The Problem: A Misunderstanding of Healthy Fats

In the mid-20^th century, nutritional scientists, physicians and health journalists began targeting cholesterol and saturated fatty acids as a way of combating a coronary heart disease epidemic in the United States. Unfortunately, the “lipid hypothesis” was never fact.

Regardless, consumers were told to replace butter with margarine, and to replace animal fats, such as lard and tallow, with soybean oil, corn oil and other vegetable oils. And most of us did just that. The general public was led to believe that multi-generational food preparation and nutrition practices were to blame for a health epidemic that continues unabated in observed rates of diabetes, obesity, coronary conditions and cancer.

Compounding our radical shift in fat intake, meat producers began moving ruminants, such as cows, goats and sheep, from grass pasture to concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) for grain feeding. These large-scale animal operations have, unfortunately, become the new normal, as many health and environmental studies consider corn- and soy-fed cattle loaded with antibiotics to be the control group. No wonder all the bad news! 

The New News on Fatty Acids

We now know that we aren’t getting the right balance of healthy fats. American eaters receive fewer anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids and more pro-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids from oils and animal fats than preceding generations. We know that ruminants and pastured poultry and swine are integral to promoting grassland biodiversity and carbon sequestration. Generations of farmers, cooks and eaters weren’t wrong. Now, we have the results and the positive food activists to back them up.

Returning to Healthy Fats

Give thanks through action. Support your local, organic producers selling pastured meat and dairy products every chance you have. Let farmers know that you’re concerned about soy and corn feeds, and that you’re willing to pay more for a healthier product. If possible, raise or hunt your own animals, or join with neighbors, family and friends. Cook from scratch, and always consider your oil source. Dig much deeper into the topics of healthy fats, grass-fed beef and other pastured meat, wild meat, and much more in the following articles and resources.

Fats and Nutrition

MOTHER EARTH NEWS Omega-3, Omega-6 Fatty-Acid Testing	Omega-3s and More: The Importance of Fat in a Healthy Diet	The Fats You Need for a Healthy Diet
MOTHER EARTH NEWS examined the fatty-acid profiles of 32 grass-fed, free-ranged and pastured cows, lambs, pigs and chickens.	What you need to know about omega-6 to omega-3 ratios, and the many benefits of healthful fats.	Moderate amounts of saturated fat from grass-fed and pastured animals is healthful.
The Truth about Fats and Oils	Fish Oil and Depression: A New Treatment Option?	Choose Healthy Grass-Fed Meat and Dairy Products
Some fats and oils are killing us, some actually make us healthier. Which ones are you eating?	Research shows a positive correlation between fish oil and depression — omega-3 fatty acids can naturally improve your mood.	Grass-fed cattle provide healthier milk and meat than their grain-fed counterparts.
Linoleic Acid in Soy Strongly Linked to Obesity Epidemic	Omega-3-Packed Purslane	Making Sense of the USDA Grass-Fed Label
Big Ag’s reliance on soybeans for animal feed has caused us to consume way too much linoleic acid, an omega-6 fat linked to obesity.	Purslane, a little known, nutritional powerhouse, is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids.	What does the USDA grass-fed label really represent?
Bone Broth’s Nutritional Benefits	The Many Benefits of Grass-Fed Meat	Heart-Healthy Eating with Delicious Mediterranean Dishes
“Let food be thy medicine.”	Higher omega-3 concentrations, healthier animals and grassland ecosystems: just a few benefits of grass-fed meat, eggs and milk.	Experience heart-healthy eating with delicious Mediterranean dishes.
Free-Ranged or Pasture-Raised?	The Importance of Pastured Meat: 6 Recommended Books	Seeded Sourdough Bread Recipe Loaded with Omega-3s
Know the differences between free-range and pasture-raised for your health.	These books show how raising livestock on pasture leads to better soil, carbon sequestration and more healthful grass-fed meat products.	Use flaxseed, chia seed and camelina seed to maximize omega-3s.
Try a Flexitarian Diet for Better Health and a Better Food Budget	The Big Fat Lies
Help the environment and your budget.	Most vegetable oils are not healthful choices.

Grass-Fed Beef

Which Grass-Fed Beef Labels to Trust	Yet More Proof That Grass-Fed Meat Is Better	Better Beef: Grass-Fed Cattle
Look for one of four labels on your beef to verify it’s from cattle raised wholly on pasture.	Think red meat is bad for your heart? Not if it comes from pastured animals.	Grass-fed meat offers richer flavor and more nutrition.
The Efficiency of Ethical Cattle Grazing	The Bio-Hazards of Corn-Fed Beef	The Benefits of Eating Ethical Beef
Cattle grazing allows grassland that would not be used for growing crops to work its way into the food web.	Feeding cows corn may have created a deadly strain of E. coli.	Eating beef is beneficial for humans and the planet.
The Amazing Benefits of Grass-Fed Beef	Raising Grass-Fed Beef	The Environmental and Moral Concerns of Eating Meat
The perennial pastures on which grass-fed cows feed build better soil and have lower carbon emissions than conventional cropland.	From 1980: Mother Earth News was already sharing the benefits of grass-fed beef.	Make a positive change: buy and eat meat from farmers who raise 100 percent grass-fed livestock.
The Pleasure of Raising Livestock on a Cattle Ranch	How Much Better Is Organic Milk?
Raising livestock on a cattle ranch brings a unique set of rewards.	Organic milk has a better ratio of Omega-3 to Omega-6 fatty acids which may help reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer.

Pastured Poultry

Free-Range Eggs: The Good Egg	Comparing Eggs: How Do Yours Stack Up?	How to Decode Egg Cartons
Free-range eggs are the best choice when looking for organic food.	Whether you live in the city or country, here’s how to find healthful, delicious, farm-fresh eggs.	Not all eggs are created equal, so it’s important to know what different labels really mean.
Our Far-Out Free-Range Eggs	More Great News About Free-Range Eggs	Real Free-Range Eggs
We raise poultry for free-range eggs, and teach others how to do the same.	Free-range eggs have more vitamin A and omega-3 fatty acids than factory farm eggs.	Free-range eggs have less cholesterol and more vitamins A and E, beta carotene and polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids.
Pastured Turkey Cooking Tips
Opt for a pastured turkey instead of an industrial turkey.

Pastured Pork

How to Raise Pastured Pigs Without Buying Feed	The Lost Art of Cooking with Lard
Pigs are the quintessential biological recyclers, foragers and grazers.	Enjoy the flavor and texture of lard by cooking your way through GRIT Magazine's cookbook, 100% Lard.

Wild Meat

Why I Eat Wild Meat	The Health Benefits of Eating Fish	Restoring American Prairie with Grass-Fed Buffalo
Traditional hunting of wild meat is a physical and intellectual challenge that fulfills one of our fundamental instincts.	The fish with the highest levels of omega-3s are wild-caught from cold waters, such as salmon, trout and herring.	Reconnect the iconic bison with America’s Great Plains.
Eating Bison for Taste and Health	Rabbit: A Meat Animal for Small Homesteads
More flavorful than chicken and more nutritious than grain-fed beef, bison meat is lean and green.	Clean, quiet rabbits are easy to raise, even for urban growers.

Videos Related to Healthy Fats

The How and Why of Free-Range Chickens	How to Render Lard

Additional Resources on Pastured Meats and More

Scientific proof of the benefits of grass-fed meat is available at the Eatwild site, which is maintained by Jo Robinson, author of the books Pasture Perfect and Why Grassfed Is Best. The site also includes a directory of producers of grass-fed beef, bison, pork, chicken and dairy products.

Find local sources of organic and grass-fed meat with this directory of family farms, farmers markets and natural food stores.

A website maintained by National Institute of Health Scientists.

Sustainable Seafood Shopping Guide

Eat Well Guide

Choosing Natural, Grass-Fed Meat