Marcus warned us buyers to beware when purchasing meat that claims to be grassfed. With all these labels nowadays, it’s easy to be confused, or worse, misled by companies who vaguely claim to be ‘green.’

Scott sent me this great link that decodes beef labels:

• grass, corn, or grain fed
• ‘access’ to pasture (unknown how much ‘access’)
• antibiotics only to sick animals who are removed from program
• no growth hormones
• vague animal welfare criteria

• grass fed generally
• ‘access’ to pasture (unknown how much ‘access’)
• antibiotics allowed
• growth hormones allowed
• no animal welfare criteria

• grass, corn, or grain fed
• majority of lives at pasture
• antibiotics only to sick animals
• no growth hormones
• specific animal welfare criteria

• grass fed
• majority of lives at pasture
• antibiotics only to sick animals that are removed from program
• no growth hormones
• vague animal welfare criteria

• grass, corn, or grain fed
• access to pasture not required
• antibiotics only to sick animals
• no growth hormones
• specific animal welfare criteria

• grass, corn, or grain fed
• majority of lives at pasture
• antibiotics only to sick animals
• no growth hormones
• specific animal welfare criteria

As you can see all of these have slight nuances in their parameters than can have a monumental impact on our health.   The long and short of it:  the ideal beef for us Paleo eaters will have the following two labels:

Will it be hard to find?  Yes.  Will it be more expensive?  Yes.  But, as Julie from CrossFit 360 once said, “You’re willing to spend the extra dough on quality shoes, cars, handbags, and gadgets.  Why aren’t you willing to spend that extra few dollars on quality food?!”

Why indeed!

WOD 1.2.10