Bionutrient Study Results: Amino Acids

​In 2022 we were approached to participate in a research study called the Bionutrient Institute Study spearheaded by Dr. Stephan van Vliet from Utah State University.  The requirement was to send 3 ribeye steaks, from different animals at our farm, forage samples, fecal samples, soil samples, and fill out a very extensive questionnaire. 

The study is the most extensive study that has been done about the differences between grass fed/grass finished beef and grain fed beef.  It will dive into the correlations between soil health, gut microbiome, feed and forage quality, beef nutritional content, and human health.  As a health coach and someone passionate about nutrition, health, and of course, our farm’s integrity, this is very interesting and exciting to me!

The study has a target of 750 steaks from 200 farms and ranches from around the world, and 150 from supermarket shelves.  The majority is from North America, but they also include samples from Europe, Australia, and South America.

The study has evolved and grown to capture absolute values (an upgrade from the original plan of capturing comparative data).  Geeking alert! but, it has added panels for terpenes, minerals, amino acids, and proteomics. Because of these additions, not all results are in and they are distributing to us as they go.

Recently, fatty acids results came in.  While we were not super surprised, as we expected some of these to come favorable, we were excited to see it on paper!

There were 31 markers on the Fatty Acids category (some I didn’t even know existed!) and we came favorable in all, even when comparing the average in our steaks to the average of ALL grass finished steaks, but significantly favorable compared to grain fed steaks.  
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​Here are the results of the most recognizable and important amino acids, including THE most important measure, the Omega 6:3 ratio:






                                                      SNF      Avg Grass Fed       Grain Fed
Alpha Linoleic Acid                      1.56            1.10                      0.29
EPA                                                0.42            0.35                     0.12
DHA                                               0.21            0.13                     0.12
CLA                                                0.60            0.47                     0.32
TOTAL Omega 6s                         3.32            3.63                     4.28
TOTAL Omega 3s                         2.57            2.08                     0.75
Omega 6/3 Ratio                       1.29            2.13                     7.22

Modern American diets, (mainly because of ultra processed foods) typically boast an omega-6 to omega-3 ratio around 10 to 1, sometimes as high as 30 to 1 while the optimal ratio for health is 4 to 1, so we are way better than this optimal measure!  

For reference, while some omega 6s are beneficial, too much is not good.  Because our diet is so abundant in these (mainly in the form of vegetable oils) and not as abundant in the omega 3s, the ratios are usually off balance.  This is why we want to pick food that has less omega 6s and more omega 3s, as our beef show above. 
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The data found that when cows graze a wider diversity of plants on pasture, this correlated directly with the critical omega 6:3 ratio. Basically, greater diversity = more omega-3 fatty acids.

We are proud and of course excited to see this! a direct result of our farming practices of good soil health, plant diversity, rotational grazing, and proper grass management.

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