We are living in a world where we are slowly becoming more aware of what we put in our bodies. As we are constantly bombarded with health warnings and advice on what we should and shouldn’t eat, we appear to making more conscious decisions when it comes to food. With so many people now opting to take part in exercise, as well as cutting down on the processed food, we are also becoming more aware of the quality of our food.

Thanks to scandals on the news regarding meat in the past, we are taking more of an interest in where our meat is coming from.

But how much do you really know? Many shoppers may assume they are making a better choice in buying their meat, but do you know what difference it could all make to your overall health? If you’re trying to avoid mass produced meat and concentrate instead on traditionally reared meat, here is a little insight.

What does factory farmed meat mean?

The aim of factory farms is to keep production costs low, so the animals are likely to be raised on the cheapest foodstuff, often containing by-products that you wouldn’t normally touch with a bargepole. In short, the animals’ bad diet becomes your bad diet.

Factory farmed meat is often raised very quickly and unnaturally, so that the meat is ready to be sold. In other words, there is no time for the meat to grow properly or to have a natural lifespan. Meat of this kind may even be given hormones or other chemicals to help the animals fatten up quicker, to move the process on.

While it’s important that we eat protein in our diet, it’s also important that you are choosing the right protein. Factory farmed meat will be less nutritious than proper traditionally slow reared, grass-fed beef, steak and lamb. It won’t taste as good either; it’s as simple as that. The old saying holds true; you get what you pay for in this world.

What’s so special about traditionally reared meat?

There is a huge emphasis on buying grass-fed meat and making more organic choices when it comes to your food. Traditionally reared meat starts from the very beginning, with the animals fed on a natural diet and allowed to live a more natural life, often roaming free.

Sourced from sustainable farms that look after their animals, traditionally reared meat is of a better quality so that you can relax in the knowledge you are enhancing your diet. Essentially, you are what you eat.

Grass-fed, or naturally reared, meat has some incredible health benefits that factory farmed meat simply could never achieve. Traditionally reared grass-fed meat contains higher levels of health promoting Omega3s and healthy, natural saturated fat. Yes, healthy saturated fat! Science is rethinking its mantra on fats and is fast coming to the realisation that natural fats are crucial to our wellbeing, and that fat doesn’t make us fat. Your granny has known this for years!

With naturally more vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, traditionally reared meat is a guaranteed way to improve your health through high quality protein; all because of the way it’s looked after. So, when it comes to buying meat for you and your family, you should carefully consider where the meat has come from.