Before we drill down into the benefits of a free range butchers grass fed meat & that which is processed, we need to go over the difference between fresh & processed food. What is the difference between the two? Fresh food provides nutrients for your body such as fibre, vitamins and minerals with low added sugar and fat. Processed food is at the other end being energy dense and high calorie providing energy with little value to your body.
Fresh, whole food would be considered, ideally, as a food with only one ingredient. Think fresh fruit, vegetables & grass fed meat like beef from an organic butchers. These foods will assist you in maintaining a healthy lifestyle by consuming all your recommended nutritional intake. A processed food is any food with more than one ingredient, and food companies typically add additional sugars, preservatives, dyes and “bad” fats such as saturated and trans fats. When it comes to meat processed includes things like chicken fingers, fish sticks, canned meat & deli products.
Read on to understand more about the benefits of eating fresh grass fed meat from a free range butchers as opposed to processed meat from the supermarkets frozen section.
Why Processed Meat is Bad for You?
Although not completely proven, it is believed that people who eat processed meat are generally on the unhealthy side of the spectrum. All the of the added chemicals & processing that strips of all the nutrients makes it harder for those people to get their recommended intake. The evidence that is there is convincing because the links are consistent across the board.
Studies in certain animals have also added credibility to this claim. For example, studies in rats have shown how consuming processed meat can increase the risk of bowel cancer. The clear takeaway is that processed meat contains harmful chemical compounds. Chemical compounds we would be better off not consuming.
Benefits of Fresh Meat
Grass fed meat, like that from a free range butcher are a great source of Omega-3 fatty acids. These are essential to a healthy heart and help with brain function. There is also evidence that these acids can slow the growth of a number of cancers.
The organic grass fed meat from free range animals are also a source of CLAs (conjugated linoleic acids). This is another critical nutrient for preventing, and even fighting cancer. In fact, grass fed meats and dairy products are shown to be 3-5 times higher in these acids than conventional meat and dairy.
Another plus is that grass fed meats contain a lot more Vitamin E. Vitamin E is a very important vitamin that helps with hormone regulation and supports heart, respiratory, brain, prostate and breast health.
Processed meat contains things that are not naturally present in fresh meat. Nasty chemicals, additives and preservatives. Many things that are harmful to health. For this reason, eating a lot of processed meat over fresh grass fed meat may increase the risk of chronic disease & cancer. Choose fresh meat and enjoy a healthier lifestyle.
At the end of the day, you should limit your intake of processed foods and base your diet on fresh whole foods. For all your grass fed meats head to a free range butchers like https://canningsfreerangebutchers.com.au/ & enjoy all the health benefits associated with organic butchers and their fresh food & grass fed meat.