.edu/agr/grassfedbeef/mission.html

2. S. K. Duckett and J. G. Andrae, J. Anim. Sci. 2009, Grass-fed management systems for profitable livestock production. Clemson
University, Clemson S.C., Vol. 87, E-Suppl. 2/J. Dairy Sci. Vol. 92, E-Suppl.

3. S.K. Duckett et al, Journal of Animal Science, (published online) June 2009, “Effects of winter stocker growth rate and finishing system on: III. Tissue proximate, fatty acid, vitamin and cholesterol content.”
4. Augustsson, Katarina; et al. (2003). "A prospective study of intake of fish and marine fatty acids and prostate cancer". Cancer Epidemiology,
Biomarkers & Prevention 12 (1): 64–67.

5. De Deckere, E.A. (1999). "Possible beneficial effect of fish and fish n−3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in breast and colorectal cancer". Eur J Cancer Prev 8 (3): 213–221.

6. Caygill, C.P.; Hill, M.J. (1995). "Fish, n−3 fatty acids and human colorectal and breast cancer
mortality". Eur J Cancer Prev 4 (4): 329–332.

7. Kris-Etherton, P.M., D.S. Taylor, S. Yu-Poth, P. Huth, K. Moriarty, V. Fishell, R.L. Hargrove, G. Zhao, and T.D. Etherton. 2000. Polyunsaturated fatty acids in the food chain in the United States. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 71(supplement):179S–188S.

8. Zulet MA, Marti A, Parra MD, Martínez JA, September 2005. "Inflammation and conjugated linoleic acid: mechanisms of action and implications for human health". J. Physiol. Biochem. 61 (3): 483–94.

9. Dhiman, T.R., C.S. Poulson, A.L. Ure, and D. Cornforth. 2005. Feed forages enhance CLA, vitamin E content in beef. Feedstuffs, September 19, 14–16.5. Antioxidants

10.Smith, G.C. "Dietary supplementation of vitamin E to cattle to improve shelf life and case life of beef for domestic and international markets."
Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523-1171

11.Effect of Ration on Lipid Profiles in Beef, n.d., (http://www.csuchico.edu/agr/grassfedbeef/mission.html).

12.Daly, C.C., O.A. Young, A.E. Graafhuis, S.M. Moorhead, and H.S. Easton. 1999. Some effects of diet on beef meat and fat attributes. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 42:279–287.

13.Duckett, S. K., Neel, J. P. S., Fontenot, J. P., Clapham, W. M. Effects of winter stocker growth rate and finishing system on: III. Tissue proximate, fatty acid, vitamin, and cholesterol content J. Anim Sci. 2009 0: jas.2009-1850

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What is Grass-fed?

There is no formal definition of grass-fed. Grass Hill Foods only sells meat that was fed mother’s milk and forages, nothing else. Grass Hill Foods animals were born, raised and finished on grass and forage legumes. Grass Hill Foods grass-fed animals’ diets are not supplemented with grain, grain products, grain screenings, animal fat, poultry fat, vegetable fat, or oilseeds. Bakery waste, distiller’s grain, sugar, molasses, and yeast are not used as feed ingredients. Vitamins are not added because the grass provides these naturally. Growth-promoting hormones and implants are not used. Neither are non-therapeutic antibiotics or other drugs. In other words, Grass Hill Foods animals are fed a diet their digestive system was designed to eat, nothing else.

I thought all cattle ate grass?

Most do up until a certain stage, but then they are increasingly fed grains and other supplements. Cattle are dominantly finished on grain products. If the animal is fed in the Canadian prairies, the grain product is likely barley or wheat. If it is fed in the USA or eastern Canada, the grain is likely corn. A very large and surprising list of "feed" is fed to animals in feedlots.  The list of products that grass-fed animals are not fed in the “What is Grass-Fed?” above lists the more common products grain-fed animals are fed.

Does it matter to the cattle what they are fed?

Yes. Cattle are ruminants.

What are Ruminants?

Ruminants refers to a suborder of mammals with a digestive system designed to utilize energy from fibrous plant material. Ruminants get energy from digesting fibrous plant material by breaking it down with microbial fermentation. Grain, grain products, fat and other feed ingredients used to feed commercial cattle are not fibrous plant materials. Ruminating animals, such as cattle, bison, sheep and deer cannot properly digest high-starch/high-energy grain.

What happens when ruminants are fed a high energy diet of grains such as barley or corn?

Because corn and grains are low in fiber, a grain-based diet accumulates fermentation acids in cows’ stomachs. Acids accumulate as a result of the increased concentration of sugars and starches. This creates a more acidic environment and decreases the microbial population required for cellulose digestion. The excessively acidic digestive systems, as a result of a grain-rich diet, cause significant and prevalent health problems in ruminants. The acid build-up leads to tissue damage within the rumen and can cause ulcerations of the rumen wall and liver abscesses. Grain-induced health problems, in turn, ramp up the need for drugs and make the animals increasingly susceptible to other infections.

What about organic cattle?

Almost all commercial cattle, including organic and natural, are fed a grain-based diet. Unless it is 100% grass-fed, the animal was most likely fed a diet including grains. The organic designation means animals were fed organic feed sources, organic grass as well as organic grain. Even if the grain is organic, the animal’s digestive system, health and quality of meat are still the same as animals fed non-organic grain.

Why are cattle fed grains?

As a high-starch, high-energy food, grains decrease the time required to fatten cattle. It is more cost-efficient to feed an animal grain than it is to feed them grass.

When do cattle start eating grain ?

Commercial cattle begin their life on grass and are switched to a diet containing grains when they are 5 to 7 months old, usually once they enter a feedlot environment. The animals are sent to feedlots (also called concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) or animal feeding operations (AFOs)) when they are 5 to 7 months old. Feedlots represent areas where feed is provided to the animals and grazing is not possible. Animals in these operations are confined at high stocking densities. The high stocking density produces the highest output at the lowest cost by relying on economies of scale. Modern machinery,biotechnology and global trade are also used to lower cost of production in feedlots. Diets in feedlots are strictly controlled to optimize weight gain and feed-conversion efficiencies. Animal feed ingredients are derived from a multitude of raw materials of plant and animal origin, as well as pharmaceutical and industrial sources. High-energy feed stock such as grain, corn, or barley is the most common feed ingredient, with concentrations in the diet increasing as animals gain weight. For at least the last 100 days, cattle are on a finishing diet. A typical finishing diet is composed of 85% grain, 10% hay and 5% supplements. (Martin, 2005)

References:

Martin, Dennis, 2005, Typical Feedlot
Diets. http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/livestock/beef/facts/feedlotdiets.htm
Kuhl, G.L., T. Marston, and R. Jones.
2002. Beef cattle feed requirements. Kansas State University Agricultural
Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service.

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From foodcurated.com

Hang out inside the basement kitchen while Shanna breaks down their steer for steaks and burger meat and hear what she has to say about her love of butchering and the benefits of using the whole animal

The animal is grain fed, but grain finished, so it is a little bit fattier than a fully grass fed animal would be.

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