Bison vs Beef – A Nutrient Comparison With Lab Analysis

At the Kummer household, we consume more than 600 pounds of beef per year. It’s relatively cheap, easy to get, and undoubtedly nutritious. But if you’ve ever seen bison meat at a farmer’s market or in the freezer at Whole Foods, you may have wondered whether it’s healthier than beef. And if it is, why isn’t everyone eating it?

I’ve spent months researching the differences between these two red meats in preparation for a new product launch (our American Beast supplement), including conducting lab testing on the micronutrient composition of bison organ meat (see the results here).

What that research revealed is that, in general, bison has a better micronutrient and fatty acid profile than beef due to a combination of factors including genetic differences between the two species, access to a more diverse native forage diet, less domestication and selective breeding, lower-stress environments, and longer lifespans before harvest. 

Additionally, unlike modern cattle, bison are metabolically wired for survival in harsh conditions, which results in denser organs and cleaner fat composition. Even when grain-finished, bison are typically raised with minimal confinement and less interference, leading to meat that reflects both their wild physiology and more nutrient-rich grazing behavior.

Of course, these factors also make bison meat more expensive than beef. And considering that well-raised beef is a nutritional powerhouse itself, whether or not bison is worth the extra cost depends on considerations like your budget, your specific health goals, and your commitment to purchasing ethically, sustainably-farmed products.

Beef vs. Bison Nutrient Comparison

Most people think bison meat is healthier than beef because it has less fat, but that’s incorrect for a couple of reasons.

First, it’s important to understand that research has consistently disproved the conventional wisdom that consuming red meat negatively impacts cardiovascular health as a result of its dietary fat content. In fact, a 2017 study unequivocally stated that, “saturated fat does not clog the arteries: coronary heart disease is a chronic inflammatory condition, the risk of which can be effectively reduced from healthy lifestyle interventions.”

To the contrary, dietary fats are essential for optimal health because they’re the building blocks for hormones, cell membranes and other critical metabolic processes. Plus, fat is an excellent source of energy.

So, the primary reason why bison is healthier than beef is because it has a better fatty acid and micronutrient profile, as explained below.

Macronutrients (Protein, Fat Content and Carbs)

The macronutrient most people don’t consume enough of is protein, which is the body’s foundation for building tissue and controling its metabolic processes. That’s why I recommend focusing on protein intake with every meal.

Fat is also essential, but consuming enough of it is much easier. That’s because, generally, the body has higher demands for protein than fat, especially in the presence of carbohydrates, which are an alternative fuel source to fat.

Of course, not all fats are created equal, and beef tends to be high in certain polyunsaturated fatty acids such as Omega-6, which can be problematic when consumed in excess.

With that said, here’s a snapshot of how bison and beef’s macronutrient profiles compare.

Despite being leaner than grass-finished beef, grain-finished bison maintains more beneficial fats, like conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and Omega-3s.

To put this into perspective, the amount of Omega-6 fatty acids in the meat of any ruminant animal (regardless of how it was raised) is low enough not to cause any health concerns. However, switching from beef to bison could make a difference if your diet is already high in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs).

For example, according to a 2018 double-blind, cross-over randomized trial, bison consumption was associated with reduced atherogenic risk compared to beef. 

As with all dietary studies, there are likely confounding factors at play. In other words, don’t interpret the study’s findings as a sign that consuming beef will increase your risk of cardiovascular disease (it doesn’t). 

However, if you’re trying to optimize your health, or if you suffer from a metabolic disease and are trying to adopt better lifestyle behaviors, replacing some of the beef in your diet with bison can be a helpful piece of the puzzle.

Micronutrients (Vitamins and Minerals)

Both bison and beef are excellent sources of the essential micronutrients humans need for optimal health, containing similar (though not identical) concentrations of Vitamin B12, zinc and selenium (among others).

• Vitamin B12, which is crucial for red blood cell formation, neurological function, and energy metabolism. Animal foods are the only natural sources of B12.
• Heme iron, which is the most bioavailable form of iron. It supports oxygen transport and prevents fatigue and anemia. Like B12, it’s only in animal-based foods.
• Zinc, which supports immune function, wound healing and hormone production (including testosterone). Animal sources offer the most absorbable form.
• Selenium, which acts as a powerful antioxidant, supports thyroid function, and plays a role in DNA synthesis.
• Creatine. Found almost exclusively in meat, creatine enhances ATP production, muscular strength and cognitive performance.
• Carnosine, which is a dipeptide found in muscle meat that acts as an antioxidant and pH buffer, supporting muscle endurance.
• Taurine, which is important for bile salt formation, cardiovascular health and nervous system regulation. (It’s virtually absent in plants.)
• CoQ10 (Coenzyme Q10), which supports mitochondrial energy production and heart health (with the highest concentrations found in organ meats like heart and liver).

However, bison tends to offer higher levels of several essential micronutrients compared to beef.

Here’s how they compare per 100 grams of raw meat:

Bison also provides more creatine (approximately 0.5 to 1.0 grams per 100 grams of meat) and taurine (approx. 65 to 70 milligrams per 100 grams of meat). These two compounds support everything from energy metabolism and cardiovascular function to muscle strength, brain health, and antioxidant defense. 

Note that per the data above, bison contains 50-100% more CoQ10 (Coenzyme Q10), an often-overlooked substance that supports mitochondrial energy production and heart health (with the highest concentrations found in organ meats like heart and liver).

Bison Organ Meat vs. Beef Organ Meat

When I began researching the benefits of bison over beef in preparation for launching American Beast (our bison liver and heart supplement), I realized there aren’t enough grass-finished bison roaming our continent to supply enough organs to satisfy customer demand. As a result, I considered sourcing organs from grain-finished bison, but only if the micronutrient profile was on par with or better than our grass-finished beef organ supplements.

After several months of proprietary lab testing, which allowed us to compare freeze-dried organ powders from grass-finished beef and grain-finished bison, I can say that bison is superior in most categories. 

Looking at freeze-dried liver powder as an example, bison is higher in 18 micronutrients than beef, and lower in 9. The table below shows how bison liver compares to beef liver for 27 of the key substances we evaluated:

Combined with bison meat’s better fatty acid composition, this data shows that overall, bison organs offer a better micronutrient profile — even when comparing grain-finished bison to grass-finished cattle.

Benefits and Downsides to Choosing Bison Over Beef

As I’ve explained and demonstrated through our lab data, bison has a superior nutrient profile to beef. Additionally, bison can be a gentler option for those who find beef problematic due to individual sensitivities.

For example, the rancher we often purchase bison meat from at our local farmers market told me that most of his customers choose bison because they don’t tolerate beef well. That’s likely because beef is naturally higher in histamines, which can trigger an immune response in people with histamine sensitivities. 

I don’t have any hands-on experience with sensitivities to beef protein, but I should point out that severe red meat allergies (such as AlphaGal syndrome) rule out both beef and bison.

Aside from the nutrient profile, what I like most about bison is that it’s almost always raised more sustainably and humanely than cattle. Additionally, it’s often easier to learn more about the ranch and rancher where the meat comes from, and how the animal was raised. 

By purchasing bison, you’re helping to support sustainable and (sometimes) regenerative agriculture. Bison can’t be factory-farmed, so supporting bison production means shifting demand away from mass-produced meat in favor of healthier, more ecologically sound products. 

You’re also supporting small businesses rather than Big Agra corporations that don’t care about the health of the animals they’re raising or the people they’re selling meat to.  

The downsides to bison are the higher price, limited availability, leanness, and, for some people, the taste (see below). 

If you can find bison meat in your local grocery store (most stores don’t carry it), it’s often 30% more expensive than grass-finished beef. That adds up quickly if you consume as much meat as we do at the Kummer household.

Plus, bison meat is leaner and has fewer calories than beef. While some people may consider that an advantage, I disagree, because (as noted earlier) the idea that saturated fat and cholesterol increase your risk of heart disease is a myth that has been debunked by research for years. (The only type of fat you shouldn’t consume in excess is polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly linoleic acid. The good news is that bison meat is comparatively low in linoleic acid and higher in healthy Omega-3 than beef.)

From a taste perspective, however, that low fat content means the meat has a drier texture, is more prone to overcooking, and is generally less flavorful. So I recommend cooking bison with extra tallow, butter or ghee to mitigate those issues.

What About Buffalo and Beefalo?

Outside the U.S., “buffalo” refers to water buffalo (the animal that provides the milk for the Italian mozzarella cheese I love on homemade sourdough pizza), not bison. In the U.S., “buffalo” is colloquially used to mean American bison, but they’re technically a different animal — and water buffalo are not harvested for meat in the United States.

Beefalo is a hybrid of bison and cattle. It might sound like a good compromise, but beefalo are usually raised like cattle, not wild bison. Nutritionally, it’s a downgrade, and I haven’t seen beefalo meat anywhere we shop.

How to Find Bison Meat

We discovered bison meat at our local farmers market, but you can also find it at Whole Foods and certain health food stores. Several farms now sell bison meat online and ship it to you, including Force of Nature, The Honest Bison, Wild Idea Buffalo Co and others. 

Of course, if you add shipping to the premium price you pay for the meat, your bison dinner can become a relatively expensive affair. 

An Important Note on Grass-Fed vs. Grass-Finished vs. Grain-Finished

It’s important to clarify some of the commonly used terminology related to how ruminant animals are raised, because how an animal is raised can significantly impact the nutrient composition of its meat. 

• Grass-fed and grass-finished beef. These animals are raised entirely on pasture, without grain supplementation. Their growth is slower because forage is less energy-dense. Depending on the region, grass-finished cattle may receive hay supplementation in winter. It takes approximately 24-30 months to finish cattle on only grass.
• Grain-finished beef. Calves are born on pasture, then moved to feedlots at about 6 to 8 months old, where they’re fed a high-calorie grain-based diet to speed up weight gain and intramuscular fat. A grain-finished animal takes approximately 14 months to reach harvesting weight.
• Grass-finished bison. These animals are fully pasture-raised and finished. Their growth is slower, producing leaner meat with robust micronutrient density and a clean environmental footprint. Very few farms in the United States produce grass-finished bison because it takes 30-36 months from birth to harvest, and consumer demand is comparatively low.
• Grain-finished bison. These animals are typically raised on open pasture, but may be supplemented with grain in their final 90 to 120 days. However, even “grain-finished” bison are not kept in confined feedlots like grain-finished (aka factory-farmed) cattle. It takes about 24-28 months for grain-finished bison to reach harvesting weight.

Common sense and scientific evidence suggest that raising ruminants on pasture and a natural forage diet produces healthier animals and better meat than feeding those animals grains. That’s why I avoid purchasing grain-finished beef as much as possible. 

However, unlike cattle, bison retain strong wild instincts and cannot be confined in traditional feedlot systems. In such environments, they become stressed, aggressive, and can even injure themselves. As a result, even grain-finished bison are typically raised in more spacious, open-range environments during finishing, often with access to pasture and minimal handling. 

Combined with spending more time on pasture and metabolic differences between the two species, grain-finished bison frequently have a better nutrient profile than grass-finished cattle (as shown in our proprietary lab testing above). 

Bison Meat vs Beef: Final Verdict and Key Takeaways

You’re in a good place if you already eat regeneratively raised beef. But adding bison to your diet (especially the organs) can be a smart upgrade. It’s nutrient-dense, anti-inflammatory, and raised in a way that honors both the animal and the land. 

As a reminder, here are the key takeaways from this article:

1. Bison meat (especially bison organ meat) can be more nutrient-dense than beef, and our lab testing shows that even grain-finished bison often beats grass-finished beef in fatty acid and micronutrient content.

2. Bison are harvested in much smaller numbers than cattle. In fact, more beef cattle are processed by noon on January 1 than all the bison processed in an entire year (according to industry insiders I’ve talked to). In other words, bison can’t be raised with the same factory farming methods as cattle, which means the bison you eat was likely raised better than its feedlot-finished cattle cousin.

3. The average harvest age for bison is higher than cattle (24–36 months), especially for grass-finished animals, allowing for more profound nutrient accumulation (and contributing to its higher price tag).

4. If you’re looking for a clean and sustainable red meat, bison offers more traceability, better animal welfare, and higher nutrient density.

5. People with sensitivities may better tolerate bison because it’s naturally lower in histamines.

Whether sourcing it locally or supplementing with American Beast, bison is one of the most powerful tools you can add to your ancestral nutrition toolbox.

Michael Kummer

Michael Kummer is a healthy living enthusiast and CrossFit athlete whose goal is to help people achieve optimal health by bridging the gap between ancestral living and the demands of modern society.