Organic meat

Is Organic Meat Any Healthier?

Organic meat comes from animals that consume 100% organic food. These animals don’t receive any antibiotics or growth hormones and instead graze on pastures naturally. Is organic meat healthier though? People often wonder if this type of meat is any healthier than its non-organic counterparts. And in this guide, we’ll go over organic meat and if it is healthy.

What is Organic Meat?

According to the U.S. Division of Agriculture, organic meat is meat that originates from animals that consume 100% organic food. Their system is clean from impurities like pesticide residue and antibiotics.

Animals that produce organic meat often grow up in open places that accommodate their natural behavior unlike animals living in confined places for a long period. They are left there to graze on grass and their blended diet includes grain, corn, and grass.

Organic meat animals do not consume antibiotics or other types of dangerous chemicals. Even if they get sick and are subjected to antibiotics or other veterinary drugs, they usually get time to withdraw the drug from their system. Organic animals consume 100% organic feed to produce certified organic meat.

What is Non-Organic Meat?

Although it comes from animals that are given antibiotics or growth hormones, non-organic meat contains nutritional benefits that are somewhat similar to those of organic meat. Additionally, they are fed on food cultivated on soil with synthetic pesticides and fertilizers.

Also, these additives do not affect how healthy the meat is. Some people prefer organic meat because non-organic meat can include antibiotics and growth hormones that can enter their bodies and disrupt or excite their hormonal systems.

Is Organic Meat Healthier?

Whether organic or not, Meat is a great source of essential nutrients like protein, iron, zinc, phosphorus, and vitamin B. Depending on the amount of fat present in the meat, these two types of meat contain different amounts of saturated and unsaturated fats. Consumption of high-fat meat on a daily basis increases blood cholesterol.

Meat with lean cuts is higher in protein and lower in fat and calories. Some people prefer organic meat to non-organic due to its adverse effects on human health. Many individuals are switching to a healthier lifestyle as more people are becoming aware of the benefits of organic food.

Organic meat has great nutritional benefits, since it contains more antioxidants (The diet rich in antioxidants reduces the risks of several health issues such as heart issues). It also has close to no environmental effects and does not contribute to climate change.

Organic Meat vs. Non-Organic Meat

You must be thinking if the extra money and effort are worth buying organic meat or not. There is a difference between organic and non-organic meat. And for more health conscious people, organic food is usually the best option.

Impacts of Hormones on Animals and Consumers

Overall, a lot of people are concerned about hormones that are present in the food supply chain. According to the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, hormones provided to agricultural animals like cattle and poultry stay in the meat and in people who eat that meat.

These hormones could also be the reason behind rising rates of illnesses and health problems. Let’s discuss some negative impacts of non-organic meat below.

  • Certaintypes of cancer
  • Thyroid problems
  • Diabetes
  • Obesity
  • Infertility
  • Uterine fibroids
  • Asthma
  • Hypersensitivities
  • High blood cholesterol
  • Endometriosis
  • Bowel disorders

Impact of Antibiotics

Antibiotic particles present in non-organic food are also alarming, researchers and the authors of this study stated that using antibiotics in livestock and poultry might result in the emergence of safe microorganism strains that may harm human health. The antibiotics in the food supply may disrupt the balance of beneficial microorganisms in the human body.

Are Organic meat and fish better for your health?

Although the quality gap is a bit confusing, do you ever ask yourself, is organic meat healthier for my children? Does regular lettuce have a higher risk of pathogen contamination?

Health benefits drive many organic consumers, especially parents of young children. This confusion raises the following questions: Do organics make us healthier with improved nutrition, and do they make us less unhealthy through fewer pollutants and pathogens?

It is important to examine each category independently because the hazards and advantages differ depending on the product; for example, meat differs from produce.

There are some product-specific issues, such as pesticide residue in produce and hormones in milk, even though every product has the potential to contain pathogens like E. coli in produce and salmonella in poultry.

Nutritional values of Organic Meat

Organic meat is high in omega-3 lipids, which is good for human health. Certain organic meat and poultry are rich in these products compared to normal products. The reason is their diet plan. Animals with organic meat consume more grass and have lower total fat levels and higher omega-3 levels.

Although the amounts of omega-3 fats in beef may differ, they are generally lesser than what is present in a plate of salmon.

Nutritional values ofFish

Several international organizations have published organic criteria for farmed fish and shellfish, but the USDA has not. The term “organic” is irrelevant here because it is impossible to regulate the diet of wild fish.

Cons of Organic Meat

We have discussed several nutritional values of organic meat above, there are also some cons of organic meat, Let’s take a look at it.

  • Organic meat goes bad easily, it expires quicker than non-organic meat. It is one of the main concerns of organic meat.
  • Organic meat can be a little pricier compared to non-organic meat. The nutritional values of both kinds of meat are almost similar yet organic is a bit pricier.
  • Organic animals are not used to being around pesticides and antibiotics, a small amount may trigger harmful reactions.
  • Organic meat has a lot of bacteria. Also, there is no proof of additional health benefits and nutritional values as compared to non-organic meat.

Conclusion

This article discusses the importance and nutritional values of organic meat and other products. It is clear now that organic meat has less exposure to pesticides and antibiotics which can have effects on human life, but they have the same nutritional values. Animals that produce organic meat live in an open natural habitat free from pesticides and contamination, therefore, people with concerning health issues prefer organic meat over non-organic meat for themselves and their families to be safe.

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