CITRUS COUNTY LOCALLY GROWN

The Changing Days

Hi all fellow market members,
Today is the day in the year when the nights start to be longer than the days. That is just another reminder that the Holiday Season will be upon us soon.

Change has come to Citrus County Locally Grown. For more than a year Tricia Kirkham has served as our Assistant Market Manager. Several good things are happening in Tricia’s life including new business potential. So Tricia has decided to step back at this time to concentrate on these new opportunities. Thank you for all your help, and good luck in your new ventures.
Tricia is staying with us as a grower.

Heart Healthy Beef
Now that is an eye catching headline. One of our market members has put pen to paper and given us the Cliff’s Notes version of the benefits of eating Grass Fed Beef.
This is printed in full below.

The market is open
The link will take you there.
www.citruscounty.locallygrown.net/.

So have a great week and see you at pickup.

The CCLG Team

Grass-Fed Beef – The “Heart-Healthy” Beef?
Many of us have been told to limit our consumption of red meat to prevent high cholesterol levels,
which may be associated with the development of heart disease. But did you know that grass-fed beef
has a different nutritional profile than conventionally raised beef in the U.S.A.? You may be surprised!
What is the difference between grass-fed and conventionally raised beef?
Traditionally, all beef cattle were raised in a pasture, roaming freely while eating a natural diet of grass
and forage. Beginning in the 1950’s, new methods were used to speed up the rate of beef production
and fatten the cattle as quickly as possible. As “finishing” time approached, cattle were confined to
pens and their diet was then changed from grass to a concentrated feed consisting mainly of grain and
soy.
The consequences of raising grain-fed cattle were many. The fat and cholesterol content of the meat
increased and the proportion of “unhealthy” vs. “healthy fats increased. As the cattle were penned up
in close proximity, an infection in one animal could spread quickly to the entire herd; therefore, the
animals were routinely injected with antibiotics as a preventative measure. Additionally, hormones
were administered to further speed the rate of growth.
During the latter half of the twentieth century, both cholesterol levels and the incidence of heart disease
rose in the United States. Elevated cholesterol levels have been linked to a diet high in total fat and
saturated fats in particular.
What are the health advantages of grass-fed beef?
Grass-fed beef is leaner and more nutritious
• Lower in Calories: Per 100 grams (size of a hamburger patty), grass-fed beef contains 192
calories vs. 254 calories in conventionally raised beef.
• Lower in Fat: Total fat is 12.73 gm (26.5 % of calories from fat) in grass-fed and 20.00 gm.
(39.7% of calories from fat) in the same size serving of conventional.
• Higher in Protein: The protein content is 19.42 gm in grass-fed beef vs. 17.17grams in
conventional beef. (Source: USDA nutrition database, www.ndb.nal.usda.gov)
• Higher in Vitamin E: The Vitamin E content of grass-fed beef is as much as four times that of
grain-fed beef. Vitamin E is an important anti-oxidant, which may have a preventative effect on
heart health.
2. The lipid (fat) profile is much healthier.
• Per 100 gram serving, grass-fed beef has 5.3 grams of saturated fat vs. 7.7 grams in conventional
beef. A diet high in saturated fat is more likely to increase blood cholesterol.
• Grass-fed beef contains a higher content of omega-3fatty acids. Omega-3s are the “heart
healthy” fat that is found in fish oil supplements.Omega-3s may lower blood cholesterol and
act as anti-inflammatory agents as well.
• The proportion of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids ismuch more favorable. The recommended
ratio is no more than 4:1. In grass-fed beef the ratio is about 3:1, while in conventionally raised
beef, the ratio can be as high as 20:1.
• Grass-fed beef contains conjugated linolenic acid (CLA), a type of fat, which has been postulated
to have a positive effect on heart health and possibly diabetes and weight control.
Is there anything that I should know about grass-fed beef?
Grass-fed beef tastes delicious!
Because grass-fed beef is leaner than supermarket beef, it may cook faster on the grill. Moist methods
of cooking such as braising or stewing have very favorable results. Also, the taste is richer and more
satisfying. Although grass-fed beef is costlier than supermarket meat, it is a quality product with less
waste. You may likely feel more satisfied with a smaller portion.
Citrus County Locally Grown BEEF is raised locally in North Central Florida
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Copyright: Written by Sheila Abrahams, M.A., R.D., Registered Dietitian
Professor of Nutrition, College of Central Florida,Citrus Campus
Tel: 352-270-8019 Email: sabra3@tampabay.rr.com