Many people land on this Spider web page because they are wondering if Laura'south Lean Beef is grass-fed.  Her main line of "Natural" meats have never been grass-fed.  They are grain-fed just like Tyson'south "select class" meats that you can buy at Wal Mart.  "Natural," "organic," "free range," "heart friendly," "lean," and terms like those mean zero when information technology comes to diet.  Simply grass-fed meats offer a nutritional difference in the meat category.  Recently Laura'due south Lean started to distribute some grass-fed meat.  We give her credit for that.  I guess she finally learned why natural is not worth a hoot.  In spite of that knowledge most of her sales are all the same "natural."  To larn why there is just a huge difference betwixt "natural and organic" and genuine "grass-fed" I invite yous to visit other sections of my Website such every bitWhy Grass-Fed,  Omega-3 Essays , andScientific discipline Links.  I'm glad you dropped in and I welcome you to my earth of real food.  This is your risk to really learn about theBest and Worst Foods offered in America.  If you are concerned nigh centre health, theWhy Grass-Fed link has a copy of my detailed blood lipid contour that you can download.

Ted Slanker

April 1, 2003

"Laura'southward Lean" Steaks Fattier Than Labeled

CSPI Finds More Than Twice the Fatty, Saturated Fat every bit Claimed

WASHINGTON—Ribeye and strip steaks from Laura'due south Lean Beef may have ii, three, or even four times every bit much fat or saturated fat as Laura's claims, according to contained laboratory tests commissioned by the nonprofit Middle for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI).  At least 28 of xxx Laura'south Lean-brand steaks CSPI analyzed had more than fat, saturated fatty, and calories than claimed on the label or Laura's web site.  On average, the steaks contained more twice as much fat and saturated fat and 40 pct more calories than the company states.

Laura'due south strip steaks are certified to utilise the American Center Association'due south (AHA) "heart-check" logo on their labels, nonetheless all but 1 of the fourteen strip steaks tested failed to encounter the AHA's guidelines.  1 strip steak contained more than iii times as much saturated fat as the AHA guidelines permit.  None of the Ribeye steaks tested met the AHA guidelines, and the steak is no longer certified by the association, but 5 of them had the AHA logo on the label.  The AHA's certification guidelines require a serving of meat to comprise less than 5 grams of total fat and less than 2 grams of saturated fat.

"Laura'south nutrition numbers aren't just slightly off, they are off-the-charts wrong," said CSPI executive managing director Michael F. Jacobson. "Anyone relying on Laura's labels or Laura's spider web site for nutrition information would exist led to believe that the Ribeye and strip steaks have less than one-half the fat that they actually contain.  That poses a real trouble for people trying to cut down on saturated fat or calories for wellness reasons."

CSPI has asked the Department of Agronomics to stop Laura's inaccurate labeling and to verify the accuracy of Nutrition Facts labels on other brands of fresh meat and poultry that use such voluntary labels.  CSPI has as well asked the Federal Trade Commission to halt Laura's deceptive advertising and brash the AHA about Laura's misuse of AHA's eye-check logo on Laura's steaks.

CSPI also asked USDA to crave labels to emphasize the number of servings in a given steak, since many consumers may eat entire steaks weighing much more the official serving size of four ounces.  For case, someone eating an average ix.five-ounce (about 7.5 ounces cooked) Laura's Lean Ribeye steak would swallow 13 grams of saturated fat—two-thirds of the regime'south recommended daily limit and more than vi times the ii grams of saturated fat per 4-ounce serving listed on the label.

CSPI likewise expressed concern that the American Middle Association was letting its trusted center-check logo exist misused. In a letter to AHA President M. Cass Wheeler, Jacobson praised the program but urged AHA to better monitor the employ of its logo.  And, since the Laura's Lean Beefiness violations seem so flagrant, CSPI suggested that the AHA consider barring the company from its food certification program.

"Only 1 of the 30 steaks nosotros tested would qualify for the Heart Clan logo, and I accept a hard time believing that our test results come as a surprise to Laura's Lean Beef," said Jacobson.  He urged the Middle Association to focus specially on the accurateness of nutrition data for meat and other fresh foods, the nutrient content of which is more variable than that of processed foods.

CSPI purchased the Ribeye and strip steaks—Laura's two best-selling steaks—from supermarkets in New York Metropolis, Washington, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Portland, Oregon. CSPI noted that although the diet information on Laura's web site and labels is deceptive, Laura'due south Lean Beef's Ribeye and strip steaks are indeed leaner than the average supermarket steaks.

Web Posted Meat News

June ii, 2003

Heart Association Praised for 'Laura'southward Lean Beef' Crackdown

Activity Taken in Response to CSPI Investigation

Strip steaks sold by Laura'south Lean Beefiness will no longer be certified to behave the familiar "heart-check" seal of the American Center Association (AHA), now that the grouping has confirmed that the steaks have more fat than AHA guidelines allow.  As well, the AHA will be taking action to stop the unauthorized use of its heart-cheque logo on Laura's Lean Ribeye steaks.  The crackdown is in response to an investigation into Laura'southward Lean Beef conducted by the nonprofit Middle for Science in the Public Involvement (CSPI), which tested 30 Laura'southward Lean steaks before this year.

"The American Heart Association is taking sensible steps to protect consumers and preserve the integrity of its nutrient certification program," said CSPI executive managing director Michael F. Jacobson.  "It's important that the foods that bear the association's seal see the association's criteria.

"In addition to misusing the heart association's symbol, Laura'south Lean Beef illegally deceives consumers about the true fat and saturated fat content of its steaks.  CSPI'southward lab tests showed that Laura'due south Lean strip steaks and Ribeyes have, on average, twice the fatty and saturated fatty as the company claims, with some steaks having 3 or four times every bit much.  Although Nutrition Facts labels are non required on fresh meat, the labels must be accurate."

While the company's strip steak was certified to use the AHA logo, all but one of the fourteen strip steaks tested failed to encounter AHA guidelines, which require a serving of meat to have less than five grams of total fat and less than two grams of saturated fat.  And although the AHA had already decertified Laura's Lean Ribeyes, one 3rd of the Ribeyes CSPI purchased improperly bore the AHA heart-bank check seal.

CSPI also asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Federal Trade Commission to take enforcement action confronting Laura'southward Lean Beef.  Despite having the results of CSPI's laboratory tests, Laura's Lean has yet correct its nutrition facts labels or the nutrition data on its web site.

The Middle Clan also told CSPI that it is enhancing its policies regarding the certification of beef products, including more frequent random lab testing.

Web Posted -  Meat News

At present for Ted Slanker'due south Commentary . . .

The Truth of the Matter

By and large speaking, grain-fed meats that are labeled "lean" earn that characterization because they take lower overall visible fat content levels than "conventional" meat products.  The "lean" label does not mean that the fats in "lean" meats are adept fats or are the proper residual of fats our bodies crave for optimal health.

In most all cases the "lean" label indicates that the meats came from grain-fed critters that produced less visible fat -- or the visible fat was trimmed off!  Since the critters were grain fed, their overall fatty acid profile (in the membranes of all cells), other nutrients, and vitamin levels are grossly skewed in all the incorrect directions.  This ways that when you dine on grain-fed "lean" meats you will do your body a major disservice.

On the other hand, when y'all eat grass-fed meats, you actually want to have some visible fat because its fatty acid composition is properly balanced for your body and volition really enhance your overall health and well-existence.

If this is true, then why did the American Centre Association (AHA) certify Laura's Lean for its "heart check" seal in the first place?  The only answer that we tin come with is that the AHA gets a lot of donations from Big Business food processors and producers that rely on grain in their food production systems.  Consequently, the AHA is reluctant to tell the whole truth almost fats and what is and what is not "Heart Friendly."

If that's not the case, and then is it possible the AHA isn't aware of the scientific research regarding essential fatty acids that has been ongoing since the late 1970s?  Whatever the case, the AHA does a pathetic job of telling the Omega-3 story.

If you desire to know the facts near fat and health please visit:  Education.

Beef's Nutritional Value Chart A

Slanker Grass-Fed Meat ships Heart Good for you Grass-Fed Meats to:

Beef's Nutritional Value Chart B