The Truth About Plant-Based Meats: What You Need to Know
The Reality of "Plant-Based" Meats
On the surface, plant-based meat substitutes (Impossible Burger, Beyond Meat, etc.) seem like a fresh, wholesome alternative.
Straight from a lush garden under blue skies, right?
Wrong.
A few years ago, this was all the rage. Not anymore. Why? Their products tasted terrible, were terrible for you and terrible for the environment. Not the trifecta anyone is shooting for. They also developed a sci-fi expensive byproduct designed to fake-bleed!
The truth is the plant-based meat industry depends heavily on industrial-scale, unsustainable farming. Consider the key ingredients—corn, soybeans, and peas—and their environmental impact:
Heavy Chemical Use: These crops require large amounts of synthetic fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides.
High Fossil Fuel Dependence: Harvesting and transporting tons of grains consumes significant energy.
Soil Disruption: Industrial tillage releases carbon into the atmosphere and harms soil biology.
By contrast, regenerative farming—like what we practice at The North Coast Ranch —mimics natural ecosystems that have sustained life for thousands of years. Our cattle are part of a cycle that builds soil health, enhances biodiversity and requires no chemicals and minimal fossil fuels (occasionally we need to use a tractor or ATV).
BUT, Don't Be Fooled by "Grass-Fed" Beef Labeling Either
Let’s get straight to the point: Not all beef labeled "grass-fed" is truly grass-fed. Many products marketed as "100% grass-fed" in stores or online still come from cattle that have been fed grain by-products.
How Can This Happen?
Many large-scale "grass-fed" beef brands follow production protocols that allow for:
Grain By-Products: Soy hulls, peanut hulls, beet pulp, and DDGs (dried distillers’ grains) are often included in cattle feed.
Grain Finishing: Some producers start their cattle on grass but transition them to grain or grain by-products in the months leading up to harvest. They were grass-fed, until they weren’t.
That’s not true of 100% grass-fed beef.
Grass. Grass. Grass.
Cows are ruminant animals, designed to digest fibrous plants like grass—not high-calorie, low-fiber grains.
The North Coast Ranch Commitment
100% Grass-Fed & Grass-Finished
We do things differently.
100% Grass-Fed, 100% Grass-Finished—Our cows eat nothing but grass for their entire lives.
No Grain. Ever.—We refuse to use grain by-products to artificially fatten our cattle.
Sustainable & Ethical Farming—Our animals contribute to soil regeneration and biodiversity.
Choosing true grass-fed beef means supporting an ethical, sustainable food system while enjoying the health benefits of beef raised the way nature intended.
The Bottom Line
Don’t be misled into thinking plant-based meats are better for the environment. And don’t assume all "grass-fed" beef is created equal.
Know your farmer. Know your food.
How?
Find. Someone. You. Trust.
Whether it's a farmer, rancher, or local grocer—find someone you trust, someone who tells the truth and sells a product with your best interests at heart.
Until next time…
Cheers!