As per latest research, there is a strong link found between the consumption of beef and the lowering of sperm count in men. Pregnant women in the US who eat a lot of beef give birth to sons who grow up to have lower sperm counts than the children of women who do not eat beef. But men’s consumption of beef as an adult has nothing to do with their sperm count.

“In sons of ‘high beef consumers’ (more than seven beef meals/week), sperm concentration was 24.3 percent lower,” says a report published in the journal “Human Reproduction”.

The cause for the lowering of sperm count is believed to be the chemicals present in cattle feed which gets built up in the fat of animals when they eat the contaminated food. It could also be due to the residue of the growth hormones given to the cattle to stimulate its growth. According to scientists, human consumption of estrogen from hormone-fed beef can result in cancer, premature puberty and low sperm count.

Beef forms a very essential part of an American’s diet. But what goes on before the beef reaches your table is something to be pondered on. According to a study, cattle that are fed on grains have higher levels of omega 6 fatty acid that promotes heart disease. Since most of the cattle are grain fed rather than grass fed, they will have less omega 3 fatty acid which is beneficial for your heart.