Pasture-raised animal products and wild-caught fish: as nature intended
Several studies have been done comparing the nutrient content of pasture-raised (PR) and grain-fed (confinement animal feeding operations, or CAFO) animal products.
PR animal products are superior to CAFO in 2 primary respects:
they have a better fatty acid profile, and
higher levels of vitamins and other micronutrients.
Grain-fed animals have lower levels of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats like EPA and DHA.
The more grain in an animal’s diet, the lower the omega-3 levels in their meat.
For example, grass-fed beef typically has 3 times more omega-3 than grain-fed beef.
In addition to higher levels of beneficial omega-3 fat, pasture-raised animal products also have much higher levels of several vitamins and minerals, including:
• 288 percent more vitamin E
• 54 percent more beta-carotene
• Twice as much riboflavin (B2)
• Three times as much thiamin (B1)
• Four times as much selenium
• 30 percent more calcium
• 5 percent more magnesium
We see a similar difference between eggs from hens raised on pasture, and those raised in confinement.
Eggs from pasture-raised hens contain as much as 10 times more omega-3 than eggs from factory hens, and they are significantly higher in B12 and folate. They also have higher levels of fat-soluble antioxidants like vitamin E and a denser concentration of vitamin A.
In the case of fish, farmed fish contain less omega-3 relative to linoleic acid (omega-6).
For example, wild salmon contains 10 times more omega-3 than omega-6, whereas farmed salmon has less than 4 times the amount of omega-3 than omega-6. Another study found that consuming standard farmed salmon, raised on diets high in omega-6, raises blood levels of certain inflammatory chemicals linked to increased risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s and cancer.
Wild salmon also contains 4 times as much vitamin D as farmed salmon, which is especially important since up to 50 percent of Americans are deficient in this important vitamin.