There will be many opinions about this one. I am one who believes that the quality of the meat and fat I eat is of utmost importance. I buy only grass fed, pastured, organic meat and eggs. I have been taught that toxins are stored in fat. So if using conventionally raised meat, it would be best not to consume the fat. I will eat the fat from my grassfed meat. It's not a matter of worrying about it. I will eat out on occasion and consume conventional meat and fat when out. But I highly doubt I would ever buy conventional meat for home consumption.

As for fats in general, it is best to choose the most natural fats possible, unaltered by processing. There is no margarine in my house, only butter....no vegetable shortening, only lard that I have rendered myself from organic pastured pork fat. I threw out my canola oil and other vegetable oils, in favour of extra virgin olive oil, and coconut oil. And I save my bacon fat for cooking. We also eat fat from our meat.

An important factor that prompted me to buy my protein from my organic farmers, was that the composition of their meat and fat is healthier for me due to the fact that my animals are higher in good Omega 3, and lower in the bad Omega 6 fatty acids. Our conventional diet is already too high in omega 6 if one is consuming grain fed meat, especially along with processed grains and carbs.

Add another twist to this in that farming practices employ strategies to make the most money. So the farming corporations need to grow meat as fast as possible to make their profits and supply the demand, so they give the animals growth hormones to speed growth, getting the meat to the consumer quicker. Grain fed animals are also in contact with more chemicals and pesticides in their feed. If they are fed corn, a food unnatural to their diet, they are also exposed to one of the most genetically modified crops on Earth. They are often in close quarters with many other animals as well, which leads to antibiotics administered to prevent illness and infection.

It's more of a question of preserving my health. I choose to eat food as close to nature as possible, so would never question my choices now. I don't worry, just do it.

The pastured eggs are the best too....nice bright yellow yolks...yum !

I'll just add that there are tons of people here who eat conventionally raised meat and suffer no ill effects. This is a choice I make since I believe my comments above to be true. No offense to anyone who does not believe the same as me.

If conventional meat is eaten, there are resources available to determine which conventionally raised meat would potentially have less toxins present in the meat. If I could remember where I read that, I'd pass that info on. But it seems to me that conventional beef is less altered from it's natural state than chicken.

Also important to note that the taste and texture of my naturally raised meat differs from conventional. The beef is amazing, my heritage pork tastes unlike anything available in the grocery stores, simply delicious, especially the fat! And I would never choose to eat a conventionally raised chicken, since the texture is so limp and fluffy, too soft. My chickens run around outside and have much firmer flesh. They actually use their legs !

Depending where you are able to shop for free-range, grass-fed, pastured, organic meat, you will likely have to pay more. Hopefully you will be able to shop around and compare prices. Or maybe consider doing what I do, and find a farmer that you can buy directly from. I buy a meat subscription from my farmers each year. This year I bought 1/4 cow, 1/2 pig, 12 chickens, and 40 pounds each of ground beef and pork for 3 of us. I get 6 dozen eggs monthly. My freezers are always packed full. I also get animal parts like bones, organs, heads and feet, and pork hocks for free. This is great since I make bone broth, and it also helps make this venture more economical.

I don't know where you live, but this might help:

http://www.eatwild.com/

Don't get discouraged if you can't afford grass-fed/organic all the time... you can always buy leaner cuts of meat and add grass-fed butter for fat.

That's so cool Karla ! I think my farmers are on the Canadian link. My farmers live about 3 hours away, but they come into our city twice per month and I just meet them in a parking lot. They feel like good friends/family now, since this is our 4th year doing this. On Saturday, I picked up 6 big chickens, 6 dozen eggs, a 5lb bag of organic fair trade dark roast coffee beans, a bag full of homemade soap made from their animal fat, and a kg of raw honey.

Incidentally, I mentioned to Clint and Pam, my farmers, that my weight loss journey started because I wanted to source grass fed meat for weight loss purposes. I told them on Saturday that I have lost 100 pounds because they started the ball rolling for me. I am thankful for this, on Thanksgiving day. I have now lost another pound this weekend.

I have learned so much over the past few years, and have drawn so much support from MFP, and I'm loving keto. It's like magic and I feel so good !

I believe that organic/grassfed, and all that is best, but the honest truth is right now, my family is 2 people, and 1 income, and I simply can't afford the bells and whistles. I am working to work in the best stuff when I can, but frankly, it's not as often as I would like.

My theory is it is better to eat the meats I can afford that keep me in the macros than to struggle to get only half of what I need for the same cost, you know.

But I stock up when I can find it. At no point can I afford the outlay of $1,200 to buy half a cow or anything, but I'll be checking that link to see if I can find anyone local willing to work in smaller quantities if I can commit long term, etc.... Otherwise, it's just checking the sales as much as I can!