Looking for even MORE reasons to include grassfed beef in your Paleo Diet? The USDA (!) and Clemson University conducted a study in 2009* which has determined that grassfed beef is better for our health in the following ways:
- Lower in total fat
- Higher in beta-carotene
- Higher in vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol)
- Higher in the B-vitamins thiamin and riboflavin
- Higher in the minerals calcium, magnesium, and potassium
- Higher in total omega-3s
- Better ratio of omega-6 to 3 fatty acids (1.65 vs 4.84)
- Higher in CLA (cis-9 trans-11), a potential cancer fighter
- Higher in vaccenic acid (which can be transformed into CLA)
- Lower in the saturated fats linked with heart disease
Black Angus in pasture. Photo courtesy of USDA - Photo by: Larry Rana
As I’ve reported before we have an unnatural fear of saturated fats. Saturated fats are essential for our good health.
We’ve been brainwashed into thinking that all fats are bad for us, but the truth is that fats are a necessary component of a healthy diet. The human body needs an array of fats in the right amounts to function and remain disease-free. Grassfed beef is one way to add those healthy fats to a balanced diet.
The real powerhouse of grassfed beef is Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA). It is a potent weapon in the fight against chronic disease. It can reduce cancer, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and insulin resistance. From Dr. Joseph Mercola’s website:
A host of research has been conducted on animals, under microscopes, and with humans to determine the impact of CLA on disease. Results have shown CLA to be a potent ally for combating:
- Cancer: Animal studies show that as little as 0.5 percent CLA in your diet could reduce tumors by over 50 percent, including the following types of cancer:
- Breast
- Colorectal
- Lung
- Skin
- Stomach
- Cardiovascular disease
- High blood pressure
- High Cholesterol and triglycerides
- Osteoporosis
- Insulin resistance: CLA’s actions actually mimic the effect of synthetic diabetic drugs. Testing on mice with type 2 diabetes have shown CLA to improve insulin action and reduce circulating glucose. Even better, the early results from human trials are just as positive, when consuming CLA for longer than eight weeks.
- Inflammation
- Immune system invaders
- Food-induced allergic reactions
- Body Composition: Exciting research with humans has shown that CLA has been beneficial in lowering body fat, with even greater improvement in those who combine exercise with dietary intake of CLA. Animal research has been even more promising, with significant improvements seen in both reducing body fat and in increasing lean body mass.
- Previous studies have shown that CLA reduces body fat while preserving muscle tissue, and may also increase your metabolic rate. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that people who took 3.2 grams of CLA a day had a drop in fat mass of about 0.2 pounds a week (that’s about one pound a month) compared to those given a placebo.
And here’s the real kicker. Think all all transfats are bad? Vaccenic Acid, a natural trans fat that occurs in grassfed dairy and beef products, can reduce risk factors associated with heart disease, diabetes and obesity.
Vaccenic Acid is a transfat that occurs naturally in ruminant animals, but unlike its synthetically-produced cousins, is important for good health. A recent study published in The Journal of Nutrition showed that vaccenic acid protects against artherosclerosis, a contributing factor in cardiovascular disease. Read the full article here….
With all of these great reasons to eat grassfed beef, why would you include anything but grassfed beef when following a paleo diet?
* S.K. Duckett et al, Journal of Animal Science, (published online) June 2009, “Effects of winter stocker growth rate and finishing system on: III. Tissue proximate, fatty acid, vitamin and cholesterol content.”
