• Stearic acid has no effect on cholesterol levels and heart disease at all. Your liver converts it to a monounsaturated fat called oleic acid, which is abundantly found in olive oil.
• Palmitic and lauric acid do raise cholesterol, but they raise the "good" cholesterol more than the "bad" cholesterol. Therefore, you are still lowering your overall risk of heart disease and stroke.

• It is the preferred fuel for your heart.
• It provides a concentrated source of energy in your diet. It slows down absorption so that you can go longer without feeling hungry.
• It is the building block for cell membranes and many hormones.
• It is a carrier for important fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K.

1. Significantly higher levels of Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA). The ratios of Omega-3 to Omega-6 in grass-fed beef are about 1:1, whereas in corn-fed beef, 1:20. Remember, Omega-3 reduces inflammation and is essential for the brain and heart, while excessive Omega-6 promotes inflammation and is linked to obesity, diabetes, cancer, and immune disorders.
2. Five times more Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA). In animal studies, CLA has proven to be a potent cancer-fighting substance. CLA is also sold as a supplement in health food stores for reducing body fat and weight loss.
3. Higher levels of beta-carotene, vitamin E, and other powerful antioxidants. The fat in grass-fed beef is yellow in color due to the presence of beta-carotene, while that of corn-fed beef is a vitamin-deficient, pasty white.

Grass-fed beef has a much lighter carbon footprint than conventional beef. Much of the carbon footprint of conventional beef comes from growing grain to feed the animals, which requires fossil-fuel-based fertilizers, pesticides, and transportation.

Grass is a perennial plant. When you rotate the cattle on grass, the grazing cuts the blades which spurs new growth, while the trampling helps work manure and other decaying organic matter into the soil, turning it into rich humus. The plant's roots also help maintain soil health by retaining water and microbes, and healthy soil keeps carbon dioxide underground and out of the atmosphere. Through rotational grazing, land degradation can be reversed, turning dead soil into thriving grassland.

Further, farmers do not need to use fertilizers or pesticides to maintain their pastures, and need no energy to produce what their animals eat other than what they get free from the sun.

When you put the cow where it belongs - on grass, that cow becomes not just carbon-neutral but carbon-negative. Researchers estimate that with proper management, ranchers and farmers can achieve a 2% increase in soil-carbon levels on existing agricultural, grazing, and desert lands over the next two decades. (Note: It is estimated that a 1% increase over vast acreages can be enough to capture the total equivalent of the world's greenhouse-gas emissions.)

• Do not be afraid to include some beef in your diet. Beef has great nutritional benefits and there is no evidence of saturated fat intake and increased risk of heart disease and stroke. However, this is not your ticket to eating a 16-oz steak every night. Due to metabolic and genetic differences, many people will not do well on a diet high in saturated fat; in fact, majority needs only a small to moderate amount of saturated fat in the diet.
• Whether beef is good or not depends immensely on how the animal is raised. Hence, avoid commercial, corn-fed beef. It doesn't take rocket science to see that your health is inextricably linked to the health of the animals you eat. So why would you want to eat sick cattle injected with antibiotics and growth hormones and fed a diet of genetically modified grain/corn sprayed with pesticides and herbicides?
• Buy organic, grass-fed beef that has never been corn- or grain-fed. Not only are they environmentally sustainable, they are also healthier and tastier. It is true that grass-fed beef is a lot more expensive but what is good health worth to you? We all set priorities in our lives, so what are yours?