Unfortunately in the meat industry the information is not abundant when your making your selection and, disappointingly paddock to plate information is not essential to be labelled by law. Hmm… Makes it tricky. Sure, it’s stated where it comes from on the animal but you have no idea if you are about to munch on (what once was) a beautiful prime beast or an old breeding cow! Gross.

In the chicken industry, laying chickens can not be sold as fresh chicken (ie what you buy at the supermarket). This is not the case for the beef industry. It is a consumer rite to know how their food has been treated before they eat it, for example grain versus grass fed beef, it’s age, where geographically it’s from and it’s breed.  Selecting your cut of meat should be like selecting a bottle of red with the variety you can choose from.

Health Nuts recommends rather than buying meat from the supermarket that you purchase meat from your local butcher, and where possible purchasing high quality produce.  We recommend this with all food, always choose the cleanest, greenest and food closest to it’s natural state. There is now an increase in the number of free range butchers selling beautiful meats.

For more information visit the Health Nuts Library (Link to where to buy Cape Grim, Pure South Beef and Greenhams beef) to read up on where you can purchase high quality beef near you, read paddock to plate information, how to select a great cut, meat appreciation seminars and food nights.

The health benefits of eating beef… Bridging the gap between paddock and plate.

Beef is one of the richest natural sources of protein. Protein comes from sources such as eggs, chicken, lamb and seafood.

Protein contains amino-acids which are the building blocks of muscle, therefore a protein rich diet is necessary to build and maintained a lean and well defined body. Furthermore, protein helps the body to feel full and regulates blood sugar levels. Health-Nuts recommend that you add some protein to every meal and snack, for example a handful of nuts with your mid-morning banana or yoghurt, or making sure you eat plenty of beef, chicken, eggs and seafood.

Beef is a rich source of zinc (helps create a healthy immune system and aid in would healing), iron (aids in oxygen transportation around the body therefore it aids fatigue) and phosphorus (needed for strong teeth and bones).

Beef is also a rich source of Complex B-Vitamins, which help to release energy from food. Specifically, beef is a rich source of: Vitamin B12 (needed for brain and nervous system functioning and blood cell production), Vitamin B6 (metabolism of fats and proteins), Niacin (cell production, DNA repair and metabolic roles) and Riboflavin (energy metabolism and metabolism of fats, proteins and carbohydrates).

Health Nuts recommend that you choose beef that is hormone, antibiotic and GMO free.  We also recommend that you purchase meat that has been graded by Meat Standards Australia (MSA).

Choosing meat has now become a little like selecting a good red and depends upon preferences. Do you prefer high grade MSA, grain fed or grass fed, low or high marble Wagyu, Tasmanian or Angus.

You will know if your beef is graded by MSA by the presence of their distinctive green and yellow MSA logo.  The quality of local Australian meat has improved recently thanks to MSA (along with the federal and state governments) which has researched extensively factors effecting eating quality such as the cattle's age, breed, feed, handling and processing and type of cut. The MSA grade beef and pass this knowledge onto butchers who then pass it on to you!

Stakeholders that wish to use the MSA trademark need to be licensed to do so. Please see the link below for licensed retailers:

http://www.mla.com.au/Marketing-red-meat/Guaranteeing-eating-quality/Meat-Standards-Australia

Highest grade beef is selected by some of the following criteria

1. Cattle breed: Angus, Wagyu or British bred are considered best.

2. Grading: Angus - Meat Standard Australia (MSA) group 4 or better; Wagyu X – MSA group 2 or better (this also includes the colour of the meat).

3. Free from hormones

4. Free of antibiotics. If cattle become sick in a feedlot they are withdraw from the beef program

5. Free of animal by-product feeds: cattle fed only on pastures or feeds derived from grasses and cereals throughout their lives.

Grass Fed Versus Grain Fed Beef

1. Grass fed beef’s diet varies according to the farm location as the climate and geography will change. They may dine on grasses and shrubs, irrigated and fertilised pastures, legume based pastures, grain stubble left after harvesting or hay and silage. Grass fed beef is fed entirely this way.

1. Grain fed beef: Beef are fed this way to get a desired finish for selling.  They are fed grass for most of their lives, then sent to “feedlots” where they eat grain based rations for a certain number of days. This period of time is determined by consumer demand. Generally speaking, the longer the time on the feedlot, the more marbled the meat. The feed is designed carefully with just the right balance of proteins, carbohydrates, minerals roughage and fat. In Australia, ingredients include wheat, barley, sorghum cotton seed and canola, silage and hay.

Whilst the grainfed beef contains more “fat” so to speak, this is intramuscular fat that is one of the measures of marbling and inside the muscle. This is different to the selvedge fat which is the part you can cut off on the outside.  Beef is a very rich source of monounsaturated fats, or good fat (Link to good fats article)

Health nuts therefore still recommend eating grain fed beef! The delicious marbling effect of high quality beef in not only part of what makes the variety of the cut (just like the difference of a cab-sav to a merlot) but still delivers the nutritional benefits of grass fed beef. Just remember to leave that selvedge fat on your plate!

In Australia the level of intramuscular fat tends to be lower anyway, as does the selvedge fat compared to the USA, Europe and Japan. With the selvedge fat removed, this type of beef has less than 4 % saturated fat.

So, after this information, what is the moral of the story? Leaner cuts of beef, or those with the fat removed from the outside are an excellent source of protein and monounsaturated fats. They can help to lower bad cholesterol levels, regulate blood sugar levels, build lean muscle, are an excellent source of iron and complex B vitamins which help you feel more energised, they aid the immune system.

However, you should only choose the “clean” varieties and avoid supermarket bought beef. Beef listed as “natural” may still contain hormones or antibiotics.

Excellent suppliers include grass fed beef, from Cape Grim Beef in the North-West Tasmania. Cape Grim is also known to have the cleanest air in the world and that their beef is graded to the four highest MSA tenderness grades. (Link to Cape Grim website and Pure South and Greenhams)

We also recommend Pure South Natural Angus beef from south eastern Australia and Greenham Tasmania Natural Beef

The following retail outlets sell Cape Grim Beef:

Victoria:

RETAILERS:

• Peter Bouchier\'s Butchers David Jones Store, 310 Bourke Street
Melbourne
VIC - 3000
Phone: 03 9643 2530
Fax: 
Website: 
(approx. 0 km)

• Peter Bouchier\'s Butchers 551 Malvern Road
Toorak
VIC - 3142
Phone: 03 9827 3629
Fax: 
Website: 
(approx. 5.21 km)

• Peter Bouchier\'s Butchers David Jones Store, Chadstone Shopping Centre
Chadstone
VIC - 3148
Phone: 03 8531 4387
Fax: 
Website: 
(approx. 14.02 km)

Pretty’s Prime Cuts Point Cook Town Centre, Main Street
Point Cook
VIC - 3030
Phone: 03 9394 7820
Fax: 
Website: 
(approx. 21.56 km)

Cannings Free Range Butchers: 2/90 Burwood Road, Hawthorn, Vic 3122

(03) 9815 2245

RESTAURANTS:

• The Forefront Eatery 83 Franklin Street
Melbourne
VIC - 3000
Phone: 03 9663 6388
Fax: 
Website: 
(approx. 0.12 km)

• Grossi Florentino - The Grill 80 Bourke Street
Melbourne
VIC - 3000
Phone: 03 9662 1811
Fax: 
Website: www.grossiflorentino.com
(approx. 0.8 km)

• Society Restaurant 23 Bourke Street
Melbourne
VIC - 3000
Phone: 03 9639 2544
Fax: 
Website: www.societyrestaurant.com
(approx. 0.9 km)

• Rockpool Bar & Grill Melbourne Crown Complex
Southbank
VIC - 3006
Phone: 03 8648 1900
Fax: 
Website: www.rockpoolmelbourne.com
(approx. 1.61 km)

• Guiseppe Arnaldo & Sons Southbank
VIC - 3006
Phone: 03 9694 7400
Fax: 
Website: www.idrb.com/giuseppe_main_flash.html
(approx. 1.66 km)

• Bistro Guillaume Shop 7, Crown Entertainment Comples, 8 Whiteman Street
Southbank
VIC - 3006
Phone: 03 9693 3888
Fax: 
Website: www.bistroguillaume.com.au
(approx. 1.91 km)

• Gordon Ramsey Restaurant Group - Crown Metropol Crown Metropol Loading Dock, Haig Street
Southbank
VIC - 3006
Phone: 
Fax: 
Website: 
(approx. 2.13 km)

• Carringbush Hotel 228 Langridge Street
Abbotsford
VIC - 3067
Phone: 03 9417 2918
Fax: 
Website: www.thecarringbush.com.au
(approx. 2.67 km)

• Hot Dish 170 The Avenue
Parkville
VIC - 3052
Phone: 03 9207 4800
Fax: 
Website: www.hotdish.com.au
(approx. 2.76 km)

• Bacash 175 Domain Road
South Yarra
VIC - 3141
Phone: 03 9866 3566
Fax: 
Website: www.bacash.com.au
(approx. 3.36 km)

• Railway Club Hotel 107 Ragland Street
Port Melbourne
VIC - 3207
Phone: 03 9645 1661
Fax: 
Website: www.railwayclubhotel.com.au
(approx. 3.86 km)

• The London Bar & Restaurant 92 Beach Street
Port Melbourne
VIC - 3207
Phone: 03 9646 4644
Fax: 
Website: www.thelondon.com.au
(approx. 4.46 km)

• Cross Keys Hotel 350 Pascoe Vale Road
Essendon
VIC - 3040
Phone: 03 9379 7477
Fax: 
Website: www.crosskeyshotel.com.au
(approx. 7.76 km)

• Caffe La Via 252 Glenferrie Road
Malvern
VIC - 3144
Phone: 03 9509 6373
Fax: 
Website: www.cafelavia.com.au
(approx. 8.01 km)

• Steam Packet Hotel 13 Cole Street
Williamstown
VIC - 3016
Phone: 03 9399 9600
Fax: 
Website: www.steampackethotel.com
(approx. 8.14 km)

• Telegraph Hotel Gisborne Suite 1, Level 1, 72 Hargrave Street
Essendon Airport
VIC - 3040
Phone: 03 54282310
Fax: 
Website: 
(approx. 10.65 km)

• Fango Cafe Bar Restaurant 2 Lake Street
Caroline Springs
VIC - 3023
Phone: 03 8390 2200
Fax: 
Website: 
(approx. 20.95 km)

• Zephyr Dining at Mercure Hotel 234 Caroline Springs Boulavard
Caroline Springs
VIC - 3023
Phone: 1300 731 018
Fax: 
Website: www.mercurecarolinesprings.com.au/melbourne-restaurant.html
(approx. 21.29 km)

• The Game Keepers Secret 1555 Melton Highway
Rockbank
VIC - 3335
Phone: 03 9747 1000
Fax: 
Website: www.gamekeepers.com.au
(approx. 29.31 km)

• Avanti at Witchmount Estate 557 Leakes Road
Rockbank
VIC - 3335
Phone: 03 9747 1177
Fax: 
Website: www.witchmount.com.au/restaurant/restaurant.html
(approx. 29.82 km)

• Witchmount Estate Winery 557 Leakes Road
Rockbank
VIC - 3335
Phone: 03 9747 1177
Fax: 
Website: www.witchmount.com.au
(approx. 29.82 km)

• The Hillz Bar & Kitchen 250 Monbulk-Olinda Road
Monbulk
VIC - 3793
Phone: 03 9756 7045
Fax: 
Website: 
(approx. 39.11 km)

• Stones of the Yarra Valley 14 Huberts Road
Colstream
VIC - 3770
Phone: 03 9739 0900
Fax: 
Website: www.stonesoftheyarravalley.com
(approx. 40.99 km)

• Rose GPO Hotel 1003 Point Nepean Road
ROSEBUD
VIC - 3939
Phone: 5982 3200
Fax: 
Website: www.rosegpo.com.au
(approx. 61.04 km)

• Ten Minutes by Tractor Wine Company 1333 Mornington Flinders Road
Main Ridge
VIC - 3928
Phone: 03 5989 6455
Fax: 
Website: www.tenminutesbytractor.com.au
(approx. 65.32 km)

• Peppers - The Sands Restaurant 2 Sandy Boulevard
Torquay
VIC - 3228
Phone: 03 5264 3333
Fax: 
Website: www.peppers.com.au
(approx. 80.85 km)

• Craigs Royal Hotel 10 Lydiard Street
Ballarat
VIC - 3350
Phone: 03 5331 1377
Fax: 
Website: www.craigsroyal.com.au
(approx. 101.07 km)

• Club Warrnambool 93 Kepler Street
Warrnambool
VIC - 3280
Phone: 03 5562 2020
Fax: 
Website: www.clubwarrnambool.com.au
(approx. 226.42 km)