Grass-finished vs. Grain-finished Beef — Which Meat is Healthier?

It’s long been thought that if your budget allows it’s best to purchase beef products sourced from cattle that were fattened up on pasture (grasses, shrubs, etc.) instead of grains like corn and soy as this is the most nutrient-dense option. Now, a study conducted by researchers at Utah State University has thoroughly explored how different cattle finishing methods impact the nutritional quality of beef. As reported in Scientific Reports pasture-finished beef from Black Angus cattle raised on Western U.S. rangeland came out on top with higher levels of compounds like phenolic antioxidants, omega-3s, vitamin B3, choline and alpha-tocopherol, plus lower markers of oxidative stress and better mitochondrial function. On the other hand, grain-finished beef from the same species of cattle raised in a Midwest feedlot had more B vitamins like B6 and B5, showing some nutritional advantages to grain-feeding. It’s worth noting that some antibiotic-related metabolites of unknown origin were only found in grain-finished samples. The key takeaway? Both types of beef have their perks, but pasture-finished might pack a bit more of a nutritional punch. It’s still unknown if these nutritional differences would impact human health.