DS Family Farm
Worried about what you are "really" eating? Have peace of mind with pasture grazed meats.
Fat is Essential to our health
Have you ever heard the term “essential fatty acids”? These are fats that we must consume in our diet to survive, we cannot manufacture these essential fats ourselves. Let’s take a brief look at two fatty acids that you have probably heard about in the news, omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids.
Omega 6 fatty acids are inflammatory where omega 3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory. We need both components in our bodies to be healthy. The important thing to research is the ratio of these two types of fatty acids in our diet. Currently the average american diet is around 20 to 1 (20:1), that is 20 omega 6 fatty acids consumed to every 1 omega 3. It appears for best health the ratio should be somewhere around 1:1 to 5:1, if you pick the middle of this range, the optimum would be say 3:1 or three omega 6 fatty acids consumed for every one omega 3 consumed. WOW, we need to cut down on those inflammatory omega 6 fatty acids.
The 2004 Times Magazine article, “The Fires Within”, brought awareness to the problem with the American diet over consumption of omega 6 fatty acids (inflammatory). A benefit of consuming pasture raised animals is not in the omega 3 levels found in the meat, but note that pasture grazed beef will test around 2:1 versus grain-fed beef at 14:1 (omega 6 to omega 3 ratio). Why is this? Omega 6 fatty acids are from vegetable fat (oils). Conventional beef are eating grain, where much of the vegetable fat is stored by the plant. Consuming pasture grazed animals will help balance your diet’s omega 6 to 3 ratio, but the greatest gains in helping our diet on this issue would come from reducing consumption of omega 6 foods (vegetable oils), lard anyone?
Speaking of omega, the end of the greek alphabet, I think this post will end our discussion about FAT. Hopefully you will continue your own research into the facts about consuming animal fats, especially the benefits of consuming great tasting pasture grazed meat, dairy and eggs.
Conjugated Linoleic Acid – Power Fat
Most of us probably agree that fat contributes to the taste of beef. We can also appreciate that beef raised by grazing pasture for their entire lives will taste different from beef fattened in a dirt feed lot. But shouldn’t we avoid animal fat in our diet? Don’t be fooled by the negative press, a power packed fatty acid known as conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), has many health benefits. Cattle raised on forage only diets will have CLA levels three times (or more) higher than grain fed beef.
What kind of health benefits does CLA give us?
- Reduce risk of cancer
- Reduce risk of high blood pressure
- Reduce risk of high cholesterol
- Reduce risk of osteoporosis
- Reduce risk of cardiovascular disease
- Reduce inflammation
- Reduced body fat –
- Yes eating the right kind of fat reduces body fat, go figure.
Can our body manufacture CLA? No, you must consume this Power Fat known as CLA, and an excellent source of CLA is pasture grazed beef! When cattle live their lives on their natural diet, forages, the CLA levels in their meat are naturally high.
Can’t I just buy CLA in a bottle at my favorite health food store? Well, yes you may, but I believe our bodies better use nutrients, enzymes, vitamins etc through quality low processed food. Now relax and enjoy that pasture raised cut of beef.
What is the relationship between flavor and fat?
Much of the following information comes from Mark Schatzker, author of the book “Steak – One Man’s Search for the World’s Tastiest Piece of Beef“. Using information from Mark we will try to answer the question, “What is the relationship between flavor and fat”?
Previously we noted that the USDA grading system is based on visible carcass fat. When the grading system originated, almost all “fat” cattle were fattened on grass and forages, not on grain (corn). There are two kinds of fat in meat, what you can see is called “triglycerides” and fat at the cell level (what you cannot see) is known as “phospholipids”. Phospholipid fat is actually within the cell walls, also refered to as structural fat. Mark Schatzker describes a University test where all the triglyceride fat (marbling and trim) was removed from a piece of meat and prepared. The sample still tasted like beef. In another meat sample all phospholipid fat was extracted. When this piece was prepared it tasted like burnt hair. Obviously, the fat stored at the cell level contains the flavor we know as “beef”.
Luckily we can also “see” the potential for flavor stored at the cell level by observing the visible (triglyceride) fat. White or ivory colored fat, like the sample shown above, reflects a forage based diet. Conventional beef fat will tend to appear clear. So what is going on? Mark Schatzker thinks the rumen (special stomach found in cattle that handles grass and forage digestion) alters or changes the chemicals in pasture grass and expresses the altered plant chemicals as flavor in the beef.
Researching the topic a little further we turn to Mark Bader’s website. Mark Bader, President of Free Choice Enterprises, Ltd., explains that within the rumen, proteolytic bacteria (grain digesters) and cellulolytic bacteria (forage digesters) work side by side and compete for space. In a forage based diet, the cellulolytic bacteria thrive and carry out their work and acetic acid production increases. This increase in acetic acid promotes high solid fat (white marbling) in meat. When proteolytic bacteria dominate the rumen in a high grain (corn) diet, “greasy” fat accumulates over the muscle (clear fat).
Mark Bader comments confirm Mark Schatzker thoughts on the difference between bland tasting grain fed beef versus flavorful grass-fed beef. Mark Schatzker goes on to say we cannot stop at the diet of the animal. In addition to a forage based diet, just as important, is TIME. Immature fat (animals harvested young) will have a definite “off-flavor”. Harvesting mature animals is a must for excellent flavored meat.
Looking for excellent flavored beef? Look for animals raised primarily on a forage based diet and allowed to mature. Remember, when USDA setup the protocol for “PRIME” beef, cattle were harvested after they fully matured from a forage based diet. Consider seeking out beef raised like grandpa use to and they will taste like beef should.
Does beef flavor come from fat?
Our earlier post (The taste of beef), pointed out that the USDA beef grading system is based largely on visible carcass fat, the best grade known as Prime. When the grading system originated (1920s), almost all beef had a much higher percentage of grass in their diet and harvested at a much older age than beef today.
Today a conventionally raised (corn-fed) USDA Prime steak, in my opinion, has very little flavor. Maybe because almost every processed food product today contains CORN. We eat corn for breakfast, we drink corn during lunch, we eat corn at snack time, we drive home using corn in our vehicles, we have corn during our evening meal and finally relax in the evening with corn for desert. Corn corn corn, give me a break, but I digress.
If we have a Prime steak fattened primarily on grass and another Prime steak fattened primarily on corn and the USDA grades on visible fat, do they taste the same? Of course not, refer to the post A cow named grass-fed. Does beef flavor come from “fat”? Yes and No. Flavor is stored in fat (more in a future post) but the flavor actually comes from the diet of the animal. The animal is largely, what it eats. Remember also, you are largely what you eat and when you eat meat, you are what your meat eats.
Do you want to experience true flavor in the beef you consume? Find a local farmer and get to know their production practices. Then taste their beef and you will be experiencing the “flavor of their farm”. Maybe you will find some beef like grandpa use to raise.
The taste of beef
In a previous post (A cow named grass-fed) it was noted that animals raised with a significant part of their diet as grass will have a taste quite different from corn-fed (conventional) beef. Why is this? Doesn’t USDA Prime labeled beef mean “taste great”? One would think that the highest level of a grading system for beef would indicate better tasting beef.
Does the grading system take into account taste? Not really, maybe because it depends on individual preferences? I would argue that when the grading system was originally established in the 1920’s, PRIME beef did relate to great tasting (grass-fed) beef. The grading system is based largely on the amount of fat displayed by the carcass. In the 1920’s almost all beef was grass-fed or at least a large portion of their diet was grass. A PRIME animal was a fat grass-fed (grass fat) animal. The taste of beef in the 1920s was probably much different from the beef found in stores today.
So what happened to our beef in North America? With the advent of the grading system and the market now providing an incentive for beef considered PRIME, farmers adapted production to find the quickest and cheapest way to get cattle fat (remember, higher grades based on amount of visible fat). This production mode continues to this day. This model today usually involves:
- Early weaning of large framed calves implanted with growth hormones
- Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO)
- High startch diet – grains (corn)
- Short animal life span (harvested as early as 18 months), on grass for as little as 90 days
- Numerous inputs to maintain animal health, sometimes involving antibiotics and chemical wormers
Compare the above process to what a PRIME beef would have looked like in the 1920’s:
- Small framed calves raised on grass with their momma for up to 10 months
- Forages as a large part of the animals diet over the entire life of the animal
- Harvested at 2 years of age or older
- Little use of inputs such as antibiotics or chemical wormers
Folks today really only know the taste (or lack of taste) of corn-fed beef. When the original grading system was established, those folks really only knew the taste of grass-fed beef.
Does that mean that taste is related to fat? I will cover that in a future post.
So what do you think? What kind of beef would you rather consume comparing the two options above. The good news today, we have a choice between corn-fed beef or grass-fed beef. We encourage you to find a local farmer that you can visit with concerning their production practices.
A cow named grass-fed
Recently I came across an article on the Omaha World-Herald website that was part of their “Locally Grown” series on food trends. This 2012 article “Beef: Grass-fed vs. corn-fed” is an interesting read about two locally raised beef. I share it here for those of you researching local foods and grass-fed beef.
How to shop for a healthy diet
Considering a change in your diet? This seemed a little overwhelming when I began my journey. Luckily a friend advised me to go slow, keep it simple and just do what you can to alter where you spend your food dollars. Not sure where to start? Below are some steps to consider when looking to increase the quality of food you are buying and consuming. Consider these options on how to shop for a healthy diet as you begin your journey to better food.
A. Fast food part of your diet?
- Start tracking the amount of money spent each week eating out.
- Internet search for fun ways to pack your (or the kids) own lunch.
- Decide what you would do with the money saved by eating out less.
B. How to make better selections at your current grocery store:
- Shop the edges, stay away from the center of the store.
- When you venture into the center, check ingredients! I try to avoid products containing:
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High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)
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Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
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Sugar (at least not as the first ingredient)
Be careful as you shop the center of your grocery store! -
Ingredients listed as “enriched, refined or bleached”
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Items you cannot read
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(refer to earlier Traditional Food post for an example food label)
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Look for produce displayed as “organic”, the price difference may be less than you think.
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Some stores may have an area devoted to a “health mart”, explore your options.
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If your current grocery store does not carry organic items talk to the manager or try another store.
Take your time with the changes suggested above. Track your dollars and see the difference in food quality. Consider keeping a log of how you “feel” from these little changes in your diet.
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Look for a specialty health store in your area.
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Specialty stores labeled as “organic”, “natural”, “holistic” or “raw”.
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Again shop the edges of these stores, adventure in to the center more freely but keep checking ingredients.
- If you haven’t tried interacting with real farmers before you may feel a little un easy, but give it a try, the food quality is worth it!
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Quiz the individual sellers, learn their lingo and start to build relationships.
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Ask them to describe their production practices.
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Find out if you can visit their farm.
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Ask how else they sell their products:
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directly from farm, website, Community Supported Agricultural (CSA) buying option?
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Someone at church selling farm fresh eggs or know someone who does?
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Co-worker maybe buying his meat directly from a farmer?
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Watch for Fresh Eggs or Fresh Honey signs as you drive through the country.
F. Search the internet.
- Nebraska Food Coop
- UN-L Local Foods
- USDA Know Your Farmer
- Eatwild Products
- Home Grown Cow
- Local Harvest
Please share any other ideas you may have, and here’s to good eating!
Have a Healthy New Year!
We hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and you are ready to take on a new year! As the new year begins, many of us will take a moment to reflect on our health. Some of us may even be considering going on a DIET. As Dr. Joseph Mercola, noted alternative health doctor says,
“We are all on a diet.
Be on a healthy one.”
Doug’s summary of “Healthy Soil, Healthy Farms, Healthy Food, Healthy People”:
Some noted quotes:
- “quick, convenient, cheap food has made Americans the most overfed and undernourished people in the world”
- “today’s children are the first generation whose members are expected to live shorter lives than their parents”
- “Health care in America already consumes more than 17-percent of our GDP, nearly three times as much as the 7-percent claimed by agriculture/food”
- “their medical problem may well be a consequence of their eating food with chemical additives or agrochemical residues, or eating manufactured ‘food-like substances'”
- “Animals and men are biochemical photographs of the soil”
- “A truly healthy soil will produce healthy plants, healthy animals, and healthy people.”
- “work in harmony with nature to produce healthy animals and healthy crops by maintaining healthy soils.”
- “The links among healthy soils, healthy foods, and healthy people certainly makes sense; in this, there is hope.”
Conclusion:
Grazing Snow – Cows eating snow?
We received our first measurable snow fall for 2013 this past week. At our farm near Lincoln Nebraska, we usually have “open” winters, which means our pastures are not covered with snow for long periods of time. When snow does arrive, we expect our cows to dig through the snow to find their meal. Remember our cows graze 365 days a year. To have grass for grazing this time of year, we set aside pastures during the growing season that are not grazed. The grass left un-grazed during the growing season is “stockpiled” for grazing this time of the year (dormant season).
As you can see from the photos, our cows are grazing down through about four inches of snow to find some excellent forage. Cattle will easily graze through snow up to their eyes. Further North, cattle herds graze through deep snow for longer periods of snow cover than our cows have ever experienced. Our farm is located in what past UN-L Extension Educator Terry Gompert called the “Grass Finishing Sweet Spot”, so our cows have it easier than some other grass-fed herds this time of year. None the less, our cows are well adapted to our farm forages and climate and the cow herd is improving with each generation.
It appears the cows are grazing snow, actually they are after the stockpiled forage and getting a drink of very cold water at the same time. We are happy to give our cow herd the chance to be as cow-like as they want any time during the year and invite you out to see cows teaching calves to graze.
Traditional Food
We hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving Day. Like other holidays in the United States, FOOD is an important part of the celebration. These traditions passed down over the years offer great enjoyment. Holidays give us an opportunity to return to our favorite traditional food. Turkey, ham and mashed potatoes are a few of my all time favorites. During much of the year, lives seem busy and we often turn to food ITEMS our Grandparents would not recognize as FOOD.
As I shared in an earlier post, my own consumption of a highly processed food diet created chronic health problems. When the third prescribed pill would not suppress my health issues, a search for an alternative solution began. Thankfully, the first alternative I stumbled across included a change in diet to raw foods. A change in diet seemed odd when there must be a “silver bullet” pill that would be quicker and easier. As it turns out, the easier softer way was to reduce consumption of highly processed food items and increase consumption of raw or low processed traditional food.
Once tuned into the link between health and diet, my research quickly lead me to the Weston A Price Foundation (WAPF). A Cleveland dentist in the early 1900s, Dr. Price in a search for the factors responsible for fine teeth found that people groups on traditional diets had beautiful straight teeth. Hint: these observable findings are still valid today if you would like to avoid issues at the dentist and orthodontist. In addition to Dr. Price, if you attended Elementary School in the 70s like myself, you should easily recognize the famous science class reference to Dr. Francis M. Pottenger. We all learned what happened to the “Pottenger cats” fed different diets from raw to highly processed. Spoiler if you don’t remember: after just a few generations the cats fed processed food items could no longer reproduce. If I would have only been smart enough to make the leap from cats to myself back then!
Take a look at the listed Characteristics of Traditional Diets from the WAPF. Note the references to animal protein and remember that these traditional cultures raised their animals on pasture grass and forages. We invite you to experience a return to Traditional Food. Find a local farmer who you can meet with and find out their production method. Buy your food as raw as possible. You will help a farmer and help yourself, family and friends by adding just enough processing to those raw foods to make them safe and healthy.
Did you guess the ingredient label food item above? Strawberry pop-tart. Love those darn things but they don’t like me.
