Grass-fed beef in Silicon Valley
last update date 2023-09-19 | release date 2019-01-21
What actually is the popular “Grass-Fed Meat” in Silicon Valley?
A successful IT entrepreneur working in Silicon Valley - where many global IT companies such as Google and Apple are located, conducted trial and error research on himself in order to “hack” his own biology. "The Bulletproof Diet: Lose Up to a Pound a Day, Reclaim Energy and Focus, Upgrade Your Life” is a book talked about by many people.
Dave Asprey - the author of the bestselling book was overweight, unhealthy and he felt the way he worked was inefficient. He thought the causes were due to his diet. Therefore, he adopted various methods to build a healthy body. He mentions that by regaining one's health, motivation for work will increase, and efficiency will also improve as well. In the book, Dave introduces different rules of which are some of the examples mentioned by our nutritionist previously such as:
- Taking in "good fat"
- Eating lots of vegetables
- Reducing sugar intake
Also in his book, the word “grass-fed” is mentioned often. What actually is “grass-fed”? Grass-fed simply means the cattle was primarily fed grass. Famous examples are grass-fed butter and grass-fed beef.
In the book, the author recommends grass-fed beef for meals, but what are the features of grass-fed beef? Let’s take a look!
What are the Characteristics of Grass-fed Beef? A big Difference from Regular Beef
As mentioned before, grass-fed beef refers to cows raised with only grass as their primary food. To raise these kinds of cows, a large amount of land is necessary, growth is slower (due to the cattle only eating grass), shipping takes more time, and the yield from one cow is typically less. With all of this, grass-fed beef is rarely seen in Japan. On the other hand, Japanese Wagyu beef is labeled as "grain-fed beef" since the cow is literally raised by grain such as with corn, soybeans, and barley.
The main characteristic of grain-fed beef is that it’s rich in nutrition. Good quality grain-fed cows are known for fast-growth and a good amount of fat. This is because the cows are raised in barns, so they exercise less and accumulate fat. On the other hand, grass-fed cows are raised on a vast land surrounded by green nature and grow up looking for their own fresh grass. These are some of the differences compared to regular beef:
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Rich source of Iron
Did you know that there are two kinds of iron called "heme iron" and "non-heme iron"? "Heme iron" is only found in meat, poultry, seafood, and fish. Our body easily absorbs this type of iron making it the most efficient form of an iron supplement.
"Non-heme iron" is found in many vegetables such as soybeans and green vegetables. Compared to heme iron, non-heme iron is usually less readily absorbed. Grass-fed beef has an abundance of "heme iron", and is as mentioned before, well-absorbed by our bodies. It’s said that there are nearly three times more iron in grass-fed beef compared to that of grain-fed beef. -
High in Protein Low in Fat
Next, another characteristic of grass-fed beef is that it is little in fat and high in beautiful red meat aka. protein! When comparing grass-fed and grain-fed fillet meat, the calorie count of grass-fed is about 62% less than that of grain-fed cows and the fat count is about 40% less. Also, since the amount of protein contained in the meat is high, it’s recommended for those who want to build muscle and to those exercising to lose weight. -
Contains “Good fat”
In recent years, oil types are a hot topic. Among them, the unsaturated fatty acid called omega 3 contained in grass-fed beef is attracting attention as it is known to lower cholesterol levels making the blood flow more smoothly.
Also, since grass-fed cows are strictly eating grass, the meat is rich in "Vitamin E", of which is great for anti-aging affects.
Deliciously Eating Grass-Fed Beef Steak
Beef is a red meat that everyone enjoys. With grass-fed beef however, the meat is lean and well exercised, giving you the true, natural taste of beef. Since the cow walks around the farm and exercises, the meat is low in fat and very filling at the same time. We will introduce the features of each cut and our recommended dishes.
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Filet meat
Filet meat or beef tenderloin refers to the psoas major muscle of a cow. The muscle does very little work, so it’s the most tender cut with very little fat and is a very popular red meat. Generally, the meat is known as the “the highest grade cut” since only a small portion can be found from one cow. We definitely recommend the “filet steak”.
Grass-fed beef is pulpy and chewy so we recommended to grill the meat to a medium-rare in order to enjoy the natural flavors. -
Striploin
Many people have the image that “steak=striploin”. Striploin is a cut of beef that comes from the back of the cattle. The soft quality and a good balance of marbling gives a rich flavor. More fat is contained in the striploin than a fillet, so roast beef is the way to go. The taste is richer and pairs well with wine. You can also grill the surface of the beef to a golden brown, cut the meat thicker and enjoy it with ponzu sauce. It’s easy to make and also makes a great combination with Japanese sake.
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Ribeye Roast
Ribeye is a cut from the rib section with just the right amount of fat. When the meat is thinly sliced and lightly broiled, you can enjoy the tender and rich flavor of beef.
Another classic is steak with garlic. To get a juicy steak, grill only slightly.
It seems like meat and IT have nothing to do with each other, but what we consume is the basis to everything like creating state-of-the-art technology. Grass-fed beef is a great example that shows the relationship between Silicon Valley and food. Why not try grass-fed beef today?
THE MEAT GUY’S RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS
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Grass-Fed Beef Striploin/Sirloin Steak 270g￥1,790 (txInc)The same cut as the Kansas City strip but from down under. Not as tender as the US steaks but plenty of flavor. (Frozen)
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Grass-Fed Beef Ribeye Steak (270g)￥1,790 (txInc)One of the tastiest steaks and considered the king of many steakhouses as it has the most rich, bold flavor. (Frozen)
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Grass-Fed Beef Filet Mignon (250g)￥3,290 (txInc)The premier steak cut also called the "Chateaubriand", but we don't call it that because we can't even pronounce it correctly! (Frozen)
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Grass-Fed Beef Rump/Top Sirloin Steak (250g)￥1,690 (txInc)The cut from the "Top Sirloin" or "Rump". This is a great value. (Frozen)
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Grass-Fed Beef Striploin Block (1kg)￥4,980 (txInc)The ever popular striploin in a 1 kg block. This is one of our most popular items. (Chilled)
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Grass-Fed Beef Cube Roll / Rib Roast (800g Block)￥4,980 (txInc)A practical sized roast for the Japanese oven. 800g. (Chilled)
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