Have you been incorporating more meat, eggs, and dairy into your diet as part of a low-carb plan? Are you wondering if grass-fed, pasture-raised products are worth the extra cost? There are several reasons many people think they are.

1. Higher Levels of Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Studies have shown that dairy from grass-fed cows, eggs from pasture-raised hens, and the meats from free-range animals are higher in Omega-3 fatty acids compared with their grain-fed counterparts. Omega-3 fatty acids are essential to our diet, because humans cannot make Omega-3s in the body. Animals, however, can—from the grass that they eat. We can reap the benefit by eating these grass-fed animals and their products.

2. Higher Levels of CLA
Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is an Omega-6 fatty acid that is a source of natural trans fats. Unlike the trans fats created in a laboratory that are found in margarine and other processed foods, CLA actually has beneficial effects on weight and heart disease. Beef and dairy from grass-fed cows has been shown to have 3 to 5 times as much CLA compared with conventionally raised cows. CLA has been associated with increased fat loss and improved lipid profiles.

3. More Nutrients
Meats and products from grass-fed animals also contain more nutrients compared with those from conventionally raised animals. They contain higher levels of vitamins A, D, and B-12, as well as more antioxidants (like beta-carotene) and phytonutrients. Since “we are what we eat,” we are also “what what we eat eats.”

4. Better for the Animals and the Environment
Meats, dairy, and eggs in the grocery store typically come from animals raised conventionally on factory farms. Pasture-raised animals forage for their food, as they have done throughout time. They are not force-fed an artificial diet filled with corn, soy, and grains that is meant to fatten them up at an unnatural rate. Factory farmed animals are routinely treated with hormones and antibiotics to increase their growth and keep them from getting sick on an unnatural diet. Waste products from factory farms are full of these hormones and drugs and run off into the water supply, damaging the soil and water. Choosing grass-fed products is better for the earth.

5. They Taste Better!
Products from pasture-raised animals are usually better in quality than factory-farmed products. If you’re not convinced, try a side-by-side comparison of a conventional egg with an egg from a local, pasture-raised chicken. There will be no question which one is which. The egg from the pasture-raised hen will have a vibrant orange yolk (showing the natural beta-carotene from their diet), the yolk will be firmer, and the white will be less runny. Butter from pasture-raised cows is also visibly yellower than from grain-fed cows.

The Bottom Line
If you can afford it, it’s better to get pasture-raised chickens and eggs, and meat and dairy from grass-fed cows. It’s better for your body and better for the environment.