WHY GRASS-FED MATTERS WHEN CHOOSING BUTTER
We are what we eat, and they are what they eat, so in a weird cyclical way, we are what they ate. Think about it in terms of a stream, if there is a contamination upstream, the water may seem fine a few miles down, but in reality if you drink that water, you are exposing yourself to every contaminant that stream has ever been with. Stay woke, artificially promiscuous food chains are everywhere.
Three decades of research has shown that the fatty acid composition and antioxidant content of beef is drastically improved when a cow’s diet is shifted away from grains and towards grass (1). So if there is a visible change in the health of the cow, can the same be said of any byproducts created by a healthier cow?
Studies comparing milk from pasture grazing cows versus cows consuming conserved grass (2) showed drastic differences in fatty acid composition. So if there was a difference between grass and conserved grass, what do you think is happening when cows are pumped full of corn, grains and hormones … I’ll let that settle in. Some of the main differences come in the form of higher levels of vitamin K2, omega-3 fatty acids and a compound called butyrate.
Saturated fat content is higher in butter from grain fed cows; whereas grass fed butter contains a significantly higher level of unsaturated fats. These polyunsaturated fats contribute to an increase in inflammation-reducing omega 3 fatty acids.
So what do elevated levels of K-2, omega-3s and butyrate have to do with your health and your overall ability to spend a bit more time on this spinning rock? Stay tuned for Part 3, The Buttery Trifecta of Anti-Inflammation.
So what did we learn:
- Nutrient density is a downstream game
- Increased nutrient density affects both tissue nutrients as well as byproduct nutrients
- Vitamin K2, omega 3 fatty acids and butyrate levels are substantially increased in grass fed cows
Up next...Grass Fed Butter's Inflammation Busters: Vitamin K2, Omega 3, and Butyrate
References
1 - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2846864/
