Exploring Conscious Omnivory: Grain-Fed vs. Grass-Fed vs. Grass-Finished vs. Wild-Caught

The presence of industrial, commercial, low quality animal foods has become increasingly notorious with the rise of increased information, whistleblowers and documentaries that shed light on the cruel, unethical practices in indoor large scale factory farms, often feeding them GMOs, pesticide sprayed corn, soy, canola, grains, and even waste junk food products under artificial lighting, making the animals stressed and sick, having lived a toxic lifestyle. Their stressed, sad energy will not nourish you optimally. Without getting into too much detail, I do not recommend supporting this if you can afford to. What I do condone is taking the time to prioritize, taking a step back and examining where and why you source your food, and reconnecting to your food. Chances are, if it’s from a conventional grocery store or even some health food shops, it won’t be optimal for you, so it’s important to be vigilant. Your food patterns will literally reflect on your health day to day. Navigating the labels and farms is certainly a task on its own, but here’s how to decipher it all so you can rest easy and know what you’re investing in, once and for all. 

• Some companies label their foods as “vegetarian-fed”, whether it be eggs, meat or dairy. Not only is this an incredibly vague label, but it could also mean they were likely fed a species-inappropriate diet, whether it be organic or genetically modified, grains fortified with iron filings, and/or sprayed with Glyphosate: grains, corn and/or soy. Bottom line: it is best to investigate, ask questions, and get to know the farmers’ practices. Find a farmer you trust. You, as the consumer, have the power to shape the demand and conscious practices.

• And don’t get me started on foods labelled “all-natural”. This also means essentially nothing, so it is better to inform yourself of the farmers’ and growers’ practices.

Grain-fed denotes that ruminants have been fed grains in their life cycle, whether ethically pasture-raised or factory farmed. This is an unnatural diet for ruminants. These grains may be organic, non-GMO or mono-cropped, conventionally sprayed with poisons, and genetically modified, all in some way destroying the land and ecosystem’s balance. Varieties can include corn, soybeans, and wheat. Regardless of the type of grain, feeding animals grain creates an imbalance of omega-3 to omega-6 in the meat after only 30 days (not enough anti-inflammatory omega-3s and too many omega-6s, generating inflammation). Typical grocery store-bought vegetable grain-fed beef has an omega-3 to omega-6 ratio of a whopping 20:1. Meanwhile, grass-fed beef has a ratio closer to 3:1, much closer to the guidelines of 4:1 in a generally standard healthy diet, and contains more conjugated linoleic acids (CLA), more vitamin E and beta-carotene.

Grass-fed (this may include hay in the colder months and vegetables, wild plants and herbs depending on the farmer) is an increasingly well-known label and major market trend that promises a marginally healthier cut of meat. At first glance, it seems like a step in a better direction, and it truly is, but grass-fed is a deceiving label often thrown around without much context because it does not mean that the animals have eaten grass/hay for the entirety of their life cycle. It’s possible that they’ve been fed grass for most of their lives, but right at the end to be grain-finished (organic or conventional) in order to cut costs, fatten up cattle faster and get them to market sooner, yet producing a lower nutritional value cut of meat and changing its flavour and composition last minute. 

The quality of the feed determines deuterium content in at least dairy and beef, and grass-fed is overall healthier than grain-fed for metabolic water formation, and also contains critical vitamin K2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8605975/

• In Canada, a cow must be fed herbaceous plants that can be grazed or harvested, including grass, legumes, brassicas, peas, tender shoots of shrubs and trees, and cereal grain crops in the vegetative state for only 75% of their life. Even wild hemp plants can fortify the nutrition of the animals!

Grass-fed and finished is the better option out of the three. This practice takes all the most beneficial attributes of solely grass fed practices and goes the extra mile to have the animals grass finished towards the end of their life cycle. Similar to the label of grass fed only, grass fed and finished animal foods boast more omega-3 fatty acids, more conjugated linoleic acids (CLA), more vitamin E, and higher levels of beta-carotene. Grass fed AND finished practices are more likely correlated to the regenerative practice of rotational grazing (holistic management), ensuring higher quality soil and healthier, more nutrient-dense and drought resistant grass. We end up with happy cows, healthy soil, nutrient-dense food, and a healthier and happier community. It’s farmer friendly, people friendly, animal friendly and earth friendly. Even $400 wagyu beef, which is supposedly high quality, is not usually grass fed and grass finished and tends to be fed a mixture of grass and grain to attain that marbling, and that grain can even be made up of Glyphosate-sprayed hybridized crops, so you’d be paying a premium for suboptimal health. Blasphemy.

The list of benefits is virtually endless, both tangible and intangible, and can skyrocket your health, cognition, thriving, and more. If you’re truly serious about the health benefits of nose-to-tail meats, opt for supporting this practice and get to know your farmer. When the cows/other animals are full of joy and health from the smorgasbord of lush grasses in rotational grazing, the higher of a vibration the meat will be to pass on in the circle of life, and the happier we will be as well. 

The awareness of the link between the animals we eat and what the animals themselves consumed during their lives has inspired consumers and farmers alike. Grass-fed and finished animal foods have been at the cornerstone of this movement, and to ensure the health of the animals, consumers, ranchers, butchers, transporters, retailers and marketers alike, telling the truth is a win-win situation and will take these practices far beyond just a trend. We benefit from a sense of fulfillment when we know we’re regenerating the soil and the earth according to our highest good.

Wild caught is the best and most beneficial option out of all. It can take some effort to navigate local sources and take the time to hunt or fish yourself, but the sharp senses of the animals when they’re selecting their foods in the wild according to their natural diet with sunlight exposure will ensure a superior nutritional profile. While fishing and hunting, you also benefit from the sunlight exposure, relaxation and fresh air yourself, the natural movement and intention you hold, and the privilege of the ultimate connection to your food, honouring the life of the animal and releasing the soul from suffering. If you can find someone to hunt with, consider yourself lucky. 

Beware of greenwashing!

Regardless of the label you choose, your best bet is getting to know your farmer’s practices to determine what works for you. Make sure your animal foods have all been humanely pasture raised without added hormones or antibiotics, receiving sunshine for their whole life cycle. Personally I always take the effort to opt for grass fed and finished (or even better, wild caught) when it comes to all animal foods, because my health, future wellbeing and longevity depend on them. It’s no secret that high quality foods can be more expensive than conventional foods… but if it’s truly a priority like it is for me, you’ll make it work. 

If you are reading this, chances are likely that you are a simple online search away from the best quality, ethically sun raised foods in your very location. The best stuff will be from the small farmers and growers you trust and can visit, that most likely doesn’t have a fancy glossy printed mass-produced label on the packaging. Do not hesitate to switch up your routine and source better quality foods raised and grown with ethical practices and adequate sunlight exposure. It feels so good, and to me, the process itself is quite fun, often involving a quick scenic refreshing drive to the farm on a weekend, but you could also find various organic delivery services that bring the foods right to your door! 

Be sure to introduce a variety of cuts and parts of the animal. It doesn’t have to be all at once. Whether it’s fish, beef, turkey, venison, mutton, lamb, goat, bison, elk, boar, duck, or even kangaroo, eating nose-to-tail regularly balances out the nutritional profile including the methionine (in muscle meats) to glycine ratio.

• Muscle meats

• Organ meats

• Gelatinous and collagen-rich cuts

• Bone marrow

• Fats like lard and tallow

• Eggs

• Bones for broth

• Tendons and cartilage for broth

Ensure you supplement with magnesium or magnesium-rich foods if you can, heal your gut, and get daily sunshine to tolerance to reap the full benefits of high quality meats. Cultivate a thriving relationship with everything you consume—trust your inner knowing. Nutritional repletion and nutritional surplus ensures your detoxification processes will run smoothly, and compounds positive benefits into all areas of your life.