We hear a lot about what we should, and shouldn’t be eating to keep us in the best possible health. One message that is simple and clear is to try to eat wholefoods, or minimally processed foods. But whatever foods we choose to eat, HOW that food has been grown, reared, or produced is not something we hear that much about.

In particular, the ‘diet’ of our farmed animals can strongly influence not only their health, but also the subsequent nutritional value of the products that we then eat.

Take the cattle that provide us with meat and dairy products as an example. Their digestive system is very different to our own. Cattle have four stomachs, the biggest of which, the rumen, acts like a huge fermentation vat. This is why they can digest cellulose, a component of plants, which we cannot. Cattle are therefore able to convert grass and other leafy green materials into all the building blocks they need to be healthy. So far, so good.

But because we have changed the way we farm animals - many cattle are now fed non-leafy green foods, such as soybean meal, barley, oats or wheat. These foods are an additional protein and/or energy source to ensure that they grow faster or produce more milk for us to consume. Too much of these non-leafy greens however can upset their digestive system, making them unwell.

And interestingly research has also shown that the beef and milk from cattle that have been fed only on a variety of leafy green materials has a better health profile for us, being lower in saturated fat, and higher in vitamins, minerals and omega three fatty acids than beef and milk that comes from cattle fed additional foods such as soybean meal, barley, oats or wheat.

In summary, feeding cattle the type of food that is appropriate for their digestive system is not only better for them, but better for us too.

The label Pasture for Life promotes meat and dairy from cattle and sheep raised purely on a diet of grass, wild plants and flowers. It’s available to buy online throughout the UK, and from participating farms and butchers. You can read about Newcastle University's research into the nutritional profile of 100% pasture fed beef here: Grass-Fed Beef Shown to Be Source of Omega-3 Says New Study