Nowadays, consumers have become more selective about what they choose to buy, and this is particularly true for food – especially meat. We have increased knowledge about what to eat (and what not to eat), and we often make a conscious effort to choose only the foods which we know are good for us.
When it comes to meat, there is a whole range of choices out there – but who is to say that the meat we purchase from a regular shop or supermarket can give us the benefits we need? This is where organic, grass-fed, free-range meat products come in.
In the UK, more and more emphasis is placed on grass-fed, organic, and free-range meat products. And why not? With all the benefits this brings, it’s not difficult to see why consumers of today are making a healthier choice.
What you should know about the benefits of grass-fed, free-range meat
A better taste
Taste is one major consideration when we choose what to eat. Meat, in particular, should taste great – full of flavour and richness and a texture that is all its own. If you purchase beef raised at a standard feedlot, for example, it is more than likely fed on a mixture of grains and corn which results in bland, often fatty beef. But if the beef you buy has been matured and grazed well, it will have an intense, rich taste that is hard to compare with anything else.
The same is true for other meat products, such as chicken and pork. Pork which has been fed on organic vegetables and fruits has a subtler and better taste and flavour, and free-range chickens have a much better taste and texture than chickens which have only spent their time stuck in a barn.
A better mix of proteins and nutrients
Grass-fed, free-range meat has been shown to have a higher amount of protein and nutrients than meat from animals which have been confined to eating corn or have not been grazed. In fact, grass-fed beef, for instance, is leaner than regular beef and has about 1/3 the amount of fat. Additionally, grass-fed beef contains a higher amount of omega-3 acids and is higher in vitamin E and beta-carotene as well. All in all, grass-fed, free-range meat (from chickens to beef to pork and lamb) are much leaner and are packed with the protein and nutrients we need to be healthy.
A better environment
There is no doubt that there is more energy and fossil fuel spent on animals which are relegated to a feedlot. Feedlots use plenty of fossil fuels, as they need huge machinery and equipment such as tractors, pesticides and insecticides, and fertilisers. And when animals are transported from one place to another, it uses up precious fuel as well. When you source your beef or pork locally, you can be sure that it is more sustainable and friendlier to the environment than if you were to source your beef or pork in a regular supermarket.
A better life for the animals themselves
Let’s face it: we need meat, which comes from animals such as cows, lambs, chickens, and pigs. But we can also do our part for these animals by making their lives better whilst we are raising them. Animals which are confined to small spaces or fed antibiotics and not allowed to roam freely or eat their natural food will end up being more stressed, which will affect their overall taste and flavour in the end. If you would like to benefit from purely free-range, grass-fed meat and other high quality yet affordable foods such as artisan cheese, charcuterie, and wines, check out the huge selection available from suppliers like www.hungerfordpark.com.
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