Montana Bison
Bison: the healthy alternative that is here to stay.
You may think that bison meat is the newest food fad, however people are quickly discovering the major long-term benefits of incorporating bison meat into their diet. Buffalo is a sustainable, healthy and safe food solution that offers a variety of nutritional benefits as well as superior taste, value and ecological benefits.
KEY BENEFITS OF BISON
Health and Safety
Bison spend their lives on grass with minimal handling and little to no time in feedlots. Bison ranches do not use hormones, drugs or chemicals when raising their bison and it has long been a practice by the National Bison Association and its members to oppose the use of these substances in the production of Bison for meat.
Bison ranchers use sustainable ranching practices utilizing natural grassland grazing without the use of feed lots. In addition, they practice safe and humane animal husbandry and handling causing significantly less stress on the animals. Bison are raised free of antibiotics and hormones making your food safer.
Nutrition
Bison offers a higher nutritional value than beef and is a flavorful and tender alternative with fewer calories, less fat, and more protein and minerals. Learn more about the nutritional benefits of cooking with bison.
Dr. Marty Marchello of North Dakota State University conducted research comparing bison meat to other meat sources. Results of the study showed that bison is a highly nutrient dense food because of it’s proportion of protein, fat, minerals and fatty acids to its caloric value. Review Dr. Marchello's Findings.
The nutritional value of buffalo meat is one of many reasons The American Diabetes Association, the American Heart Association, and the American Deitetic Association all endorse the consumption of buffalo meat as part of healthy, low-fat, low-cholesterol diets.
Reader’s Digest cited buffalo meat is as the number one Super Food for women because of it’s high iron content and low fat content, and it’s ability to help boost energy and promote weight loss.
Taste
Bison meat is a naturally flavorful, tender and healthy alternative to beef. Bison meat has a similar taste and can be prepared similarly to beef, but with a sweeter and richer flavor.
Value
Bison meat is generally found in the gourmet or specialty meat section at your local supermarket or meat market but is becoming increasingly accessible throughout the country. The value of bison meat is found in the higher nutritional value over other red meat and even chicken and fish. Bison offers fewer calories, less fat and less cholesterol than beef or chicken, so you get more edible meat for your money. With more protein packed in every bite, you feel more satisfied eating less food.
Bison meat is denser; more satisfying compared with beef, and provides more protein and nutrients with fewer calories and less fat.
Ecological Benefits
According to an article by Dr. Sylvia Fallon, Staff Scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council, bison play an important and beneficial role in the prairie and grassland ecosystems of North America.
Their unique grazing behavior contributes to changes in the composition of plant and animal species, alterations to the physical and chemical environment, increased heterogeneity in vegetation structure, soil resource availability and ecosystem processes.
In addition, bison are naturally-adapted to the environmental conditions of North America, so producers handle their animals less often than do producers of domesticated species like cattle and sheep.