What are the benefits of organic meat?
With the world’s ever-increasing demand for food, particularly meat, many technological advancements have been made to accommodate our cravings for farm animals. However, not all of the advancements can deliver the proper nutritional value to our dining tables. This is why organic meat products have become increasingly popular and important due to how the foods we eat have a cascading effect on our overall health.
If you’re thinking of switching your sources of meat products, here are some of the benefits of choosing an organic option for your palate:
Lower Pesticide Load
Many people attribute the dangers of pesticides only when eating crops and vegetables. However, cattle and livestock that are fed with products loaded with pesticides accumulate those harmful compounds in their organs. Suppliers from Cleaver’s Organic Grass-Fed Meat ensure that pastures and the food they’re taking are free from harmful pesticides. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has found over 50% of meat produced locally and imported contains pesticides. Changing your diet, even partially, can radically reduce your exposure to these chemicals. So you see, a little change here and there can benefit greatly your family, especially the children.
They Have Healthy Fat
Meat is a great source of protein, iron, vitamin D, and fat. Yes, fat, ruminant animals like cows, lambs, and goats have omega-3 fatty acids, less cholesterol, and more antioxidants when they’re grazed on certified organic areas compared to those that don’t. A review of over 60 studies has found that the nutritional profile of organic meat sourced from the European Union (EU) contains approximately 50% more of the beneficial nutrients mentioned above than non-organic meat. This shows that agricultural products are highly improved by changing the way they are pastured. Also, it is found in the U.S. that inorganic diets are roughly around 15:1 (Omega 6: Omega 3), which is linked to common cardiovascular diseases, cancer, inflammatory, and autoimmune diseases. By incorporating an organic-based diet, you can obtain a 1:1 omega fatty acid balance to maintain good health.
Contains More Antioxidants
Aside from healthy fats, organic meat contains more antioxidants than regular inorganic products. One study found that organic beef has 34% more Q10 and 72% more taurine subject to the beef cut. It also has over 170% more α‐linolenic acid, which is good for the heart and has more vitamin E. Check out Carnivore Style if you’re interested in learning more about meat-related diet plans and their benefits.
Doesn’t Contribute to Antibiotic Resistance
It is common for traditional agricultural practices to employ antibiotic medicines on livestock to improve yield. However, organic meat producers ban such practices as they can help in developing resistance to certain types of bacteria. This is considered one of the most pressing concerns in human medicine. Basically, the antibiotic-resistant microbes that originate from conventional agricultural environments can be dangerous to humans as they can be passed on through the food supply. This means common medicines that treat food poisoning might not be any more effective in the near future.
No Synthetic Hormones Used
Although growth hormones are already banned in conventional agricultural practices, steroids are still allowed for beef and sheep, as well as beta-antagonist for swine, turkey, and cattle. These are practically the bread-and-butter of producers to attain production efficiency by improving muscle development effectively fast. However, much like antibiotics and pesticides, the expulsion of these compounds from the livestock can potentially pollute the surrounding environment, which is very difficult to remove. Organic meat production bans the use of such drugs and thus effectively eliminates any chances of affecting the environment in and around the agricultural facility.
Less Carbon Footprint
Organic feeds for the animals does not only support biodiversity, but it also sequesters carbon emission to the atmosphere. It is important to note that the management of how the animals are fed and of their wastes has a big impact on climate change. Organic animals spend more time in pasture than in feedlots which mitigates climate change as they are able to improve the soil by storing carbon rather than into the atmosphere. Their waste is a great substitute for energy-intensive nitrogen-based fertilizer that propagates greenhouse gas emissions.
Organic producers are required to have their livestock rely less on grain-based feed and spend more time grazing. The grain feeds that they consume don’t use nitrogen-based fertilizers; instead they use the waste from the livestock and nitrogen-fixing crops to cover the fields. This sustainable model significantly reduces the need for synthetic fertilizer and eliminates an element of greenhouse gas emissions. This practice and its impact have been studied in Germany, focusing on organic dairy production.
Read Also: 8 Simple Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint
Responsible consumers are now getting interested in the practices of agricultural producers about how they treat animals, what are they doing to mitigate climate change, and most especially the health impacts of their products. Grass-fed organic livestock provides the solution to a lot of concerns to our modern-day consumption habits, it should be recognized that if people promote responsible animal-rearing then the suppliers will have no choice but to follow suit.
