Most people don't realize it but there is a big difference between "natural beef" and "organic beef."

Before I continue, let me just cut right to the chase and state unequivocally that organic beef is much better than natural beef. However, having said that, natural beef, at least most of the time, is a definite step in the right direction. Plus, a small minority natural beef is as good as organic if you buy it directly from a farmer who uses organic techniques but hasn't gone through the process and expense to get certified organic. However, this is never true for supermarket beef labeled as "natural beef," although again it is a step in the right direction.

There are precise standards that are governed by the USDA for beef to be labeled as "organic." No such standards exist for beef labeled as "natural" so you may have to dig a little to find out what a specific store and/or product means by "natural." Most mean that there have been no hormones or antibiotics used in the raising of the beef. Some mean only no antibiotics. Others mean only no hormones were used. Still other beef labeled as "natural" just means the cow got to move around some.

Organic means all of these things and it is tightly controlled but it also means one additional thing that is very important. The feed given to a cow that will be butchered for organic beef must also be organic! I want to stress that this is HUGE because if a cow eats food that is not healthy, that will show up in it's muscle tissue and fat tissue which is what we are eating when we eat "meat" or more specifically "beef."