Overview

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This dashboard anonymously compares analytical lab testing results from Nutrient Density Alliance members that produce foods grown in regenerative systems, with their conventional counterparts generally available at retail.

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All of the data comes from samples from NDA/SCI members that were tested at the Edacious Food Lab using identical preparation techniques and analysis methods. Member samples and retail conventional benchmark samples were collected and analyzed within a month of each other.

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Based on this methodology, we think the results are a better representation of the state of regenerative vs. conventional foods than you’d get by comparing to existing databases. Using our methodology we are providing more nuanced results comparing the quality of products coming from conventional vs regenerative system than many of the existing databases.

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Early Takeaways

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While this isn’t a scientific study, our pilot testing has yielded interesting early results. Compared to conventional products, NDA members' regenerative samples have:

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Lower overall fat content: lower overall fat, including lower saturated fats.

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A better balance of Omega-6 to Omega-3, with more with lower levels of Omega 6s and higher levels of beneficial Omega-3s. In general, there are higher levels of beneficial EPA and DHA.

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More protein per serving, due to leaner muscle.

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No heavy metals across the board. In beef, this is notable as we’ve previously found elevated levels of arsenic, cadmium, and lead in beef purchased at retail.

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The micronutrient story depends on the specific product being tested, with some members having higher B vitamin and mineral content. We surmise that there are likely complex interactions between forage/feed quality, seasonality, rumen/gut health, and supplementation which will continue to be product-specific.

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This study highlights how NDA results can be used to support FDA-compliant nutrient claims, such as “This chicken breast is a rich source of vitamin B5 and niacin.” These examples demonstrate how companies can translate lab findings into actionable, evidence-based claims.

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We want feedback!

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What comparisons would you like to see? How might this data help you? Both the Edacious and NDA teams are listening. While these results are currently a private resource for NDA members, in the future we plan to make this a public resource to highlight the benefits of regenerative protein. While we're hard at work iterating on the output, we want to know what you think!

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Next Steps

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This dashboard is just the starting point. As more samples come in, we’ll add data over time to strengthen the analyses. Edacious and NDA are interested in hearing what members would like to see as we work to strengthen the value of our system, and this NDA-specific resource.

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Call for more submissions!

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We'd love to expand this data set with more food types and more member data to give everyone a better idea of the differences you can expect not only comparing regenerative to conventional, but also within regenerative systems.

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The offer stands: NDA members get a discount on our Discovery Package testing. When you share your samples with NDA for use (anonymously) in this notebook, Edacious will match your samples by adding new samples to the retail data set, ensuring we've got up-to-date comparisons.

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