I’ve noticed a trend recently with labels on beef packaging, I’ve been seeing a lot of “vegetarian fed” beef. To set the record straight, vegetarian fed beef is not grass fed beef. In fact they are basically as far from each other as you can get. The addition of the “vegetarian fed” label on beef is simply a marketing tactic used to make shoppers think it’s healthier for them. Vegetarian fed beef is not the equivalent of grass feed beef and it is worse for you.
The bottom line…
Vegetarian Fed Beef- Beef that is raised on a diet of grains (i.e. corn).
Grass Fed Beef- Beef that is raised on a diet of grass and grazing.
Since grains are strictly not Paleo, you can see how this may pose an issue. Commercially raised cows are fed a grain based diet to help them gain more fat and mass, this way they provide more revenue when they are slaughtered.
So when it comes down to it, vegetarian fed does not equal grass fed.
Stick with grass fed beef!
Melissa Van Dover
The Paleo Pact 
Great article! I think it’s important to mention that the corn that is fed to these cows is all GMO! GMO is engineered to make the cow fatter faster, so what do you think happens to the people that eat it? hahah Also, another thing to keep your eye out for is to make sure it’s “grass finished” sometimes unscrupulous ranchers will grass feed to fit compliance, then finish the cows off quick and dirty with some yummy GMO corn! Keep those eyes peeled for the labeling! Thanks again for a great post!
Sincerely,
Stephanie Stuart
http://originaleating.com/
Editor
Hi Stephanie, absolutely true! Thanks for sharing your point on “grass finished”, I think it’s a fact that isn’t widely known and we all need to make sure we’re reading our labeling.
Totally agree! Thanks so much for commenting Stephanie and for emphasizing an important point. It’s scary to think where some of our food is coming from and the more awareness we have on the subject the better it is for our health. Thanks again and…P.S. We like your blog!