The Study
Fatty Acid and Micronutrient Profile of Longissimus Lumborum from Red Angus and Red Angus x Akaushi Cattle Finished on Grass or Grain
This study looked at what's inside beef from cows fed different foods—it found that grass-fed beef has more good fats and vitamins than grain-fed beef. But it didn't study people, so we can't say eating it makes people healthier—just that the beef itself is different.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
Cows that eat grass make beef with more good fats and vitamins than cows that eat grain.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 519 / 100
Quality score
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. The gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes — this means grass-fed beef has more anti-inflammatory fats and antioxidants, which may help reduce heart disease risk.
- 2Grass-fed beef has 34.7 mg more n-3 fatty acids per 100g, 5x less bad omega-6 to omega-3 ratio (1.61 vs 8.36), and more vitamin E and iron.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Foods
Year
2022
Authors
Lucas Krusinski, I. Maciel, S. Sergin, Travis Goeden, J. Schweihofer, Sukhdeep Singh, J. Rowntree, J. Fenton
Related Content
Claims (6)
Grass-fed beef has 30–40% more conjugated linoleic acid and more vitamin E than grain-fed beef.
Grass-finished beef contains a lower ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids compared to grain-finished beef, leading to a fatty acid profile that is more balanced.
Grass-finished beef has more vaccenic acid and conjugated linoleic acid than grain-finished beef, and these compounds are linked to metabolic and anti-inflammatory effects.
Grass-finished beef has higher levels of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, conjugated linoleic acid, vaccenic acid, iron, and vitamin E than grain-finished beef, leading to a lipid and antioxidant profile that is more favorable.
Beef from Akaushi-crossbred cattle has more lauric acid, myristic acid, selenium, and zinc than beef from pure Red Angus cattle, but the difference is smaller than the difference caused by what the cattle ate.
Grass-finished beef has more iron and vitamin E than grain-finished beef, leading to greater antioxidant capacity and better stability during storage.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.