Grass Fed Beef Near Me Not Growth Hormone

If you're careful about what you eat, you probably don't frequent chains like McDonald's or Burger King, but where do you go when you want a burger? There are several higher-end and "farm-to-table" burger chains popping up, advertising their "all natural", "organic" and "grass-fed" burgers. So I had to find out, are they really legit? Are they serving GMO ingredients? Do they really serve grass-fed burgers? Or, is their meat really just from a filthy factory farm with a slick marketing campaign?

We reached out to over a dozen burger chains on a quest to find a better burger… and were shocked by our findings.

After investigating how food is produced and raised in this country, one of the first commitments I made was to stop eating "factory farmed" meat. That's why I usually opt for veggie burgers and vegan dishes when eating at restaurants, where almost all the meat is "conventionally" grown on a factory farm. Whether I'm eating at home, a friend's house, or at a restaurant – I try my best not to eat meat unless I know it wasn't grown in some dirty feedlot in horrible conditions.

Why to avoid burgers made with "conventional" beef…

Most cattle in this country live crammed together in inhumane living conditions (aka "factory farm"), subsisting on a diet of chemical-laden GMO grains (instead of grass) which makes them bulk up fast for mass production and an early slaughter.They are further fattened up with added hormones (linked to cancer), growth stimulating drugs, and antibiotics – a system fraught with numerous environmental and health problems.

When you eat conventional meat, you're probably eating hormones, antibiotics, resistant bacteria, steroids, and chemicals created by the fear and stress suffered by the animal during slaughter.

This is NOT how we should be raising animals for food. These animals are not healthy. And when we eat animals that are not healthy – we become unhealthy. If you want to change the food industry, your body, and get healthy, you have to make the commitment to stop eating conventional (factory farmed) meat.

If you eat beef – only choose 100% grass-fed. Here's why…

Raising cattle on grass takes too long for the typical factory farm. When cows are raised on grass, they aren't eating "Roundup Ready" GMO corn and candy like Skittles to fatten them up insanely fast.

Cows' digestive systems are not designed to easily process starchy foods like corn and candy, and these can make conventional cows sick. That's one reason why grass-fed cows are rarely given antibiotics. They are less likely to get sick, spending more time outdoors and not in a crowded and filthy feedlot. Sustainably raised grass-fed beef is also less likely to harbor deadly bacteria , such as E. coli and S. aureus (a bacteria that produces a toxin that is not easily destroyed by cooking).

100% grass-fed cows are fed grass and forage that grows on the pasture during the growing season, and during the winter they're fed hay and compacted grass. This has a major effect on the nutrient composition of their meat. These cows produce meat with significantly more omega-3 fatty acids and almost twice as much CLA (a fatty acid that is good for you and associated with fat loss). It's also packed with more vitamins A and E than conventional beef.

That being said… some grass-fed beef is a fraud.

Sometimes "grass-fed cows" are moved off the pasture and into a feedlot where they're fed GMOs and live in the same horrible conditions as conventional cows before slaughter. Meat from these cows can still be called "grass fed" because this term is not properly defined by the USDA. That's why ultimately you want to look for meat that is certified 100% grass-fed and finished.

Unfortunately most restaurants do not serve 100% grass-fed burgers and there is a lot of greenwashing going on – so you've really got to do your homework and search them out.

There are some options that sound better than the typical burger place…

You've got Shake Shack's "100% all-natural Angus beef"… Five Guys "handcrafted" burgers… Red Robin's "gourmet" burgers… Smashburger's "fresh, never frozen beef"…

That all sounds nice, but be aware that terms like 100% pure beef, all-natural, Angus, gourmet, free range, and handcrafted really don't tell ya a whole lot.

These terms DO NOT mean…

• That it is grass-fed.
• That it is organic.
• That it is non-GMO.
• That it was humanely raised.
• That it was raised without antibiotics.
• That it was raised without growth promoting drugs.
• That it was raised without added hormones.
• That it has never seen the inside of a factory farm.

Sometimes a burger is labeled as "Natural" and actually does mean some of those things.. but often that's not the case.

According to USDA regulations, you can call your meat "Natural" if it's  minimally processed and has no artificial ingredients in the meat itself. This applies to most fresh meat, so that's why the natural label doesn't mean much.

As for "Certified Angus" , this is just a breed of cattle that has met some quality requirements , none specifying how the cows were raised. When a hamburger has "100% pure beef" that simply means that no other meats were added to the burger patty – it's just beef.

In all these instances, this beef could be (and likely is) conventional. Don't fall for these marketing terms! Instead, look for burgers made with organic ingredients and 100% grass fed and finished beef .

Here's what we uncovered about these "healthier" burger chains…

Shake Shack – They admitted to us, "our beef is produced within the conventional farming industry and is not GMO free". Although they never use hormones or antibiotics, it is still grain-finished. They refused to provide complete ingredient lists for their food, but confirmed the ShackSauce contains canola oil (high risk GMO ingredient) which is "not listed as "non-GMO." Something to note: I always refuse to eat at any establishment that hides their ingredients from consumers.

Smashburger – The beef at Smashburger is "pasture-fed corn finished". That means it is not 100% grass-fed. And, it may have been raised with hormones and antibiotics. They told us, "There may be hormones used in the growth of the beef cattle. We do not specify or source hormone free beef. Antibiotics may be used in both our ground beef and chicken as a precautionary step to prevent illness. They are not used as part of a regular or routine process. We do not specify that either product be antibiotic free." What they are sprinkling on top of those burgers is not very good either. Smashburger's burger seasoning is packed hidden MSG additives like hydrolyzed proteins and yeast extract, which cause you to eat more than you should and are linked to health issues. They sent us the ingredients in their food (oddly listed in alphabetical order), but you can see their burgers are PACKED with controversial additives… (and see what's in their fries here)…

{This pic sent in by a member of the Food Babe Army}

Five Guys – The beef is grain-fed. They told us via email their beef comes from cattle "mainly raised on corn" and "a diet… that includes vitamins, corn, and etc", who "will be administered Anabolic Steroids only if the animal gets sick and needs to be nursed back to health". When pressed for more information on antibiotics, Five Guys said animals may receive antibiotics if sick and not "without good reason". They only provided a partial ingredient list for their buns, claiming their bread is "proprietary", but admit it's "not GMO free" and contains soy.

Carl's Jr. – Contacting Carl's Jr. was like talking to a brick wall. They did not respond (at all) to multiple undercover emails and phone calls. They apparently do not want to discuss their meat which makes me want to run far away from this place and never look back. We were told when we called that they're in the process of discontinuing their "All-Natural Burger" (which was made with grass-fed beef without hormones, steroids, or antibiotics) – so now you'll only be able to buy their burgers made with conventional beef. No thanks. Just look at all those nasty additives and high fructose corn syrup in their burgers…

Red Robin – According to Red Robin's website, "Our Gourmet Burgers are made with all-natural, domestic, Government-inspected beef." In other words – it's conventional. They told us, "We do not mandate our suppliers to use GMO free food. We also do allow our suppliers to treat sick animals with antibiotics." The Red Robin sesame seed buns are filled with high fructose corn syrup and soybean oil.

The Habit Bar & Grill – The beef is "corn fed", not grass fed and not organic. They refused to provide ingredients in their burger, but we were able to confirm that the seeded bun contains soybean and cottonseed oils (both high risk GMO ingredients).

In-N-Out Burger – The meat comes from one of the largest factory farms. I posted a video of what it looks like on Instagram – check it out here. Critics call it "cowschwitz" because thousands of cows can be seen crowded and walking in their own excrement.After our investigation and working together with consumer advocacy groups, In-N-Out told the media that they're phasing out routine antibiotics – but there is no timeline. They still do not publish their ingredients online and hide the ingredients in their burgers.

Culver's – I recently asked on Facebook where you like to get burgers, and this spot was the winner. I'm really sorry to say that Culver's burgers come from cows that live in a feedlot during the last few months of their lives, where they are given hormones and eat corn/grain diets. They also may be administered antibiotics if deemed necessary. Culver's buns are also made with high fructose corn syrup, soybean oil, and additives like DATEM and artificial flavors.

Umami Burger – The beef is grass fed, but grain-finished. Umami said that although they have "antibiotic free" meats available from their supplier, they don't request those and "most of them use antibiotics". Although they don't use MSG additives in their food, they wouldn't provide us with a list of ingredients.

These chains serve better burgers, but you might want to BYOB "Bring Your Own Bun"…

Elevation Burger – They are doing the right thing as far as their meat goes in sourcing 100% organic grass-fed beef and organic chicken… but I hate to tell ya that the rest of their burger ingredients are pretty horrible. I was incredibly disappointed to find that only their meat is organic, and their buns and toppings are full of additives. Elevation's buns and sauces are not verified Non-GMO, so they may contain GMOs. They really could do better by cleaning up the ingredients, stopping the use of soybean oil in practically everything, getting those artificial colors out of their sauce, and serving organic buns. Elevation Burger's "Veggie Patty" isn't a good option either because it's not organic and spiked with "autolyzed yeast extract" a hidden form of MSG. A better option is their organic "Vegan Patty", but ultimately if I ate at Elevation burger, I would stick with their Elevation Salad (sans their dressing) instead of a burger. You could top that with organic grilled chicken tenders or an organic burger without the bun and toppings. Another option would be a lettuce wrapped burger, without the Elevation Sauce.

BareBurger – The meat is completely grass-fed and finished and not given antibiotics or hormones. But, where I really get hung up is on their buns. Corporate offices didn't respond to several emails asking for the ingredients in their bun, whether it is organic, and if they use any GMO ingredients. One restaurant told us the buns are NOT organic. Another restaurant told us the brioche buns contain sugar, margarine, soy oil, and canola oil which are all high risk GMO ingredients. I'd say the healthiest option is to wrap your burger in a nutrient packed organic collard leaf (they have this option) and skip the bun. Beware that they serve the "Impossible Burger" as a vegan option which is made with SLH (soy leghemoglobin), a new protein made in a lab with GMO yeast. This protein has never been in our food before and even the FDA has questioned its safety.

Whole Foods Market (restaurant)– The beef standards don't allow for antibiotics or hormones, however they do allow for 1/3 of the cow's life to be spent off of the pasture. Our local Whole Foods told us they DO NOT use grass-fed beef for the burgers. The beef they use is Step 2 Global Animal Partnership meat taken from their meat department, which is at least partially "vegetarian fed". This means it was likely fed grains. The hamburger buns are made locally and varies per location. Here in Charlotte, they told us the package doesn't specify whether the buns are Non-GMO and that they contain canola oil and sugar (both high risk GMO ingredients). The ingredients and specific beef used will vary per location, so definitely ask questions before you order.

B.Good – They are transparent about their suppliers and use (partially) grass-fed beef without antibiotics or hormones. That being said, sadly they are not organic and their beef is grain-finished. Their buns are also not organic and contain GMO sugar. B.Good is doing some good things and are far better than most chains, but I would love to see them go organic and 100% grass fed. I personally love their salads and bowls.

BurgerFi – The meat is grass-fed and grain finished, and they never use antibiotics or growth hormones. We have contacted them for ingredients and will update when we hear back from them.

Questionable veggie burger ingredients…

Next Level Burger – This vegetarian burger place uses organic buns and toppings, but beware that not everything is organic. Their "house-made" burger patties are organic, but the "meaty patty" is not. I want to love this place, but they said their ingredients are "confidential and proprietary", so we have no clue what additives may be lurking in there. (We are still trying to obtain ingredients (we contacted the owner), and will update this post if they disclose).

Amy's Drive-Thru – This vegetarian 100% organic fast food place is pretty great (but with reservations). They provide ingredient lists at the register, so you can see exactly what you're ordering. They are good in a pinch, but beware their burgers contain some unhealthy ingredients like hydrolyzed soy protein and soybean oil.

When I get a burger, this is where I go…

Farm Burger – The beef is 100% grass fed and finished and never fed antibiotics or growth hormones. Their buns are not organic, but they are baked locally without additives. They also have amazing chicken burgers! I hope you're lucky enough to have one of these in your area, I love this place.

True Food Kitchen –  For their beef burgers, they use sustainably-raised 100% grass-fed beef and an exclusive Dave's Killer Bread bun. They did tell us though that the bun is not organic and that they follow the Dirty Dozen for their produce. When I'm traveling I love to eat here. I personally prefer to eat their turkey burger.

Usually, the best burgers are not found at chains!

Seek out local farm-to-table restaurants in your area. If that isn't an option, your best bet is to buy some grass-fed beef from local farmers or Butcher Box (my partner) and make burgers at home. Butcher Box is offering an exclusive $10 off + 2 lbs grass-fed ground beef free (for a limited time to new customers).

Questions to ask your local burger place…

• Is your beef 100% grass fed and finished?

If the answer is NO, it likely was raised on some grains or GMO feed. You can also ask:

• What is your policy on antibiotics in the raising of your meat?
• Is your beef raised with growth hormones?
• Can I see the complete ingredient list for your burger?

Consider eating less meat and choose veggie burgers…

Our demand for beef is escalating out of control and the only way that we can transition to more sustainable farming methods is for all of us to eat less meat.

Do you know someone who loves burgers? (I know you do!) Share this post with them and encourage them to seek out a better burger next time they go out.

Let's all stop eating factory farmed burgers together, okay?

Xo,

Vani

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Source: https://foodbabe.com/whats-healthiest-fast-food-burger-chain/

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