Every food choice we make has an effect on our health. Avoiding the snack aisle is a start but if we are really keen to eat better, we need to go deeper. The labelling of food with nutritional information and heart health ticks helps us make good choices, but the real answers lie deeper still, under the labels and in our case, in the ground. Provenir sells only grass-fed beef and we chose that for more than just flavour. Grass-fed grass-finished is also a healthier choice. 

Grain vs Grass – what’s the difference?  

Since their domestication, most cattle have been raised on natural pastures—not the uniform, perfectly green monoculture fields we commonly see today, but diverse landscapes rich in a variety of grasses and legumes, each offering essential nutrients to the livestock. However, as farming practices intensified with increase demand for protein, some farmers intensified the feeding of cattle grains like wheat, barley and soy. While these grains quickly fatten the cattle, they can also alter the taste and reduce the health benefits. 

Let’s look at the differences…

Fats: Grass-fed beef contained less monounsaturated fats than grain-fed – up to 50% less per serving than grain-fed beef. This is a great start but there is more than one kind of fat.

Omega-3s: Omega-3 fatty acids are often called the ‘good fats’, and are essential for humans. Grass-fed beef has up to 5 times the amount of these fats compared to grain-fed. Often we think fish oil is the best source of Omega-3, and it is high, but grass-fed beef is also a great source with less risk of contamination from PCBs, dioxins and heavy metals.   

Vitamins: Grass-fed generally contains higher amounts of vitamins A and E, and is richer in antioxidants of course. All beef is loaded with B12, B3 and B6, plus iron and zinc, so you are winning here too. 

CLA: Grass-fed beef also contains plenty of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). And the benefits of CLA range from better athletic performance to weight loss and athletic muscle gain. Research has also shown a correlation with lower the risk of cancer and heart disease. But CLA is only sourced from grass-fed grass-finished beef. Yet another reason to choose green.

A well-balanced diet is essential for everyone, and it’s widely recognized that including a few portions of lean beef each week contributes to building strong and resilient bodies. Beyond the health benefits, many of us simply enjoy the taste of beef— and here’s the key: grass-fed beef tastes better than grain-fed, a fact any skilled chef will attest to. Moreover, our more humane on-farm processing reduces stress in livestock, resulting in higher glycogen levels and lower pH, which enhances the quality, flavour, and tenderness of the meat.

Happy, healthy cows

The benefits for us humans are great, but at Provenir we are laser-focused on animal health. We have always believed that cows raised on pastures, especially when farming with regenerative practices and diverse pastures, are living their best lives, free to express themselves and eating what they like best. Their health and welfare are a key plank of our business and why we were established. 

The benefits to humans are significant, but at Provenir, animal health is a top priority. We have always believed that cattle raised on pastures, especially when farmed using regenerative practices and diverse grazing environments, are living their best lives—free to express their natural behaviours and eating what they instinctively prefer. Their health and well-being are central to our mission and the very reason we were founded.

To us at Provenir, this is a win/win situation. When we take care of our animals’ health and wellbeing, we also take good care of our customers with a product that gives them everything they need and nothing they don’t. Enjoy!