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Moroccan tajine made with Eid al Adha lamb sacrifice ingredients as offal or entrails making a delicious and gourmet halal dish.

Tripe: Nutrition, Benefits, and Easy Recipes

Organ meats are among the most nutrient dense foods on earth and a common staple in traditional diets around the world. Recently, with the revival of ancestral animal-based dietary practices like carnivore, and ecologically conscious nose-to-tail eating, interest in organ meats is flourishing. Tripe is one of the overlooked jewels of the global culinary cannon.

Tripe is the stomach lining of various farm animals. The most common edible tripe is beef tripe from cows.

In this article, we’ll explore the nutrition and health benefits of tripe, and offer a few easy ways to incorporate tripe into your diet.

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What is Tripe?

Tripe is a type of edible lining from the stomachs of various ruminant farm animals.

The most common edible tripe comes from cows, but many cultures consume the tripe of buffalo, sheep, goat, and pig.

Tripe is common to many global cuisines, including European, African, Latin American, and Asian cultures.

Known for its chewy texture and mild flavor, tripe acts like a sponge that incorporates the often rich flavors of the dishes it features in.

For this reason, tripe is most often found in soups and stews–many of which are believed to have therapeutic or curative properties. For example, the Mexican soup menudo is often consumed as a hangover cure with the belief that consuming tripe will soothe and repair a person’s stomach lining after a night of drinking.

Though tripe is mild in flavor, it’s not muscle meat, and it has a unique chewy texture that most people accustomed to the modern Western diet need to get used to.

Types of Tripe

Other than pig, the animals that tripe comes from have a ruminant digestive system with multiple stomach chambers that serve to ferment the plants they graze on into fatty acids.

Tripe is classified by the particular stomach chamber it is made from. Here are the four types of tripe

Blanket Tripe (also known as smooth tripe): Made from the first stomach chamber, called the rumen. This is the most common type of tripe and has a smooth texture. Though common, it is the least desirable type of tripe.
Honeycomb Tripe: Made from the second stomach chamber, called the reticulum. This is the most distinctive type fo tripe, sought for its spongy honeycomb-like appearance and texture.
Book Tripe: From the third stomach chamber, the omasum. Book tripe takes its name from the way it resembles the layered pages of a book.
Reed Tripe: From the fourth stomach chamber, the abomasum. Reed tripe is the least common type of edible tripe. It has a smooth texture, and unlike other types, can have a stronger flavor.

Beef Tripe Nutrition

Nutrient	Amount per 150 grams (5.29oz)	%RDV
Fat	5.5g
Saturated Fat	1.9g
Cholesterol	183mg
Carbohydrate	0g
Protein	18.1g
Vitamins
Riboflavin (B2)	0.1mg	7%
Niacin (B3)	1.3mg	8%
B5	.34mg	7%
Choline	292.2mg	53%
B12	2.1mcg	87%
Minerals
Calcium	103.5mg	8%
Iron	.89ng	5%
Magnesium	10.5mg	5%
Phosphorus	96mg	8%
Zinc	2.1mg	19%
Copper	0.11mg	12%
Selenium	18.8mcg	34%

Benefits of Tripe

Beef tripe is a zero-carb, moderate-fat, high-protein whole food that offers significant amounts of vital nutrients, including B vitamins, choline, zinc, and selenium.

In addition to the nutrients on the label, tripe is also a great source of collagen, a highly beneficial amino acid. Let’s examine how these nutrients in tripe can benefit your health.

Collagen in Tripe

The same compound that gives tripe its tuff chewy texture is one of its most beneficial features.

This toughness comes from tripe’s collagen-rich connective tissue content. 35% of the protein in tripe is made up of collagen.

Collagen protein supports healthy bones, skin, joints, hair, and the newly discovered collagen-rich organ called the interstitium.

The benefits of all this collagen are enhanced through the common practice of boiling tripe. When boiled, the collagen in tripe breaks down into health-promoting amino acids such as glycine, proline, and glutamine.

Proline

Accounts for 17% of the amino acids in collagen
Has been shown to support cell growth while providing antioxidant protection against free radicals.
An important factor in wound healing and healthy immune response.

The amino acid glycine has been linked to various physiological benefits, including

reducing homocysteine levels after consuming meals high in protein
improving sleep, and controlling blood sugar.
as a precursor to creatine, a compound that can enhance athletic performance and recovery, while offering powerful antidepressant properties
positively impacting neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
protection against gastric ulcers and helps digest fat.

Glutamine is another beneficial amino acid amino that has been found to

fuel the growth of immune cells and intestinal cells
offer anti-inflammatory properties
maintain the health of your gut lining and protect against intestinal permeability.

Choline

A 150-gram serving of tripe provides 292.2mg, for 53% of your RDV of choline.

Haven’t heard of Choline? You’re not alone. This important nutrient wasn’t fully understood until 1998 when it was deemed “essential,” meaning that you need to get it from food to survive.

The essential nature of choline is evident in the many vital roles it plays in the body, including :

Synthesizing neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine that support mood and cognition
Supports proper cell function by maintaining the integrity of cell membranes
Improves memory and cognitive function, particularly in older adults.
Helps fat digest
Crucial for brain development and healthy memory function in infants
Can lower the risk of neural tube defects in infants

B12

Tripe is an excellent source of vitamin B12, providing 2.1 mcg, for 87% of your RDV per 150-gram serving.

B12 is another essential vitamin that plays a critical role in physical and mental health, including

Maintaining a healthy nervous system
the production of DNA and red blood cells
Turning the food we eat into useable energy
Maintaining proper cognitive function
Psychological and mood stabilization–including prevention of depression
Protects heart health by decreasing homocysteine levels associated with heart disease.

Selenium

Selenium is a mineral that factors in the creation of various enzymes and proteins called selenoproteins. This function makes the selenium in tripe supportive of numerous bodily processes including including :

healthy thyroid function
proper immune function, and the ability to fight infection
Protection from damage to cells
reproductive health and the creation of DNA
Antioxidant protection, including an increase in the powerful antioxidant glutathione
Protection against various cancers
Neuroprotective properties
Supports lung health

How to Incorporate Tripe into Your Diet

Since tripe has a very mild–some might say, “bland”—flavor, it is easy to add to most savory dishes.

It’s worth noting that most tripe sold in markets has already been cooked and bleached in chlorine. It’s best to source unprocessed tripe from a local butcher or farmers market rancher. Be sure to clean the tripe thoroughly before cooking.

You can also source tripe from most Latin American and Asian specialty markets.

For mainstream pre-cooked tripe, be sure to rinse it well to get rid of any residual chlorine.

Tripe Menudo Recipe

For a nourishing traditional tripe soup, try this menudo recipe.

Ingredients

4 pounds cleaned tripe, cut into large chunks
½ cup white vinegar
1 Tbs salt, or more to taste
1 Tbs chili powder
½ Tbs cumin
½ Tbs oregano
½ Tbs garlic
¼ tsp cayenne (optional)
1-2 bay leaves
Water, as needed

Instructions

If not pre-cooked, boil tripe for 30-45 minutes in a large pot, then drain the water.
Return tripe to the same pot and add in the remaining ingredients.
Fill pot with twice as much water a tripe by volume.
Bring ingredients to boil, then reduce to a simmer.
After 2 hours check on the texture of the tripe. If it is still chewy, continue cooking for 30 minutes to 1.5 hours.

Tripe Noodles

Tripe is often used in creative carnivore recipes like these tripe noodles from Carnivore Minimalist. You can use these as the basis for carnivore meat sauce or a creamy carnivore alfredo.

Instructions

Slice 1-2 lbs of pre-washed smooth tripe into thin noodles–reference rice noodles
Add sliced tripe to a pot, cover with water
Bring water to a boil and reduce to a simmer
Simmer for two to three hours
Strain noodles

For a quick treat, enjoy your tripe with a simple topping of butter, parmesan, and salt. Or add to a premade bone broth recipe.

Take it a step further and drench it in this creamy carnivore sauce recipe below.

4 Ingredient Creamy Carnivore Sauce to Go with Your Tripe Noodles

Tripe: The Bottom Line

Tripe is an organ meat commonly sourced from cows. Though popular in traditional cuisine around the world, tripe is often overlooked in the Western diet that prioritizes muscle meats.

Tripe is a nutrient-dense food that offers an abundance of complete, high-quality protein, including substantial collagen, along with B vitamins, choline, and selenium.

Tripe’s neutral, spongy texture makes it well-suited for stewing. On all meat diets, it can add desired variety to food texture while making a great stand-in for noodles.

Chef bodybuilder in protective apron cracking eggs into a bowl

Protein In Eggs: Everything You Need to Know

February 21, 2024/in Eggs Carnivore Diet Foods, eggs, Protein, Superfoods /by Liam McAuliffe

In the world of superfoods, few others come close to matching the nutritional quality and variety of the humble egg. Eggs stand out in large part owing to their abundance and quality of protein.

In this article, we explore the protein found in eggs, uncovering its composition, benefits, and role in promoting overall health and well-being.

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What is Protein, and Why Does it Matter?

Proteins are long molecular chains made up of amino acids. The body uses only 20 amino acids to make up thousands of different proteins in the body.

Protein is an essential macronutrient that the body uses as an energy source. Proteins play a vital role in nearly all essential physiological processes in our body, including

regulating gene expression
regulating the immune system
providing structural support for all cells
forming our muscles
repairing and building body tissue
housing amino acids that play crucial roles in the creation and function of neurotransmitters and hormone regulation

Of the 20 amino acids, there are 9 “essential” amino acids that we can only get from the food we eat. Essential amino acids help the body maintain proper metabolic functions like digestion and energy production. .

How Much Protein in Eggs?

A single egg contains, on average, six to seven grams of protein. The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of protein per day is 0.36 grams per pound of body weight. To calculate your RDA, simply multiply your weight by .36 to estimate the RDA of protein in grams.

For example, at 150 person requires at least 54 grams of protein daily.

While pregnant, the RDA of protein in women goes up to around 75-100 grams of protein per day. That extra protein is critical for developing fetal tissue, enlarging the placenta and breasts, and increasing blood supply.

An unbeatable low-cost source of protein, eggs come pre-packaged with a bevy of natural vitamins and minerals like selenium, choline, and vitamin B12 that together provide our body with sustained energy, improved cognition, and improved fertility and fetal development.

Let’s take a look at the amino acid profile of the protein in eggs.

Complete Amino Acids in Egg Protein

Proteins and Amino Acids per 2 Eggs (100 grams)

Nutrient	Amount	DV
Protein	10 g	25%
Essential Amino Acids
Histidine	309mg	44%
Isoleucine	671mg	48%
Leucine	1086mg	40%
Lysine	912mg	43%
Methionine	380mg	52%
Phenylalanine	680mg	78%
Threonine	556mg	53%
Tryptophan	167mg	60%
Valine	858mg	47%
Conditionally Essential Amino Acids
Arginine	820mg
Cystine	272mg	95%
Glycine	432mg	23%
Proline	512mg
Tyrosine	499mg	57%
Non-Essential Amino Acids
Alanine	735mg
Aspartic Acid	1329mg
Betaine	0.3mg
Glutamic Acid	1637mg
Serine	971mg
Proline	0.256 g
Serine	0.485 g

Protein in Eggs vs Plant Protein

In comparison to proteins from plant foods, protein in eggs is superior in various ways, including

providing all nine essential amino acids–only animal foods such as eggs have a “complete” protein profile
have higher bioavailability ratings (improved absorption by the body).
contain higher levels of leucine–an amino acid essential to muscle building and recovery
increase satiety and feelings of fullness, which in turn benefits weight loss
greater density and variety of micronutrients like B12, zinc, choline, iron, copper, and selenium, as well as fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K2.

Eggs Provide the Highest Quality Protein of Any Food

Eggs contain the highest quality protein of any food as it relates to wholeness and bioavailability.

While providing your body with all nine essential amino acids, eggs are also among the top-ranking foods for protein quality.

#1 Digestibility Score: A measure of protein quality based on the specific essential amino acid requirements of humans and their ability to digest them
#1 in Protein Efficiency Ratio (PER): This metric considers how much a protein contributes to the rate of physical growth. Eggs are measured at 3.9 compared with beef at 2.9 and peas at 1.4
#2 in Biological Value: Determines how efficiently your body uses the protein you eat based on the proportion retained by the body. Eggs come in at 100, second only to whey protein at 104
#1 Net Protein Utilization: This measures the ratio of amino acid mass converted to proteins that are used by the body. Eggs score a 94. Soy only comes in at 61

Quality rankings of proteins in eggs compared with various animal and plant foods

Protein Type	Protein Efficiency Ratio	Biological Value	Net Protein Utilization	Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score
Beef	2.9	80	73	0.92
Eggs	3.9	100	94	1.00
Milk	2.5	91	82	1.00
Casein	2.5	77	76	1.00
Whey protein	3.2	104	92	1.00
Soy protein	2.2	74	61	1.00
Peanuts	1.8			0.52
Black beans	0		0	0.75
Wheat gluten	0.8	64	67	0.25
Rice	2.0	64	74	0.50
Pea	1.4	58	n/a	0.59

Source: Nature’s Source and Journal of Sports Science and Medicine.

This ranking table highlights the fact that out of 1 gram of protein, the body accesses and utilizes more egg protein when compared to protein from any other food.

Protein in Eggs Provide Special Amino Acids

In addition to containing all nine essential amino acids, egg proteins also contain tyrosine, glycine, and tryptophan.

Tyrosine and glycine are two very important “conditionally essential” amino acids. In nutritional terms, “conditionally essential means that the body can produce enough on its own to survive unless there are underlying illnesses or conditions that prevent it from doing so.

Tyrosine in Eggs

Two eggs provide 57% of your RDV of tyrosine.

Tyrosine is an amino acid that plays a significant role in the production of neurotransmitters such as dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine. These chemical messengers:

boost cognitive function, especially in situations involving stress.
regulate mood
support your response to stress
improve thyroid function

Due to its crucial role in creating neurotransmitters, tyrosine has also been found to help with multitasking. A 1999 study concluded that “tyrosine may sustain working memory when competing requirements to perform other tasks simultaneously degrade performance…”

Glycine in Eggs

Two eggs provide 432 mg or 23% of your RDV of glycine.

Another potent conditionally essential amino acid that eggs contain is glycine. Glycine helps the body break down and transport nutrients, specifically fat.

Though your body can produce glycine from the synthesis of other amino acids and vitamins, research shows that under normal dietary conditions, humans do not produce enough of their own, and require some glycine from their diets–enter the mighty egg!

Studies show that glycine is

is vital for building muscle mass
supports mental health and can act as an antidepressant
promotes healthy sleep
manages blood sugar
positively impacts neurological disorders like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s
protects against gastric ulcers
helps digestion of fat
helps restore levels of glutathione–a powerful antioxidant that protects nearly every cell in your body from damage by free radicals

Tryptophan in Eggs

Two eggs provide 167mg of tryptophan for 60% of your RDV.

Well known for its purported role in Thanksgiving turkey naps, the effects of tryptophan are far more vital and complex.

The amino acid Tryptophan plays a crucial role in the production of serotonin, melatonin, and NAd and, therefore, promotes numerous benefits, including

Mood regulation
Reduced depression
Improved learning
Improved memory
Improved visual cognition
Regulation of aggressive behavior
Reducing seasonal affective disorder
Reducing premenstrual discomfort
Supports quitting smoking by reducing anxiety

Protein in Egg Whites vs. Egg Yolks

As the egg white trend has gripped American diet culture over the last few decades, it tells an incomplete story.

According to the USDA, there are approximately 3.6 grams of protein in the egg whites of a large egg. The majority of egg whites are roughly 88% water. Whereas the egg yolk contains 2.7 grams of protein per one large egg.

While egg whites do contain slightly more protein than egg yolks, the majority of nutrients and healthy fats are in the yolk.

Some of these nutrients are vital for the synthesis of the amino acids in the eggs into other beneficial compounds. This means that if you only eat the egg whites, not only are you missing out on a significant portion of the protein in eggs, you’re not able to fully absorb and unlock the nutritional value of the protein you do get.

Protein in Eggs: The Bottom Line

By nearly every measure, the protein in eggs is the highest quality protein available on earth. Eggs provide a significant amount of all nine essential amino acids, along with potent doses of various other beneficial specialized amino acids that support dozens of vital physiological processes.

If you’re looking for a convenient, complete, and powerful protein source, eggs should be at the top of your list.

Meat diet plan web banner template. Weight loss meal, healthy eating. Animal products dishes on plates. Carnivore restaurant menu. Human hands cutting roasted beef steak. Fried fish and chicken

How to Start a Carnivore Diet: 12 Steps

February 11, 2024/in Carnivore Animal based, Carnivore Diet /by Liam McAuliffe

In recent years, the carnivore diet has gained popularity as an approach to radically transforming your health and well-being. Advocating for the sole consumption of animal products while eliminating all plant-based foods, the carnivore lifestyle can promote various health benefits, including weight loss, improved mental clarity, and relief from autoimmune conditions. However, it can be daunting to make such a dramatic departure from the standard American diet loaded with grains and processed foods. In this article, we’ll offer the practical tips you need to start on the carnivore diet, enjoy it, and receive its bevy of powerful benefits.

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1. Commit to a Time Period (30-90 days)

Commitment is key. Starting on the carnivore diet is a major physical and mental change for most people.

The transitional to carnivore can be rife with sugar cravings and potentially uncomfortable yet temporary side effects like nausea, lethargy, diarrhea, and constipation.

To get through this period, which can last anywhere from a day up to two weeks, it’s helpful to expand your carnivore diet goals to a longer timeframe.

For most people, 30 days is the minimum. A 60-90-day commitment gives you enough runway to adjust your food choices and meal plans according to your needs. A longer time frame will allow you to see the benefits fully develop and take root.

The 30-day commitment is the approach taken by prominent carnivore diet enthusiasts like Dr. Ken Berry and Dr. Shawn Baker. Both men came from keto backgrounds, experimented by eliminating all plant foods for 30 days, and never looked back.

2. Remove Temptations: Clean Out Your Pantry and Fridge

The Standard American Diet (SAD is primarily made up of grains, added sugars, and vegetable oils. Together, these “foods” make up over 60% of the SAD caloric intake. Studies show that sugar alone is addictive and becomes even harder to resist when packaged with carbs and fat.

Most of us don’t consume junk food because our bodies are actually hungry for it. We eat junk because we’re addicted. High-sugar foods have been found to stimulate reward receptors in the brain more powerfully than cocaine and heroin.

As with any drug, letting go of non-carnivore foods isn’t a matter of willpower. It’s a matter of strategy.

The most powerful step you can take to support your carnivore journey is to get rid of any food in your house that isn’t on the carnivore diet food list.

Think of it like this: Would you rather wage a battle 24/7 against the chips, cookies, sweets, bread, and pasta in your cupboard? Or would you rather stave off your cravings for the few seconds it takes you to pass the junk food aisle in the supermarket?

Part and parcel to removing temptations from your house is to let your friends and family know that you’re on a carnivore challenge. They’ll probably be shocked. Explain that you’re eating this way to improve your health, and you’d like them to be open to it and not guilt trip you into eating food that doesn’t align with your goals.

And don’t worry; the temporary cravings will subside. You’ll be rewarded by the satiating power of nutrient-dense superfoods. Once your hunger hormones re-adjust to healthy levels after kicking sugar, you’ll be free from hunger cravings.

3. Join a Carnivore Community

Joining a carnivore community online or in person can make or break your carnivore diet experience.

Carnivore communities are a place to share and learn with others on this powerful journey of transformation.

4. Go Shopping for High-Quality Meats and Animal Fats

This step is fun! A carnivore diet is a low-carb, high-fat way of eating, which means that you have to load up on succulent, fatty meats.

Aim for at least a 1:1 gram of fat to protein ratio. Since fat has about twice as many calories per gram as protein, you’ll nourish your body with the fat it needs without risking protein poisoning.

But don’t worry if you have trouble getting all the fat from your meats alone. Add a couple of tablespoons of butter, ghee, or tallow to your meals, and you should have no problem meeting your macronutrient goals.

Here’s a rundown of the best cuts of steak, lamb, and pork to choose from, along with animal fats, seafood, and carnivore-friendly cheeses.

Fatty Cuts of Steak

Beef Cut	Calories	Fat	Protein	Carbs	% Calories from fat	% Calories from protein
Boneless short ribs	440	41	16	0	84	15
Tri-tip roast	340	29	18	0	77	21
Beef Back Ribs	310	26	19	0	75	25
Ribeye	310	25	20	0	73	26
Porterhouse	280	22	21	0	70	30
Top Sirloin	240	16	22	0	60	37
80/20 Ground Beef	307	19.6	30.5	0	59	41
Skirt Steak	265	16.5	27	0	58	42
Brisket	245	14.7	28	0	54	46
Flank Steak	200	8	32	0	36	64

Cuts of Lamb

Lamb Cut	Calories	Fat	Protein	Carbs	% Calories from Fat	% Calories from Carbs
Chop/Rack	330	22	30	0	63	37
Loin Chop	330	22	30	0	63	37
Leg	292	18.7	29.3	0	59	41
Shank	276	14.7	32	0	52	48
Shoulder	148	6	22.8	0	37	63

Carnivore Cuts of Pork

Pork Cut	Calories	Fat	Protein	% Calories Fat	% Calories Protein
Pork Belly	588	60	10.4	92	7
Baby back ribs	315	27	18	77	23
Pork Hocks	285	24	17	76	24
Shoulder	285	23	19	73	27
Bacon	600	47.2	41.9	71	28
Butt	240	18	19	68	32
Leg Ham	305	20	30.4	59	40
Loin	265	15.5	30.8	53	46
Chop	241	12	33	45	55
Tenderloin	158	4	30	23	76

Carnivore Diet Animal Fats

Nutrition info per 1 tablespoon

Type	SFA%	PUFA %	Carbs	Total Fat	Notes
Beef Tallow	49.8	3.1	0g	12.8	Mild beef flavor Can be heated
Lard	41	12	0g	13g	Mild flavor Can be heated
Butter	50	3.4	0g	12g	Mildly Sweet Lower Heat
Ghee	48	5	0g	9g	Mild nutty flavor Can be heated
Duck Fat	25	13	0g	13g	Rich Duck flavor Can be heated
Heavy Cream	62	4	.5g	5.4	Sweet and rich

Fish

Nutrition info per 100g

TYPE OF FISH	CALORIES	FAT	PROTEIN	CARBS	% CALORIES FROM FAT	% CALORIES FROM PROTEIN
Atlantic Mackerel	290	20.3	27	0	63	37
Farmed Arctic Char	208	12	19	0	58	42
Anchovies	256	15.9	28	0	56	44
Farmed Salmon	234	14	25	0	56	44
Wild King Salmon	195	13	22	0	54	46
Sardines	139	8	19	0	50	50

Carnivore Diet Roe and Shellfish

Type of Seafood	Calories	Fat	Protein	Carbs	% Calories from fat	% Calories from protein	% Calories from carbs
Salmon Caviar (Roe)	260	14	29	2.9	45	52	3%
Oysters	58	1.9	6.5	3.1	29	33	28
Mussels	97	2.8	13.5	4.5	26	56	19
Shrimp	135	2.0	25.8	1.7	18	78	4
Dungeness Crab	107	2.0	22	0	17	82	0
Lobster	116	1.8	25	0	14	86	0
Clams	82	1.1	15	3	12	73	15
Scallops	97	1.0	19	3	9	78	12

Carnivore Diet Cheese

Nutrients Per 100 grams (3.5 oz)	Creamy Blue Cheese	Cream Cheese	Triple Cream Brie (Saint Andre)	Cheddar	Swiss Cheese	Parmesan
Fat	43.3	35g	42g	33g	31g	28g
Carbs	.2g	1g	0g	3g	1g	4.1g
Protein	13.3	7g	10.5g	23g	27g	28g
Fat: Protein Ratio by grams	3.25:1	5:1	4:1	1.4:1	1.1:1	1:1

5. Eat from 1-3 times a day (1-2 is best)

Most people coming to Carnivore are accustomed to eating at least three meals a day with snacks in between. This constant hunger and feeding cycle is a response to staving off the energy crashes caused by chronically high blood sugar.

But on a carnivore diet, you’ll be consuming extremely nutrient-dense foods, getting your energy from satiating fats and complete proteins. This means you won’t have blood sugar spikes and troughs.

For most people, 1-2 highly satiating carnivore meals daily is the sweet spot. In this way, the carnivore diet promotes a spontaneous intermittent fasting regimen.

This ancestral feasting/fasting cadence allows your body to fully transition from a feeding state into “rest and digest” mode. Doing so supports fat burning, reduces inflammation, and stimulates a therapeutic process of cellular repair called autophagy.

6. Eat Until Full, Don’t Count Calories

Don’t hold back on your carnivore diet meals–don’t worry about portion size, and eat until you’re comfortably full.

Our hyper-carnivorous ancestors abided by a “feasting” and fasting cycle. Meat had to be eaten in the short time that it was fresh. The modern 1-2 meal a day carnivore diet simulates this ancestral fasting and feasting pattern.

7. Center Meals Around Ruminant Meats

Ruminant meats such as fatty cuts of steak, lamb, bison, goat, and venison are the centerpiece of a well-formulated carnivore diet.

The rumen stomach metabolizes the grasses that ruminant animals graze on into nutritious saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids and a minimum of inflammatory polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Ruminant meats also have the most favorable fat-to-protein ratios, along with an abundance and wide array of micronutrients.

8. Transition Slowly if Needed

If you can, it’s best to “rip off the bandaid” and make the transition from carbs and processed foods to carnivore as soon and completely as possible. You’ll enjoy the simplicity and benefits of the carnivore diet more quickly.

However, for many people, a slower transition is necessary and supportive.

Start by eliminating all processed foods, sugars, and grains. Then, give yourself a 1-4-week window to eliminate all carbs and plant foods completely.

This tapered approach gives the stomach, gallbladder, and liver more time to adapt to metabolizing the significant increase in fat and, to a lesser extent, protein.

Here’s a breakdown of the physiological changes your body goes through in order to metabolize a meat-based diet.

Your stomach increases acidic from pH 3-5, which is used to break down sugars and grains, to the pH 1.3-2.0 required to metabolize primarily fat and protein.
Your gallbladder upregulates the bile necessary for digesting the increased fat intake
The smooth muscle of your gallbladder strengthens in order to process increased fat intake
Your liver will increase the storage of bile in its ducts to help digest increased fat intake

During this transition period, you may experience some temporary carnivore diet diarrhea.

9. Supplement if Needed

The carnivore diet is loaded with nutrients, and there’s no need to supplement with vitamins. However, it may be helpful to support your body with digestive supplements during the transition to a higher-fat diet.

Ox bile and Betaine HCL supplements can help reduce the discomfort and side effects that can occur as your body upregulates the bile needed to emulsify fats into substances that your intestines can absorb.

Bile and betaine HCL supplements may be especially helpful for people with IBS/IBD.

Electrolyte supplements can also be supportive during the transition to carnivore., As a response to cutting carbs, your body flushes significant electrolyte-rich fluids in the process of unlocking glycogen from your muscles. This fluid accounts for the first 5-25 lbs of weight that people rapidly lose on carnivore.

Keto Chow is an electrolyte formula created by Carnivore enthusiast Dr. Ken Berry. It’s strictly focused on supporting low-carb eaters with essential minerals like copper, magnesium, chromium, zinc, boron, and selenium, in addition to sodium. And it’s without sugar or flavorings.

10. Salt Your Meat

Another way to replenish your electrolytes and keep them balanced is by liberally salting your meat.

The general consensus among carnivore diet enthusiasts is to consume 12 grams (2 tsp) of salt daily in the first few days of transitioning to carnivore.

Once you feel like you’re thoroughly adapted to this no-carb lifestyle, consume at least 5 grams (about 1 tsp) of salt daily.

11. Drink plenty of water

You’ll be flushing liquid, so it’s important to replace it. Focus on still or sparkling water.

You can also drink black coffee or tea. Some carnivore dieters consider these off-limits, but Dr. Berry and Dr. Kiltz are fine with them.

Eating nose-to-tail by including organ meats and unconventional meats mirrors the way our ancestors ate animals.

Nose to tail provides the greatest nutrient density. And it helps us to be the best shepherds we can for animals and our planet. By not wasting any parts, we’re honoring the life of the animal.

12. If You Slip, Get Back up

Cheat, treat, or just slip up. There will be times when you simply eat things that are not on the strict carnivore diet meal plan.

Tell guilt and shame to relax. And bring your thoughts back to your goals and your gains so far. Dust yourself off and sizzle up a juicy ribeye slathered with blue cheese.

What is the Dr Berg Keto Diet? How To and Review

February 10, 2024/in Keto, Carnivore, Nutrition Animal based, Keto /by Liam McAuliffe

The ketogenic diet has been around for at least 100 years, but only since around 2010 has keto emerged as a bonafide nutritional movement, helping countless people reclaim their metabolic health, lose weight, and enhance overall well-being. The popularity and widespread adoption of keto can be largely attributed to enthusiastic proponents, from health experts to social media influencers. Dr. Eric Berg is both. Dr. Berg reaches over 10,000,000 YouTube subscribers and has personally worked with over 40,000 people using an approach that he calls “Healthy Keto®” combined with intermittent fasting.

In this article, we’ll explain what the Dr. Berg Keto diet is, how it works, and the possible benefits and drawbacks of this particular approach to a low-carb, high-fat lifestyle.

[TOC]

Who is Dr. Berg

Dr. Eric Berg is a popular proponent of the ketogenic diet; however, he is not an actual medical doctor like other keto and carnivore enthusiasts such as Dr. Robert Kiltz, Dr. Paul Saladino, Dr. Anthony Chaffe, and Dr. Ken Berry.

Dr. Berg earned a Doctor of Chiropractic degree in 1988 from Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa. Chiropractors do not have an M.D. degree, so they aren’t medical doctors, dietitians, or physicians.

After practicing chiropractic for 29 years, Dr. Berg became a full-time YouTube blogger who bills himself as “one of the top ketogenic diet experts in the world.”6

What is a Ketogenic Diet?

A ketogenic diet is a way of eating that triggers the body to turn dietary and body fat into powerful energy molecules called ketones.

To produce ketogenesis, keto diets call for limiting the intake of carbohydrates to less than 60 grams per day. At the same time, they require getting around 70% of your calories from fat and the remainder from protein.

Percent of total calories (2000 daily)	Macronutrient
70-80%	Fat
15-30%	Protein
0-10%	Carbohydrates

In contrast, if you’re eating a standard American diet, you’re consuming about 50% of calories from carbohydrates, mostly from grains and added sugars. [6] This amounts to around 235 grams of carbohydrates per day on a 2000-calorie diet.

What is Dr. Berg’s “Healthy Keto” All About?

Dr. Berg advertises his approach to keto as “Healthy Keto.” According to Dr. Berg, traditional approaches to keto are too focused on macronutrient ratios and don’t focus enough on the quality of food and ingredients.

The result, according to Dr. Berg, is that you may rapidly lose weight and reduce epileptic symptoms, but you won’t maximize the potential of keto, and you may not even improve your overall health.

To protect against the impacts of unhealthy “keto” foods, Dr. Berg’s diet eliminates all processed and genetically modified foods, along with gluten products, unhealthy trans fats, and synthetic vitamins.

At the same time, to unleash the full, transformative potential of keto, Dr. Berg calls for centering the keto diet around pasture-raised red meat, wild-caught fatty fish, seafood, organic eggs and poultry, organic full-fat dairy, and organic low-carb vegetables.

Following these rules reframes the approach to keto from losing weight to get healthy, to getting healthy to lose weight.

This is a clinically valid view, considering that studies on the Mediterranean keto diet for obese people found that all participants reversed metabolic disorders (and lost some weight) even though they were still clinically obese at the end of three months.[21]

Though Dr. Berg’s emphasis on eliminating healthy processed foods and consuming only high quality whole foods is good advice, it hardly constitutes a unique approach to keto. Granted, there is a trend called dirty/lazy keto, where it’s all about ratios, but this approach is an outlier. Most low-carb, high-fat dieters are already very conscious about food quality.

Dr. Berg’s “Healthy Keto” Rules

To help dieters get the most out of their low-carb lifestyle, Dr. Berg created a list of simple rules:

Center your meals around grass-fed beef. Add variety with wild-caught fish, high-quality eggs, and organic poultry and dairy.
Eliminate grains, sugar, and starches.
Avoid nearly all fruits, except for avocados, and moderate consumption of black and raspberries.
Practice intermittent fasting by confining your calories to one or two meals a day consumed within a strict timeframe.
Eat 4-5 eggs a day[15]

Dr. Berg recommends a gradual approach to reducing carbs and increasing fat. He warns that when you increase fat quickly, you run the risk of overwhelming your gallbladder. The gallbladder has to increase bile production needed to digest more fat. At the same time, the smooth muscle of the gallbladder needs to strengthen in order to process the fat.

If you’re experiencing side effects like indigestion, nausea, or diarrhea you may want to supplement with ox bile and/or Betaine HCL.

Dr. Berg’s 7 Healthiest Foods

Though Dr. Berg’s views are consistently inconsistent, AKA evolving, here is one of his various lists of “the healthiest foods” to eat on his version of keto:

Grass-fed beef
Fatty, wild-caught fish like wild salmon
Shellfish: Clams, oysters, mussels, shrimp, lobster
Eggs: Buy the highest-quality you can find. Pasture-raised and organic are best. Be sure to eat the yolk; this is where the majority of nutrients reside.
Fermented vegetables such as sauerkraut and kimchi because they provide probiotics.
Leafy greens: arugula, spinach. 7-10 cups per day.
Herbal vegetables: Garlic, onion, sage, and oregano because Dr. Berg believes they provide various compounds that may be beneficial.

Potential Health Benefits of the Dr. Berg Keto Diet

Though Dr. Berg’s version of keto hasn’t been clinically studied, there is a vast and growing body of research on the keto diet in general. Studies show that keto can provide numerous and powerful health benefits, including:

Improved cholesterol and triglyceride levels. [1]
Increased insulin sensitivity [2]
Increased leptin sensitivity
Can reverse symptoms of type 2 diabetes
Resolves metabolic syndrome [3]
Resolves PCOS [4]
Can enhance the treatment of certain cancers [5]
Reduces the severity and slows the progression of neurological disorders such as epilepsy, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s disease [6] [7]
Supports stable mood and has been shown to reduce the severity and even resolve acute psychiatric issues [8]
Promotes weight loss [9]
Reduces food cravings [10]
Regulates inflammation [11] [12]
Protects the glycocalyx, a membrane that covers the surface of every cell and plays a key role in overall health. The glycocalyx is damaged by high carbohydrate intake. [14]

Drawbacks to the Dr. Berg Keto Diet?

The Dr. Berg keto diet has a lot going for it, specifically its emphasis on cutting out processed foods and getting most of your calories from high-quality, nutrient-dense animal products. You could consider this diet animal-based, which is an ancestrally aligned way of eating.

However, consuming 7-10 cups of leafy greens and significant amounts of other vegetables daily is problematic. Vegetables are high in plant toxins and antinutrients as well as fermentable fibers.

Leafy greens, in particular spinach, chard, and beet greens (among others) are high in oxalic acid. Oxalates cause damage to the body in two ways.

As abrasive compounds that can directly damage body tissue, especially the delicate mucosal lining of the intestines, and the kidneys.[15] [16] [17]
Binding to and blocking the absorption of essential nutrients, including calcium, magnesium, and iron. [4] [5]

Many people turn to the keto diet for help resolving inflammatory disorders and digestive issues. Studies show that inflammatory conditions such as lupus, intestinal permeability, and rheumatoid arthritis may be worsened by a diet rich in oxalates. [11] [12] It follows that if you are serious about reducing inflammation, you’re better off leaving out the greens.

Source: Effect of Crystal Shape and Aggregation of Calcium Oxalate Monohydrate on Cellular Toxicity in Renal Epithelial Cells. ACS Omega. 2017

The Bottom Line on the Dr. Berg Keto Diet

Though not a medical doctor nor nutritionist, Dr. Eric Berg, has had a large influence on the global low carb community, mainly through his YouTube videos.

Dr. Berg promotes a version of keto that he calls “Healthy Keto” which shifts the focus from percentages of macronutrients to the quality of the foods that make up those macro ratios.

His diet is based around fatty meat, specifically beef, with the addition of wild-caught fish, eggs, organic dairy, and low-carb vegetables.

Junk food brain health and unhealthy nutrition choices for mental function as a human thinking organ being hit by a cheeseburger sugar soft dring fried chicken and cake with 3D illustration elements.

What are the Effects of Sugar on the Brain?

February 8, 2024/in Sugar Alzheimer's disease, brain fog, brain health, carbohydrates, Dementia, sugar /by Liam McAuliffe

Most people know about the adverse effects of high-sugar diets on physical health, such as obesity, diabetes, premature aging, heart disease, and various inflammatory diseases. But the effects of sugar on the brain are only beginning to receive the attention they deserve.

In this article, we’ll explore the ways that excessive sugar consumption can be harmful to brain health, and how these effects can show up as issues like impaired memory, mood disorders, sugar addiction, and dementia.

[TOC]

The Role of Sugar in the Brain

All carbohydrates from table sugar to grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables, get broken down into glucose, AKA blood sugar.

Your brain is an energy-hungry machine and uses 20% of the glucose in your blood to feed its cells.

However, your body can make all the glucose it needs from protein without you having to consume any carbohydrates whatsoever.

In fact, only fat and protein are essential nutrients. In nutritional jargon, “essential” has specifically means that you need to consume them from food in order to survive.

The U.S. Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine, states, “The lower limit of dietary carbohydrate compatible with life apparently is zero, provided that adequate amounts of protein and fat are consumed.”

Yet, when consuming a Standard American Diet (SAD) loaded with grains and added sugars, you’re getting over 250 grams of carbohydrates per day. With 82 grams coming directly from added sugars, and nearly all of the rest coming from grains and starches.

Keep in mind that the human body evolved over 2.5 million years of evolution on a hypercarnivorous diet of mostly fatty meat. There was no such thing as processed sugar, fruit was only sporadically available, and nothing like the ultra-sweet Frankenfruits created by industrial agriculture, and cultivated grains, legumes, and tubers didn’t exist.

Simply put, no part of our bodies is made to handle all this excess sugar, including our brain. And since our brain is the control center of our bodies, the effects of sugar on the brain can have a devastating impact on our health and well-being in various ways.

Let’s turn to these specific effects of sugar on the brain now.

Sugar Addiction

Sugar has been found to reinforce neural pathways associated with addiction and to drive addictive sugar cravings and behavior.

This makes sense when considering that early humans would seldom come upon sources of sugar like ripe fruit and honey. When they did, the brain compelled them to eat as much as possible.

The body responded to this torrent of glucose by secreting insulin which turned the sugar into body fat that could be broken down for energy in leaner times. Insulin also triggers hormones and neurochemicals that both increase hunger and heighten the pleasure of sweet tastes.

This process was meant to be temporary and intermittent. But in our modern food system, sugar is easily available so the addictive system never turns off.

A 2013 study by Harvard researcher David Ludwig found that people who consumed simple carbohydrates had significant activation of opiate and dopamine receptors in the craving and reward center of the brain.

Repeatedly stimulating the reward center of your brain with simple carbs has been found to create a higher set point of your body fat levels. Once you increase body fat levels from excess sugar, your body undergoes hormonal changes in an attempt to preserve the fat.

A 2013 study on rats found that the rewards experienced by the brain after consuming sugar are even “more rewarding and attractive” than the effects of cocaine.

Another animal study at Connecticut College showed that Oreo cookies activate more neurons in the brain’s pleasure center than cocaine! And in case you’re wondering, just like humans, the rats ate the filling first.

The ability of sugar to create superior and often irresistible neurological reward signals that override self-control mechanisms is a leading cause of overconsumption of sugar that leads to obesity and various other metabolic diseases.

Impaired Memory and Cognitive Ability

Sugar consumption has been linked to changes in gut bacteria, inflammation in the brain, and damaged nerve and glial cells which all contribute to various cognitive impairments.

A 2016 study on rats found inflammatory markers in the hippocampus that negatively impacted memory of rats fed a high-sugar diet.

A 2021 study found that daily intake of sugar-sweetened beverages during teenage years is associated with decreased learning abilities and poorer memory in adulthood. The researchers linked these impairments to altered gut bacteria.

The good news, however, is this inflammatory damage from sugar may not be permanent.

A 2017 study in the journal Appetite found that the memory damage caused by sugar consumption can be reversed by following a low-sugar, low-GI diet.

Alzheimer’s Disease

That temporary ‘sugar high’ that many of us get addicted to may actually be a stress response to dangerously high blood sugar levels.

Various studies link chronically high blood sugar to Alzheimer’s disease to the point where many researchers have taken to calling Alzheimer’s “type 3 diabetes.”

A 2015 review of various studies on the impact of insulin resistance on cognitive decline found that diabetes and Alzheimer’s overlap by around 80%.

One link between sugar and Alzheimer’s has to do with how excessive insulin can damage the hippocampus, an area of the brain where early signs of Alzheimer’s often show up.

Diets high in added sugar have also been found to reduce the production of a hormone called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF).5 BDNF is critical to the creation of new neural networks that facilitate memory formation and learning.

A 2019 review of 15 studies found that lower levels of BDNF are linked to dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Brain Shrinkage and Vascular Dementia

High sugar consumption has been found to cause impaired glucose metabolism and abnormal insulin function in the brain, which contribute to brain shrinkage and restricted blood flow to the brain. These effects can lead to vascular dementia.

Dopamine Imbalance and Psychological Disorders

High sugar consumption has been found to have negative impacts on mood.

A 2017 study looking at the effects of consuming sweet food and beverages on 23,245 participants found a 23% increase in risk of being diagnosed with common mental disorders such as depression and anxiety after five years. These findings were independent of exercise, socio-demographic factors, other dietary factors, body fat levels, and other diseases.

The study authors concluded, “Our research confirms an adverse effect of sugar intake from sweet food/beverage on long-term psychological health.”

A 2023 study on obese individuals found that higher total sugar consumption was significantly associated with an increased risk of depressive symptoms that required clinical treatment.

Researchers revealed similar findings in a controlled animal study where a diet high in refined carbs was shown to result in anxiety and depressive-like behaviors after the animals were stressed.

One of the factors in the negative impact of sugar on mood and psychological health may have to do with dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter with significant impacts on mood, behavior, learning, and memory.

Studies have found that consuming a chronically high-sugar diet can affect both the gene expression and availability of dopamine receptors in certain areas of the brain.

The good news is that dramatically reducing carbohydrates can have profoundly beneficial effects on mental health, even for people with medicated psychiatric disorders.

A bellwether 2022 controlled feeding study looking at the effects of a very low-carb ketogenic diet on 31 psychiatric inpatients who were not being helped by standard treatment methods such as medication and therapy found

The 28 patients who made it past day 6 ate a keto diet for between 14 and 248 days
All patients experienced significant and substantial improvements in depression and psychosis symptoms and multiple markers of metabolic health.
100% of participants had improved symptoms
96% of patients lost weight
64% of patients reduced or discontinued medication
43% achieved clinical remission

Similar findings were revealed in a 2020 study conducted by researchers at Harvard University. Examining data from over 2,000 people who ate an essentially zero-carb keto-carnivore diet for at least six months found that 96% of participants improved or resolved psychiatric symptoms.

How to Protect Your Brain from Excess Sugar

The key to protecting your brain from the negative effects of sugar is to take steps to reduce sugar intake. But since sugar is addictive for most people, you have to implement strategies and behaviors that don’t focus on willpower alone.

Discard all sugar in your house: Scour your fridge, freezer, and pantry, and get rid of all carb-heavy foods.
Practice mindful eating: Take note of your emotional and environmental triggers. Ask your self-judgment to relax and make some space. By bringing awareness to the link between craving and behavior, you break the automatic response circuit and create the potential for healthier choices.
Adopt a Ketogenic or Carnivore Diet. These high-fat, low-to-no-carb diets realign your metabolism with the whole foods humans evolved to thrive on. Your body undergoes significant metabolic changes that reduce inflammation and rebalance hormones in the brain. Numerous studies have found that a ketogenic diet can be beneficial for various brain conditions, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Carnivore enthusiasts such as Joe Rogan, Jordan Peterson, and Mikhaila Peterson have expressed the profoundly positive impacts of the carnivore diet on their mental health challenges.
Game plan: Before going into situations like birthdays and sporting events where high-carb foods are the norm, load up on healthy fat and protein-rich superfoods like red meat and eggs.
Consistent physical movement: Being more physically active has been found to stimulate the release of happy chemicals like endorphins and dopamine that can fill the void that you’d otherwise plug with sugary foods. Walking, cycling, yoga, and swimming are all fantastic low-impact ways to achieve a natural high.

Effects of Sugar on the Brain: The Bottom Line

The human body and brain evolved over millions of years on a diet of very low-carb animal-based foods. Yet, our modern food systems are based on high-carbohydrate grains and added sugars. The chronic overconsumption of sugar has profoundly negative impacts on the brain.

The negative effects of sugar on the brain include overstimulation of reward centers, leading to addictive consumption of high-sugar foods, resulting in obesity, inflammation, mood disorders, impaired learning and memory, and neurodegenerative disorders.

To reverse and resolve the various neurological, psychological, and physiological ailments caused by excess sugar intake, it is appropriate to treat sugar like the addictive substance that it is. Eliminate easy access to sugary foods in your home and adopt a lower carbohydrate lifestyle.

Close up of raw meat steak seasoned with kosher salt on wooden table

Carnivore Diet Salt: Benefits and Best Brands

February 6, 2024/in Salt Carnivore Diet, Salt /by Liam McAuliffe

The carnivore diet is an ancestral way of eating. This means that it realigns our modern dietary patterns with the foods and eating habits that most closely resemble those that our ancestors evolved on. The belief is that since the human body and brain evolved on a hypercarnivorous diet of mostly fatty meat, we are adapted to thrive on this fuel source. Indeed, low-carb, high-fat meat-based ketogenic diets have been shown to offer numerous health benefits, including weight loss, improved cholesterol, reduced inflammation, reversal of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes, sustained energy, and improved mental health. Yet, for many carnivore dieters, there remains the question as to whether salt is necessary on the carnivore diet, if so how much, and what kind.

In this article, we’ll explore the question of salt on the carnivore diet from an evolutionary and practical view, including the health benefits and risks of salt, the carnivore foods that naturally provide salt (and other electrolytes), and the best brands of salt to choose from if you decide to season your foods.

Is Salt an Ancestral Food?

The question of salt being an ancestral food is surprisingly complex. On the one hand, the electrolytes sodium and chloride, which make up 40% and 60% of table salt, are essential. Essential in nutritional terms means that humans need to consume them to survive.

Our bodies need at least 500 mg of sodium per day, and between 2 and 3 grams of chloride.

Yet researchers MacGregor and de Wardner, in their book Salt, Diet, and Health, cite evidence suggesting that for 2.6 million years, our ancestors didn’t add salt to their diets. And that humans only began regularly salting their food around 5,000 years ago.

During this vast period of evolution, during which the human species defined itself from our primate ancestors in large part by eating mostly meat, humans got their sodium and chloride directly from the foods they ate. In turn, we developed mechanisms for conserving salt in the body.

The conclusion from these researchers was that our ancestors consumed relatively little salt–around 700 milligrams per day. But that only accounts for the sodium in muscle meat from select land animals.

Meat for our hypercarnivorous cavemen ancestors meant muscle, organs, viscera, skin, marrow, and blood, not to mention various aquatic creatures. Taken together, these foods provide an abundance of sodium and chloride.

Dr. James DiNicolantonio in his book “The Salt Fix: Why the Experts Got it All Wrong and How Eating More Might Save Your Life” found that “For example, muscle contains approximately 1,150 milligrams of sodium per kilogram. Australian Aborigines would eat 2 to 3 kilograms of meat per sitting during a kill. This is equal to 3,450 milligrams of sodium per day, the exact amount of sodium that current-day Americans consume (when they’re not straining to achieve the low-salt guidelines, that is!).”

At the same time, raw and unprocessed fish and meat can contain up to 4 mg of chloride per gram or 1814 mg per lb (4g per kg).

So does the fact that our carnivorous ancestors exceeded the modern recommended intake of sodium and chloride mean that salt is an ancestral food? No., But it does tell us that our ancestors likely evolved by consuming what today would be considered robust salt intake.

Consuming sodium and chloride is ancestral. Getting it from added salt may not be, but does that make it a bad thing? Also no. Salt can provide numerous benefits on carnivore and there’s really no reason to leave it out.

Of course, like all things carnivore, it’s a good idea to experiment with salt on the carnivore diet to hone in on the specific needs of your body.

Isabella Ma, known on YouTube as Steak and Butter Girl, shares her experience with and without salt on carnivore. But just a brief glimpse of the comments reveals many people who found the opposite to be true for them.

Is Salt Healthy?

Though the WHO recommends limiting salt to 5 grams per day (2.3 grams of sodium, 2.7 grams of chloride), numerous studies have found no reason to limit salt intake.

A 2011 article in Scientific American titled It’s Time to End the War on Salt cited a large-scale meta-analysis published in the American Journal of Hypertension involving 6,250 subjects. The researchers found “no strong evidence that cutting salt intake reduces the risk for heart attacks, strokes or death in people with normal or high blood pressure.”

Among the various studies reviewed was a 2006 study that looked at the links between the daily sodium intakes of 78 million Americans and their risk of dying from heart disease over a period of 14 years. Researchers found that the more sodium people ate, the less likely they were to die from heart disease.

When you consume less than 6 grams of salt per day, your body undergoes a sequence of potentially problematic hormonal reactions:

The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone (RAAS) hormone system is stimulated
In the short term, these hormones attempt to balance your blood pressure
In the long term, stimulation of the RAAS can increase the risk of chronic inflammation, metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, heart disease, and cognitive decline.

Not to mention the sodium and chloride in salt are critical to numerous bodily functions, including:

Maintaining fluid balances within and around cells
Maintaining proper blood pressure
Factors in proper muscle contraction (including our heart muscles)
Helps nerves send signals throughout your body

Benefits of Salt on the Carnivore Diet

In the early stages of carnivore, your body undergoes a transition from high carbohydrate intake to almost zero carbs. This switches your body into a metabolic state called ketosis where your body metabolizes stored carbohydrates in your muscles called glycogen. In order for this to occur, your body reduces insulin.

Reduced insulin triggers your kidneys to release sodium. At the same time, glycogen is “packaged” with water molecules that are “flushed” from your body via urine when the glycogen is released.

The combination of flushing of fluids containing sodium and reduced sodium levels in your blood can disrupt the balance of various other electrolytes in your body.

Though ketosis and the various metabolic changes associated with reducing carbs and increasing your intake of fatty whole animal products is remarkably beneficial, it is important to support your body by replacing the lost sodium with added salt.

How to Get Enough Salt on the Carnivore Diet

To ensure that you’re getting enough salt to rebalance your electrolytes during the transition to carnivore, the consensus among doctors familiar with carnivore is to consume 12 grams (2 tsp) of salt daily in the first few days of carnivore.

Once your body is adapted to carnivore consume at least 5 grams (about 1 tsp) of salt daily to avoid side effects like headaches, fatigue, and constipation.

What are the Best Salts for the Carnivore Diet?

The best salts for carnivore will be those that are least processed.

It’s worth noting that lately, there’s been much debate about toxins in salt, including pink Himalayan salt and sea salt, which you can read more about here.

For now, here’s a rundown of Dr. Kiltz’s top recommendations.

1. Redmonds Salt

Mined in Utah since 1958, Remonds Real Salt comes from an ancient seabed protected from modern pollution. The salt is completely unrefined and is the only American pink and black salt.

Unlike salt mined in developing countries, Redmonds ensures ethical labor standards, and sustainable practices. It also boasts a unique sweet-salt flavor.

2. Maldon Salt

Pure and natural with zero additives, Maldon salts have been produced in Essex, England, with the same traditional artisanal methods since 1882. It also has a delightful pyramid shape and flaky texture that releases a wonderfully delicate flavor.

Carnivore Electrolytes with Sodium and Chloride

In addition to these natural salts, some carnivore dieters seek to increase their sodium and chloride along with other essential electrolytes including potassium and magnesium.

Fasting Salts delivers sodium, potassium, and magnesium, and nothing else. With no flavorings or additives, this is a solid solution to boost electrolytes on carnivore. But use caution. The abundance of potassium can cause heart problems if you use more than directed.

Keto Chow is another electrolyte formula created by Carnivore enthusiast Dr. Ken Berry.

It’s less concentrated than fasting salts, and provides a wider variety of trace minerals. Use by adding a few drops to your water or even directly to your meals.

Salt on the Carnivore Diet: The Bottom Line

Adding salt to a carnivore diet is a topic of debate. On the one hand, our paleolithic ancestors didn’t salt their meals; instead, they got all the sodium and chloride they needed from the animal products they consumed. However, salt is a healthy way to boost your intake of these essential electrolytes. And recent studies show that previous links between salt and heart attacks were unfounded. In fact, salt on the carnivore diet may be a mutually supportive combination, especially during the transition from a standard diet during which your body undergoes changes that reduce sodium levels that will need to be replenished.

The electrolyte tablet is dissolved in water. Oral rehydration salts for athletes

Electrolytes For Fasting: Needs, Benefits, and Best Supplements

January 30, 2024/in Intermittent Feasting & Fasting, Tips Electrolytes, intermittent fasting, intermittent fasting side effects /by Liam McAuliffe

Fasting for prolonged and intermittent periods has gained widespread popularity for its powerful health benefits ranging from weight loss to cellular repair and renewal. However, as we embrace fasting as part of our lifestyle routine, it is important to understand the impact on our body’s electrolyte balance. For many people, supplementing with specific electrolytes for fasting is a critical part of their practice.

In this article, we’ll outline the fasting-specific processes your body goes through that impact electrolyte balance. And we’ll offer a rundown of the best electrolyte supplements for fasting.

[TOC]

Why People Consume Electrolytes for Fasting

During prolonged and intermittent fasting, our bodies undergo various physiological processes that impact our electrolyte balance.

Most of the electrolyte loss when fasting occurs in the early stages and tapers off during prolonged fasts.

Research has found that after initial rapid potassium loss, excretion of potassium tapers to a steady 10 to 15 mEq/day.

Sodium follows a similar spike and taper pattern, where the body excretes between 1 and 15 mEq/day during prolonged fasts.

Here’s a rundown of these processes to highlight the importance of electrolyte supplementation in supporting your overall health during fasting:

Glycogen Depletion

When you stop eating carbohydrates, your body accesses and metabolizes a type of carbohydrate stored in your muscles called glycogen.

Glycogen molecules are stored alongside water. As this water is released through urine, electrolytes get flushed along with it.

Ketone Production

Fasting compels the body to metabolize body fat into powerful and beneficial energy molecules called ketones.

In particular, the prevalent ketone beta-hydroxybutyrate has diuretic effects, leading to increased urine that further flushes electrolytes.

Reduced Insulin

With less sugar in your blood, your body reduces insulin, leading your kidneys to excrete sodium, an essential electrolyte.

Protein Catabolism

During prolonged fasting, the body tends to break down protein for energy. This releases amino acids such as glutamine, which can affect electrolyte balances in the body.

Autophagy

Fasting promotes a process of cellular repair and renewal called autophagy, a cellular process that involves the removal of damaged or dysfunctional cellular components.

Studies have found that autophagy can cause electrolyte imbalances, especially low potassium.

Physical Activity

Most people who practice fasting also practice various forms of intentional movement and exercise.

If you’re active enough to sweat, your body releases electrolytes. Without consuming food, you’ll need to replenish your electrolytes with salt and other non-caloric supplements.

Role of Electrolytes While Fasting

Now that you know how fasting can deplete electrolytes, let’s briefly explore why electrolytes are so important to restore.

Sodium, potassium, chloride, magnesium, and phosphate are essential electrolytes. “Essential” in nutritional terms means that you need to consume them in order to survive.

Your body relies on electrolytes as a key part of critical physiological functions, including

Maintaining vital fluid balances within and around cells
Maintaining healthy blood pressure
Maintaining proper acidity of your blood (pH)
A key factor in muscle contraction–necessary to keep your heart beating!
Ensure hydration and proper water retention
Help nerves send signals throughout your body

What Happens If You Don’t Have Enough Electrolytes?

In the short term, electrolyte deficiencies while fasting can show up as uncomfortable, scary, and progressively dangerous and even deadly symptoms, including

muscle cramps
heart palpitations
shortness of breath
Headaches
Numbness and tingling
constipation
confusion and dizziness
coma

In the long term, electrolyte deficiencies can cause stimulation of a hormone signaling system called renin-angiotensin-aldosterone (RAAS). This can increase the risk of

chronic inflammation
metabolic syndrome
insulin resistance
heart disease
cognitive decline

Benefits of Electrolytes While Fasting and Intermittent Fasting

When considering how physiological processes while fasting can deplete electrolytes and how critical electrolytes are to health, it’s no surprise that taking electrolytes while fasting can yield various health benefits, including

Proper hydration
Stable mood
Stable energy levels, reduced fatigue
Reduces muscle cramping
Reduces diarrhea associated with fasting and ketosis
Reduces nausea associated with fasting and ketosis
Reduces muscle cramps
Supports physical performance
Supports heart health
Supports sleep

Best Electrolytes For Fasting

When most people think of electrolytes they think of sports drinks. But sports drinks are often sugary and have calories, making them a no-go when fasting.

Fortunately, with the popularity of fasting and low-carb diets over the last decades, there are a number of high-quality electrolyte supplements specifically formulated to support the body when fasting and in ketosis.

Create Your Own

Creating your own bespoke fasting electrolyte supplement can help you dial in the ratios to support your fasting experience hour-by-hour.

Here’s a standard formulation to begin with:

400mg of magnesium citrate
1-3 99mg potassium citrate supplements. Taking more potassium than this runs the risk of heart failure. Be careful!
Add 1 tsp of sea salt to your water throughout the day

Fasting Salts: Pure Unflavoured Electrolyte Powder

Fasting Salts provide sodium, potassium, and magnesium, and nothing else! No flavorings and no additives.

Pure and unflavoured, these mineral salts are formulated specifically to replenish your electrolyte levels during a water fast.

It’s important to note that these are very potent salts and should be used cautiously.

Keto Chow

Keto Chow is an electrolyte formula created by Carnivore enthusiast Dr. Ken Berry.

The Keto Chow formula is strictly focused on providing essential minerals like copper, magnesium, chromium, zinc, boron, and selenium, in addition to sodium,

Hi-Lyte Electrolyte Mineral Powder–Natural Flavor

Hi-Lyte Keto K1000 electrolyte powder is a high-potassium supplement designed to help with hydration, increase cellular energy, and reduce side effects associated with intermittent fasting and ketosis, such as nausea, headache, and brain fog.

With 1,000mg of potassium, this trace mineral blend is tailor-made for keto and intermittent fasting enthusiasts. Simply mix one scoop into 16 oz of water.

With such high potassium, you need to avoid exceeding one serving every four hours or three servings a day.

For people who are new to Hi-Lyte it’s best to begin with half a serving to ensure tolerance.

Dr. Bergs Electrolyte Powder

Dr. Berg is another keto enthusiast who developed his own electrolyte powder.

His formulation offers a blend of calcium, magnesium, and chloride from pink Himalayan salt, as opposed to cheap table salt that other brands may use. He also includes a proprietary trace mineral complex.

Each serving provides 1,000 mg of potassium–a very high, and potentially dangerous amount if you’re not careful.

Electrolytes For Fasting: The Bottom Line

When fasting your body undergoes various physiological processes that can deplete electrolytes. Without consuming food, there’s no way of replenishing these essential nutrients without a non-caloric supplement.

Many people can do fine intermittent fasting without supplementing with electrolytes. But on prolonged fasts, you may need to replenish sodium, chloride, potassium, and magnesium in order to maintain vital physiological functions, reduce the likelihood of headaches, maintain energy levels, support your immune system, and stay hydrated.

Bulletproof coffee in white ceramic cup blended with butter, coconut oil and coffee beans. paleo, ketogenic drink breakfast. flat lay

What is The Bulletproof Diet: How to, Benefits, and Drawbacks

January 27, 2024/in Types of Keto Ketogenic diet, Low Carb, Low Carb High Fat Diet /by Liam McAuliffe

The Bulletproof Diet deems itself a comprehensive approach to a low-carb ketogenic lifestyle supported by coffee blended with collagen, butter, and MCTs, and supported by proprietary superfood supplements like MCT-rich “Brain Octane” coconut oil, collagen powders and bars, and vitamin supplements.

The Bulletproof approach to keto was developed by biohacker and entrepreneur Dave Asprey. It is based on the principles of

viewing food as fuel
getting the majority of your calories from high-quality fats
eliminating specific plant foods and processed foods
practicing intermittent fasting methods

In this article, we’ll explore the origins, rules, benefits, and drawbacks of the Bulletproof diet.

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Dave Asprey and the Origins of the Bulletproof Diet

Dave Asprey considers himself “Chief Evangelist Officer” of the Bulletproof diet. Until 2019, Asprey was also the CEO of the company called Bulletproof 360, which produces Bulletproof products.

Dave started out as a financially successful Silicon Valley entrepreneur. But his success with health didn’t come as easily. In his twenties, Dave weighed 300 lbs even though he restricted calories, ate a plant-based diet, and exercised for over an hour six days a week. He was even a vegan for six months in the early 2000s.

As his health deteriorated, so did his ability to think clearly. Beset by debilitating brain fog, lethargy, and overwhelming food cravings, Dave decided to invest in himself. Over fifteen years, Dave spent $300,000 on a quest to biohack his way out of what seemed like an intractable physical and mental health crisis.

Combining traditional medicine and wisdom practices with cutting-edge Western technologies for testing the health of the brain and nervous system, and assessing inflammatory markers, Dave healed his body and brain. The protocol he discovered became the Bulletproof diet.

The Bulletproof diet is aimed at helping people

lose excess body fat quickly
reduce inflammation
build lean muscle
boost mental clarity and IQ
achieve high levels of sustained physical energy

Bulletproof Diet Roadmap

The core of the Bulletproof diet is dramatically cutting carbs and increasing high quality fats. This makes it a ketogenic diet.

The Bulletproof diet gets more specific than standard keto by emphasizing fat from grass-fed butter and ghee, and from purified coconut oil that is high in MCTs (medium-chain triglycerides).

When you consume around 70% of your calories from fat, your body enters a metabolic state called ketosis, where your metabolism turns body fat and dietary fat into an abundance of powerful energy molecules called ketones.

Ketogenic diets have been studied extensively since the early 2000s and have been found to yield various health benefits, including

Significant and sustained weight loss
Neurological and mental health disorders such as epilepsy, Alzheimer’s depression, and bipolar personality disorder
Supports the treatment of various cancers
Reverses metabolic syndrome
Reduces severity of type 1 and type 2 diabetes
Reduces insulin resistance
Improves blood lipid levels
Reduces risk of cardiovascular disease

To achieve these results, the Bulletproof diet provides the following roadmap.

1. Eliminate Added Sugar and Most Dietary Carbohydrates

The Standard American Diet (SAD) is loaded with added sugar and high-carb foods, including grains, starchy vegetables, and cultivated fruits.

Chronic consumption of high-carb foods is linked to :

systemic inflammation
autoimmune disorders
metabolic syndrome
heart disease
Type 2 diabetes
PCOS
IBS, IBD, and various gastrointestinal disorders
various cancers

On the Bulletproof diet, you reduce carbs to a maximum of around 10% of your daily caloric intake. This entails eliminating all added sugars, including honey and maple syrup. It also requires cutting grains, legumes, and most fruits.

“Excessive consumption of dietary sugars is closely related to the occurrence and development of inflammation.”

“Regulation of the gut microbiome by dietary sugars. Excessive consumption of dietary sugars reduces the production of short-chain fatty acids in the gut, which can lead to impaired gut barriers. This results in a rapid increase in infiltration of neutrophils while accelerating the transfer of Parabacteroides, ie, lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The binding of LPS to TOLL-like receptor 4 (TLR4) activates the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling pathway, and finally induces the production of inflammatory factors IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α. On the other hand, the excessive dietary sugar content makes Bacillus fragilis and Prevotella abundant, thereby destroying the intestinal mucosa. In the meanwhile, the relative abundance of sugar-soluble bacteria Sutterellaceae increased while the abundance of Lachnospiraceae and Lactobacillaceae, which belonged to Firmicutes, decreased, eventually increasing the levels of inflammatory cytokines IL-6, TNF-a, Lcn2 and Cox2. Increased neutrophil infiltration and inflammatory factor production aggravate the occurrence and development of IBD.”

Images source: Ma X, Nan F, Liang H, et al. Excessive intake of sugar: An accomplice of inflammation. Front Immunol. 2022;13:988481. Published 2022 Aug 31. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2022.988481

2. Increase Healthy Fats

Like all low-carb, high-fat diets, Bulletproof emphasizes healthy fats as the primary source of energy.

Bulletproof markets its own brand of grass-fed ghee and MCT oils. They also recommend grass fed butter, and getting fat from fatty cuts of grass-fed and pasture raised meats.

Since fat accounts for 70% of calories on keto, quality sources must be prioritized. MCTs have the added benefit of helping the body enter ketosis more quickly and may improve mood during the transition into ketosis.

Basing a diet around quality fats provides sustained, stable energy, supports mental clarity, helps repair the gut, and balances key hormones like insulin and leptin, contributing to overall metabolic health.

3. Choose Grass-Fed, Pasture Raised, and Wild Caught Meat

Meat from Grass-fed, pasture-raised, and wild-caught animals ensures that they will have the highest nutrient content, most optimal fatty-acid profiles, and be free from antibiotics.

4. Eliminate Grains, Beans, and Legumes

Most people know that grains, beans, and other legumes are high in carbs, which means they’re off-limits on low-carb diets.

But most people don’t realize that they’re also high in naturally occurring plant toxins and anti-nutrients that can damage the gut lining, cause systemic inflation, and reduce nutrient absorption.

Common antinutrients in grains and legumes include

Common grains to eliminate include

Wheat
Oats
Barely
Corn

5. Select Full-Fat Dairy Products

Milk and other reduced-fat dairy products are high in carbs. So it’s important to choose full-fat and “creamy” dairy options like ripened cheeses and whipping cream.

The Bulletproof diet also calls attention to the type of dairy protein people consume. Most cow milk products are A1 dairy, meaning they contain a dairy protein called beta-casomorphin-7 (casein).

Casein has been connected with various diseases and disorders, such as type 1 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, autism (in people with immune deficiencies), schizophrenia (in people with immune deficiencies), sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), apnea, and constipation.

Though the causal links between A1 dairy and these conditions are still being explored, you can avoid these potential drawbacks by choosing A2 dairy from specific breeds of cows and from all goat and sheep milk products.

The Bulletproof diet also recommends raw dairy based on its links to reducing allergies while improving digestion and immune function.

6. Add Fat to Your Coffee

Most people come to the Bulletproof Diet after hearing about “Bulletproof Coffee.”

Bulletproof coffee is a combination of high-quality coffee certified to be free of mycotoxins, grass-fed butter, and MCT oil.

7. Avoid Industrial and Natural Toxins

Our modern environments and the foods produced within them are rife with toxic substances. Some of these come from pesticides and industrial waste. While many other toxins are naturally occurring in plant foods.

To avoid toxins, the Bulletproof diet emphasizes choosing organic produce and opting for grass-fed and organic animal products.

Additionally, the Bulletproof diet urges people to be selective about the types of plant foods they consume. In addition to eliminating grains and legumes, it is important to consider sensitivities to nightshades and even leafy greens high in oxalates.

8. Practice Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent Fasting means restricting when you eat to specific time windows on a daily basis.

Most people starting out with intermittent fasting begin with a simple 16:8 Time Restricted Eating plan. This entails consuming all daily calories within an 8-hour window, and during daylight hours.

After getting accustomed to intermittent fasting, people often decrease eating windows until they arrive at OMAD (one meal a day), where you consume all your calories in a single nutrient-dense meal.

Intermittent fasting has been linked to numerous health benefits, including

Reduced body fat and weight loss
regulation of blood sugar
improved cholesterol and triglyceride levels
reduced risk of coronary disease
Activation autophagy–a critical process of cellular repair
stimulation of human growth hormones
Stimulation of brain-boosting hormone BDNF
activation of stem cell production
reduced risk of cancer
mindful eating

9. High-Quality Supplements

The Bulletproof diet is based on high-quality, nutrient-dense whole foods, which should meet the nutrition needs of most people.

That said, Bulletproof is, first and foremost, a brand offering various Bulletproof brand supplements that can support the health and lifestyle goals of bulletproof dieters. Here’s a rundown

Collagen protein: supports healthy bones, skin, joints, hair, and the newly discovered collagen-rich organ called the interstitium.
Vitamin gummies: There are different varieties, including ones with A, D, and K.
MCT oils to aid the body in entering and sustaining ketosis.
Coconut oil and grass-fed butter-infused coffee creamer
Collagen protein bars

Bulletproof founder Dave Asprey is known for his obsession with supplementation, evident in his admission that when travelling he takes 84 supplements!

Where the Bulletproof Diet Falls Short

Though there is a lot to like about the Bulletproof diet from a diet and lifestyle standpoint, there are a few areas that could be improved.

Unlike many of the early pioneers in low-carb, high-fat eating, Dave Asprey warned against the presence and detriments of plant toxins. But this issue could use more emphasis and adjustments.

Dr. Kiltz recommends an all-meat carnivore that essentially eliminates all plant foods. Dr. Kiltz’s own BEBBIIS diet may be more beneficial than high-fat, low-carb alternatives.

Another area where the Bulletproof diet falls a bit short is by not fully emphasizing the importance of animal-based foods. Yes, there is a focus on choosing quality meats, but a well-formulated, low-carb, high-fat diet is mostly meat, and this should be stated from the outset.

It’s likely that because Bulletproof is a global brand with products on the shelves of mainstream outlets like Target and Costco, the marketers are trying to appeal to a population that is saturated in plant-based dogma.

So, we’ll take it upon ourselves to affirm that animal-based products are far superior to plant foods when it comes to the variety, density, and quality of nearly every essential and vital nutrient our bodies need to thrive.

There is no nutritional need for plant foods, and likely a net benefit by eliminating them.

The Bulletproof Diet: The Bottom Line

The Bulletproof diet is an approach to high-fat, low-carb keto eating. It was developed by Silicon Valley entrepreneur turned biohacker and health guru Dave Asprey.

The Bulletproof way of eating entails cutting sugar, carbs, and plant toxins, fueling up on high-quality fats from grass-fed animal sources and refined coconut oil, and supplementing with various low-carb products like collagen powders, MCT oils, and toxin-free coffee spiked with butter and coconut oil.

Following this way of eating can help people lose weight, achieve sustained energy, boost mental clarity, reduce inflammation, and resensitize hormones critical to overall metabolic health.

Khonkaen,Thailand-June 1,2018:Farmer ้harvest cassava in farmland before rainy season.

Cyanogenic Glycosides: What You Need to Know about this Plant Toxin

January 27, 2024/in Antinutrients and Plant Toxins Phytochemicals, Plant Food, plant toxins /by Liam McAuliffe

Most people think of plants as benevolent health foods. But the truth is that plants are living organisms that want nothing more than to survive and proliferate. Since plants can’t run, strike, scratch, or bite, they have evolved complex chemical defenses. Cyanogenic glycosides are one of these naturally occurring toxins that protect plants against predators, including us humans.

When consumed, cyanogenic glycosides can become cyanide in the human body. Cyanide exposure can lead to chronic and acute poisoning, growth retardation, and neurological disorders.

In this article, we’ll explore this natural mechanism of biological warfare and its health consequences for those who dare to indulge in them.

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What are Cyanogenic Glycosides

Cyanogenic glycosides (CG) are a class of phytotoxins, which are naturally occurring pesticides. CGs are found in over 2,000 species of plants, many of which are common staple foods such as cassava, sorghum, stone fruits (peaches, cherries, etc.), bamboo, and almonds.

When humans consume foods high in cyanogenic glycosides, they degrade into a highly toxic compound called hydrogen cyanide (HCN).

The human body can process and expel low levels of cyanide, but higher doses can block cellular respiration, suffocate mitochondria, and even be fatal. While chronic exposure to low levels of cyanide can result in cumulative nerve and tissue damage

The detrimental effects of cyanogenic glycosides are most common in poorer tropical countries where crops like cassava and bamboo are less likely to be correctly processed. Exposure to plant cyanide combined with nutrient-deficient diets results in widespread neurological diseases like konzo and other conditions that cause paralysis.

Detrimental Effects from Cyanogenic Glycosides

The effects of consuming plants containing cyanogenic glycosides can be detrimental. Here’s a rundown of what can happen and why.

Cyanide Poisoning

Cyanogenic glycosides can become hydrogen cyanide (HCN) when combined with digestive enzymes such as beta-glucosidase. Cyanide interferes with cellular respiration. This means that it prevents cells from using oxygen, leading to serious health issues, including rapid respiration and, ultimately, respiratory failure.

Acute Toxicity

Ingesting high amounts of foods containing cyanogenic glycosides can lead to acute cyanide poisoning.

Symptoms of acute toxicity may include

Headache
Dizziness
Drop in blood pressure
Nausea
Vomiting
Abdominal pain
Diarrhea
Twitching
Convulsions
Loss of consciousness
Terminal coma

Chronic Cyongenic Glycoside Exposure

Repeated exposure to lower levels of CG from regularly consuming plant foods with cyanogenic glycosides may have cumulative toxic effects.

Chronic CG exposure is linked to various health issues, including

Neurological disorders
Malnutrition
Developmental malformations
Goiter
Swollen thyroid glands

These issues are recorded in communities in Africa where CG intake was greater than 10–50 mg/kg food.

CG Toxicity is Variable

Different plant species have different levels of CG. Even within species, different varieties can be more or less toxic, making it difficult to know what foods are safe, especially for vulnerable populations.

Other factors like the maturity of the plants, processing, and cooking methods have a significant influence on CG levels and the potential for toxic exposure.

It can be difficult to identify warning signs, leading to the potential for serious long-term effects and systemic disorders.

Vulnerable Populations

Certain populations are at greater risk of CG toxicity. Infants and children, people with genetic conditions, and people with digestive problems are at greater risk of experiencing uncomfortable and severe symptoms.

However, it’s important to note that the concentration of cyanogenic glycosides varies among different plant parts and varieties, and proper processing (such as cooking) can reduce cyanide content. Consuming large amounts of these compounds without proper preparation can be toxic.

Foods High in Cyanogenic Glycosides

Some common plant foods that contain cyanogenic glycosides include:

Cassava (Manihot esculenta): Also called manioc and yucca. Cassava is a staple food in many tropical countries. Cassava roots contain relatively high levels of cyanogenic glycosides. Even with processing methods, like peeling, soaking, and thorough cooking, cassava can still expose people to CG in potentially harmful levels.

This is of some concern in the U.S. and Western countries, where cassava flour is becoming a popular gluten-free flour alternative.

If you do use cassava flour, be sure to cook it thoroughly. And look for assurances that it has been properly processed. This entails soaking cassava roots in water for several days. Roasting the roots or drying the roots in the sun. Removing the skin, and grinding the roots into flour. If these steps are not properly taken, CG levels can remain dangerously high.

Portion of the root	Weight	Potential Cyanide (CN−p)
Portion of the root	%	mg/kg
Root	100.00	32.18
Cortex	14.0	156.16
Reserve Parenchyma or Pulp	85.0	6.12

Source: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9780323900577000140

Bitter Almonds (Prunus dulcis): Bitter almonds contain a type of cyanogenic glycoside called amygdalin. This is not the case for sweet almonds, the type most people are familiar with.

Sorghum: Sorghum is a grain that comes in many varieties, some of which have high levels of cyanogenic glycosides. Like cassava, sorghum must be properly processed, often through fermentation and thorough cooking to reduce the risks of CG exposure.

Lima Beans and flaxseed are other common food crops that require proper processing to remove cyanogenic glycosides.

Cyanogenic Glycosides: The Bottom Line

Cyanogenic glycosides are a naturally occurring plant toxin. These compounds protect plants from pathogens and predators.

When humans ingest plants containing cyanogenic glycosides, the compound is metabolized into hydrogen cyanide–a potent toxin that interferes with cellular respiration and damages body tissue.

Both acute exposure to high amounts of CG and chronic low-grade exposure can result in serious and debilitating symptoms. CG poisoning is most common in developing countries where cassava, bamboo shoots, and sorghum are stable foods, and there is less knowledge and oversight of safe processing methods such as soaking, drying, and fermenting.

Macro closeup of fresh whole cooked fried beef sweetbreads thymus organ gland, nutritious ancestral meat homemade food on white plate on kitchen table

Beef Thymus: Nutrition and Benefits

January 21, 2024/in Organ Meats, thymus Animal meat, Carnivore Diet Foods, organ meats /by Liam McAuliffe

In the world of culinary delights, there is a realm that most of us don’t explore nearly enough– the organ meats. Though unconventional for most, these underrated cuts offer a treasure trove of unique flavors, delectable textures, and unrivaled nutritional benefits. One such organ meat that deserves the spotlight is beef thymus.

Join us as we explore the rich flavors, textures, and nutritional benefits that the beef thymus brings to the table. It’s time to set aside preconceived notions and embrace the gastronomic delights of this remarkably assessable yet underappreciated organ meat.

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What is Beef Thymus?

The beef thymus is an organ meat that comes from the thymus gland of a young cow.

The thymus gland plays a crucial role in the immune system by producing T lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell that defends the body against infections and diseases.

Culinary Considerations

Even if you’ve never heard of eating thymus, you may have heard of sweetbreads, which is the common culinary term for thymus. Sweetbreads also refer to beef pancreas, so it’s a bit confusing. We’ll explain.

There are two types of sweetbreads: One type is called the “throat sweetbread,” and the other is “heart” or “belly sweetbread.”

Thymus is usually classified as a “throat sweetbread.” This distinction is a bit misleading since the thymus is located in the chest area. In any case, it is distinguished from the heart or belly sweetbread, which refers to the pancreas.

Both the thymus and pancreas are among the most approachable and versatile organ meats. From sautéing and grilling to frying, chefs appreciate the tender and creamy nature of beef thymus in gourmet preparations.

What Does Beef Thymus Taste Like?

Beef thymus is appreciated for its tender texture and mild, delicate flavor. You may even find it slightly sweet.

Unlike most other organ meats, thymus and other sweetbreads offer a mild flavor that allows them to take on the taste and texture of various seasonings and cooking methods.

When cooked skillfully, thymus is tender and creamy, making it unique among meats. Chefs and connoisseurs consider the ultimate thymus experience to occur when the exterior is crispy and the interior remains soft, with the consistency of custard.

Beef Thymus Nutrition

Per 100 grams (cooked)	Total	%RDV
Calories	319
Total Fat	25g
Saturated Fat	8.6 g
Monounsaturated fats	8.64g
Total Carbohydrates	0 mg
Protein	21.9g
Cholesterol	294 mg
VITAMINS
Vitamin C	30.2mg	34%
Thiamin (B1)	0.08mg	7%
Riboflavin (B2)	0.23mg	17%
Niacin (B3)	1.8 mg	12%
Pantothenic acid (B5)	2mg	39%
Vitamin B6	0.08mg	5%
Vitamin B12	1.5mcg	63%
MINERALS
Copper	0.04 mg	5%
Zinc	2.2mg	20%
Selenium	21.6 mcg	39%
Sodium	116 mg	5%
Potassium	433 mg	10%
Phosphorus	364mg	29%
Iron	1.5 mg	8%

Nutritional Benefits of Beef Thymus

Let’s take a deeper look at how the nutrients in beef thymus can positively impact your health goals.

Vitamin C in Beef Thymus

When looking at the beef thymus nutrition list above, you may have noticed that thymus is remarkably high in vitamin C for a meat.

The vitamin C content of beef thymus makes it prized among carnivore diet enthusiasts who eliminate all plant sources of vitamin C.

It’s worth noting that on a low-carb, high-fat carnivore diet, the body needs far fewer antioxidants, partly due to the increase in endogenous antioxidants and the reduced need to combat the oxidation caused by carbs and sugar. What this has to do with thymus is that 34% of your RDV of vitamin C is more than enough on carnivore, and is 340% of the vitamin C you need to avoid symptoms of vitamin C deficiency known as scurvy.

Below, you can see how beef thymus stacks up against the vitamin C in other animal products.

Animal-Based Foods High in Vitamin C	Amount Vitamin C	% sufficient to prevent scurvy
Beef spleen (100g)	45.5mg	455%
Beef thymus (100g)	34mg	340%
Salmon Roe (100g)	16 mg	160%
Beef Pancreas (100g)	13.7 mg	137%
Chicken giblets (100g)	13.1mg	131%
Beef Brain (100g)	10.7 mg	107%
Beef Kidney (100g)	9.4 mg	94%
Oysters (6 oysters, or 88 grams)	3.3 mg	33%
Raw Liver (100g)	1.3 mg	13%

Thymosin

You won’t find thymosin on a nutrition label because it’s not a common nutrient. In fact, it’s a hormone produced by the thymus of young cows.

Thymosin helps turn white blood cells (lymphocytes) into the critical element of the immune system called T cells. T cells are sent to the lymph nodes, where they are deployed during immune responses.

Researchers have been exploring the use of thymus extract to boost immune function and fight off respiratory infections.

Vitamin B5

B5 is hard to come by, and 100 grams of thymus delivers 39% of your daily needs.

B5, also called pantothenic acid, plays a crucial role in the creation of cholesterol. Despite what you’ve been told, cholesterol is an extremely important substance in your body.. Your body uses the cholesterol it creates as the foundation for youth-associated hormones like pregnenolone and DHEA.

Studies have also shown that B5 can help wounds heal faster.

If you don’t get enough B5, you run the risk of chronic fatigue, sleep issues, mood disorders, neuropathy, and respiratory tract infections.

Monounsaturated Fatty Acids

About ⅓ of the fat in the beef thymus is composed of monounsaturated fatty acids. These healthy fats have been found to

Reduce inflammation
reduce bad cholesterol
increase good cholesterol
Potentially reduce the risk of heart disease

Beneficial Amino Acids

Beef thymus is a fantastic source of highly beneficial amino acids, including lysine, tyrosine, and tryptophan.

100 grams of beef thymus provides 1818mg (87% RDV) of lysine. This amino acid has been found to help the body absorb calcium. It’s also critical to collagen formation. Collagen is important for the health of bones, connective tissue, tendons, cartilage, and skin. Not surprisingly, Lysine has also been found to increase the speed of wound healing.

Thymus is also high in the amino acid Tyrosine, providing 454mg or 52% of your RDV. Tyrosine has been found to offer numerous benefits, including

Stimulating the production of important neurotransmitters like dopamine and norepinephrine
Supporting mental focus by increasing attention, focus, and working memory.
Reducing feelings of stress and anxiety
Supporting mood, motivation, and feelings of overall well-being.

Sourcing High-Quality Beef Thymus

Beef thymus is usually sourced from young cows or veal.

It’s important to source organ meats from cows raised on grass in pristine environments. Otherwise, there’s a risk of contamination with heavy metals.

The first place to look for quality beef thymus is your local rancher or farmer’s market. After that, there are a few quality online purveyors that we’ll list below.

There are also desiccated options like Herbage Farmstead.

How to Prepare Beef Thymus: Simple Recipes

Ingredients:

Thymus
5 tbsp suet or ghee
¼ cup coconut flour (substitute crushed pork rinds for Carnivore Diet friendly recipe)
1 tbsp of lemon juice or red wine vinegar
Sea salt/Himalayan salt

Instructions:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil
Lower heat. Mix in lemon juice and salt
Add thymus to the boiling water. Cook for 10 minutes
Remove thymus from water. Run under cold water until cool
Dry the thymus with a clean cloth and transfer to a new plate
Place another heavy pan on the thymus and press down to flatten
Cut flattened thymus into small slices about half an inch wide
Place slices into a bowl of coconut flour or crushed pork rinds
Heat suet or ghee in a large skillet
Add thymus to pan and fry until golden brown (less than 5 minutes)
Flip over and fry until they’re golden brown on the other side, too (less than 3 minutes)
Transfer to a plate and enjoy

Grilled Thymus “Mollejas” Recipe

Beef Thymus: The Bottom Line

Beef thymus is a nutrient-dense organ derived from the thymus gland of a young cow. However, most people have only heard of thymus by its culinary name, “sweetbreads.”

In fact, thymus is one of a number of organ meats that are billed as sweetbreads. Of the various sweetbreads, thymus is the most tender and mild.

The thymus has been a prized part of traditional diets for millennia. It’s rich in B vitamins, healthy fats, and a thymus-specific enzyme called thymosin that may support healthy immune function.

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