We went to see the butcher after the steers were harvested. Before we entered the chill room where carcasses are dry-aged, he remarked how yellow and how surprisingly big our beefs were. He couldn't believe they were grass-fed and grass-finished. He's seen a lot of carcasses over the 30+ years as a butcher.
Why are our beefs yellow?
To be clear, it is the FAT on the beef that shows yellow, and this is a function of what vitamins and minerals are present in the animals' diet. In healthy cattle, yellow fat color occurs when they ingest and absorb yellow pigments that are present in plants.
Beta-carotene, a fat-soluble antioxidant, is derived from the Latin name for carrot, which belongs to a family of natural chemicals known as carotenes or carotenoids. Carotenes produce the yellow and orange color found in fruits and vegetables and is converted to vitamin A (retinol) by the body. While excessive amounts of vitamin A in supplement form can be toxic, the body will only convert as much vitamin A from beta-carotene as it needs, thus beta-carotene is a safe dietary source for vitamin A supplementation. (University of Maryland Medicine, 2002)
When cattle consume beta-carotene-rich foods, it is stored in their fat. And likewise, when we eat beta-carotene-rich foods, we transfer that beta-carotene to our own body fat. Vitamin A is a critical vitamin that is important for normal vision, bone growth, reproduction, cell division, and cell differentiation. (Stephens et al., 1996) Specifically, it is responsible for maintaining the surface lining of the eyes and also the lining of the respiratory, urinary, and intestinal tracts. The overall integrity of skin and mucous membranes is maintained by vitamin A, creating a barrier to bacterial and viral infection. (Semba, 1998; Harbige, 1996) In addition, vitamin A is involved in the regulation of immune function by supporting the production and function of white blood cells. (Ross, 1999; Gerster, 1997)
Grass contains beta-carotene, whereas, grain does not. Cattle finished on grain will not have much beta-carotene in their diet, and consequently, their fat will also be missing the yellowish color. The only grain that is an exception to this rule is corn, which contains some beta-carotene, so cattle finished on a high-corn diet will have somewhat yellowish fat, though not as much as cattle finished on grass.
Yellow Beef Fat Is Healthier And Tastier!
Beef fed through conventional feedlots contains approximately 41 μg of beta-carotene/100 grams (g) of ground beef and approximately 36 μg in a typical ribeye steak. Cattle fattened predominately on ryegrass effectively doubles the beta-carotene content in both steak (64 μg) and groundbeef (87 μg). (Simonne et al, 1996)
Although beef is not a major source of beta-carotene, grass-fed beef supplies two times the beta-carotene of conventional beef. A typical 3 ounce serving would provide 10% of the recommended dietary allowance for beta-carotene for women as compared to 5% supplied by conventional beef. (National Institute of Health Clinical Center, 2002)
So the yellow fat color is proof that our beef is very good for you! Not only for its health benefits, but also one of the contributing micro-nutrients that gives grass-fed & grass-finished beef fat its superior flavor. As most chefs will attest, the primary source of flavor in meat comes from fat.
For the tastiest beef you've ever eaten, opt for grass-fed and grass-finished beef.
Comments