Critics of meat production and consumption tout lab grown meat, also known as cell-cultured meat, as a feasible, cruelty-free alternative to meat. They claim that meat is bad for our health, bad for our environment, and unsustainable for our future. These claims are untrue as they pertain to well-managed grass fed beef farms because organic, grass fed and finished beef is superior to conventionally raised beef. Grass fed beef is both healthful and a net benefit in its environmental impact. We contend that lab grown meat is not a replacement for organic, grass fed, grass finished beef and in fact is harmful to our health and the environment.
Lab Grown Meat: Marinated in Fetal Calf Serum
The process to “grow” a burger.
Lab grown meat is not a soy-based meat alternative, but rather it’s meat that has been cultured in a factory from cell lines originating from a live animal. The meat is “grown” from stem cells to muscle fibers by marinating in a serum concocted with ingredients from the embryos of pregnant cows. Some pregnant cows headed for slaughter have their embryos harvested alive and the calves die slowly while fluid from their heart is extracted. It’s unfortunately a far cry from being “cruelty-free.”
After the stem cells have matured, they are colored, ground, mixed with fats, and shaped into burgers or sold as ground meat. The scientists are yet to find a way to make the meat resemble the texture and shape of steak, roasts, or other identifiable cuts of meat, and 3D printing may be used in the future to mimic these more desirable cuts.
The Problems with Lab Grown Meat
There’s no animal fat
The process of growing meat cells does not impart any fat into the meat. Proponents of lab grown meat cite this as a benefit because this meat can be engineered to be very low in cholesterol. The fat cells are engineered separately and added to the meat after cell culturing, with most products using polyunsaturated fats from soybean or canola oils. These are heavily processed oils that have a plethora of negative health effects and cannot compete with the healthful, omega-3 rich fat present in grass fed and finished beef.
Lab grown meat is nutritionally inferior to grass fed beef
All lab grown meat has antibiotics and preservatives added as part of the culturing and packaging processes. These antibiotics and preservatives are known to have negative health impacts like harming human gut lining and wreaking havoc on our microbiome.
There is little known about the nutritional quality of lab grown meat as it is still an emerging product. There are some doubts that lab grown meat will be as healthful as conventionally raised beef in terms of iron, zinc, and B vitamin content.
Compared to conventionally raised beef, grass fed and finished beef is:
10X higher in vitamin A
3X higher in vitamin #
Substantially higher in calcium, magnesium, potassium, and B vitamins
Lower in cholesterol
Rich in stearic acid, which lowers cholesterol
Abundant source of anti-cancer conjugated linoleic acid (an omega-3 fatty acid)
Taste can’t compare to grass fed and finished beef
Flavor enhancers like artificial flavors and MSG are added to lab grown meat to improve its taste in an effort to mimic the taste of beef. In taste tests, lab grown meats are described as being “metallic” in taste.
Our well-raised grass fed and finished beef is delicious and complex in flavor. By feeding the cows their species appropriate diet, the meat is allowed to reach its true flavor potential. Taste the difference of our organic, grass fed and finished beef!
Lab Grown Meat isn’t the Answer
Saint John’s cows eating organic hay in January.
We agree that there are glaring issues with how the majority of meat in the United States is raised. Most cattle are raised in caged animal feeding operations (CAFOs) and fed a diet of RoundUp soy and corn, a far cry from grass fed and finished beef, and there are many unfortunate cases of animals not having access to a basic quality of life. However, this doesn’t mean lab grown meat is an adequate solution.
There are many small farms working with regenerative practices to steward the land and provide food that is chock full of nutrients, nutrition to which lab grown meat simply cannot compare. In fact, rotational grazing patterns for grass fed beef actually put greenhouse gasses back into the soil!
From a nutritional, environmental, and taste perspective, lab grown meat cannot compete with high quality organic grass fed and finished beef. There are problems with our food systems, but culturing meat in a factory is not a tenable solution. Supporting local farms that raise quality meats and grow produce is a step we can all take to secure our food future.