Picture this…you’re sitting back, feet up and parked up in front of the television on a quiet night in. An advertisement for some Nike runners comes on, selling the latest and greatest pair of self-tying sneakers. It’s a strange thought but if you were to buy that fresh pair of Nike sneakers, do you think about the constant allegations against Nike for their alleged use of sweatshops to produce their products? Probably not. However, if the Nike shoe selection in the store was split between products produced in sweatshops and those that weren’t, would you change your mind? Maybe. But if your decision directly affected your health, would you think a bit harder about your choice? Definitely.

The success of your pursuit of that summer body does not just depend on resisting that tempting cheat meal. It also depends on the diet of the cattle that’s giving you that protein boost. I’m not talking about jerk chicken but ‘you are what you eat’ certainly applies to cows.

The decision you make as you walk down in the aisle in the supermarket or your local butcher is not just a question of ethics but also a choice of nutritional value. In simple terms, cattle fed as nature intended are found to produce meat lower in fat content and higher in protein value. Furthermore, it has been found that the consumption of fattier cuts actually decreases the intake of critical vitamins and protein. Talk about taking a step forward and two steps back!

In addition to the evident ethics involved in grass fed cattle, it could help you cover the extra mile on your morning run - grass-fed meat produces up to five times as many omega-3 acids as grain fed, ultimately contributing to a better cardiovascular health.

Additionally, it was found that the meat of animals raised entirely on grass contained almost twice the levels of conjugated linoleic acid, or CLA, which may have cancer fighting properties and lower the risk of diabetes and other health problems.