Bison is the new beef
Buffalo (American Bison) were the Plains Indians' primary food source and once numbered in the tens of millions; but by 1900 they were nearly extinct with only 13 live American Bison left, all in the Yellowstone Park area. Today there are over 300,000 buffalo with about 280,000 being raised on private ranches.
While buffalo meat tastes similar (slightly sweeter) to a high quality cut of beef, buffalo meat stands out as being much higher in nutrition (as do all game-type meats). In fact, buffalo has less cholesterol than chicken with the skin removed or even most fish. Bison’s nutritional profile includes 60-80% less fat than beef (depending on the cut), 35% less cholesterol, 30% higher in protein, 69% more iron, no hormones, steroids or antibiotics and there has not been any cases of E coli.
Research on the health benefits of eating bison has been published by many major universities, (Cornell, U. of Utah, U. of South Dakota, Penn State, even the U. of Bristol in England) and they all confirm that Buffalo are very high in the essential fatty acids and have an excellent ratio of Omega-3 to Omega-6 acids and contain CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid) which is an Omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid, a "good fat" that enhances the body's ability to promote a healthy metabolism.
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Research on the health benefits of eating bison has been published by many major universities, (Cornell, U. of Utah, U. of South Dakota, Penn State, even the U. of Bristol in England) and they all confirm that Buffalo are very high in the essential fatty acids and have an excellent ratio of Omega-3 to Omega-6 acids and contain CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid) which is an Omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid, a "good fat" that enhances the body's ability to promote a healthy metabolism.
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My husband and I have been enjoying bison for years! I cook with it often and we actually prefer bison over beef for many dishes. It is still a little expensive, but well worth it for the nutritional value, flavor, and overall healthy qualities (no hormones, etc.). (I dread the day when it becomes so popular that the farmers start pumping the animals with hormones and other junk and mass-producing them to the point of ridiculous like they do now with the other meat we eat.) We're not big meat eaters, but when there is bison available, we always go for it... Thanks for some great information!
I agree Sarah. My family switched over to eating bison in place of beef on a regular basis. Thankfully we found a bison ranch about 40 miles away so we can purchase in bulk and save a considerable amount!
Not all buffalo are fed the same. Many ranchers finish their buffalo on corn(think feed lot to fatten them up), so this would make their nutritional profile similar to grain-finished beef. This is a far cry from the purely grass-fed animals the Native Americans ate. Read your labels, and question the ranchers about their practices.
The National Bison Association has a great website where people can locate local producers who market bison. Just go to www.bisoncentral.com, and click on the "Where to Buy" tab. There's a clickable map where you can find local producers.