A Cut Above: The Many Benefits of Grass-Fed Meat

Better nutrition, a cleaner environment, and soil health are fueling the growing demand for meat from pasture-raised animals 

Meat from ruminant animals that eat grass their entire lives offers unique health and ecological benefits. Sander van der Werf/Shutterstock

When you buy beef, if you have visions of the meat coming from cattle that have grazed exclusively on pasture, like our great-grandparents had, it’s time for a reality check.

Most cattle in the United States are fattened on grain and soy in confined conditions in feedlots or factory farms until they reach market weight. This practice, which has only occurred in the past 70 years or so, is stressful and damaging to animals’ health, destroys healthy soil, pollutes the environment, and makes the animals’ meat less nutritious.