Pork vs Beef vs Chicken: Why BEEF Wins by a Landslide over Chicken and Pork
The Truth About Beef: Its Health Benefits and Environmental Benefits
Let’s take a quick look at the nutritional and environmental differences between the three most popular types of meat: chicken, pork, and beef. In this discussion, I will make an attempt to reveal the truth about beef and why it is more nutritious and environmentally friendly than chicken or pork.
Firstly, the majority of chicken and pork in the US are raised indoors, where they never get to see any sunlight or fresh air. They are also fed a diet that is usually 100% grains and soy. Due to this diet, the omega-6 linoleic acid content in chicken and pork is exceptionally high, at around 18–20%.
It is important to note that excessive omega-6 is one of the leading causes of degenerative diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and even cancer and Alzheimer’s. As most Americans already get about 8–10x too much omega-6, you do not want more of it.
Compare that omega-6 percentage in chicken and pork to even the worst feedlot-finished beef, which is only about 2–3% omega-6 linoleic acid. This massive WIN for beef shows that chicken and pork contain roughly 7–10 times more inflammatory omega-6 than beef. So, when it comes to fat profiles, beef wins big time! And it’s not just solely about omega-6 being bad. I get my beef here; feel free to visit their website.
Advantages of Beef Fat
Beef fat is a great source of healthy saturated fat known as stearic acid. Research shows that stearic acid is beneficial in reducing appetite, which helps in consuming fewer calories. It also helps in losing abdominal fat. Studies on rats indicate that consuming more omega-6 fats can result in gaining body fat. On the other hand, consuming stearic acid, which is high in beef, leads to a significant loss of abdominal fat. Learning this doesn’t surprise me. I have noticed that when I eat a lot of beef consistently (1 to 2 lbs of beef daily), I get significantly leaner in the abdominal area.
Better Nutrient Density
Beef has a significant advantage in terms of nutrient density compared to chicken or pork. It is estimated to contain about 25–30% more vitamins and minerals. This is primarily due to the healthier feed that cattle receive for most of their lives. In contrast, chickens and pigs are typically fed 100% grain and soy-based diets for most of their lives, which is less nutritious.
Cattle Raised for Meat
In addition, ALL cattle raised for meat live their entire lives OUTDOORS in fresh air and sunshine. All cattle are grazed on pasture for about 80-85% of their lives, even if they’ve been on an outdoor feedlot for the last few months. Again, chickens and pigs generally spend their entire lives indoors in US factory farms, but this does NOT happen in the cattle industry for beef production.
Check out the book Defending Beef, written by a vegetarian turned rancher if you want to truly understand the reality of the cattle industry and how superior it is nutritionally and environmentally compared to the chicken and pork industry.
And while grass-finished Beef is better, in my opinion, for both environmental reasons and slightly more nutrient density than feedlot-finished Beef, if you had to make the best decision at the grocery store and can’t afford grass-finished Beef (or can’t find it near you and don’t want to order online), then any form of conventional Beef is still superior to chicken and pork both nutritionally and environmentally.
Feedlot Finishing
I want to clarify the difference between conventional and grass-finished beef regarding “feedlot finishing.” In traditional beef, the finishing feedlots are outdoors, which means the cattle get fresh air and sunshine. This is different from indoor factory farms for chickens and pigs. Additionally, while chickens and pigs are fed 100% grains and soy, grain-finished cattle are only fed a ration of approximately 40-50% grains in most cases. The rest of their feed in a feedlot may consist of hay, alfalfa, crop residues, and other inedible plant materials humans can’t eat. Despite this, cattle are able to convert all of this into nutrient-dense calories for us through their fermentation process, thanks to their multiple-chambered stomachs.
So, although grain-finished feedlot beef is environmentally and nutritionally inferior to grass-finished Beef, it’s still better than most chicken and pork.
Saving the Environment
Rotational grazing of beef is the most beneficial and sustainable farming method. Plant farming can cause environmental harm, including damage to soil, groundwater, surface water, and ecosystems. Monocropping of fields like corn, soy, and wheat can create dead ecosystems, where even the soil bacteria and fungi are significantly harmed due to plowing, pesticides, and herbicides.
And not just the growing of grains and beans that are destructive to the environment and ecosystems. Other examples of eco-unfriendly plant-based farming would be tropical fruits. Discover how crops like almonds and rice are the most significant water hogs of any agriculture. Or how rice is one of the biggest methane producers in all agriculture. Or how avocado farms have destroyed ecosystems in Mexico.
There are numerous examples of plant-based agriculture that harm the environment, but vegans seem to overlook them and instead blame meat for all of the world’s problems. However, I argue that grass-fed beef is the most sustainable and environmentally friendly type of agriculture, surpassing almost all forms of plant-based agriculture. I support my claim in this article.
Rotational Grazing
Rotational grazing enriches grassland ecosystems by protecting soil from erosion, safeguarding groundwater and surface water, and maintaining high ecological diversity in grazed areas. Proper rotational grazing also sequesters a massive amount of carbon from the atmosphere. It stores it in the soil, making grass-fed RED meat one of the best solutions for climate change as we move forward.
Even after considering the methane that cattle produce, beef is typically carbon-negative, making cattle the most significant type of agriculture for reducing carbon in our atmosphere. This differs from media narratives and vegan documentaries, as filmmakers and activists often lack soil science and environmental education.
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