Have you ever walked down the meat aisle at the grocery store and been completely confused by all of the claims on the packaging? “Organic,” “free-range” “no antibiotics ever” or the worst…”natural” (what does “natural” even mean??). Confusing, isn’t it? We live in a world where mass production is the main consideration for farmers and food companies alike. Whatever methods that will gain them the most yield are the ones that will be practiced, however unethical, unhealthy, or unsustainable they may be. Unfortunately for us consumers, that puts our health, the wellbeing and the health of the animals, and the overall health of our environment at risk. As a society, we are starting to see through these practices, and beginning to care about what we put in our bodies. Of course, these food companies are playing into this new value system, making claims on their packaging that are designed to trick uninformed consumers into thinking their product is the “healthiest” option, thus increasing their ever-growing profits.
High quality animal products can be a great addition to a Brain-Boosting diet… as long as the meat quality, farming practices, and treatment of the animals are all taken into consideration before consuming. One of my main value systems as a nutrition coach is to help my clients and my community to be informed consumers when it comes to their food choices. This article is intended to give you an understanding of the common practices used by meat producers, and what those labels on the meat packaging actually mean so that next time you’re at the grocery store, you know how to pick the quality meat that works best for your brain, body, and wallet.
The Problem With Feedlots
In America, we have what are called concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) farms to breed, butcher, and sell meat products for human consumption. I don’t want to go too into detail about the practices of these farms because they are horrifying and disgusting, but it is important for me to shed some light as to why the meat products coming from these farms may be threatening to our health.
If you’ve seen the popular Netflix documentaries touting veganism, you can picture exactly what these feedlot farms look like. The animals are confined to crates or cages, crowded in with thousands of other animals with no space to roam, little access to fresh air, and an inability to consume their natural diets.
In these overcrowded environments, the risk of illness is high. In order to avoid an outbreak, the farmers will mix antibiotics into the animal feed to help the animals avoid sickness, and to fatten them up. Of course, we are what we eat, so when we eat animals that have ingested antibiotic rich foods, we are consuming antibiotic residue as well (Manyi-Loh et al., 2018). Consumption of these antibiotics through our meats can cause serious health concerns in humans, such as a disruption in our normal gut microbiome (a cognitive killer, as we know!), and the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the gut (Manyi-Loh et al., 2018). Meaning, the next time we get sick and need a course of antibiotics, we risk not being able to kill pathogenic bacteria that has become resistant!
Another concern of these practices is that the animals in these farms are fed a diet high in corn and soy based grains, the two most common GMO food sources in the United States (Strong, 2021). These grains are heavily sprayed with pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers, which are again, ingested by the animals themselves, and thus ingested by humans further up the food chain. These toxins are now starting to be shown as having the ability to cause detrimental effects to human health when consumed overtime (Vandenberg et al., 2012).
In their natural habitat, these animals would be free to range, to have plenty of space, and be encompassed by their instinctive diets. Pasture-raised chickens are meant to consume bugs, greens, as well as grains. Cows would naturally consume grass or hey. Animals, like humans, are biologically designed to consume and digest certain types of food. When they don’t have access to these food sources, and are instead forced to consume unnatural sources of fuel, the animals are unable to optimize their health. This is a problem for us meat-consumers who are looking to gain the most nutrients from these animals, but it is also an extreme animal welfare concern.
Pasture Raised Meats
In contrast, there are specific types of farms that make animal welfare, and human health a priority when raising livestock. Animals that are pasture raised are typically free to roam outside as they would in nature, are given access to their natural diets, and are given less antibiotics, pesticides, and thus their meats are lower in these toxins as well (Załęcka et al., 2014). This is ideal from an animal welfare, human health, and environmental standpoint (feedlots are also extremely harmful for the environment.)
Changes in how these animals are raised can be reflected in the nutrient quality of their meats. Pasture-raised animals are typically higher in micronutrient sources than conventionally raised animals. For example, grass-fed beef (from cows that are pasture-raised) is higher in omega-3’s, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), beta-carotene, vitamin E, and glutathione than grain-fed beef (Daley et al., 2010). Eggs from pasture-raised chickens had higher levels of the antioxidants carotenoids and flavonoids, and a more favorable fatty acid profile (meaning a higher omega 3: omega 6 ratio) than eggs from conventionally raised birds (Mugnai et al., 2013).
All of this being said, meats from pastured farms are the ideal choice when it comes to meat-quality. However, for many of us, cost can be an issue. Because they produce less quantity of meat (you know, because they don’t have thousands of animals trapped in cages at one time..), meats from pastured farms tend to be higher in price than conventionally-raised meat sources. For many of us, the price can be a deterrent to consuming pasture-raised meats. Still, we can do a better job of choosing higher quality meals that are good for our health, and for animal welfare. The following categories will help you to understand what the different terminology on meat packaging means, and how to make a choice that reflects your values and goals when it comes to meat consumption.
Beef: Good-Better-Best
Good: Organic
Beef that is labeled with the “USDA Organic” label must have been given access to roam on a free-range and forage on their natural diet of grass. They were not given antibiotics, added growth hormones, or any foods containing GMO. The farms that are certified organic must allow the cows to live in what the USDA considers “comfortably” (U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2020).
Better: Grass-Fed
Grass-fed cows are allowed to graze and forage on what constitutes their naturally occurring diets, such as grass for most of their lives. However, grass-fed cows can, towards the end of their lives, be fed grains such as corn and soy in order to be “fattened up” to sell.
Best: Grass-Fed-and-Finished
The American Grassfed Association (AGA) certifies that all beef that meets the Grass Fed and Finished standards were fed only their natural diet of grass for their entire lives, have never been given antibiotics or hormones, must have been “treated humanely” and “raised using practices that give back to the planet, rather than extract from it” (American Grassfed Association, 2022).
These standards are the same for dairy products as well.
Poultry: Good-Better-Best
Good: Organic
Poultry that is certified organic must have been given outdoor access, must never have been given drugs, hormones, or antibiotics, and must be fed 100% organic feed without animal byproducts or GMO grains. Although they need to be given outdoor access, there is no way of knowing just how much time they were allowed to spend outdoors.
Better: Organic Free-Range
The term free-range means that the birds were able to range outdoors at least 51% of the time. Although able to range outdoors, the birds are only given 2 sq ft of space (HFAC, 2016). This also does not mean that the birds had access to their natural diets, or had organic feed. This means that when buying free-range, you should look for the label that also includes “organic” as well, to ensure quality feed and drug standards.
Best: Organic Pasture-Raised
Birds that are pasture raised are given at least 108 sq ft each of space to roam, and are free to eat their natural diets of bugs, grass, and worms (HFAC, 2016). Having the organic label also ensures that they are never given antibiotics, or GMO feed.
These standards are the same for eggs as well.
In conclusion, meat quality is important to consider when consuming your favorite cuts. Food companies are always trying to trick us (a blog post topic for another day..), so the labeling of their products can be extremely confusing. By using this good-better-best approach, you’ll be able to make an informed decision at the grocery store when choosing the meats that fit your values, goals, and budget.
References:
Daley, C. A., Abbott, A., Doyle, P. S., Nader, G. A., & Larson, S. (2010). A review of fatty acid profiles and antioxidant content in grass-fed and grain-fed beef. Nutrition Journal, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2891-9-10
Grass Fed Consumers. (2022, January 26). American Grassfed Association. https://www.americangrassfed.org/grass-fed-consumers/
H.F.A.C. (2016b, July 25). Article explains difference between pasture-raised and free-range eggs. Certified Humane. https://certifiedhumane.org/article-explains-difference-pasture-raised-free-range-eggs/
Manyi-Loh, C., Mamphweli, S., Meyer, E., & Okoh, A. (2018). Antibiotic Use in Agriculture and Its Consequential Resistance in Environmental Sources: Potential Public Health Implications. Molecules, 23(4), 795. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules23040795
Organic Production/Organic Food: Information Access Tools | Alternative Farming Systems Information Center| NAL | USDA. (2020). USDA National Agricultural Library. https://www.nal.usda.gov/legacy/afsic/organic-productionorganic-food-information-access-tools
Strong, R., & Proctor, K. (2021, July 2). The 9 most common GMO foods from potatoes to apples. Insider. https://www.insider.com/gmo-foods
Vandenberg, L. N., Colborn, T., Hayes, T. B., Heindel, J. J., Jacobs, D. R., Lee, D. H., Shioda, T., Soto, A. M., vom Saal, F. S., Welshons, W. V., Zoeller, R. T., & Myers, J. P. (2012). Hormones and Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals: Low-Dose Effects and Nonmonotonic Dose Responses. Endocrine Reviews, 33(3), 378–455. https://doi.org/10.1210/er.2011-1050
van Vliet, S., Provenza, F. D., & Kronberg, S. L. (2021). Health-Promoting Phytonutrients Are Higher in Grass-Fed Meat and Milk. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 4. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2020.555426
Załęcka, A., Bügel, S., Paoletti, F., Kahl, J., Bonanno, A., Dostalova, A., & Rahmann, G. (2014). The influence of organic production on food quality – research findings, gaps and future challenges. Journal of the science of food and agriculture, 94(13), 2600–2604. https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.6578