Nutrient Density
We’ve always said that healthy soil and diverse mountain pastures produce superior food. But in a world full of vague marketing buzzwords, we believe in providing real proof. We are thrilled to share that we have officially completed comprehensive, third-party nutrient density testing on our 100% grass-finished beef, and the laboratory results are in!
Conducted by Dr. Stephan Van Vliet and his human nutrition and metabolomics research team at Utah State University, this rigorous analysis evaluated more than 20 individual samples of our beef across hundreds of biochemical markers.
Even more special? If you purchased a Live Share from our July 2026 processing date, these lab tests were conducted directly on samples of your beef!
The findings confirm what regenerative ranchers have long observed: cattle grazing a rich botanical buffet of high-desert native grasses, shrubs, forbs, and legumes concentrate remarkable levels of phytonutrients, antioxidants, essential vitamins, and minerals deep within their muscle tissue.
Interpretation / comments from the research team
These interpretations reflect the opinions of our research team based on the data generated and are provided for informational purposes only. They do not constitute regulatory, nutritional, or health advice and have not been evaluated or endorsed by the USDA or other regulatory authorities.
- The ribeye stood out for its high reported total of phytonutrients and related metabolites, at 3,264 µg/100 g—approximately 3.5 times the grass-fed benchmark and 3.7 times the grain-fed benchmark.
- Hippuric acid and cinnamoylglycine were elevated above both benchmarks. Hippuric acid measured 98.3 µg/100 g, approximately 61% above grass-fed and 178% above grain-fed, while cinnamoylglycine was 3.7 and 8.8 times the respective benchmarks. These metabolites can arise from the breakdown and metabolism of dietary plant phenolics, including polyphenols, providing evidence of a strong plant-derived metabolite signature.
- Vitamin B12 was particularly strong, at 2.47 µg/100 g—approximately 66% higher than grass-fed and three times the grain-fed benchmark. Folate (B9) was also higher, exceeding the benchmarks by 24% and 45%, respectively.
- Several minerals exceeded both benchmarks, including iron, zinc, copper, potassium, and phosphorus. Iron was approximately 11% higher than grass-fed and 29% higher than grain-fed, while zinc was about 15–16% higher than both.
- The omega-6:omega-3 ratio fell between the benchmarks, at 3.22:1 versus 2.14:1 for grass-fed and 9.65:1 for grain-fed in the fatty-acid percentage section. Total omega-3 content was approximately 113 mg/100 g, close to the grass-fed benchmark of 119 mg/100 g. CLA content exceeded both benchmarks.
- β-Carotene was 39% higher than grass-fed and 90% higher than grain-fed, although its absolute contribution to the diet is modest and should be viewed as a further marker these animals were likely grazing high quality forages. Protein was comparable to grain-fed, and total fat fell between the two benchmarks.
View the full report HERE
