We hear a lot about organic and grass-fed meat, but what’s the difference between the two, and is one type better than the other? Experts from The Dorset Meat Company are here to clear things up, with their guide to organic meat vs grass fed – everything you need to know. This helpful, no-nonsense explanation steers clear of jargon, making it easier for you to make informed choices about the type of meat you buy and consume at home.
Organic meat
Organic meat is produced without the use of chemical fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides, hormones, antibiotics or other artificial chemicals. The feed given to animals that are raised organically contains none of these substances, which means that in turn, consumers are not ingesting them. The feed, however, is typically corn and soy rather than grass.
Grass-fed meat
Grass-fed meat is different to organic meat in that the animals have been pasture-raised, rather than fed corn or soy. Grass-fed meat is often also certified as organic, but organic meat is not necessarily grass-fed.
The health benefits
Organic meat is free from nasty chemicals, which is good for the environment, but being reared on an unnatural diet of corn or soy makes animals inherently less healthy. Grass-fed meat has all the same benefits of more common organic meat, but also comes with additional advantages such as improved nutritional value.
Grass-fed meat has been found to contain less fat than other types of meat and, crucially, has a lower ratio of omega-6 fatty acids to vital omega-3 fats. Corn and soy feed in factory farms cause a ratio of around 20:1, which is unhealthy not only for the animal but also for us as consumers. Grass-fed cattle, in contrast, have a ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 of about 2:1, which means the meat is leaner and much better for us. Omega-3 fats are also important in the prevention of a range of diseases, including cancer.
Grass-fed animals are reared exclusively on a natural and nutritious diet of grass, wildflowers, clovers and legumes, which are rich in essential vitamins and minerals and high in antioxidants. Grass-fed meat also contains up to four times more vitamin A and vitamin E than grain-fed meat, has less saturated fat and contains fewer calories. All of the health benefits for cattle of a natural grass diet are passed onto us when we eat grass-fed meat, making it a healthy and nutritious choice.
The environmental and ethical benefits
Both organic and grass-fed farming benefit the environment and are much more environmentally friendly than traditional factory farming. That pesticides and chemicals are typically prohibited in both types of farming means that they each have a positive impact on soil fertility and stability.
Grass-fed farming in particular has been shown to vastly improve the structure and stability of the soil, with grazing cattle stimulating soil to take up more carbon from the atmosphere. This process, known as soil carbon sequestration, is one way to offset global warming and reduce the amount of harmful greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Pasturelands utilised in grass-fed farming also promote robust waterways by preventing soil erosion and run-off, as well creating habitats for a wide range of flowers, grass, insects, birds and small animals.
Grass-fed and organic reared cattle have much happier, healthier lives than those reared through intensive farming, where they are often subject to poor conditions. In organic farming, cows must be at pasture over 200 days per year on average and the routine use of antibiotics is prohibited. In grass-fed farming, animals are reared on a wholly natural diet, which means that they don’t typically require veterinary attention as often. Allowing cattle to graze naturally means they aren’t put under stress and can enjoy a normal life outdoors.
