Ruminant Power: Meat From Ruminant Animals is a Real Superfood
FORGET things like broccoli, kale, almonds and chia seeds. Meat - especially ruminant meat - is a REAL superfood.
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What is ruminant meat? It comes from ruminant animals, which are beef cattle, dairy cows, goats and sheep. They also include wild game like caribou, deer, buffalo, elk and bison.🐄🐐🐑🦌🐃
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They’re SPECIAL because their stomachs have FOUR compartments and their intestines contain an enormous amount of special bacteria and protozoa that do a VERY efficient job of turning the unsaturated fats and carbohydrates from plant foods into SAFER saturated and monounsaturated fat.
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Yesterday I posted about PUFAs. Well, grass-fed, pasture-raised ruminant animals contain just 4% polyunsaturated fat and much more protective, vitamin-rich saturated fat.
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They’re also FAR more efficient at extracting the vitamins and minerals from the plants they consume, unlike us humans who only have one stomach. Ruminant meat contains amazing amounts of Vitamin B12, B3 and B6, as well as selenium and zinc. Grass-fed ruminants also contain significantly more Vitamin A (which you need to create energy) and Vitamin E (which assists in combating lipid peroxidation).
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Organic, pasture-raised ruminant meat is becoming more available, although if you have access to a farm, it’s best to purchase from them directly so you know exactly where it’s coming from and how it’s raised.
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The reason “organic” and “pasture-raised” is important is because cattle are “raised in huge feedlots on grains laden with pesticides or on soy, injected with steroids to make their meat tender and treated with antibiotics to stave off infections that inevitably result from poor diet and crowded conditions.” -Sally Fallon, Nourishing Traditions
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It’s important to note that “grain-finished” is okay, as allowing cattle to feed on seeds and grains in their natural habitat during summer/fall was an ancient practice to make sure their meat contained ample fat (take note humans!) when it went up for slaughter in the winter months.
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Tasty ruminant meat has a welcome place in a diet that also includes other forms of bioavailable protein such as organ meats, dairy and broths.
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This is not medical advice. Always consult your healthcare professional before pursuing any changes to your personal healthcare regime.
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References
Fallon, Sally. (2001). Nourishing Traditions. Brandywine, MD. New Trends Publishing.
Gunnars, C. (2019). Grass-Fed vs. Grain-Fed Beef — What’s the Difference?. Retrieved from: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/grass-fed-vs-grain-fed-beef#grassfed-beef-benefits.
Linn, J. Otterby, D. Howard, T.W. Shaver, R. Hutjens, M. Kilmer, L. (2018). The ruminant digestive system. Retrieved from: https://extension.umn.edu/dairy-nutrition/ruminant-digestive-system.
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