Factory-Farmed vs. Grass-Fed: The Shocking Truth About Animal Products Does it really matter how your meat is raised?
The answer might surprise you. In Episode 7 of ReThink Meat, we uncover the often overlooked nutritional differences between factory-farmed and grass-fed animal products—and why they matter for your health.
Why did we start feeding animals grain instead of grass? And how has this shift led to a dangerous imbalance in dietary fats that could be fueling chronic inflammation? We dig into the science, revealing how the way animals are raised affects thousands of nutrients like fats, vitamins, minerals, and even powerful phytonutrients.
Plus, we share human health studies showing why grass-fed beef isn’t just better for the environment—it may also be be better for you. And wait until you hear about the 90% difference in metabolites between plant-based burgers and real beef—proof that we’ve vastly oversimplified the true nutritional power of meat.
What if meat is more nutrient-packed than we’ve ever imagined?
Summary
The video discusses the nutritional differences between factory-farmed and grass-fed animal products, highlighting the benefits of pasture-raised meats, eggs, and dairy for human health. It advocates for re-evaluating dietary choices to address nutrient deficiencies prevalent in American diets and emphasizes the importance of sustainable farming practices for better nutrition and ecological health.
Key Points
Nutritional Value of Meat
The video establishes that meat, particularly when raised on pasture, can have similar or superior nutritional benefits compared to many plant foods. It contains essential nutrients, including bioavailable minerals and vitamins like B12, which are crucial for energy metabolism, brain health, and immune function.
Impact of Farming Practices
The nutritional profile of animal products varies significantly depending on the animal's diet and farming practices. Pasture-raised animals have a better nutritional profile, including higher Omega-3 fatty acids and lower Omega-6s, which can contribute to reduced inflammation and improved overall health.
Deficiencies in the American Diet
Over 90% of Americans suffer from nutrient deficiencies as a result of consuming lower quality food. Many experts attribute this to the lower nutrient content of modern food versus that of the past, prompting an urgent need to reassess dietary habits.
Case Studies on Eggs, Chicken, Pork, and Beef
Research highlights substantial nutritional advantages of pasture-raised products, such as increased vitamins (e.g., B9, B12, D) and Omega-3 fatty acids, among others. This section compares conventional and pasture-raised eggs, chicken, pork, and beef in terms of their nutrient density.
Omega Fatty Acids Ratios
The video emphasizes the importance of the ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 fatty acids in diets. Current Western diets are heavily skewed toward Omega-6s, which can exacerbate inflammation and related health issues. A balanced intake is crucial for optimal health.
Health Implications of Diet Choices
Consumer choices around meat can significantly impact health. Regular consumption of grass-fed meats may help combat nutrient deficiencies and offer health benefits compared to conventionally produced meats, suggesting the potential for public health strategies centered on improved meat consumption.
Environmental and Ecological Considerations
The video states that choices around meat consumption not only affect personal health but also ecological health. Supporting sustainable and regenerative farming practices can contribute to the betterment of both personal health and the environment.
Advocacy for informed dietary choices
Ultimately, viewers are encouraged to rethink their meat consumption patterns and support producers who practice sustainable farming, underscoring the interconnectedness of dietary choices, health, and ecological well-being.
references 3
Claim: Currently, we track 13 nutrients on nutrition labels and about 150 nutrients in the USDA database, but there are literally tens of thousands of nutrients that impact human health in ways we are only beginning to understand (Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels, 2024) (Shaw, 2019).Sources:
https://www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-facts-label/daily-value-nutrition-and-supplement-facts-labels#%3A%7E%3Atext=Which+Nutrients+Are+Required+to%2Cand+certain+vitamins+and+minerals https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/blog/new-nutrient-content-information-now-online
Claim: Research has revealed secondary compounds can improve satiety and are also well known for their antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anticarcinogenic, and antidepressant effects (Sheng et al., 2019, #) (Kan et al., 2022) (Krusinski et al., 2023) (Bisht et al., 2021) (Darabi et al., 2023) …
Sources: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31354627/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9424995/
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/349489830_A_Review_on_Therapeutic_Uses_of_Terpenoids
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9424995/
https://jhpn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s41043-023-00456-5#%3A%7E%3Atext=In+the+current+study+evaluating%2Cin+participant+with+normal+BMI
Claim: Research also suggests Grassfed animals may contain less desirable compounds such as advanced glycation end-products, triglycerides, and short chain acyl carnitines (Perkins et al., 2023)…..
Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10580815/
Claim: … many, though not all, grass-fed and pasture-based farms do not use antibiotics, growth promotants like ractopamine and pesticides which means fewer residues will end up in pasture raised meats too, as they revealed in Zen Ho neycutt’s 2022 analysis of 10 fast food meats (Mills, 2023)…
Source: https://www.momsacrossamerica.com/fast_food_glyphosate_herbicide
Claim: This effect was also found in those consuming pasture raised cheese vs. grain fed cheese by Sofi in 2010 and other studies have found those eating grass fed beef had lower levels of triglycerides ((Adams et al., 2010; Gilmore et al., 2011)...
Sources:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19674491/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21525253/
Claim: ..elevated levels of carotenoids and tocopherols that protect the meat from protein and lipid oxidation and Dr. van Vliet is also studying the changes in blood chemistry after eating grass fed beef, grain fed beef and plant based meat (Daley et al., 2010) (Yang et al., 2002)….
Source:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2846864/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22063104/
Claim: This paper revealed that Grass Fed Beef can be a significant contributor to omega 3 intake, especially for those who do not consume fish and levels of DHA, one of the omega 3 fatty acids known for its heart and brain benefits, is 200 times higher in beef liver than in muscle meat.
Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37004100/
Claim: In fact, the daily recommended amount of long chain omega fatty acids DHA + EPA per the World Health Organization is 250 mg and 100 grams of grass fed beef liver contains about 225 mg. Which may be comparable to the amount in certain types of fish like cod, flounder and haddock! (Omega-3 Fatty Acids - Health Professional Fact Sheet, n.d.) (EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products & Nutrition and Allergies (NDA), 2012, #)
Sources:
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Omega3FattyAcids-HealthProfessional/
https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2012.2815
https://thepaleodiet.com/omega-3-fatty-acid-content-of-fish-and-seafood/
Claim: So grass fed meat & organ meats can meaningfully contribute to omega 3 fatty acid intake which is important given that omega 3 deficiency kills up to 84,000 Americans each year. (Domínguez, 2009)
Sources:
https://hms.harvard.edu/news/burden-calculated-preventable-causes-death#%3A%7E%3Atext=The+study+was+the+first%2Cfrom+seafood+%2884%2C000+deaths%29
https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.1000058
Claim: Natural. Consumer Reports found that 62% of consumers seek the term "natural" on products, but its presence on meat labels lacks substance (More Shoppers Buying 'Natural' Food, yet Most Don't Know What It Means, 2016) and only implies minimal processing without artificial additives after slaughter, but tells us nothing about crucial details like animal diet, living conditions, and harvesting methods (Meat and Poultry Labeling Terms | Food Safety and Inspection Service, n.d.).
Sources: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2016/01/27/most-shoppers-dont-understand-natural-food-labels/79346088/
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/meat-and-poultry-labeling-terms
Claim: Made in America. Contrary to popular belief, "Made in America" doesn't guarantee domestic origin; meat could be imported and merely processed and packaged in the U.S. , The government is currently in the process of making this a more truthful label, but for now, be wary of labels telling you they’re “Made in America.” (“How the Meaning of a 'Made in the USA' Label Could Change for Meat and Poultry Products,” 2023)
Sources:
https://www.stlpr.org/2023-03-23/how-the-meaning-of-a-made-in-the-usa-label-could-change-for-meat-and-poultry-products
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/policy/federal-register-rulemaking/federal-register-rules/voluntary-labeling-fsis-regulated
Claim: Raised without antibiotics approximately 73% of antibiotics worldwide are used in animal agriculture and though this label suggests antibiotic-free production, it's not foolproof (Tiseo et al., 2020) (Meat and Poultry Labeling Terms | Food Safety and Inspection Service, n.d.). Variations like "no antibiotic residues" or "no antibiotic growth promotants" may still allow prior antibiotic use for disease prevention. Even "raised without medically important antibiotics" can overlook non-human-used antibiotics, contributing to antibiotic resistance, a global health crisis that kills over 700,000 people each year (A Greener World, 2018).
Sources:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7766021/#%3A%7E%3Atext=Antimicrobials+are+an+essential+component+of+intensive%2Cused+in+animals+raised+for+food+%5B9%5D
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/meat-and-poultry-labeling-terms
https://www.consumerreports.org/overuse-of-antibiotics/what-no-antibiotic-claims-really-mean/
Claim: A 2015 analysis by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) found antibiotic-resistant bacteria on nearly 80% of supermarket meat (79% ground turkey, 71% pork chops, 62% ground beef, 36% chicken breast, wings and thighs (“Report: Superbugs Found in More Than Three-Fourths of U.S. Supermarket Meat,” 2018) - put on screen and Mom’s Across America also found several veterinary antibiotics, and compounds called ionophores, in fast-food meat (Harmful Antibiotics and a Contraceptive Found in Top Ten Fast Food Samples, 2023)…
Sources:
https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news-release/report-superbugs-found-more-three-fourths-us-supermarket-meat
https://www.fda.gov/media/108304/download?attachment
https://www.momsacrossamerica.com/_press-release
Claim: When it comes to chickens - Cage Free or Free Range - can also be misleading because cage free" doesn't guarantee outdoor access; chickens may be confined indoors with thousands of others. Similarly, "free range" suggests open-field roaming but only requires outdoor access, often through small doors leading to limited outdoor spaces, sometimes just concrete or dirt lots. (Meat and Poultry Labeling Terms | Food Safety and Inspection Service, n.d.) (Cage-Free Vs. Battery-Cage Eggs, n.d.)
There is also no government definition of “pasture” and no in-farm visits required - so their “pasture access” is never confirmed ("Free Range" and "Pasture Raised" Officially Defined by HFAC for Certified Humane® Label, 2014).
Sources:
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/meat-and-poultry-labeling-terms
Highlight "Free Range: Producers must demonstrate to the Agency that the poultry has been allowed access to the outside."
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media_file/2021-02/RaisingClaims.pdf
https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/cage-free-vs-battery-cage-eggs
https://thehumaneleague.org/article/cage-free#%3A%7E%3Atext=Cons+of+cage-free+eggs+USDA+cage-free+standards%2Careas+that+chickens+prefer+to+live+in.
https://humaneitarian.org/what-is-humanely-raised-meat/faq/behind-the-labels/#%3A%7E%3Atext=Pasture-raised%2Cthere+are+no+farm+visits
https://certifiedhumane.org/free-range-and-pasture-raised-officially-defined-by-hfac-for-certified-humane-label/
Claim: Pasture-Raised - Similar to “free range,” with no government definition of “pasture”, companies can easily label their products “pasture-raised” when their animals are on pasture, tightly confined by wire and with low roofs that they overheat, are surrounded by their own feces, and other substandard conditions (How to Decode Egg Labels, 2018).
Sources:
https://certifiedhumane.org/decode-egg-labels/#%3A%7E%3Atext=Because+it%27s+not+a+regulated%2C%C2%AE+%E2%80%9CPasture-Raised.%E2%80%9D
CNN article on lack of regulation: https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/07/business/food-labels-meaning/index.html
No definition by USDA: https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/organic-certification/organic-basics
https://www.thedodo.com/i-saw-pasture-raised-chickens--812858589.html
references 4
Claim: "All Vegetarian Fed": While touted as a positive, this label overlooks the natural omnivorous diets of chickens and pigs, leading to potential nutrient deficiencies. Moreover, it implies they are raised in confinement without access to pasture for natural foraging behaviors which would include insects and anything they can find!. (Adams, n.d.) (Whoriskey, 2015)Sources:
https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/how-decipher-food-labels
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/04/29/consumers-love-chickens-that-are-vegetarian-fed-never-mind-what-the-birds-want-to-eat/
https://epicprovisions.com/blogs/land-livestock/bird-brained-why-vegetarian-fed-chickens-are-unhealthy-unnatural-and-just-plain-wrong
Claim: 6. Heritage Pork: Refers to traditional pig breeds with centuries-old lineage, like Berkshires. Despite misconceptions associating it with pasture or humane raising, heritage designation solely denotes genetic heritage, offering no insight into diet, drug use, or living conditions. Factory farming of heritage pork is possible but not common.(Food Safety and Inspection Service, 2019)
Sources:
https://awionline.org/content/consumers-guide-food-labels-and-animal-welfare
original: The USDA does not define “crate free” and typically, it's used to mean the animal was not housed—and is not the offspring of an animal so housed—at any time in a gestation crate (used to confine sows during pregnancy) or a farrowing crate (used to confine sows from just before birth until the piglets are weaned). However, it is possible that some producers are using the claim to signify avoidance of gestation crates only, while still using farrowing crates
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media_file/2021-02/RaisingClaims.pdf
Highlight:
Breed claims refer to the declaration of a specific breed of livestock or poultry. Examples of this type of claim include, but are not limited to: Angus, Wagyu (American Kobe), Hereford, Berkshire, Duroc, Muscovy, Silkie, and heritage poultry, pork or beef breeds.
Claim: Organic: This label is often perceived as superior because organic certification assures third-party inspection and prohibits antibiotics, growth promoters, GMO feed, and synthetic fertilizers. However, it doesn't guarantee grass feeding or continuous pasture access. Organic animals may still consume organic corn and soy treated with approved pesticides, with cows mandated only 120 days of pasture per year by USDA regulations (United States Department of Agriculture, 2013).
Animal care standards such as weaning, space requirements, transport and slaughter (which varies widely from producer to producer) are also not defined and according to the Animal Welfare Institute, the USDA has allowed screened porches to qualify as outdoor access for birds (Animal Welfare Institute, 2019).
Sources:
https://awionline.org/sites/default/files/products/FA-AWI-Food-Label-Guide-Full.pdf
Highlight:
They don’t address many animal care issues such as weaning, physical alterations, minimum space requirements, handling, transport, or slaughter.
However, the USDA has allowed screened porches to qualify as outdoor access for birds
https://awionline.org/sites/default/files/products/FA-AWI-Food-Label-Guide-Full.pdf
Claim: GRASS FED: The misuse of the "Grass Fed" label drove us to establish Wild Pastures, an ethical meat delivery service. According to the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture, the "grass fed" label lacks clear definition and is prone to abuse (Stone barns Center for Food and Agriculture, 2017).
Sources:
https://www.stonebarnscenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Grassfed_Full_v2.pdf
Claim: Given that most livestock consume grass at some point, many meat producers exploit this label to inflate prices.(Animal Welfare Institute, 2019)
Source:
https://www.awionline.org/sites/default/files/uploads/documents/FA-AWI-Food-Label-Guide-Full.pdf
Claim: Research by Dr. Rowntree revealed wide variations in the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio in American grass-fed beef, ranging from 2:1 to 28:1, indicating significant grain consumption despite the label.
Source: As we have learned, cows fed grain will have a higher 06:03 ratio and this research by Dr. Rowntree demonstrated this ratio for American grass fed varied widely from 2:1 to 28:1, while the BNDP showed grain fed at 7:1 which means many of these cows consumed large amounts of grain despite this label.
Claim: Some cattle are also kept in confined factory farming conditions and fed grass pellets (Holden, 2018).
Sources:
Forbes article:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/ronaldholden/2018/01/13/grass-fed-beef-loses-its-luster/?sh=5cf4560614dd
Highlight: "Pasture is out there. In here, in the barns, they use grass pellets. Pellets that don't have anywhere near the right kind of nutrition.":
https://www.animallaw.info/article/you-are-what-your-food-eats-how-regulation-factory-farm-conditions-could-improve-human
Claim: Whenever possible look for pastured chicken and pork and 100% grass fed and finished beef from regenerative farms and look for The American Grassfed Association (AGA) which performs in-farm visits to make sure products are: (Our Standards, n.d.)
Source: https://www.americangrassfed.org/about-us/our-standards/