Grass-fed pork, beef, and other meat products are taking grocery stores by storm. While responsible farmers have been supplying the market with grass-fed meat for generations, these meat varieties have entered the nutrition zeitgeist in earnest.
But is grass-fed meat better for you than grain-fed meat? How does grass-fed meat compare to plant-based meat in terms of sustainability? Will grass feeding become an industry standard in the future?
In this guide, we’re answering all the above questions (and more) to give you a feel for how grass-fed pork and other meats could play a role in your diet—and the meat industry at large.
What Is Grass-Fed Meat?
Grass-fed meat is exactly what it sounds like—meat made from animals raised on a diet of mostly grass.
Grass feeding is just one of many options for farmers. Others include:
- Soy feed
- Corn feed
- Bulk feed (made from a combination of ingredients)
In terms of food regulations, there’s no official definition of “grass-fed” meat. However, it’s generally accepted that “grass-fed” cows and pigs eat a diet that’s mostly made up of grass and grass-like foods (like hay).
Grass-fed meat is sometimes called “vegetarian-fed meat.” While corn and soy feeds are plant-based, they’re considered grain-based feeds (even though soy isn’t a grain).
Why Is Grass-Fed Meat Better Than Other Methods?
We know what you might be thinking: “If cows and pigs eat grass, corn, or soy, they’re still raised on plants—so why does it matter?”
Grass-fed meat is:
- More ethical – Farming at scale is all about efficiency. Efficiency both keeps costs down and helps farmers meet their production quotas. One of the most efficient ways to feed animals a grass-based diet is to let them graze—move around freely in a pasture, munching on whatever plants sprout from the ground. Animals allowed to graze are less confined; they have more enriching lives.
- More sustainable – Corn and soy-based feeds aren’t nearly as sustainable as grass feeding—in terms of environmental impact and cost. Corn, for instance, requires ample resources (e.g., water) to grow and farming subsidies for corn ultimately fall to taxpayers.
- More nutritious – While the health benefits of eating grass-fed meat are still being researched, early evidence shows that grass-fed meat is more wholesome than the alternatives. Grass-fed beef, for instance, contains more highly nutritious fatty acids (like omega-3s) than its grain-fed counterparts.
This is just the tip of the iceberg; there are countless benefits of raising and consuming grass-fed meat over the alternatives for both farmers and shoppers.
What Kinds of Grass-Fed Meat Are Available Now?
Today’s grass-fed meat options are nearly limitless; most of your favorite meat products are available from vegetarian-fed sources, including:
- Deli meats
- Hot dogs
- Bacon
- Holiday meats (like glazed hams)
- Specialty meats (including liverwurst)
- Sausage
- Chicken
While many of these grass-fed options are available at traditional grocery stores, you’ll likely find more extensive production options from specialty grocers like Whole Foods.
How Will Grass-Fed Meats Fit into the Future of Meat?
Right now, American shoppers have three options when it comes to buying meat products:
- Traditional meats – While traditional, grain-fed meats are the most accessible meat products available in today’s grocery stores, growing awareness about the role of meat production in climate change has influenced some major markets. As discussed above, many consumers are turning to alternative meats to reduce their footprint and promote wellness.
- Vegetarian-fed meats – Since they’re considered more ethical and sustainable (and, according to early evidence, more nutritious) by many consumers, vegetarian-fed meat sources are only growing in popularity. This increased demand has, in turn, increased supply and accessibility.
- Plant-based meats – Some people choose to completely remove meat from their diets to meet their nutritional goals, make more sustainable food choices, or accomplish other personal benchmarks. While veggie burgers have been around for decades, today’s plant-based imitation meats are growing in popularity. However, not all consumers are convinced of their nutritional value compared to traditional meat.
To put it simply, the meat industry in the United States is changing. While plant-based meats already occupy a market niche, many consumers don’t want to (or can’t) give up real meat products.
If this describes you, the best you can do is choose the most accessible products that meet your ethical, nutritional, and sustainability criteria—and grass-fed meat often ticks those boxes more thoroughly than traditional meat.
Wellshire: Your Source of Wholesome, Grass-Fed Meats at Whole Foods
Grass-fed pork, beef, and chicken aren’t new; however, as more consumers recognize their benefits over traditional, grain-fed meat products, the more accessible they’ll become over time.
Luckily, you can already access high-quality, ethically raised, vegetarian-fed meat products from Wellshire at Whole Foods—one of the most widespread grocery chains in the country. Wellshire has been partnering with farmers that share our values for three decades, and we’re committed to bringing consumers the wholesome, delicious foods they deserve.
Check out our complete product line to explore our vegetarian-fed meat options.
Sources:
Healthline. Grass-Fed vs. Grain-Fed Beef: What’s the Difference?. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/grass-fed-vs-grain-fed-beef
Scientific American. It’s Time to Rethink America’s Corn System. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/time-to-rethink-corn/
Frontiers in Nutrition. Is Grassfed Meat and Dairy Better for Human and Environmental Health?. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6434678/
Foods. Nutritional Benefits from Fatty Acids in Organic and Grass-Fed Beef. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8909876/
The United Nations. Food and Climate Change: Healthier Diets for a Healthier Planet. https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/science/climate-issues/food
The George Institute for Global Health. Are Plant-Based Meats Really Better for Us than the Real Thing?. https://www.georgeinstitute.org/media-releases/are-plant-based-meats-really-better-for-us-than-the-real-thing
