You are what you eat. And if you eat meat – you are what THEY eat...

You might think that glass of milk or lean steak is wholesome – but it really depends on what the cow ate...

Chances are, your meal enjoyed some junk food before it wound up on your plate. Most cows start out eating grass, which is good – but their diets take a turn for the worse. Once the herd is moved to commercial feedlots, the binging on junk food begins. They’ll likely be chowing down on grain, with a side of antibiotics, growth hormones and steroids. And for desert, most cows will be chewing on leftover candy bars and pastries. Candy and bakery manufacturers sell off their unused treats to the cattle farmers – who use that waste as fillers to fatten up the feed.

If you can find beef or dairy products made from grass-fed cows – that’s the cream of the crop. But buyer beware: Many ranches send their cattle out to feed on grass for the last week of their life in order to earn the grass-fed label. Look for “100% grass-fed” or “pasture-fed” on the label and you’ll be getting the real deal – and it will cost a lot more too. Truly grass-fed cows account for just 1% of U.S. beef sales.