Savvy, health-conscious consumers know that all protein bars are not equal, but many are unaware that all proteins that go into food bars are also not the same. If you are unfamiliar with the world of nutritionally superior grass-fed products, which we use in our Grass-fed Protein Bars, read on.
The growing natural food movement in the United States over the past decade has fueled a swell in the number of ranchers who are adopting grass-fed and grass-finished livestock rearing models, especially for beef. This, in turn, has raised consumer awareness about the superior nutritional profile of grass-fed proteins over that of animals fed a grain- and legume-based diet. Pastured pork, free range fowl, and wild caught fish are just some of the other nutritionally superior protein sources on the market that have had the benefit of natural diets.
"What's wrong with animals raised on commercial feed?," you might ask. Simply put, most animals cannot thrive on a diet of cheap, mass-produced meal made from corn and soybeans and, when fed such a diet, they require antibiotics (to combat resulting digestive system infections) and nutritional supplements (to make up for the lack of vitamins and minerals in their food). Although the feed is artificially fortified to help the animal grow, those nutrients do not make it into the meat and milk the same way naturally acquired, broad spectrum vitamins and minerals do in grass-fed livestock. Nature--the biology of the animals--just does not work that way.
The benefits of grass-fed products fall into three areas. First is the ratio of healthful omega-3 fatty acids to the less beneficial omega-6 fatty acids, with grass-fed products having up to six times more omega-3 than grain-fed counterparts, and considerably more of the heart-healthful conjugated linoleic acid.
Next is fat content. Animals that eat a natural diet--grass, in the case of ungulates like cattle, sheep, and goats--have leaner muscle, which translates to less fatty meat. On the other hand, conventional livestock rearers rely on grains, such as corn, to purposefully fatten animals with less healthful omega-6 heavy fats.
Finally is vitamin and mineral content. Animals raised on their natural food stuffs consistently ingest a broader spectrum of nutrients, particularly micronutrients, than animals given commercial feed. That improved vitamin and mineral intake goes straight into the meat and milk, providing a superior end product for the consumer. Vitamin A and E (both considered heart-healthy antioxidants) and B12 are just some of the healthful dietary elements that you find in higher quantities in grass-fed products.
At Fittrition, our Grass-fed Protein Bars contain only the best, most naturally produced protein available on the market. Give them a try!