Kiltz Blogs Archive

Is Butter Bad for You, Or Good for You?

May 27, 2021/in Saturated Fat Butter, Fat, Ghee, Ketogenic diet, Saturated Fat, Saturated Fatty Acids /by Liam McAuliffe

Despite recent research dismantling the links between fat and disease, we’re left with lingering dietary questions that deserve to be put to bed. Let’s take a look at one of the biggest: “Is butter bad for you, or good for you?”

Butter is often wrongly associated with raising cholesterol and clogging arteries. However, recent research shows that the consumption of dairy products is not linked to health problems. In fact, adding full-fat dairy products like butter to your diet may even yield health benefits.

Keep reading to learn all about butter and how it can impact your overall health.

What is Butter?

Butter is a dairy product most often derived from cow’s milk. But you can also make butter from the milk of other mammals including sheep, goats, and buffalo.

It’s made by separating the cream from raw milk and churning it until it forms solid fat. Butter is essentially the fat found in cream.

The high-fat content in butter gives it a rich flavor and creamy texture. Butter contains mostly saturated fat, which keeps it solid at room temperature.

Types of Butter

Below, we’ll outline some popular types of butter that you may encounter.

Cultured Butter

Cultured butter is made from fermented or soured cream. Adding live bacterial cultures like lactic acid bacteria to cream allows the butter to ferment and develop a sharper and more tangy flavor. These live bacterial cultures are known as probiotics and are beneficial for your gut health. Probiotics can also synthesize essential vitamins and improve your nutritional intake.

“Sweet Butter”

Sweet butter, also known as unsalted butter, is made from fresh cream. This type of butter contains no preservatives and tastes “sweeter” and “fresher” than cultured butter. You often use sweet butter for cooking and baking.

Clarified Butter

Clarified butter is made by heating butter or cream until it melts. You then remove the leftover milk solids and water. This leaves you with pure butterfat, which appears golden and translucent in color.

Ghee

Ghee is a type of clarified butter that has a toasty and nutty flavor. In India, ghee is considered one of the healthiest sources of fat. Ayurvedic medicine uses ghee to treat a variety of diseases due to its alleged beneficial properties. Animal studies show that ghee can lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

How Did Butter Get Villainized?

In the last 60 years, the science on fat has changed drastically. Originally, researchers looking for a way to explain the rapidly increasing heart disease rates among Americans in the 1950s concluded that saturated fat was linked to heart disease. This resulted in sensational media coverage that labeled butter as bad for you.

Unfortunately, this early research incorrectly associated butter and other saturated fat with heart disease. And it’s taken decades for researchers to untangle truth from fiction.

The New Science on Fat and Heart Disease

A major 2010 analysis published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition looked at 21 previous studies including 347,747 people, with a follow-up period of between 5-23 years. The researchers found that consuming saturated fats was not significantly associated with stroke or heart disease.

Unfortunately, the damage from these early studies, and their influential lead researchers, was already done. The food industry embraced the fat-free trend and replaced fats with sugar and carbohydrates.

The widespread availability and persistent marketing of fat-free and low-fat foods have contributed to the obesity epidemic in America.

Consuming foods high in carbohydrates spikes insulin levels and causes your body to store fat and lower blood sugar. This makes you feel hungry and can lead to a cycle of overeating and weight gain. It turns out that replacing fat with carbohydrates actually increases your risk of heart disease and diabetes.

Professor David Ludwig at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health states, “Despite eating less fat, we are fatter than ever before.” In response, he suggests a diet of natural whole foods, and points out that “a healthy diet should include healthy fats to boost satiety.”

Despite the evidence that butter and other saturated fat have been wrongly demonized, current dietary guidelines are not up-to-date. Shockingly, the National Institute of Health still advocates for a low-fat, high-carb diet on its website.

When considering the thousands of careers made on promoting these false beliefs, and the companies profiting from them over the last 60 years, you can see how it’s difficult to turn around the massive ship that is the mainstream nutrition establishment.

Is Butter Good for You? What the Research Says

Most research shows that butter is healthy if eaten in moderation. What’s more, butter is even linked to a variety of health benefits.

For instance, a review of 16 studies found that the consumption of high-fat dairy products like butter can lower your risk of obesity.

One large study reported that men and women aged 45-75 years who regularly consume dairy fat may have a reduced risk of a heart attack.

Another large review including more than 3.6 million people found that high-fat dairy products are not associated with any causes of mortality. Additionally, one study found that a daily serving of 14 grams of butter may lower your risk of type 2 diabetes by 4%.

Despite a vast selection of positive studies, there are a few studies showing that butter may have negative consequences. One review found small or neutral associations of butter with obesity, heart disease, mortality, and diabetes. These findings may be due to the dietary inclusion of refined grains, starches, and sugars.

It’s also possible that people who eat a lot of butter don’t heed other nutritional and lifestyle advice. Their lifestyles may have many other factors that are far worse for their health than butter-like smoking, drinking, lack of exercise, and consumption of processed foods. When considered in this light, butter may be even better for our health than even the positive studies show.

How Much Butter Can You Safely Eat?

You can safely consume multiple servings of butter on a low-carb, high-fat diet to help you meet your recommended fat intake. Of note, butter contains a lot of calories and should not be eaten in excess if you’re on a calorie-restricted diet. One tablespoon or 14 grams of butter contains 100 calories and 11 grams of fat.

Butter Nutrition: Health Benefits

Butter contains many vitamins, minerals, and beneficial compounds that can improve your health. Let’s take a look at a comprehensive breakdown of butter nutrition and its associated health benefits.

An Excellent Source of Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA)

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a fatty acid that is naturally produced in the digestive systems of grass-fed ruminants. Pasture-derived butter provides the highest concentrations of CLA. Research shows that CLA has many benefits for your health.

CLA possesses antitumor properties that can inhibit the growth of cancer at many different sites including the breast, colon, stomach, prostate, and liver. For example, one study found that women who consumed four or more servings of high-fat dairy foods like butter lowered their risk of colon cancer by 34%.

One large review found that CLA can reduce body weight and offer protection against heart disease. For instance, studies show that CLA reduces cholesterol in people with type 2 diabetes and improves insulin sensitivity in young, sedentary adults.

Another study found that a daily dose of 3.2 grams of CLA can result in modest fat loss in humans. Similarly, 134 overweight adults who consumed 3.4 grams of CLA daily experienced a reduction in body fat over 24-months.

Research also suggests that CLA intake may strengthen your immune system by reducing inflammation. One study involving 23 young men who received 5.6 grams of CLA daily showed decreased inflammatory markers including tumor necrosis factor and C-reactive protein.

A Good Source of Butyrate

Butyrate, also known as butyric acid, is a short-chain fatty acid naturally found in dairy products like butter. Interestingly, the live bacteria in your gut also produce butyrate.

Research suggests that butyrate has a number of impressive health benefits. Studies show that butyrate reduces inflammation in the colon and liver and enhances sleep.

Butyrate also has many other important functions in your digestive health. Butyrate provides your colon cells with energy and enhances the integrity of the intestinal barrier. It also regulates bowel motility and the composition of the bacteria in your gut.

Due to its many roles in the digestive tract, butyrate may improve digestive conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and Crohn’s disease.

One study found that dietary butyrate may prevent the development of type 2 diabetes. Another study showed that butyrate may improve insulin sensitivity and reduce body fat.

However, many of these studies were performed on animals and used concentrated doses of butyrate. More research is needed to determine the health benefits of butyrate on humans.

High in Healthy Saturated Fat

Butter contains about 63% saturated fat, 26% monounsaturated fat, and 4% polyunsaturated fat. Historically, the saturated fat in butter was thought to be bad for you. However, recent research suggests that saturated fat does not clog your arteries or contribute to heart disease.

The saturated fat in butter is resistant to oxidation and can be safely used during high-heat cooking methods. The high smoke point of butter prevents the formation of free radicals during cooking. Free radicals are harmful molecules that can damage our cells and lead to the development of health conditions.

Butter is high in lauric acid, a form of saturated fat that has antimicrobial and antifungal properties. Lauric acid reduces pathogenic bacteria in the gut and promotes a healthy intestinal environment.

Rich in Vitamins and Minerals

Butter contains many vitamins and minerals that support optimal health.

The vitamin D in butter can increase the absorption of calcium and strengthen bones and teeth. Vitamin D can also enhance your immune function and reduce your risk of cancer and hypertension.

Butter contains the following nutrients that are essential for fertility :

vitamin B12,
vitamin A,
vitamin D,
vitamin E,
selenium
iodine.

One study found that adding one serving of a full-fat dairy product like butter to your daily diet can reduce the risk of infertility by over 50%.

Vitamin K2 in butter may prevent the buildup of plaque in the arteries. One study found that vitamin K2 supplementation for 270 days reduced the progression of atherosclerosis in people with chronic kidney disease stages 3-5.

Butter is a great source of easily absorbable vitamin A. Vitamin A supports many bodily functions including vision, thyroid gland function, immune function, and endocrine function.

Yet, although butter contains many essential vitamins and minerals, it may not have a large impact on your total nutrient intake because you usually consume it in small amounts. Unless of course, you’re on a high-fat low-carb diet.

Is Butter Bad of You, or Good for You? The Takeaway

Butter nutrition contains many beneficial nutrients such as conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), butyrate, vitamins, and minerals.

Research shows that eating high-fat dairy products like butter is likely good for you and can reduce your risk of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Butter is also linked to improved sleep, immune function, and fertility.

However, the beneficial effects of any food can be altered by diet, genetics, or other risk factors. Butter provides the most benefit on a low-carb, high-fat diet. If you consume butter while eating a diet rich in sugars and processed carbohydrates, you can increase your risk of health complications like heart disease.

What is Salmon Roe? Top 10 Superfood Benefits

May 26, 2021/in Carnivore Diet, Carnivore Diet Meal Plan, Fatty Acids, Fertility Diet, Keto Diet, Salmon Roe, Superfood /by Liam McAuliffe

What is Salmon Roe?

Salmon roe is the eggs of salmon, and they’re one of the most nutrient-dense foods on earth.

Known variously as ikura, “red caviar” and “salmon caviar,” these fish eggs have been a sacred food for traditional cultures for millennia.

In the Andes, pioneering nutrition researcher Weston A. Price discovered that people would walk hundreds of miles to get fish eggs to supply women of childbearing age with the nutrients needed for the healthiest babies.

And modern science tells us that these efforts weren’t in vain. Salmon eggs are loaded with bioavailable vitamins A, B, D, and K2, zinc, iodine, along with the neuroprotective and omega 3 brain-building fatty acids EPA and DHA.

And we can see the natural prizing of salmon roe in other species like this black bear who instinctively knows exactly what to focus his efforts on.

How is Salmon Roe Made?

Salmon roe varies in size from 1-5mm. The highest quality roe tends to be the firmest. They’re processed by removing the entire egg sack from the fish and soaking it in salt. The eggs are then separated and cured with brine, with fresher eggs needing less brine. So the higher the egg quality the less salty the taste.

What Does Salmon Roe Taste Like?

Since roe isn’t very common in the Standard American Diet, it can be an acquired taste for some people. They have a unique texture and flavor, bursting with a subtly audible pop. They’re considered mild-flavored when compared with other caviar–slightly salty at first, with a sweet finish, and essence of salmon.

Salmon Roe Nutrition

Salmon roe is another incredibly nutrient-dense, keto-friendly food. Also known as fish eggs, roe is rich in omega 3 fatty acids (DHA and EPA), vitamin D, vitamin B12, and many trace minerals.

Just as impressive as these nutrients are their quality. The omega 3’s present in salmon roe are found in a phospholipid form that allows them to easily enter the brain.

Salomon roe nutrition: macronutrients per 100g

Calories/Nutrient	Amount
Calories	250 kcal
Carbohydrate	2.90 g
Fiber	0 g
Sugars	0 g
Fat	14.0 g
Saturated Fat	2.04 g
Monounsaturated Fat	4.13 g
Polyunsaturated Fat	4.12 g
Omega-3 Fatty Acids	3.50 g
Omega-6 Fatty Acids	0.31 g
Protein	29.20 g

Vitamins in salmon roe per 100g

Vitamin	Amount	% DV
Cobalamin (B12)	20.0 mcg	333 %
Vitamin E	10mg	66%
Vitamin D	232 IU	58 %
Choline	247.5 mg	45 %
Pantothenic Acid (B5)	3.50 mg	35 %
Riboflavin (B2)	0.36 mg	21.2 %
Pyridoxine (B6)	0.32 mg	16.0 %
Vitamin E	2.68 mg	13.3 %
Folate	50.0 mcg	12.5 %
Vitamin A	91 mcg RAE	10.1 %
Thiamin (B1)	0.14 mg	9.3 %
Niacin (B3)	0.40 mg	2.0 %
Vitamin K	0.73 mcg	0.9 %

Minerals in salmon roe per 100g

Selenium	65.5 mcg	93.6%
Magnesium	300 mg	75%
Iron	11.88 mg	66%
Sodium	1500 mg	62.5%
Phosphorus	390 mg	39%
Calcium	275 mg	27.5%
Zinc	.95 mg	6.3%
Copper	.11 mg	5.5%
Potassium	181 mg	5.2%

Salmon Roe’s Top 10 Superfood Benefits

1.May Protect Against Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease

Many of the most powerful benefits of salmon roe come from its copious amounts of omega 3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA.

For people with Alzheimer’s disease, the brain struggles with glucose uptake leading to an accumulation of amyloid-beta plaques, and tangles of a protein called tau inside neurons. These factors dramatically impair normal brain function.

The DHA in salmon roe promotes glucose uptake in the brain, reducing the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.2 And DHA has been shown to protect against cognitive decline for people who already have the disease.

Interestingly, these DHA’s effectiveness against Alzheimer’s is only apparent when DHA is consumed in the diet in the phospholipid form that is found in salmon roe. It is not effective when taken as a dietary supplement.

The neuroprotective benefits of omega-3s are also linked to their anti-inflammatory properties. It is theorized that reducing inflammation in the brain can inhibit neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

2. Supports Infant Brain Development

The nutrient profile of salmon roe may have special benefits for pregnant women. And it can improve fertility in both men and women.

The omega-3 DHA in salmon roe comes in a phospholipid form. When your body processes this type of DHA it gets broken down into a molecule called DHA-lysoPC. This molecule can more easily cross the blood-brain barrier, making it the brain’s preferred source of DHA. This easily-absorbed DHA is essential for the healthy brains of babies and mothers.

In fact the human brain is made up of 60% fat, and 25% of that is DHA.

3. Enhances Fertility for Men and Women

When it comes to getting pregnant in the first place, studies show that consuming DHA increases progesterone, a hormone responsible for regulating the uterus lining, making pregnancy viable.

DHA consumption has also shown a decrease in anovulation, increasing a woman’s reproductive lifespan.

For men, DHA plays an equally important role. Studies have shown that low omega 3 levels are associated with lower fertility rates in men.

A promising 2010 animal study found that DHA supplementation can completely restore fertility to infertile mice.

4. Defends Against Mental Disabilities and Enhances Cognition

With the importance of adequate DHA for brain development, it’s no surprise that early life deficiency in DHA is associated with numerous mental and behavioral disorders like hostility, ADHD, learning disabilities, autism, bi-polar disorder, and suicidal ideation among others.

In addition to the protective effects of DHA, salmon roe is also loaded with specific B vitamins, and minerals like choline and selenium that have positive impacts on cognitive performance.

A 2011 study found that choline can prevent anxiety and mood disorders while improving cognitive abilities.

And with nearly 100% of the RDA for hard-to-get selenium per 100g, salmon roe, salmon roe is a powerful food for supporting coordination, motor performance, memory, and cognition.

5. Protects Against Depression

When it comes to mood disorders, studies show that people suffering from depression often exhibit lower omega-3 levels. This suggests that not getting enough omega-3’s from food can be a risk factor for depression.

But it is critical for the brain and all phospholipid membranes. It appears that all mammalian brains require a substantial amount of DHA and AA, without which neuronal growth and function cannot occur. In fact, DHA is~25% of all the fat in your brain. Special type in salmon roe

Studies looking at the link between omega-3s and depression have found that daily supplementation of 1-2 grams of omega-3 can offer antidepressant effects without the side effects and interaction risks of common antidepressant meds.

These positive effects have been found in studies looking specifically at EPA, while other studies find that a combination of EPA and DHA–both found in salmon roe–are even more effective.

6. May Help Reduce Inflammation

Chronic inflammation is responsible for the deadliest diseases on the planet including heart disease, diabetes, and many cancers.

The DHA and selenium in salmon roe play a powerful anti-inflammatory role in the body by suppressing inflammatory cytokines and modulating inflammatory pathways.

One review of 20 clinical trials looking at the effectiveness of omega-3 from fish oil for rheumatoid diseases found that 16 of the 20 trials showed omega 3s offered “significant improvements”.

7. May Promote Heart Health

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S.

The good news is that omega-3 fatty acids have been proven effective in managing heart disease risk factors.

Omega-3’s have been found to reduce the risk of heart disease by:

Lowering blood pressure.
Improving cholesterol levels by increasing (good HDL), and lowering triglycerides.
Preventing platelets in your blood from aggregating into clots.

Numerous studies show that marine sources of omega-3’s like salmon roe can bestow these powerful benefits without interfering with standard drug therapies.

8. Improve Antioxidant Profile

The oxidation process is essential to life, and when eating an animal-based whole food diet, the endogenous defenses against oxidation keep our systems in balance.

But when eating a standard American diet, high in carbs from processed grains and added sugars there is an overabundance of oxidizing molecules. These pro-oxidants can cause damage by stealing electrons from cells and DNA.

To balance out your oxidant profile it can be important to get more antioxidants in your diet. In addition to protecting against oxidation from an unhealthy diet, they also protect against oxidative stress from UV rays, pollution, smoking, and stress.

For animal food, Salmon roe is uncommonly high in antioxidants, especially vitamin A, C., and E.

Only 100g (½ cup) of salmon roe provides 66% of your RDA in E, 20% of vitamin C, and 13% of A. So when eating a carnivore diet salmon roe can be a critical source of hard to get nutrients.

Vitamins E and C have been shown to prevent the oxidation of LDL cholesterol particles–another heart-protective property.

In addition to its heavy-hitting antioxidant vitamins, salmon roe is also high in an antioxidant called astaxanthin–the compound that gives salmon its red/pink color. In studies, astaxanthin has been shown to reduce markers of oxidative stress, and may even prevent dimentia.

9. May Support the Immune System

The omega-3’s and selenium in salmon roe can support the immune system by reducing inflammation and restoring skin health, keeping harmful bacteria at bay.

These compounds can also help repair damaged white blood cells (immune cells) that protect us from disease.

Just 100g of salmon roe offers 94% of your RDA for selenium, a compound that is essential to triggering and regulating immune responses.

Selenium has been shown to increase antibody production along while also increasing the activity of macrophages–a type of white blood cell that fights and removes substances that are harmful to your body.

10. Support Muscle Growth

Salmon roe is an excellent source of protein, offering 25 grams of protein per 100 grams of roe.

Of the 25 gram, approx 2g is an essential anabolic (muscle building) amino acid called leucine. Leucine is necessary for the stimulation of mTOR, which regulates muscle growth.

Is salmon Roe keto-friendly?

Salmon roe is perfectly keto-friendly. It’s about 3% carbohydrates by weight, which doesn’t amount to much given that a serving is only around 100grams total.

Since it’s also relatively high in calcium and vitamin C, it can be a powerful supplement for people practicing an all meat carnivore diet

Are there any Drawbacks to Salmon Roe?

Though the health benefits of salmon roe far outweigh any potential drawbacks, there are a few issues to be aware of and to make choices accordingly.

These issues include the possible presence of:

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs),
Mercury

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in Salmon Roe

PCBs are toxic compounds that were once used in many industrial chemicals. Though banned in the 1970s, they are still present in the environment. Numerous freshwater, saltwater fish are contaminated with PCBs.

Fortunately, the amount of PCBs in wild-caught salmon is significantly lower when compared to farmed salmon. In roe, PCB amounts are even lower.

Farmed salmon from Europe, like popular Scottish and Norwegian salmon, have generally higher PCB levels than salmon farmed in the Americas.

The issue with PCBs is that they can accumulate in human tissue including muscle, brain, liver, and lungs. And they can take a very long time to break down with half-lives ranging from 10-15 years.

So to avoid PCB exposure, it’s best to eat wild-caught salmon and salmon roe.

limiting PCB exposure by consuming wild-caught salmon or their roe rather than farmed salmon may be advisable.

You can also eliminate some amount of PCBs through sweat. So exercise and saunas can be helpful. Though high heat can also disrupt fertility, especially in men.

Mercury in Salmon Roe

Nearly all fish and shellfish are contaminated with some amount of mercury. Thankfully, salmon is generally lower and listed as one of the “best choices” by the FDA.

A reassuring randomized controlled trial revealed that pregnant women who supplemented DHA from fish oil gave birth to sons with greater total gray matter, larger total brain volumes, and larger corpus callosum and cortical volumes compared to boys born to mothers given a placebo.

These findings support the view that omega-3 fatty acids from fish protect the brain of developing fetuses (when they’re most susceptible to the effects of mercury) from the toxic effects of mercury.

Salmon Roe: The Takeaway

Salmon Roe is one of the most nutrient-dense foods on earth. Eating only a relatively small amount can supply your body with numerous bioavailable macro and micronutrients.

The omega-3 fatty acids in salmon roe have been shown to offer powerful health benefits, specifically when it comes to brain development and mental function. And these benefits persist over the entire life span, from in utero, to old age.

There are at least 9 powerful reasons for, and zero reasons against, making salmon roe a part of your diet and health routine. Enjoy!

Caffeine and Fertility: The Whole Truth

May 25, 2021/in Fertility Caffeine, Cocoa, Coffee, Fertility, Infertility, Soda, Tea /by Liam McAuliffe

Enjoying a morning cup of coffee or tea is a daily ritual for most of the world. Thankfully, low amounts of caffeine are unlikely to reduce the fertility of both men and women.

But there’s more to the story of how and if caffeine affects fertility. Here’s what you need to know about caffeine’s pros, cons, and other considerations when it comes to fertility.

Image from ecowatch.com

What the Research Says about Caffeine and Fertility

Most of the available research on caffeine and fertility is in agreement that small-to-moderate amounts (1-2 cups a day) of caffeinated beverages don’t have a negative effect. Let’s divide this research into two categories and dig a little deeper.

Caffeine and female fertility
Caffeine and male fertility

Caffeine and Female Fertility

The coffee-female fertility concerns began in 1988 after a study found that women who drank a cup of coffee a day were half as fertile as those who abstained.

However, more recent studies have not been able to confirm this connection.

A 2012 study of over 3,000 Danish women found that moderate amounts of caffeine didn’t negatively impact fertility at all. Other top findings include the following:

Women who consumed >300 mg caffeine/day (well more than what’s found in a cup of coffee) had similar fertility rates as women who consumed 0-100 mg a day.
Women who drank ≥2 servings of tea/day were more fertile than those who drank no tea.
Women who drank 3 servings of soda per day were less fertile than those who drank no soda or one serving of soda a day.

These researchers didn’t really explain why one caffeinated beverage — soda — was far worse for fertility than the others. But those who are familiar with Dr. Kiltz’s approach know there’s a simple explanation: soda’s high sugar content means it creates fertility-reducing inflammation.)

The Takeaway: If you’re a woman who’s trying to conceive, you can enjoy your morning cup of jo or afternoon tea–and probably both.

Just be sure to keep track of your total intake and swap out soda and energy drinks for sugar-free coffee or tea. The verdict on energy drinks and female fertility are also out, so err on the side of caution for now.

Caffeine and Male Fertility

A study from 2017 examined the relationship between coffee and tea and the success of couples undergoing fertility treatments. This study’s top findings include the following:

Couples who drank 300 mg (appx 2 coffees) of caffeine/day had an increased risk of early miscarriage or spontaneous abortion (SAB).
Couples who drank 600 mg (appx 4 coffees) of caffeine/day had twice the risk of early miscarriage.

This study also found that caffeine didn’t delay conception or negatively impact pregnancy rates for couples undergoing IVF.

Several other studies have confirmed that caffeine doesn’t reduce sperm quality or induce sperm DNA damage.

It appears male fertility is not negatively impacted by small-to-moderate amounts of caffeine, but that it’s best to limit your consumption to 2 or fewer caffeinated beverages a day.

Other Fertility Factors to Keep in Mind

Whenever we talk about fertility, keep in mind that it is a highly complex process. The number of physiological hoops a woman’s body has to jump through to get pregnant, stay pregnant, and deliver a healthy baby is near-miraculous.

Fertility’s complexity means that most available fertility research is full of confounding variables. Fertility studies rely on the memory and accurate reporting of their subjects — during one of the most emotional, stressful times of these subjects’ lives. These studies also fail to capture the experiences of women who conceive very quickly and become “spontaneously pregnant.”

Another problem with caffeine studies: the amount of caffeine in any given beverage can be quite inconsistent. Coffee’s caffeine content can vary widely depending on what kind of beans were used and how it’s prepared.

And then there’s perhaps the largest potential confounding variable of all: lifestyle. Many careful mothers-to-be shy away from caffeine during pregnancy entirely.

Moms who don’t err on the side of caution when it comes to caffeine may also be more likely to throw caution to the wind when it comes to smoking cigarettes or drinking alcohol. Obviously, both of these activities can have very negative consequences for fertility that are far greater factors than caffeine.

Finally, caffeine is often abused by people who have energy-stealing health problems like depression or endometriosis. Women who overdo caffeinated beverages may have reduced fertility rates, not from their caffeine intake itself, but from these hidden health issues.

How Much Caffeine Are You Consuming?

Thankfully, erring on the side of caution doesn’t mean giving up caffeine entirely.

Reproductive experts like Dr. Kiltz simply recommend limiting your caffeine intake to 100 milligrams a day — 200-300 mg max. After all, caffeine still has some pro-metabolic qualities that may benefit pregnant mothers.

How much coffee or tea do these recommendations allow for? The following charts should help you decide — below is the caffeine content of different types of coffee.

Beverage	Caffeine content
Instant decaf coffee (8 oz)	2-12 milligrams
Brewed decaf coffee (8 oz)	1-25 milligrams
Espresso (1-2 oz)	47-75 milligrams
Instant coffee (8 oz)	27-173 milligrams
Brewed coffee (8 oz)	95-200 milligrams
Starbucks caffe latte grande (16 oz)	150 milligrams
Starbucks caffe latte grande (16 oz)	240 milligrams
Starbucks caffe latte grande (16 oz)	280 milligrams

As you can see, the caffeine content of coffee adds up pretty quickly. Here are the stats for tea:

Decaf black tea (8 oz)	0-5 milligrams
Instant tea (8 oz)	5 milligrams
Bottled tea (8 oz)	5-68 milligrams
Brewed black tea	40-60 milligrams

Soft drinks and energy drinks also contain caffeine. And don’t forget that their sugar content is another potential problem when it comes to maximizing natural fertility.

Dr. Pepper (12 oz)	41 milligrams
Coca-cola (16 oz)	45 milligrams
Pepsi (16 oz)	45 milligrams
Mountain Dew (12 oz)	54 milligrams
Mountain Dew (12 oz)	71 milligrams
Red Bull (12 oz)	111 milligrams
Jolt Cola (12 oz)	120 milligrams
5-hour Energy (2 oz)	215 milligrams
Monster Energy (24 oz)	276 milligrams
Spike Shooter (8.4 oz)	300 milligrams

Last but not least, cocoa products also contain some caffeine. Unlike the soft drinks mentioned above, however, cocoa has several antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits.

Hot cocoa mix (8 oz)	5 milligrams
Milk chocolate (1.5 oz)	9 milligrams
Hershey’s dark chocolate (1.5 oz)	31 milligrams
Ben & Jerry’s coffee ice cream	45 milligrams

Other lifestyle Factors

In addition to not overdoing caffeine (and ditching the soft drinks!), there are other things you can do to protect your fertility.

Avoid smoking

Any type of tobacco use can lower your fertility, so stay away from vaping, smoking, or chewing tobacco. In fact, stay away from all nicotine-containing products.

Studies show that smoking prematurely ages your ovaries and depletes your body’s egg supply. As if that weren’t enough, it also prematurely ages the delicate skin on your face.

Limit alcohol

Limiting alcohol intake before or during pregnancy is also crucial. The alcohol a mother consumes can pass directly into her developing baby’s bloodstream, damaging brain and organ development in the process.

This early damage can cause permanent problems, including a wide range of structural, developmental, cognitive, and behavioral disorders. In the U.S. prenatal alcohol exposure is the leading cause of preventable birth defects.

Alcohol’s pleasant social effects make it all too easy for one drink to lead to the next, so we recommend complete abstinence during pregnancy. No safe level of fetal alcohol consumption has been established, so don’t risk it.

Don’t Over-exercise

Unlike alcohol, exercise’s effects on fertility can be either positive or negative depending on the dose.

Small amounts of low-stress, enjoyable exercise are likely good for one’s fertility. Too much exercise, however, can stop ovulation and slow the production of important pregnancy hormones like progesterone.

If you’re a dedicated athlete, cutting back on exercise might feel unnatural. Consider swapping out intense training with gentler movements like yoga, walking, swimming, or cycling. These sports allow you to stay in motion without overexerting yourself.

Swimming, in particular, offers low-risk benefits to pregnant women. Animal studies show that the babies of swimming mothers had improved brain development, and human studies show that swimming may reduce a mother’s chance of premature delivery.

Image from whattoexpect.com

Avoid toxins

Pregnant women should also do their best to avoid environmental toxins at all costs. Everything from the phytoestrogens in soy foods to the BPA found in many plastic products (like water bottles) can negatively impact one’s fertility.

Another 2008 study found that men who are exposed to toxins a work are far more likely to have infertility issues than men who weren’t.

The Takeaway

Maximizing your fertility requires a wonderfully complex blend of physical, mental, and spiritual factors.

Avoiding excess caffeine is a smart and simple way to avoid unnecessary complications when trying to get pregnant.

The available research suggests that it is best to limit your coffee and tea intake to no more than 100 milligrams of caffeine a day and 200 max.

And it may be even more important to cut out sugary soft drinks and energy drinks entirely — these beverages only hurt your fertility by promoting inflammation and causing hormonal imbalances from elevated insulin.

It’s also important to consider other lifestyle factors. Avoiding alcohol, tobacco, intense exercise, and environmental toxins are all effective ways to maximize your fertility the natural way. Your future baby will thank you.

Mindfulness Exercises in Everyday Life

May 24, 2021/in Mindfulness Anxiety relief, Awareness, Focus, Immunity, meditation, mindfulness, Stress relief /by Liam McAuliffe

Mindfulness exercises are ways of relating to everyday life that can have a profoundly healing effect on the mind, body, and heart.

Many people assume that having a daily mindfulness practice means setting aside ten, twenty, or thirty minutes a day to meditate. And they become frustrated when these minutes are difficult to find.

Other people might practice formal meditation each day, but have a hard time bridging the gap between the period of focused mindfulness exercises and the rest of their day.

In this article, we will explore straightforward ways to bring mindfulness exercises into everyday life. Ultimately, if we want to become more present, compassionate, and resilient, we will have to learn how to bring everyday mindfulness into our ordinary lives, and not just in special moments.

Orienting to Your Environment Mindfulness Exercise

Everyday mindfulness exercises don’t require any special time commitments or cushions. Rather, you simply commit to showing up to the life you’re already living with a bit more curiosity, freshness, and wonder.

One of the simplest ways to bring mindfulness exercises into everyday life is to become more aware of your environment. This means learning to be more interested in your senses.

Practicing mindfulness of your senses as you go about your daily activities has numerous clinically studied benefits including:

Increasing positive mood and well-being,
Making people better at navigating conflict in relationships,
Improves the immune system, increasing the antibodies a person produces after receiving a vaccine.

For each of the following senses, try simply noticing and appreciating, rather than critiquing or judging.

Sounds

Sound offers a simple and direct way to use everyday mindfulness to stay in contact with your environment.

Anytime you step outside, take a moment to notice the change in the soundscape around you. Notice subtle sounds in the distance, or obvious sounds nearby.

When you’re speaking with someone, practice listening closely to the subtle modulations in their voice.

If you’re someone who usually wears headphones while exercising or completing chores, give them a break every once in a while. Instead, practice noticing natural sounds with the same interest you would pay to music or a podcast.

If you tend to get a song stuck in your head, this may be an indication that you aren’t giving enough attention to the real-time world of sound around you. In these ways, sound can offer powerful and fast mindfulness exercises that shift your awareness from recycled mental chatter to the always-refreshing moment taking place outside of your thoughts.

Sights

We can also use our vision as an everyday mindfulness practice.

When we spend most our time in familiar places, around familiar people, it can be easy to think that we already know what everything around us looks like.

Outside of a screen, we can get in the habit of merely using our sense of sight to avoid running into things. And yet, our sight is an important tool for coming into deeper relationship with the colorful, rich, and ever-new world around us.

To practice mindfulness exercises with your sight, bring a gaze of curiosity and enjoyment to the familiar spaces you inhabit. There is a huge variety of subtlety and detail that you can lose connection with when you get lost in your thoughts.

Take in the colors of leaves, the architecture in your neighborhood, the way light and shadow interact inside your home
If you’re working on a computer, get in the habit of pausing, choosing a single color, and looking for every example of that color in the space around you
Notice all of the different patterns that surround you, from the natural lines of woodgrain to the spackled bumps on a ceiling, to the buckling crevices of a tissue
You might also practice taking in the whole of your visual field, rather than narrowly considering details. How does it change your perception when you look at a scene in nature as an entire tapestry, rather than as individual objects?
What do you notice about people when you hold your attention on their entire body at once, rather than narrowing down on single features?

Smells

Smell is often an underappreciated sense, so intentionally dwelling here can be an effective daily mindfulness practice.

Take a moment to smell anything, even a glass of water, before you put it in your mouth
Smell clean clothes as you fold them, a book when you open it.
Accustom yourself to noticing the change in smell when you step outdoors or open a window, each as its own important mindfulness exercises.

Most of us are so used to smelling things with the intention to judge them good or bad, pleasant or unpleasant, that simply stepping outside of these binary judgments can be a revelation.

Notice what happens when you smell in order to explore rather than to react. You may find a new world of experience open itself to you through this approach to everyday mindfulness.

Savoring the Good Mindfulness Exercise

Once you become more familiar with exploring the worlds of your senses, you can also try “savoring the good” as a daily mindfulness exercise.

Here, we intentionally slow down to dwell on the positive or enjoyable aspects of an experience. Most of us rush past the pleasant parts of our day as we hurry on to the next thing.

But when we savor the good, we choose to stay with a positive experience for five to ten seconds longer. In this approach to everyday mindfulness, the positive experience has a chance to affect your body and brain more deeply.

A growing body of research points to the power ordinary positive experiences have to change your brain and support your health.

Studies show that building positive emotions in this way can provide a reservoir of well-being and resilience that keeps stress and mental illness at bay, while also strengthening immunity and physical health.

We all have many small positive experiences throughout the day. Even right now, if you were to pause and settle into your experience, you can probably notice at least one pleasant thing.

Perhaps there is a sense of stillness or support someplace in your body. Maybe, at the edge of any impatience or anxiety, you feel a thread of excitement about your day
Or maybe you can enjoy the bobbing of a tree branch in the wind, a bit of music or birdsong, or the smell of a cup of coffee or tea
Once you identify some positive experience, make the effort to stay with it for a few seconds longer than you normally would.
See if you can locate what is most pleasant to you about the experience, and allow it to sink in more deeply.
Without trying to grasp onto the experience or make it permanent, move on with your day.

To practice taking in the good as a daily mindfulness exercise, you don’t need to have a long list of incredible experiences. You simply relate to your ordinary experience with the intention to dwell on the pleasant aspects of it.

The more you’re intentional about noticing the good and really allowing yourself to feel it, the more you’ll incline the pathways of the brain and nervous system in those directions.

Attending to Your Body Mindfulness Exercise

With all the emphasis on mindfulness and the brain, it can be easy to overlook the importance of embodied mindfulness. Not only are embodied mindfulness exercises important for your well-being. They’re also easy to incorporate into daily life.

The effects of embodied mindfulness exercises on the body are well documented. As just a sampling, studies show that when daily mindfulness practice includes the body, people experience:

less pain due to injury or chronic conditions
lower inflammation
a stronger immune system.

Mindful Movement Exercise

Whether you’re exercising, doing chores, or walking between rooms, you can incorporate everyday mindfulness into your routines by simply becoming aware of your moving body.

As with your other senses, the idea here is to receive what there is to notice without being reactive or resistant toward what you experience.

Can you track the movement of your feet as you walk or run?
Can you stay aware of your hands and arms as you reach for an object and pick it up?
Can you track the adjustments in your posture?

These can be especially helpful mindfulness exercises when you’re tired or have a lot on your mind because the moving body can offer a simple alternative to mental rumination.

Anchor Points

You can bring the same quality of attention to your body when it’s still. Whether you’re seated in a chair, driving in a car, or waiting in line, try settling your attention at the places where your body is being supported.

This may be:

your feet,
your legs
your seat

Anytime your attention jumps someplace else, simply regather most of your awareness at these anchor points. The more you use anchor points as part of daily mindfulness practice, the more quickly these will have the power to settle the body and mind. It’s like strengthening a muscle.

The awareness that you bring to your body through this simple exercise can boost your ability in numerous other physical activities, like walking, yoga, swimming, and simple stretching.

Daily Mindfulness Exercises: The Takeaway

Daily mindfulness practice doesn’t require long chunks of time to be transformative.

When we bring mindfulness exercises into our ordinary activities, we can access deeper levels of presence, well-being, and resilience.

After decades of research into mindfulness exercises, the consensus is quite simple: There are ways of relating to our experience that support health, and there are ways of relating to our experience that degrades our health.

The good news is that when we attend to our present moment experience with curiosity, openness, and care, we are protecting the health of our brains and our bodies.

steak on a cutting board beside wine glass and wine bottle

Can you Drink Alcohol on Keto? The Whole Truth

May 24, 2021/in alcohol Alcohol, Cardiac Health, Carnivore Diet, Keto Diet, Ketosis, Low Carb /by Liam McAuliffe

Can you drink alcohol on keto?

The honest answer is, it depends. And in large part on how honest you can be with yourself.

If you’re in shape, have a healthy liver, a healthy relationship to alcohol, and you’re just wondering about the carbs in 1-2 drinks, the answer is, more of a “yes” than a “no”.

But alcohol is a toxic chemical/drug. So, while alcohol is often viewed as a necessary vice even by those with strict diet and health practices, those who aim to achieve the pinnacles of human health should likely avoid it in all but rare occasions.

In this article, we’ll explore how the body processes alcohol while on keto, highlight some side effects and pitfalls to watch out for, and offer a guide to choosing keto-friendlier alcohol options.

Is Alcohol Keto Friendly?

When looking at carb content alone, there are numerous low and no-carb alcohol options. But this doesn’t mean that drinking alcohol is a positive addition to your keto diet.

Nearly all alcohol is made from grains and grapes–foods that are always eliminated on a keto diet. Yet, when fermented, most of these carbs are turned into…alcohol.

This means that all distilled spirits have zero carbs. While red and white wine, along with light beer contains around 3-4 carbs per serving. The idea that alcohol is loaded with sugar, or that your body converts alcohol into sugar is a myth.

However, alcohol does contain calories–7 kcal per 1 gram. In fact, it’s often referred to as the 4th macronutrient group after fat, protein, and carbs.

Type of Alcohol	Calories per 1 oz.
Light Beer	13 calories
Wine	24 calories
Vodka	64 calories
Whiskey	70 calories

Even though unmixed alcoholic drinks can be relatively low in carbs, your body processes alcohol in a way that can interfere with the breakdown of fatty acids while in ketosis. This can cause undesirable consequences which we’ll turn to now.

Alcohol Can Interfere with Ketosis

When alcohol is absorbed into your bloodstream it’s first broken down into a toxic substance called acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde is then broken down into acetate before finally being metabolized into water and carbon dioxide and eliminated from the body.

Because of alcohol’s toxic properties, the body prioritizes processing and eliminating it. And this occurs in the liver.

By prioritizing processing alcohol your body is less efficient at ketosis–the process of turning fatty acids into ketones.

Alcohol can Cause Weight Gain

At the same time that alcohol turns off ketosis, it also adds calories to your diet. Both from the alcohol itself, and from the extra food people tend to eat while drinking, and shortly after.

Exacerbates Food Cravings

One of the ways alcohol leads to weight gain is by stimulating similar reward circuits in your brain as carbs and sugar. In fact, studies suggest that access to sugar can be a gateway to alcohol use.

A study looking at 282 college students found that nearly half reported overeating and making unhealthy eating choices following drinking.

Another study found that “Alcohol also increased rated appetite once the food had been tasted, suggesting alcohol may increase food-related reward.”

All-star keto guru Maria Emmerich sums it up like this, “The more you drink the more you tend to eat; and unfortunately, drinking will make your liver work to convert the alcohol into acetate, which means that the foods you consume at this time will be converted into extra fat on your body.”

Drinking Alcohol on Keto Can Make you More Intoxicated

As we looked at earlier, when you consume alcohol your liver prioritizes ethanol metabolism over ketosis and gluconeogenesis (the process of turning protein into carbohydrates. The brain will receive less glucose and more acetone, leading to stronger and faster intoxication.

While eating lots of carbs can slow down alcohol absorption, on keto you don’t have that option. So it might be good to plan on drinking less and paying closer attention to how you feel after your first drink.

How to Protect Against Over-intoxication on Keto?

One way to protect against over-intoxication is to eat a typically satiating high-fat moderate protein keto meal before going out. And if low-carb veggies are part of your keto regimen, don’t skimp on the asparagus.

One animal study looking at the protective effects of asparagus against liver damage found that asparagus extract improved antioxidants and several markers of liver function and increased in mice with liver damage.

Two other test-tube studies found that asparagus is a robust source of antioxidants that prevent cell damage caused by excess alcohol consumption.

Alcohol on Keto May Make Hangovers More Severe

Though we don’t know exactly why this is the case, getting worse hangovers on keto is likely a result of dehydration due to electrolyte imbalances. When in ketosis, people tend to flush more fluids.

Be sure to alternate alcohol with water. If drinking with a meal, add salt. It may also be helpful to use an electrolyte supplement that includes magnesium and potassium.

Or make electrolyte supplementation part of a meal by enjoying keto bone broth. In addition to electrolytes, bone broth provides the added benefit of protecting your intestinal tract from inflammation.

Does Alcohol on Keto offer any Health Benefits?

Though there haven’t been any studies exploring the possible benefits of drinking alcohol on keto, there is evidence that moderate consumption of alcohol may offer some health benefits to some people.

Studies show that for women, moderate alcohol consumption can lower fasting insulin and glycemic levels, especially if consumed in the evening. These studies also tell us that moderate alcohol consumption does not lead to an increase in blood sugar for both men and women.

A 2006 study found that women drinking red wine at least once per week were 16% less likely to get diabetes than women who drank less regularly.

These outcomes occur because the liver prioritizes the metabolism of alcohol over complex carbs into blood sugar. So when on a low-carb, no-sugar keto diet, these effects are questionable.

However, It should also be noted that the alcohol-diabetes link has a serious limit. A 2009 study found that consuming more than 4 glasses of beer or wine per day for women and 4.5 for men, doubled the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Alcohol on a Mediterranean Keto Diet

Studies looking at the Mediterranean keto diet, which entails moderate red wine consumption, show favorable outcomes for numerous markers of cardiovascular health, along with a complete reversal of metabolic disease.

A Note on Moderation

Low-carb nutrition journalist Gary Taubs argues that epidemiological studies showing that moderate alcohol consumption is healthy could be completely bogus.

In a 2007 New York Times article, he writes, “The question I always had about these studies was whether or not people who drink alcohol in moderation are just different than the teetotalers, who drink none, and the binge drinkers, who drink to excess. Maybe by looking at a glass or two of alcohol a day you’re selecting out for people who live their entire lives in moderation, people capable of living well without excess.”

Keto-Friendly Choices

For many people, if enjoyed with care, alcohol can be a safe and pleasurable part of a keto lifestyle. Here’s a list of low-carb drinks so you can see how they stack up.

Dry red wines like, Merlot, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon
Dry white wines like Chardonnay, Champagne, Pinot Grigio, and Sauvignon Blanc
Distilled liquors like mezcal, gin, vodka, tequila, rum, and whiskey

Type of Alcohol	Serving Size	Carb Content
Rum	1.5 ounces	0 grams
Vodka	1.5 ounces	0 grams
Gin	1.5 ounces	0 grams
Tequila	1.5 ounces	0 grams
Whiskey	1.5 ounces	0 grams
Red Wine	5 ounces	3-4 grams
White Wine	5 ounces	3-4 grams
Light Beer	12 ounces	3 grams

Drinks to Avoid on Keto

Anything with tonic water. 12oz of tonic water contains a whopping 32g of sugars.
Steer clear of regular and heavy beer
When drinking wine, avoid Port, Moscato, and Riesling
Fancy cocktails. Unless you make them yourself with keto-approved fixings

Type of Alcohol	Serving Size	Carb Content
Bloody Mary	1 cup	10 grams
Regular Beer	12 ounces	12 grams
Margarita	1 cup	13 grams
Whiskey Sour	3.5 ounces	14 grams
Cosmopolitan	3.5 ounces	22 grams
Sangria	1 cup	27 grams
Pina Colada	4.5 ounces	32 grams

Can you Drink Alcohol on Keto? The Takeaway

Though there are many low-carb alcoholic beverages, this doesn’t mean that they are necessarily keto-friendly. And it’s important to consider that alcohol in any form is a toxin that can be harmful, especially for people with medical conditions.

Your body processes alcohol differently on a keto diet. Drinking can halt ketosis, increase weight gain while leading to faster and stronger intoxication and worse hangovers.

Drinking on keto can also stimulate reward pathways in the brain associated with sugar cravings, making it easier to indulge in carb-heavy foods.

With all that said, there are likely no drawbacks to enjoying a drink or two every once in a while on a keto diet.

But ultimately the question, can you drink alcohol on keto? has to be answered by you.

Are you someone who can enjoy an occasional drink without going overboard? Do you have a history of alcoholism? Are you easily triggered by social pressures into overindulging?

Your answer to these questions is all way more important than the carb content of a drink.

Carnivore Diet Meal Plan: 4 Killer Menus with Shopping Lists

May 23, 2021/in Carnivore Carnivore Diet, Carnivore Diet Meal Plan, Dairy, Nutrition, Organ Meat, Red Meat /by Liam McAuliffe

Maybe you’ve heard the stories of carnivore diet health transformations and seen the before and after pics.

Or you’ve read the recent research strongly suggesting that humans were hyper-carnivorous apex predators for nearly 2 million years. Now you’re ready to create the ultimate carnivore meal plan of your own.

This article is for you!

Let’s take a closer look at four types of carnivore diets, and detail a weekly shopping list and meal plan for each.

What is a Carnivore Diet?

Simply put, the carnivore diet means eating 100% animal foods. Most types of carnivore diets eliminate all vegetables, grains, nuts, and seeds.

Ancestral Eating

The concept of the carnivore diet is based on ancestral ways of eating.

In the vast period of human evolution (some 2 million years) almost none of the vegetables and fruits you see at the grocery store existed. Grains only came on the scene some 7,000 years ago. Before that humans ate mostly meat.

Since the dawn of agriculture, human health has taken a nosedive as incidences of diabetes, heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, and other “diseases of civilization” are skyrocketing.

By eliminating the foods our ancestors didn’t eat, and consuming only nutrient-rich animal foods, the carnivore diet may be an effective way to improve your health.

4 Main Types of Carnivore Diets

There are four main types of carnivore diet meal plans categorized by how restrictive they are, as well as by their inclusion of organ meats.

1. Typical (Standard) Carnivore Diet

The typical carnivore diet meal plan includes all the ruminant animals above and allows pork, eggs, seafood, poultry, and dairy if tolerated. You will also likely begin experimenting with some organ meats.

2. Nose-to-Tail Carnivore Diet

If eating a high-carb standard American Diet is treating your body like a cheap Yugo (the much-maligned communist-era car), nose-to-tail eating is treating your body like a Ferrari! Lavishing it with high octane racing fuel and lovingly attending to every detail of health and longevity.

Nose-to-tail–whole animal eating–is about prizing healthy fat and nutrient-packed organ meats over everything else. It’s the way of eating that our ancestors evolved on, and it’s a practice observed among hunter-gatherer tribes, some of whom toss the tenderloin (what most of us think of as meat) to the dogs!

3. Lion (Elimination) Carnivore Diet

Also known as the carnivore elimination diet or, “water, meat, salt” approach, the lion diet was popularized by Michaela and Jordan Peterson.

As the most restrictive version of the carnivore diet, it allows only the meat of ruminant animals.

The only other additions to this diet are salt and water.

The lion diet was created to be a first step in reclaiming your health and wellbeing. It takes into consideration the sad truth that most doctors receive less than 15 hours of training in nutrition, yet diet and lifestyle are our greatest health factors.

By removing all problematic foods, it puts you back in the driver’s seat of your metabolic health and even allows you to slowly reintroduce some foods. In essence, you are the subject of your own nutritional study.

In the short term, this diet is aimed at eliminating all other dietary variables that could be contributing to diseases and disorders while providing adequate nutrition.

In the long term, the lion diet should be modified to meet your micronutrient needs.

4. Carnivore Adjacent Diet

If a full-on carnivore diet feels too intimidating, or you just can’t fathom cutting out all plant food cold turkey, a carnivore adjacent diet might be a good fit for you.

Think of it as training wheels. In a carnivore adjacent diet, whole, fatty animal foods account for 80-90% of calories. So you get the nutrient-packed benefits of ruminant meat, pork, fish, shellfish, and full-fat dairy.

The other 10-20% of calories can come from low-carb and/or low-toxicity plants and fruits.

Because some of the benefits of a carnivore diet are linked to eliminating plant toxins and antinutrients, it’s important to be vigilant of the plants you continue to eat.

To make the carnivore adjacent diet as ancestral as possible, many adherents only eat “roots and fruits.” This means eliminating all leafy greens and other vegetables.

Intermittent Fasting on a Carnivore Diet

Whole animal foods loaded with healthy fats, complete proteins, and micronutrients are extremely satiating. For this reason, each of our carnivore diet meal plans calls for only two meals per day.

Though technically you can eat these meals at any time, we recommend combining them with an intermittent fasting practice. There are a number of methods you can choose from with varying levels of restriction.

There are also intermittent fasting protocols designed specifically for women, including a simple approach to align eating with your circadian rhythm.

Standard Carnivore Diet Meal Plan

The standard carnivore diet meal plan is focused on ruminant meats and healthy fats. Pork, poultry, fish, and shellfish play supporting roles, adding both nutrient and gastronomic variety.

Many people turn to the carnivore diet for relief of gastrointestinal issues like leaky gut. For this reason, we recommend eliminating potentially irritating dairy products for at least the first 4-6 weeks.

Ruminants

Pork

Poultry

fish

seafood

Organ meats

Wild meats

fat

Eggs

Dairy

Fruits and Veggies

Beef

Bison

Deer/

Venison

Elk

Goat

Lamb

All types

Chicken

Duck

Goose

Game hen

Turkey

Qual

Pheasant

Salmon

Halibut

Mahi-mahi

Trout

Tuna

Cod

Arctic Char

Sardines

Anchovies

Mackerel

Herring

swordfish

Snapper

Walleye

Catfish

Oysters

Shrimp

Prawns

Lobster

Mussels

Scallops

Crab

Clams

Elk

Venison

Antelope

Bear

Rabbit

Boar

Rattlesnake

Kangaroo

Tallow

Lard

Butter

Ghee

Chicken eggs

Duck eggs

Goose Eggs

Ostrich eggs

Quail Eggs

Butter

Ghee

Cream

Creme Fraiche

Cheese

Full-fat

yogurt

Standard Carnivore Diet Shopping List

We recommend sourcing free-range, grass-fed, pastured, and sustainably produced meat and seafood whenever possible. This will ensure you’re getting the most nutritious foods possible.

Food	# of Meals	Lbs per Meal	Total lbs to buy
Ribeye Steak	2	1	2
Pork Belly	2	1	2
Lamb Chops	2	1	2
80/20 Ground Beef	2	.75	1.5
Prawns	2	.75	1.5
Pork Ribs	2	1	2
Eggs	3 (part of)	(3 eggs per meal)	9 eggs total
Wild Salmon	2	.5	1
Oysters	2 meals (Part of)	3 oysters per meal	6

Here’s an example of what this shopping list looks like in action.

	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5	Day 6	Day 7
Lunch	Ribeye Steak and Eggs	Eggs and Salmon pan-fried with tallow	Roasted Pork ribs	8 oz. Pork belly	8 oz Prawns with butter and 2 eggs	Pork ribs and eggs	Pork belly
Dinner	Lamb Chops and raw oysters (3)	Beef burger with tallow	Prawns with tallow	Beef burger with tallow and raw Oysters (3)	8 oz Ribeye steak with tallow	Lamb chops with tallow	Salmon roasted with tallow

Let’s take a look at the nutrient analysis of all food on day #5 of our typical carnivore diet menu:

	270g Ribeye (untrimmed)	8 oz prawns	5 tbsp tallow	3 eggs	total	% Daily Value
Calories	486	255.4	576	208.5	1525
Fat	30g	4.5g	64g	15g	113.5g
Carbs	5.4g	4.5g	0g	1.5	11.4g
Protein	54g	52g	0g	19.5	125.5g
Vitamins
Vitamin C	0	0	0	0	0	0
Vitamin A	19IU	680IU	0	810IU	1681IU	186%
Vitamin D	11IU	9.0IU	18IU	123IU	161IU	26%
Vitamin E	0	0	1.5mg	1.8mg	3.3mg	22%
Vitamin K	5.4µg	0.9µg	0	0.3µg	6.6	4%
Vitamin B1	19%	6.8%	0	4.5%	.36mg	30%
Vitamin B2	.7mg	0.07mg	0	.9mg	1.67	128%
Vitamin B3	11mg	0	0	.3mg	11.3mg	70%
Vitamin B5	0	1.1mg	0	2.4mg	3.5mg	70%
Vitamin B6	.77mg	.4mg	0	.3mg	1.47mg	113%
Choline	o	306mg	50mg	441mg	797mg	144%
Vitamin B12	8.1µg	3.8µg	0	1.5µg	13.4µg	558%
Minerals
Calcium	16mg	205mg	0	84mg	305	30.5%
Magnesium	65mg	83mg	0	18mg	166mg	42%
Sodium	238mg	2104mg	0	213mg	2555mg	110%
Potassium	972mg	384mg	0	207mg	1563	39%
Iron	8.1mg	.7mg	0	2.7mg	11.5mg	72%
Copper	.5mg	.7mg	0	.3mg	1.5mg	100%
Phosphorus	567mg	691mg	0	297mg	1555mg	124%
Selenium	68µg	112µg	0	45µg	225µg	409%
Zinc	22mg	3.6mg	0	2.1mg	27.7mg	277%

The Carnivore Diet Meal Plan (Nose-to-Tail with Dairy)

Nose-to-tail eating is a close as to how our ancestors ate for most of history as most of us will get. This means incorporating organ meats and less-common animal parts like liver, bone marrow, and salmon roe

Ruminants

Pork

Poultry

fish

seafood

Organ meats

Wild meats

Fat

Eggs

Dairy

Fruits and Veggies

Beef

Bison

Deer/

Venison

Elk

Goat

Lamb

All types

Chicken

Duck

Goose

Game hen

Turkey

Qual

Pheasant

Salmon

Halibut

Mahi mahi

Trout

Tuna

Cod

Arctic Char

Sardines

Anchovies

Mackerel

Herring

swordfish

Snapper

Walleye

Salmon Roe

Oysters

Shrimp

Prawns

Lobster

Mussels

Scallops

Crab

Clams

Beef Liver

Chicken liver

Heart

Brain

Kidney

Sweet-

Breads

Pancreas

Tongue

Tripe

Bone Marrow

Testicals

Elk

Venison

Antelope

Bear

Rabbit

Boar

Rattlesnake

Kangaroo

Tallow

Lard

Butter

Ghee

Chicken eggs

Duck eggs

Goose Eggs

Ostrich eggs

Quail Eggs

Butter

Ghee

Cream

Creme Fraiche

Cheese

Full-fat

yogurt

Nose-to-Tail Carnivore Diet Shopping List

Food	# of Meals	Lbs per Meal	Total lbs to buy
Ribeye Steak	2	1	2
Pork Belly	2	1	2
Beef short ribs	2	1	2
Creme Fraiche	Part of 3	2 tablespoons per meal	1 container
80/20 Ground Bison	1	.75	.75
Liver	Part of 2	100g per meal	200g
Bone Marrow	Part of 2	100g per meal	200g
Eggs	Part of 3	(3 eggs per meal)	9 eggs total
Wild Salmon	2	.5	1
Oysters	2 meals (Part of)	3 oysters per meal	6

1 Week Sample Meal Plan: Nose-to-tail Carnivore Diet (with Dairy)

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

Lunch

Ribeye Steak and Eggs

Eggs and Salmon pan-fried with tallow

Pork Belly

3 Eggs

8 oz. Pork belly

Ground bison with butter and 2 eggs

4 scrambled eggs with tallow and creme fraiche

8 oz

Pork belly

Dinner

3 oz. Beef liver fried in tallow

3 oz Wild salmon baked with creme fraiche

Ground bison fried in tallow

With 3 oz bone marrow

Beef bone marrow and short ribs

Beef burger with tallow and raw

Oysters (3)

8 oz wild salmon baked with creme fraiche

Beef short ribs with tallow

8 oz

Salmon baked with creme fraiche

3 oz liver friend in tallow

Nutrient Analysis of 1 Day on Nose-to-tail Carnivore Diet

Let’s take a look at the nutrient analysis of all food you’d eat on day #7 of our typical carnivore diet menu:

	8 oz. Pork Belly	8 oz Wild Salmon	1 tbsp tallow	3 oz Liver	2 tbsp Creme Fraiche	total	% Daily Value
Calories	1168	422.6	115.2	169	110	1984.8
Fat	120g	27.1g	12.8g	5g	11g	175.9g
Carbs	0	0	0	5g	.5g	6g
Protein	20.8g	45.2g	0	27g	.5g	93.5g
Vitamins
Vitamin C	.8mg	0	0	.7mg	12mg	13.5mg	18%
Vitamin A	24IU	1024IU	0	16899IU	125IU	18072IU	602%%
Vitamin D	0	0	3.6IU	49IU	0	52.6IU	6.5%
Vitamin E	.8mg	3.4mg	.3mg	.5mg	0	5mg	33%
Vitamin K	0	.7µg	0	3.9µg	.4µg	5µg	5%
Vitamin B1	.8mg	.4mg	0	.2mg	0	1.4mg	107%
Vitamin B2	.8mg	.4mg	0	3.4mg	0	4.6mg	353%
Vitamin B3	9.9mg	20mg	0	17.5mg	0	47.4mg	296%
Vitamin B5	.8mg	2.3mg	0	6.9mg	.2mg	10.2mg	204%
Vitamin B6	.4%	.7mg	0	1.0mg	0	2.1mg	177%
Choline	0	0	10mg	418.2mg	4.9mg	433.1mg	86%
Vitamin B12	1.6µg	17µg	0	83.1µg	0	101.7µg	4237%
Minerals
Calcium	11mg	95mg	0	6mg	25mg	137mg	13.7%
Magnesium	8.8	54mg	0	22mg	2.5mg	87.3mg	22%
Sodium	72mg	109mg	0	77mg	8.1mg	266.1mg	11.5%
Potassium	424mg	836mg	0	351mg	32mg	1643mg	41%
Iron	.8mg	1.8mg	0	6.2mg	0	8.8mg	110%
Copper	.6mg	0	0	14.6mg	0	15.2mg	1013%
Phosphorus	248mg	470mg	0	485mg	19mg	1222mg	175%
Selenium	18µg	70µg	0	32.8µg	0.8µg	121.6µg	221%
Zinc	2.4mg	1.1mg	0	5.2mg	0	8.7mg	87%

The Lion Diet Meal Plan

Though the lion diet is wonderfully simple, it’s important to remember to choose the fattiest cuts of meat.

Consider the Lion diet as an elimination protocol that can be helpful in resetting your gut microbiome along with other metabolic factors that are unbalanced as a result of eating the Standard American Diet.

On the lion diet, it’s important to pay close attention to your body, making sure to get enough salt and water, since your body will be dumping glycogen stores as you become keto-adapted.

This guide offers tips to eliminate any transitional side effects.

Though not on the “official” lion diet, keto bone broth fits squarely in the protocol and can help with staying hydrated and replenishing electrolytes.

You will eventually add back in other animal foods like eggs and organ meats that can round out your nutrient needs.

Ruminant animal meat, salt, and water, that’s it!

Ruminants

Pork

Poultry

fish

seafood

Organ meats

Wild meats

fat

Eggs

Dairy

Fruits and Veggies

Beef

Bison

Deer/

Venison

Elk

Goat

Lamb

Elk

Venison

Antelope

Lion Diet Shopping List

Food	# of Meals	Lbs per Meal	Total lbs to buy
Boneless short ribs	2	1	2
Tri-tip roast	4	1	4
Beef back ribs	2	1	2
Ribeye Steak	4	1	4
80/20 Ground Beef	2	1	2

1 Week Sample Meal Plan: Lion Diet

	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5	Day 6	Day 7
Lunch	Boneless short ribs	Ribeye steak	80/20 ground beef	Ribeye steak	Tri-tip roast	Ribeye steak	Beef back ribs
Dinner	Tri-tip roast	Beef back ribs	Tri-tip roast	Boneless short ribs	80/20 ground beef	Boneless short ribs	Tri-tip roast

	1lb boneless short ribs	1lb Tri-tip roast	Total	% Daily Value
Calories	1065	1164.8	2230
Fat	81.6g	67.7g	149.3g
Carbs	0	0	0
Protein	77.3g	136.1g	213.4g
Vitamins
Vitamin C	0	0	0	0
Vitamin A	69IU	0	69IU	6.9%
Vitamin D	22IU	0	22IU	3.6%
Vitamin E	1.1mg	1.1mg	2.2mg	15%
Vitamin K	6.9µg	0	6.9µg	7.6%
Vitamin B1	.5mg	.5mg	1mg	83%
Vitamin B2	1.1mg	1.6mg	2.7mg	200%
Vitamin B3	16mg	18mg	34mg	212%
Vitamin B5	2.7mg	2.5mg	5.2mg	104%
Vitamin B6	1.6mg	1.6mg	3.2mg	246%
Choline	283mg	517mg	800mg	160%
Vitamin B12	13µg	13µg	26µg	1444%
Minerals
Calcium	53mg	53mg	106mg	10.6%
Magnesium	80mg	123mg	203mg	50%
Sodium	352mg	325mg	677mg	29%
Potassium	1243mg	1982mg	3225mg	80%
Iron	11mg	17mg	28mg	155%
Copper	.5mg	1.1mg	1.6mg	106%
Phosphorus	746mg	1201mg	1947mg	278%
Selenium	85µg	46µg	131µg	238%
Zinc	32mg	32mg	64mg	640%

Carnivore Adjacent Meal Plan

A carnivore adjacent diet means getting the vast majority of your calories from whole food animal products (80-90%), with the final 10-20% coming from low-toxicity and low-carb fruits and veggies.

Though you don’t get the elimination benefits of a Lion diet, you do get a way of eating that can appeal to the human desire for novelty (and therefore be more sustainable. And it allows for more adjustments to individual health needs and goals.

On this diet, you still focus on fatty cuts of ruminant meat. You may also begin experimenting with small amounts of organ meat. For instance, by incorporating (hiding) some beef liver into a bison burger.

One of the main features of the carnivore adjacent diet is that it includes fruit.

Fruit is the only part of a plant that is meant to be eaten by predators. It’s sweet and laxative for a reason. When we eat the fruit, walk away, and defecate, we’ve spread and fertilized a plant’s seeds.

But the question of whether or not fruit is a net positive for our health, is a big one that you can dive into here.

To play it safe, if you don’t have any sensitivities, and are at a healthy weight, small to moderate servings of quality whole fruit are likely not bad for you. But avoid fruit juices and dried fruits.

Controlling Excess Phosphorus

Though phosphorus is an essential nutrient, a carnivore diet means eating clinically high amounts (over 1000mg) of phosphorus a day.

Studies show mixed and inconclusive results with regards to high phosphorus intake and health outcomes. And when considering all available studies, the general consensus is that that high phosphorus intake does not lead to health problems in healthy adults.2

That said, consuming moderate fruit may help deplete excess phosphorus for people who are concerned about it.

Keep in mind that consuming fructose is also a major factor in metabolic disease. So if you’re coming to a carnivore diet to rebalance your metabolism, it’s best to limit your fruit consumption. 3

To Keto, or Not to Keto?

Fruit on a carnivore adjacent diet is also appealing to carnivore dieters who want to cycle in and out of ketosis. And for people who want to avoid ketosis altogether.

Let’s take a look at two of the main reasons that some carnivore dieters cite for avoiding or controlling ketosis.

Thyroid

Non-keto carnivore dieters point to studies showing that long-term ketosis can lead to reduced T3 or thyroid hormone.

The reasoning follows that the presence of sugar signals to your metabolism that you’re in a carbohydrate (and a generally calorically) rich environment–where fruits grow, so do many animals.

Whereas, the prolonged absence of carbs tells your body that you’re in a low caloric environment. Your body responds by slowing metabolism in order to retain your body fat, which it will need to metabolize into fuel.

Fasting Hyperglycemia

One of the responses the body has to this ongoing “famine” state is to increase insulin resistance. At the same time, it increases gluconeogenesis (the synthesizing of glucose from protein). These two metabolic changes can lead to elevated blood sugar–a state called “fasting hyperglycemia.

The body goes into this state as a way of conserving energy and storing it as fat to endure future deprivation.

Though many people thrive on long-term low-carb and carnivore diets, others may want to avoid these concerns by eating some fruit and other low-toxicity tubers like potatoes and sweet potatoes.

Ruminants

Pork

Poultry

fish

seafood

Organ meats

Wild meats

fat

Eggs

Dairy

Fruits and Veggies

Beef

Bison

Deer/

Venison

Elk

Goat

Lamb

All types

Chicken

Duck

Goose

Game hen

Turkey

Qual

Pheasant

Salmon

Halibut

Mahi-mahi

Trout

Tuna

Cod

Arctic Char

Sardines

Anchovies

Mackerel

Herring

swordfish

Snapper

Walleye

Oysters

Shrimp

Prawns

Lobster

Mussels

Scallops

Crab

Clams

Liver

Heart

Brain

Kidney

Sweet-

Breads

Pancreas

Tongue

Tripe

Bone Marrow

Testicles

Elk

Venison

Antelope

Bear

Rabbit

Boar

Rattlesnake

Kangaroo

Tallow

Lard

Butter

Ghee

Chicken eggs

Duck eggs

Goose Eggs

Ostrich eggs

Quail Eggs

Butter

Ghee

Cream

Creme Fraiche

Cheese

Full-fat

yogurt

Blackberries

Strawberries

Sweet potato

Russet Potato

Cantaloupe

Watermelon

Kiwi

Asparagus

Kale

Cauliflower

Avocado

Coconut

Carnivore Adjacent Shopping List

Food	# of Meals	Amount per meal	Total to Buy
Ribeye Steak	2	.75lb	1.5lb
Tri-tip roast	2	.5lb	1lb
Pork Belly	2	.5lb	1lb
Beef short ribs	1	.8lb	1.6lb
Creme Fraiche	Part of 3	2 tablespoons per meal	1 container
Heavy Cream	Part of 1	3 tblsp	1 small container
80/20 Ground Bison	2	.75lb	1.5lb
Liver	Part of 1	1.5 oz	1.5 oz
Bone Marrow	Part of 2	100g per meal	200g
Eggs	Part of 3	(3 eggs per meal)	9 eggs total
Wild Salmon	2	.5	1lb
Asparagus	2	.5	1lb
Avocado	2	(.5 avocado)	1 avocado
Strawberries	1	½ cup	½ cup
Kiwi	2	1 per meal	2 kiwis
Potato	1	1	1
Sweet potato	2	1	2
Beef Tallow	1	2 tblsp	1 jar

1 Week Carnivore Adjacent Diet Sample Meal Plan

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

Lunch

Ribeye Steak and 2 eggs

Asparagus sauteed in ghee

3 scrambled eggs with creme fraiche & ½ avocado

Pork Belly

3 Eggs

½ cup strawberries

8 oz. Pork belly and 2 eggs with creme fraiche

Ground bison with butter and 2 eggs

and ½ avocado

4 scrambled eggs with tallow and creme fraiche

Sweetpotato

8 oz Tri-tip roast

1 medium potato baked in tallow

Dinner

8 oz Tri-tip roast

Sweet Potato with 1tbls ghee

8 oz bison burger

½ cup blackberries with 3 tablespoons of heavy cream

12 oz. Beef short ribs

Ribeye steak with 2 tbls tallow and raw

Oysters (3)

6 oz. Bone marrow

Asparagus sauteed in ghee

8 oz wild salmon baked with creme fraiche

1 kiwi

6.5 oz Bison burger with 1.5

oz liver blended in

1 Kiwi

Let’s take a look at the nutrient analysis of all food you’d eat on day #7 of our carnivore adjacent diet menu.

	8 oz. Tri-tip roast	9 oz Bison burger	1 tbsp tallow	1.5 oz Beef Liver	1 medium russet potato	1 Kiwi	Total	% Daily Value
Calories	600	556	115.2	84.5	161	43	1559.7
Fat	33g	41g	12.8g	2.5g	0	.7g	90g
Carbs	0	0	0	.25g	36.3	10.4g	46.95g
Protein	68g	48.6g	0	13.5g	5.2g	.7g	136g
Vitamins
Vitamin C	0	0	0	.35mg	14mg	64mg	78.35mg	87%
Vitamin A	0	1024IU	0	13000IU	17IU	60IU	14255IU	491%
Vitamin D	0	0	3.6IU	25IU	0	0	28.6IU	4.7%
Vitamin E	.6mg	.6mg	.3mg	.25mg	.2	1mg	2.95mg	20%
Vitamin K	0	0	0	2µg	3.5µg	28µg	33.5µg	27%
Vitamin B1	.25mg	.3mg	0	.1mg	.2mg	trace	1.75mg	145%
Vitamin B2	.8mg	.6mg	0	1.7mg	.1mg	trace	3.2mg	246%
Vitamin B3	9mg	13mg	0	8mg	2.2mg	.2mg	32.4mg	205%
Vitamin B5	1.25mg	1.7mg	0	3.4mg	.7mg	2.8mg	7.15mg	143%
Vitamin B6	.8mg	.8mg	0	.5mg	.7mg	.1mg	2.9mg	170%
Choline	260mg	0	10mg	209mg	0	0	479mg	96%
Vitamin B12	7.5µg	4.7µg	0	42µg	0	0	54.2µg	2900%
Minerals
Calcium	27mg	27mg	0	3mg	31mg	23mg	111mg	11%
Magnesium	62mg	50mg	0	11mg	52mg	12mg	187mg	47%
Sodium	163mg	170mg	0	38mg	24mg	2.1mg	397.1	—
Potassium	900mg	783mg	0	175mg	952mg	215mg	3025mg	76%
Iron	.4mg	6.6mg	0	3.1mg	1.9mg	.2mg	12.2mg	152%
Copper	.3mg	0	0	7.4mg	.2mg	.1mg	8mg	533%
Phosphorus	124mg	461mg	0	242mg	123mg	23mg	973mg	139%
Selenium	9µg	50µg	0	16.5µg	.9µg	.1µg	76.5µg	117%
Zinc	1.2mg	11mg	0	2.6mg	.7mg	.1mg	15.6mg	142%

Carnivore Diet Meal Plans: The Takeaway

Though simple at first glance, the carnivore diet allows for a surprising variety of approaches to help you meet your health and fitness goals.

A typcial approach makes room for eggs and dairy, while a Lion (elimination) diet calls for nothing but ruminant meat and water. For the adventurous, there’s the nose-to-tail approach that incorporates the entire animal from liver to testicals. And for people who want a gentler path out of the Standard American Diet and into an ancestral way of eating, there’s the carnivore adjacent plant that includes some fruits and roots.

What all these carnivore diet meal plans have in common is a caloric core of ruminant animal meats.

You can learn more about the wholesome animal foods on the carnivore diet food list here.

Beef Heart Nutrition and Benefits

May 22, 2021/in Heart B12, Beef Heart, Fat, Organ Meat, Riboflavin /by Liam McAuliffe

For most people, beef heart and its robust nutrition are relegated to the ‘things lost to history’ cabinet alongside ‘traditional foods’ and ‘nose-to-tail eating.’

Yet new science is beginning to validate the nutritional wisdom of old–beef heart included. Beef heart is unique in the sense that it’s both an organ meat and a muscle meat, with powerful benefits for both your body and your mind, whether you eat it fresh or in a convenient organ meat supplement.

Let’s take a closer look at what makes beef heart’s nutritional benefits so special.

What is Beef heart?

Beef heart is simply the prepared heart of a cow. Much to the surprise of modern eaters, beef heart is completely edible. When prepared right, it can even be pretty tasty, especially when compared to other organ meats.

Heart was a favorite food of many traditional cultures, including more than a few native American tribes. Modern nutritional analysis reveals the reason for beef heart’s historic reverence: it is rich in B vitamins, coenzyme Q10, and many other bioavailable nutrients.

Beef Heart Nutrition

Beef heart nutrition entails robust levels of zinc, iron, selenium. It is also a great source of vitamin B2, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12.

In this section, we’ll divide beef heart’s nutrition highlights into two categories: macronutrients and micronutrients.

Beef Heart Macronutrients

	3 ounces beef heart (85g)
Total calories	140.3
Total fat	4 grams
Monounsaturated fat	0.9 grams
Polyunsaturated fat	0.8 grams
Trans fat	0.1 grams
Cholesterol	180.2 milligrams
Sodium	50.2 milligrams
Potassium	186.2 milligrams
Carbohydrates	0.1 grams
Net Carbs	0.1 grams
Sugar	0 grams
Protein	24.2 grams

Protein

Beef heart is a complete protein: it contains all 9 essential amino acids. This balanced amino acid profile makes beef heart a truly satiating food.

3 ounces of beef heart contains 24.2 grams of protein, which is more than enough to ensure muscle synthesis and brain health.

Carbohydrates

Beef heart contains only trace amounts of carbohydrates. A 3-ounce serving contains only 0.1 grams of carbs. In other words, heart is a perfect addition to your keto or carnivore diet.

Fat

Beef heart is lower in fat than many other cuts of meat. This isn’t necessarily a good thing, as fat is an essential nutrient for most people, but for people who have difficulty digesting fat, heart may be in your stars. The fat it does have is comprised of saturated fatty acids, mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids, and naturally occurring trans fats.

Beef Heart Micronutrients

Nutrient	3 ounces beef heart (85g)	%RDV
Iron	5.4 milligrams	68%
Magnesium	17.8 milligrams	6%
Phosphorus	215 milligrams	22%
Zinc	2.4 milligrams	17%
Copper	0.5 milligrams	24%
Selenium	33 micrograms	48%
Thiamine	0.1 milligrams	6%
Riboflavin (B2)	1 milligram	61%
Niacin	5.7 milligrams	29%
Folate	4.3 micrograms	2%
Choline	194.5 milligrams	36%
Vitamin B6	0.2 milligrams	17%
Vitamin B12	9.2 micrograms	383%

B12

3 ounces of beef heart contains a whopping 383% of your recommended daily value of vitamin B12. That’s almost four times more than your body needs to get by. (Excess B-12 simply gets excreted through the urine, so there’s no reason to avoid it.)

In fact, most people find extra vitamin B12 intake highly energizing. It contributes to mental health, immune function, and normal cell division.

B2 (Riboflavin)

3 ounces of beef heart contains 61% of your recommended daily value for vitamin B2.

This B vitamin contributes to energy generation, healthy vision, and proper cell division. Like B12, it can be used to combat lethargy and fatigue.

Selenium

A small serving of beef heart contains nearly half your selenium RDA. Selenium is essential for thyroid function and immune function.

Many of this mineral’s other benefits are generalized enough to ‘trickle down’ into other areas. For example, selenium plays an important role in repairing damaged DNA. Ensuring adequate selenium intake might help you avoid cancer and live up to your genetic potential.

Coenzyme Q10

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10 for short) is an interesting antioxidant also found in large quantities in beef heart. It has antioxidant, anti-aging, antistress effects. (Dr. Kiltz also recommends coenzyme Q10 to women struggling with their fertility.)

Rare peptides

Beef heart is rich in newly and yet-to-be-discovered peptides, too. Foremost among these special proteins is dwarf open reading frame peptide, or DWORF. DWORF may improve your heart’s overall function and contraction strength.

Beef Heart Health Benefits

Modern nutritional research is finding that nature offers a simplified and holistic solution to nutrition: like supports like.

In other words, the nutrients in any given animal organ support the health of the same organ within the human body. Consuming beef heart is an excellent strategy if you’re trying to support your own heart health.

Beef heart also has energizing, cardioprotective, mood-boosting, and immunoprotective properties. Here’s a closer look at these benefits.

Natural Energy

Have you ever taken a vitamin B12 supplement? The energy rush is pretty incredible.

Beef heart provides the same type of energization — in a much more holistic format. The spectrum of B vitamins found in beef heart can help your body turn food into usable energy. B vitamins may also help you improve your body composition by supporting fat burning. And the coenzyme Q10 mentioned earlier can also help improve energy levels.

Cardiovascular health

The B vitamins found in beef heart also have a cardioprotective effect, meaning they may protect against heart disease. B vitamin intake is associated with healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels, both of which benefit heart health in the long run.

Beef heart’s iron content is yet another thing that makes it cardioprotective. Iron helps deliver oxygen to your tissues; if you’re low in iron, you’ll probably feel sluggish and tired all the time. Just three ounces of beef heart contains over two-thirds of your daily iron requirement.

Mood-boosting

B vitamins like B12 and folate are known for their ability to boost your outlook and mood. These vitamins are involved in enzymatic reactions that keep your brain and heart clear of homocysteine, a potentially harmful byproduct of protein metabolism.

Studies show that up to 30% of people with depression have overly high homocysteine levels — so upping your B vitamin intake may be a way to reduce depression’s root causes.

Immunoprotective

The topic of immune health has been at the forefront of public awareness over the past couple of years, and rightfully so.

Immune health is yet another area where beef heart shines: it’s rich in immune-boosting micronutrients like zinc. Zinc has a wide variety of antiviral, immunoprotective properties:

Promotes the development of immune cells
Influences cellular behavior to destroy damaged cells
Protects the respiratory tract’s natural barriers

Organ Meat Quality

Quality is everything when it comes to organ meats. Animals that were stressed or poorly treated during their lives may have calcified deposits around their organs. While not much research has been done in this area, it’s possible that the heart of a stressed animal is less nutritious than the heart of a happy one.

Research in worms has found that the information present in stressed polyamine proteins can be transferred through ingestion from one creature to the next. If this concept carries over to cows and humans, then eating the organs of highly stressed animals might not be the best choice.

Try to source all your animal products from organic, pasture-raised beef to avoid these potential problems. Even if the conventionally-raised animals don’t convey stress, pasture-raised cows are verifiably higher in healthy fats and important micronutrients.

When consuming beef heart in supplement form, select organ meat supplements from grass-fed pasture-raised New Zealand beef.

How to Cook Beef Heart?

Just a little bit of preparatory work transforms beef heart from chewy to truly delicious. Here’s a simple organ meat recipe to help you enjoy beef heart.

Simple beef heart recipe

Prep time: 10 minutes

Marinating time: 12 hours

Cook time: 15 minutes

Thoroughly rinse the beef heart under cold water, then pat it dry
Cut the beef heart open, removing any visible strings or blood vessels
Place the heart in balsamic vinegar to marinate overnight
Once marinated, pat the heart dry again. Sprinkle with salt and any other seasonings
If the heart is too big for your pan, cut it in half
Melt some butter, lard, or tallow into your pan and set on high heat
Grill the heart for 5-6 minutes per side. Don’t flip it until a nice crust forms
Place the heart on a plate, then cover with another plate for 10-15 minutes
Cut against the grain in thin slices, then serve

When prepared right, beef heart is surprisingly tasty — it’s one of the most ‘regular’ tasting organ meats, in fact.

Beef Heart Nutrition: The Takeaway

If you haven’t tried beef heart yet…what are you waiting for?

Here’s a recap of beef heart nutrition highlights:

Contains coenzyme Q10 and rare heart-healthy enzymes
Rich in zinc, iron, selenium, vitamin B2, and vitamin B6
Very rich in vitamin B12

And here’s a recap of its health benefits:

Energizing
Cardioprotective
Mood-boosting
Immunoprotective
Pro-fertility

If you’d like to have higher energy levels, a healthier heart, and better brain and immune function, don’t neglect beef heart. It’s a vital — and surprisingly tasty — part of any keto or carnivore diet.

Tallow vs. Lard: Battle of Two Superfats

May 20, 2021/in Tallow Animal fats, Fats, Lard, Saturated fats, Suet, Tallow /by Liam McAuliffe

Tallow vs. lard:

It may not be the first thing you picture when thinking about a battle of the ages, but maybe it should be.

Tallow and lard are both impressively healthy fats with many uses. You might even call them superfats. If the idea of fat as a superfood raises your eyebrows, you’re probably still living in the 90’s low-fat misinformation campaign–no worries, you can get up to speed here.

Both tallow and lard are types of rendered fat, meaning heat has been used to separate the pure fat from any solids — and both have been around for a very, very long time.

What sets tallow and lard apart, then? The difference is a matter of sourcing. Tallow is rendered beef fat, while lard is rendered pork fat.

Keep reading to learn more about the similarities, differences, and health benefits of tallow and lard.

What is lard?

Lard is pig fat that has been rendered down into a more stable form. Most lard comes from ‘leaf fat’ or back fat. It’s commonly sourced from a pig’s belly or the area around its internal organs.

Source

Lard almost always comes from pigs, though some people also consider duck fat a type of lard.

At room temperature lard is saturated enough to be solid, yet unsaturated enough to be malleable. The best type of lard is leaf lard — this type is considered top shelf since it’s creamier and softer than other varieties. Leaf lard also has a more neutral taste. In case you’re wondering, it’s called leaf lard because it’s made exclusively from fat around a pig’s kidney in the shape of a leaf.

Taste

Lard has a subtle taste that lends itself well to just about anything. You can use lard as a worthy replacement for Crisco (after all, Crisco tried to replace lard back in the 40s). Besides being tastier, lard is also much healthier!

Pork back fat generally has a more ‘porky’ taste than pork kidney/leaf fat, but it’s still very mild. Chefs use lard in everything from baked goods to pastries and cookies.

Nutrition

Lard is surprisingly nutritious. That’s because the pigs that make lard also make plentiful amounts of vitamin D — that is when they’re able to get enough sunlight.

Pastured lard is one of the best vitamin D sources on the planet, nearly as high in this crucial vitamin/hormone as cod liver oil. Lard from pasture-raised pigs may also be higher in other fat-soluble vitamins.

Unfortunately, lard from commercial pigs is not nearly as healthy. Pigs raised in CAFOs (confined animal feeding operations) rarely see the light of day. These animals are stressed, deprived of their natural food sources, and drastically lower in vitamin D.

There’s one more reason selecting lard from pasture-raised pigs is of utmost importance. Unlike cows, pigs can’t metabolize unhealthy fats into healthy ones. Pigs are what they eat, and so are you!

For this reason, it’s important to source your lard from pigs fed their natural diet if you want to avoid eating inflammatory fats. (Feedlot cattle, on the other hand, can convert the polyunsaturated fats they eat into healthier saturated fats.)

Macronutrient	Per tablespoon	Per 100 grams
Calories	115 calories	902 calories
Carbohydrates	0 grams	0 grams
Total Fat	13 grams	100 grams
Saturated	5 grams	39 grams
Monounsaturated	5.7 grams	45.1 grams
Polyunsaturated	1.4 grams	11.2 grams
Omega 3	0.125 grams	1 gram
Omega 6	1.25 grams	10.5 grams
Protein	0 grams	0 grams

Lard’s top uses

Cooking
Baking
Frying (low heat)
Greasing pans
Seasoning cast-iron
Making soaps and candles

Another benefit to using lard: high-quality lard is surprisingly easy to find. Now that it’s back in the spotlight where it belongs, you can easily pick up lard at butcher shops and grocery stores. If you haven’t already, stock up on it and ditch those toxic vegetable oils.

Lard from free-range pigs vs conventional pigs

Free-range, grass-fed animals usually have better nutrition than factory-farmed ones, and free-range lard is no exception. It’s far higher in vitamin D and also higher in other fat-soluble vitamins.

Cooking with lard

Rendered lard is not the same thing as bacon fat. It might provide the same delicious crispiness that you recognize from bacon fat, but lard is surprisingly free of bacony flavors. You can incorporate it into all sorts of recipes without fear of any unwanted flavors. Cook your low-carb veggies in lard for a delicious keto-friendly crisp.

What is tallow?

Tallow is beef fat that has been rendered down into a more stable form. Most tallow is made from a cow’s kidney fat or suet.

Like lard, tallow is solid yet malleable at room temperature. Tallow’s “saturated” molecular properties make it stable, and ideal for high-temp cooking.

Source

Tallow can come from any type of ruminant (multi-stomach) animal, including cows, sheep, goats, bison, and buffalo. The healthiest and most stable tallow comes from the suet fat found around an animal’s kidney.

Taste

Tallow has a moderately ‘beefy’ flavor — even when rendered properly.

That said, you can use the taste of tallow to your advantage. Pair it with animal dishes, potatoes, or non-starchy vegetables. Tallow is so tasty that McDonald’s used it as the secret ingredient in their french fries until animal rights activists led the company to switch over to vegetable oil.

Nutrition

Tallow’s nutritional benefits are vast. It contains everything you’ve come to know and love about meat, only in a more energy-dense format. Grass-fed tallow, in particular, is high in vitamin E, CLA (conjugated linoleic acid), omega-3 fatty acids, and stearic acid. These nutrients are good for your body, mind, and mitochondria (the energy factories in your cells).

Macronutrient	Per tablespoon	Per 100 grams
Calories	115 calories	902 calories
Carbohydrates	0 grams	0 grams
Total fat	12.8 grams	100 grams
Saturated	6.4 grams	49.8 grams
Monounsaturated	5.4 grams	41.8 grams
Polyunsaturated	0.5 grams	4 grams
Omega 3	0.08 grams	0.6 grams
Omega 6	0.4 grams	3.1 grams
Protein	0 grams	0 grams

Tallow’s top uses

Cooking
Frying (especially high-temp)
Natural skincare products
Natural balms/moisturizers
Greasing cast-iron cookware
Protecting/conditioning leather items

Tallow has been popular throughout culinary history. It’s also been used to make soap, moisturizers, and candles. Tallow can even be used for skin care. It’s rich, highly saturated fats essentially seal in the skin’s moisture content. Studies show that tallow’s palmitic and stearic acids have skincare-specific benefits.

But tallow really shines when it comes to high-temp cooking — its smoke point is at least 400 degrees. Whether you’re frying eggs, steak, or chicken, tallow is more than up for the task.

Tallow from grass-fed cows vs. conventional cows

Tallow sourced from 100% grass-fed cattle has better nutrition than grain-fed alternatives. It’s rich in:

CLA (conjugated linoleic acid), an anti-inflammatory fat
Fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K)
Trace minerals

Cooking with tallow

Tallow is fun and easy to use in the kitchen. Its texture is similar to coconut oil. While solid at room temp, it melts right down when placed between your fingers or on a hot pan.

Cleanup is minimal when you’re done using tallow. You can store tallow in the pantry for months or more without risking contamination. Just keep it sealed.

Try cooking with tallow, and you’ll quickly discover why it was the most popular cooking oil for centuries before the arrival of the recently debunked anti-fat scare of the last 60 years.

Tallow harkens back to a time when people used the whole animal. Thanks to a combination of environmental awareness and a re-discovery of the benefits of animal fat and organ meats, the practice of eating nose-to-tail is coming full circle today.

How to make beef tallow?

Making beef tallow is simple and easy. All you need to do is render a type of beef fat called suet.

Empty a bag of suet into a large cooking pot
Heat on low-medium heat until all fat has melted
Cover and simmer on low heat for at least half an hour
Remove any small chunks of meat from your melted suet with a slotted spoon. These chunks are called cracklings — and yes, you can eat them. They’re tasty!
Wait up to half an hour for the fat to cool
While it’s still liquid, transfer your tallow to small containers
Leave one container out for quick use, and transfer the rest into your fridge or freezer.

How to make lard?

The process for making lard is virtually identical to the process for making beef tallow. Here are the steps:

Empty a bag of leaf fat into a large cooking pot
Heat on low-medium heat until all leaf fat has melted
Cover and simmer on low heat for at least half an hour
Remove any small chunks of meat from your melted fat with a slotted spoon. These chunks are called cracklings — and yes, you can eat them. They’re tasty!
Wait up to half an hour for the fat to cool
While it’s still liquid, transfer your lard to small containers
Leave one container out for quick use, and transfer the rest into your fridge or freezer.

* Note that leaf fat will likely yield more lard than back fat.

Tallow vs. lard: which is better?

When it comes to choosing a winner in the tallow vs. lard tussle, some context is needed. What matters most to you? Taste? Health benefits? Versatility?

Here’s how tallow and lard compare in terms of taste, nutrition, and overall health.

Tallow vs Lard: Taste

Lard’s subtle flavor complements all things savory and sweet. Lard is neutral enough that it can be incorporated into a variety of dishes without setting off any bacon alarms. If you must eat pie or other baked goods, you can make them yourself with a lard-infused crust!

Tallow, on the other hand, does taste a little ‘beefy.’ It’s best used for frying alongside flavors that are compatible with beef. French fries, fried meats, and fried organ meats all go great in tallow.

Lard wins this category since its taste is more subtle and its uses are more versatile.

Tallow vs. Lard: Nutrition

Both tallow and lard are healthy, especially if you can get them from pastured (pigs) grass-fed and finished (cows) sources. Pastured lard is rich in vitamin D (something more than half all Americans are lacking), while tallow is rich in a slew of pro-metabolic fatty acids and vitamins.

This category goes to tallow, but only slightly.

Tallow vs. Lard: Overall health

Overall, health is about more than just what you put into your body. It can also include what you put onto your skin.

And when it comes to skincare, tallow is a clear winner. Its fatty acid profile closely matches the profile of our own skin’s sebum oil. Place a tallow balm on your skin, and it gently relieves inflammation while locking in moisture. As an added benefit, many people find topical tallow soothing and warming.

Try tallow-infused skincare for yourself and you’ll see why it’s so renowned when it comes to warding off aging.

Considering how amazing beef tallow is for the skin, it wins the “overall health” category with ease.

	Tallow	Lard
Source	Cows/ruminant animals	Pigs/monogastric animals
Storage temp	Refrigerated	Refrigerated
Shelf life	1-3 months	1-3 months
Nutrition highlights	CLA, stearic acid, vitamin E	Vitamin D
Best uses	Frying, cooking, skincare	Baking, cooking

The bottom line on tallow vs. lard

Tallow vs lard? They’re both awesome. Especially if they’re from free-range, grass-fed sources (for cows) and naturally fed (pigs). In today’s world of overpriced ‘superfoods’ and overrated supplements, both tallow and lard offer tasty whole-food nutrition on the cheap.

If we had to make a choice between tallow and lard, we’d choose tallow. Or perhaps we’d choose to cook with lard and use tallow on our skin?

Thankfully, such a choice is purely hypothetical. There’s nothing stopping you from making both of these superfats staples in your diet!

Intermittent Fasting and Feasting 101: Benefits, Plans, and Tips

May 19, 2021/in Intermittent Feasting & Fasting Ancestral Diet, Evolution, fasting, intermittent fasting, Low Carb /by Liam McAuliffe

Intermittent fasting, or as we like to call it, intermittent feasting, is one of the most popular health and fitness trends. And rightly so! Numerous studies are revealing how intermittent fasting benefits our health by reducing inflammation, aiding weight loss, boosting brain function, and promoting cellular renewal. .

What many people don’t realize is that intermittent ‘feasting’ is not a calorie-restricting diet. It’s a way to retune our bodies by practicing the fasting and feasting pattern that our ancestors evolved in.

Ideally, practicing IF means consuming feasts of nutrient-dense foods that replenish your body with healthy animal fats, proteins, and bioavailable micronutrients.

In this article, we’ll explore the origins of intermittent fasting as well as the benefits, various fast/feast regimens or plans, and things to watch out for.

Let’s dive into this way of eating that considers when you eat to be as important as what you eat.

Fasting and Human Evolution

Though intermittent fasting is a modern trend, its effectiveness is linked to our ancestral eating patterns.

New research reveals that for nearly 2 million years, humans were apex predators that hunted large prey for food and fasted in between successful hunts. Back then the earth teemed with huge prey called megafauna.

When eating a mastodon, for instance, there is no need to ration food, and no way to preserve it. So a hunt meant a feast. But once the food was devoured, our ancestors would have to go out and hunt again. Even during this period of animal abundance, hunting large animals was difficult and not always successful.

The time spent between hunts (and feasts) marked periods of intermittent fasting.

Eventually, over eons of human evolution, the men and women whose brains and bodies functioned the best in fasted states were the best at hunting and gathering food. And therefore the best at surviving and reproducing.

Today, we can still see this adaptation to a feast-and-fast cycle of eating in the way our bodies:

easily store fat: Our fuel supply in-between successful hunts
easily go into ketosis: How we converted stored fat and the fat we ate into fuel when carbohydrates and calories of any kind were scarce.

There is even evidence that not fasting can make us dumber because our brains are hard-wired to function optimally during times of food scarcity.

Fasting Through History

Though our ability to fast is an adaptation that helped us survive, even ancient humans recognized the benefits of targeted and intentional fasting.

Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, recommended fasting to his patients for numerous health issues. And the Greek philosopher Plato used fasting to achieve superior physical and mental energy. To this day 1.8 billion Muslims practice a ritual version of intermittent fasting during the month of Ramadan.

What is Intermittent Fasting?

Intermittent fasting is a way to mimic ancestral eating patterns in order to optimize health and wellbeing.

Put simply, this means cycling between periods of eating and not eating.

When following an IF plan, robust health benefits can include:

supports fat burning and weight loss
regulation of blood sugar levels
control of cholesterol and triglycerides levels
reduced risk of coronary disease
increased lean muscle mass
stimulation of human growth hormones
activation of stem cell production
reduced risk of cancer
supports mindful eating

Sounds enticing, right? So how do you do it? Let’s look at a few of the most popular methods.

Intermittent Fasting Plans

There are many different IF plans. Each one involves splitting up a day or number of days into times you eat, and don’t eat.

Let’s take a closer look at some popular intermittent fasting plans.

The OMAD (One Meal a Day) Plan

OMAD stands for One Meal a Day. It requires you obtain all your calories within a 1-hour window. It is the ultimate approach to intermittent fasting and likely offers the most benefit. If you’re serious about optimizing your health, you should be striving for OMAD at least 5 days a week.

With OMAD it’s critical to select nutrient-dense foods in order to meet both caloric and nutrient needs. This OMAD meal plan will help!

Most people on OMAD also prefer to place their eating window at mid-day, or near the end of the day, but not so late that it interferes with digestion before bed.

The 16/8 Intermittent Fasting Plan

This intermittent fasting plan skipping breakfast and eating within an 8 hour period, such as 12-8 p.m. Between the eating window, you fast for 16 hours.

Eat-Stop-Eat Intermittent Fasting Plan

This simple intermittent fasting plan entails not eating for 24 hours once or twice a week.

Circadian Rhythm Fasting Plan

Circadian Rhythm Fasting involves eating during the daylight hours when digestion and metabolism are most active. And fasting after 7 pm when metabolism naturally slows down.

Brunch Fast (AKA 12-14 Hour Fast) Plan

This fast entails 12-14 hours of fasting ending with a late breakfast, or brunch. To be honest, we’re not exactly sure how some people consider this fasting.

Top 10 Benefits of Intermittent Fasting

Now that you know what IF is, and how to do it, let’s take a closer look at the possible intermittent fasting benefits.

1.Supports Fat-Burning and Weight Loss

Intermittent fasting has been shown to benefit weight loss, by increasing fat burning.

How does it work?

When you eat, the carbohydrates in your food get broken down into glucose (blood sugar). But when you stop eating and enter a “fasted state”, your body has to look for different sources of energy.

The first place it turns is the sugar (glycogen) stored in your muscles and liver. But our bodies only have a small amount of stored glycogen–1 or 2 days worth, max.

After glycogen, your body begins breaking down stored fat into energy molecules. These molecules are called ketones, replace glucose as the main fuel for your cells.

The more you practice IF the more insulin sensitive you become. When insulin is low your body is better at burning fat.

Studies show that due to these hormonal changes fasting can increase your metabolic rate by 3.6–14%.

A 2012 study published in Cell, looking at the effects of timed eating on cell metabolism found that intermittent fasting was so effective that it has the potential to curb the obesity epidemic.

And a specific type of intermittent fasting known as Circadian Rhythm Fasting, has been shown to optimize the time you eat for cell metabolism, further supporting a healthy weight.

And yet another study found that intermittent fasting results in less muscle loss than standard calorie-restricting diets.

2. Improves Insulin Sensitivity

When you eat carbs your blood sugar rises. To get that sugar out of your blood and into your cells, your body produces the hormone called insulin.

When you eat a chronically high amount of carbs, like most people on a Standard American Diet, you’re producing chronically high levels of insulin. Eventually, your cells stop responding– you’ve got insulin resistance.

With insulin resistance, your blood sugar stays toxically high and can lead to numerous hormonal and inflammatory diseases and disorders like PCOS, heart disease, and diabetes.

One of the key intermittent fasting benefits is its ability to help your body properly use the glucose in your blood, allowing your body to produce less insulin. With less insulin in your blood, your cells become more sensitive (responsive) to it. Studies show that reduced insulin can even have positive effects on memory.

3. Supports Cellular Renewal and Repair

Like the mythic figure of the phoenix, when it comes to our cells, death and rebirth is a positive cycle. And IF supports it.

Research has shown that fasting can support your body in breaking down and destroying damaged and abnormal cells, and recycling them for energy. It’s a process called autophagy.

Think of it like cellular “spring cleaning.” Autophagy has many benefits including cellular repair and regeneration, reductions in abnormal cell growth, and maintenance of healthy tissues.

4. Increases Stem cell Production

When intermittent fasting you allow your body to enter a mode of cellular repair. Since stem cells are the primary repair system in your body, when you fast, they increase.

It works like this: A fasted body reduces energy use by rapidly shrinking organs, tissues, and different cells in your blood, including a dramatic 28% decrease in white blood cells. This lack of blood cells sends the body into repair mode, stimulating stem cell growth.

Studies show that fasting can increase stem cells in the muscles, intestines, and brain while supporting the body’s ability to regenerate stem cells even when not in a fasted state.

In an MIT study looking at the effects of IF lead researcher, David Sabatini concluded, “This study provided evidence that fasting induces a metabolic switch in the intestinal stem cells, from utilizing carbohydrates to burning fat,” Sabatini says. “Interestingly, switching these cells to fatty acid oxidation enhanced their function significantly.”

5. Boosts Human Growth Hormone

A recent study looking at the effects of IF on 200 people found that fasting for just a twenty-four-hour period increased HGH by 1300% in women, and 2000% for men.

This is significant because HGH is essential for building, maintaining, and repairing healthy tissue in the brain, bones, and other organs. It also speeds up injury healing and muscle repair, boosts metabolism, increases muscle mass, and helps burn fat.

6. Increases BDNF, “Miracle-Gro for your brain”

BDNF stands for Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor. This naturally occurring growth hormone is responsible for the creation of new neurons.

These qualities are why Harvard Neuropsychiatrist, John J. Ratey crowned it, “Miracle-Gro for the brain.”

The intermittent fasting benefits of increased BDNF include better moods, improved cognitive ability, higher productivity, and improved memory. BDNF can also reduce the risks of neurodegenerative diseases like dementia, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s.

The exact reason why intermittent fasting boosts BDNF isn’t clear. Some researchers believe it is due to the role of BDNF in the rapid formation of neural networks.

New neural networks form when nerve cells in the brain fire together, creating a new thought, skill, or memory. In emergencies, we form these networks very quickly.

The body may respond to Intermittent fasting as a mild emergency that creates a healthy dose of stress, priming the mind to be able to make new neural networks.

7. Reduces Inflammation

Chronic inflammation is the root cause of the deadliest disease across the globe, and fasting can help.

Fasting can reduce inflammatory activities and reduce chronic inflammation. This gives IF the power to improve nearly every marker of physical and mental health while reducing the risk of disease.

Association of intermittent fasting with intestinal microbiota, circadian clock, and other lifestyle factors hypothesized to result in metabolic regulation and downstream impacts on obesity, type 2 diabetes (T2D), cancer, and cardiovascular disease (CVD).

8. Improves Energy and May Improve Longevity

The intermittent fasting benefit of switching your body into using fat by turning them into free fatty acids and ketones can increase your energy levels.

The way it works is that ketones support a process called mitophagy. Mitophagy is the breaking down of old, damaged, and dysfunctional mitochondria–the energy factories of each cell–and replacing them with new mitochondria.

Researchers point to this process as one of the reasons why in studies, intermittent fasting can extend the lifespan of rats by 36–83%. Though promising, more research needs to be done to confirm similar effects in humans

Fasting also saves your body the energy it would be using for digestion. In studies we see that this extra energy can boost stem cells that regenerate intestinal lining, helping heal leaky gut syndrome.

9. Reduces food Addiction and Supports Mindful Eating

Modern life is plagued with mindless snacking, emotional eating, craving, and binging processed junk food.

Intermittent fasting helps us break the habit of relying on food as an emotional crutch.

A 2020 study in the Journal of Addiction Research looking at the effects of intermittent fasting on food addiction found that “most if not all organ systems respond to intermittent fasting in ways that enable the organism to tolerate or overcome” food addiction, and then return to normal.

The study also notes that after a fasted period, the type of food you eat is important to maintaining a non-addictive relationship to food. These satiating superfoods can help!

And if you’re looking for more support with food addiction, you can learn more about mindful eating here.

10. Treatment and Prevention of Cancer

Though the research supporting intermittent fasting as effective in treating and preventing cancer is just emerging, much of it is very positive.

A 2019 study published in the National Review of Cancer found that “Fasting or fasting-mimicking diets (FMDs) lead to wide alterations in growth factors and in metabolite levels, generating environments that can reduce the capability of cancer cells to adapt and survive and thus improving the effects of cancer therapies.”

Another 2019 study found that intermittent fasting increased the effectiveness of chemotherapy against cancer cells while protecting healthy cells.

Image from ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Intermittent Fasting Tips and Things to Watch out For

The following intermittent fasting tips are here to keep you healthy and thriving. For people who eat a lot of processed foods and have carb-addicted bodies, you will want to augment your intermittent fasting plan with other dietary changes to make sure you’re properly fueling your body.

Mediterranean keto, and standard ketogenic diets are a great place to start.

Ancestral But Not for Everybody

Though IF is likely an ancestral eating pattern, this does not necessarily mean it is the best dietary option for everyone. As with any dietary change, it’s important to look at both the pros and the cons of intermittent fasting.

Recent research is showing that the pros of IF may depend on how long you practice it. And the outcomes are certainly influenced by the quality and quantity of food you eat while practicing IF.

Let’s take a closer look at the things to watch out for.

Increased Stress Hormones

The most persistent concern about intermittent fasting is the idea of incurring a stress debt, and a cascade of possible negative effects associated with prolonged stress.

Intermittent fasting that entails long periods between meals can put stress on the body due to the fact that 20% of our brain cells require glucose, (blood sugar). They cannot be fueled by the ketones produced when the fasted body breaks down fatty acids. That said, your body can produce all the glucose it needs from protein in a process called gluconeogenesis.

However, consistently depleted blood sugar triggers the body to release the stress hormones glucagon, human growth hormone, epinephrine, and cortisol .

In the short term, any negative consequences of these stress hormones are likely outweighed by the benefits of IF for gut health, insulin resistance, and reduced inflammation. But in the long term, these stress hormones can lead to negative metabolic changes.

Fasting Hyperglycemia

Though short-term intermittent fasting has been shown to increase insulin sensitivity, this may not be true in the long term.

The consistent release of stress hormones puts the body in a state where it anticipates deprivation. In response, the body increases insulin resistance, while at the same time increasing gluconeogenesis (the synthesizing of glucose from protein), leading to a state of elevated blood sugar called “fasting hyperglycemia.

This process is aimed at conserving energy and storing it as fat to endure future deprivation.

Muscle Wasting

Another result of metabolic stress can be muscle wasting.

A 2020 study comparing intermittent fasting to a standard diet of 3 meals a day with snacks in between for 12 weeks, revealed that IF dieters lost significantly more lean mass than fat mass compared with no IF participants.

Interestingly, the lead researcher of the study, a UCSF cardiologist who had been practicing IF himself for 6 years while recommending it to his patients, was compelled to quit fasting himself.

Though IF had worked for him, the negative data from the study made him reconsider it as a factor in his health. His conclusion: “Almost anything can work if you start paying attention to what you’re eating and being more thoughtful and careful.”

Refueling Risks

Fasting induces controlled atrophy and cell death, which can lead to cellular regeneration and renewal. But it’s crucial to feed these growing cells with quality food.

Beware that eating processed foods high in carbs and added sugars at the end of a fast can increase cancerous activities and cause pre-cancerous lesions especially in the liver and intestines.

Who Should Avoid Intermittent Fasting?

Like any diet and lifestyle change, intermittent fasting is not a great fit for everyone.

If you’re pregnant, or breastfeeding, have an eating disorder, or low body weight, it’s best not to practice intermittent fasting.

Even for people with no pre-existing conditions, IF is often a radical change in metabolism. This can have strong effects on mood and energy.

It’s important to be mindful of the changes taking place within you, and seek professional advice if things don’t feel right. There is also emerging evidence that IF may be most beneficial in the short term, and may have some negative effects in the long term–more on these below.

Is Intermittent Fasting Safe for Women?

Though intermittent fasting can benefit both sexes, studies show that it can have different effects on men and women.

Men generally do better on IF than women, and there are certain aspects that women need to be careful about. To learn more see our article on IF for women here

These differences are likely a result of male and female hormones. The female body is more sensitive to calorie restriction than the male body. Restricting calories affects the hypothalamus along with gonadotropin-releasing hormones (GnRH).

GnRH controls the release of two important reproductive hormones, the luteinizing hormone (LH) and the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH).

When these hormones are disrupted it can lead to a number of hormonal issues like reduced ovary size, irregular periods, amenorrhea, infertility, and a decrease in bone density.

Women can decrease the likelihood of adverse effects by following a more gentle method like crescendo fasting. And by combining IF with a keto (high-fat low-carb) diet. A keto diet can protect women against hypoglycemic stress and reproductive hormone imbalances.

Intermittent Fasting: The Outlook

Intermittent fasting, or as we like to say “intermittent feasting,” is an emerging diet trend with roots in ancestral eating patterns.

There are numerous intermittent fasting plans, and preliminary research shows that if practiced correctly, they may offer powerful health benefits, especially for gut health and when undergoing cancer treatment.

It should be noted that the benefits of intermittent fasting have been researched mostly in short-term trials. There is emerging evidence that the long-term practice of IF may have some downsides to be aware of. However, anecdotal evidence tells us that there are tens of thousands of people who have been practicing long-term IF with zero downsides. The key to a safe and effective IF practice is listening to your body.

When weighing the pros and cons of intermittent fasting, it appears that short-term intermittent fasting is probably a net positive for most people. And it can be a powerful way to develop mindfulness and around eating patterns leading to healthier diet and lifestyle choices.

Keto Bone Broth: Benefits and Recipe

May 17, 2021/in Amino Acids, Bone Broth, Keto Bone Broth, Keto Diet, organ meats, Superfoods /by Liam McAuliffe

What we know of today as keto bone broth, has been around since pots were invented over 9000 years ago. Back then it was simply called “food”.

In fact, recent research reveals that bone marrow–the prime ingredient in bone broth–is probably the very first animal food that our ancestors began eating nearly 2 million years ago. This was way back when we were scavengers before we even knew how to hunt.

We can thank this ancient nutrient-packed superfood for fueling the rapid evolution of our brains, which eventually made us smart enough to hunt for ourselves, and set us apart from our herbivore ancestors.

Not surprisingly, bone broth has remained a staple throughout history. In Chinese medicine, bone broth has been used to support digestive health and strengthen kidneys for 2500 years. Hippocrates, the father of Western medicine, also recommended it for digestion and general health.

In the modern world, many keto and carnivore dieters swear by the broth they affectionately call, “liquid gold.”

But is this reputation as an essential keto staple warranted? Let’s explore.

What is Keto Bone Broth?

Keto bone broth is the soup made from simmering the bones and connective tissues like hooves, feet, beaks, gizzards, and fins of animals. Often this is done with an acid (vinegar) to unlock the mineral content.

Keto bone broth is usually flavored with salt. And since it can be difficult to get enough potassium and magnesium on a keto diet, keto bone broth may contain a small amount of low-carb, potassium, and magnesium-rich vegetables like kale and asparagus.

You can make keto bone broth using bones and connective tissue from virtually any animal including,

beef
bison
pork
veal
lamb
goat
venison
chicken
Fish

There are numerous types of bone broth found around the world, but not all are keto. For instance, Pho–the popular Vietnamese bone broth soup–isn’t keto because of the added sugar.

What is Keto?

The ketogenic diet (keto) is a high-fat, moderate-protein, and very low-carb diet. It calls for getting,

70-80% of your nutrients from fat
10-20% from protein
0-10% from carbs

Eating this way switches your body from relying on glucose for fuel to relying instead on fat, resulting in a metabolic state called ketosis.

Benefits of Bone Broth on a Keto Diet

Often when people think about the health benefits of a keto diet they think about what they’re eliminating. And it’s true, ditching all that processed junk food along with the plant toxins and antinutrients you get from grains and legumes can pay huge dividends towards your health.

But the benefits of keto also come from what you add to your diet. And bone broth may be one of the healthiest and most helpful keto foods there is.

Helpful? You might ask, how so?

Bone Broth for Keto Flu

Keto bone broth may be the antidote to the uncomfortable symptoms that can arise during the transition into ketosis, or “keto flu.”

Going low-carb causes your body to use its storehouse of sugar (glycogen). All this glycogen is attached to lots of water. So you end up flushing (urinating) out lots of sodium and electrolytes.

So the #1 reason you might experience keto flu is low electrolytes. Keto Bone broth is naturally loaded with electrolytes. And the amino-acid glycine in it can help you produce more bile, which you’ll need to help you break down the higher fat. This can help with constipation in the early going.

Protects Against Increased Methionine From Meat

One of the persistent criticisms of the standard keto diet is that the main source of protein is meat.

Red meat is fantastic for many essential bodily functions and is loaded with essential bioavailable nutrients. But it also contains amino acids that have been linked to cancer–especially methionine.

However, when studies look at methionine, they find that in order to increase base levels of homocysteine (an amino acid synthesized from methionine, and associated with disease) you need a very high dose of pure methionine. This comes to around 500% the normal daily intake.

Lower methionine doses, like you’d get from a keto diet, do not increase base levels of homocysteine.

Put simply, there is no convincing evidence showing that for healthy people a diet high in muscle meat increases base levels of homocysteine.

It’s likely that it’s not the meat amino acids themselves that are the cause of disease. Rather, it’s that these amino acids are consumed in the context of a broadly unhealthy Standard American diet and lifestyle that includes excess energy from grains, added sugars, and protein, combined with inactivity.

If you’re active and enjoying a well-formulated high-fat, moderate-protein keto diet, there’s likely nothing to worry about.

But, if you’re still worried about your methionine consumption, bone broth may be the answer you’ve been looking for. Keto bone broth is one of the richest sources of amino acids like glycine that have been shown to mitigate the effects of too much methionine.

Keto Bone Broth Amino Acids and Their Benefits

Bone broth is loaded with collagen, which makes up around 30% of the protein in your body.

When connective tissues are boiled in a keto bone broth, the collagen is broken down into gelatine and various other health-promoting amino acids like glycine and glutamine.

Let’s take a closer look at the benefits offered by each of these amino acids

Gelatin for Digestive Health

If you’ve ever seen bone broth in a fridge, you’ll notice that it thickens like Jello. That’s because of all the gelatin.

This ability to attract and hold water allows gelatin to bind to water in your digestive tract, helping food move more freely through your gut. Bye-bye constipation!

In animal studies, gelatin has also been shown to heal and protect the mucosal lining of the digestive tract. And though more research needs to be done, It’s thought to have the same effect in humans.

Glycine Protects Against Cancer and Aids Sleep

Collagen is packed with more glycine than any other food. For instance, 2 tablespoons of collagen contain 3 grams of glycine.

As we touched on earlier, methionine from eating meat can temporarily increase levels of homocysteine levels. Glycine has been shown to reduce homocysteine levels after protein-rich meals.

Glycine has also been shown to improve sleep and control blood sugar. As a precursor to creatine, glycine is associated with improved athletic performance and recovery.

Glycine has been studied for its benefits for bone health as well as neurological disorders like parkinsons and Alzheimers.

In the digestive system glycine protects against gastric ulcers and helps digest fat. And with its restorative effect on the glutathione–the body’s premier antioxidant–it’s benefits spread to nearly every cell in the body.

Glycine for Sleep

Numerous studies show that that glycine helps promote sleep.

In one study taking 3 grams of glycine before bed helped participants :

fall asleep more quickly
Sleep more deeply
Wake up less often during the night
Reduce daytime sleepiness
Improve cognitive function
Improve memory

Proline to Boost Immunity

Accounting for around 17% of the amino acids in collagen, proline helps regulate the metabolic pathways that contribute to cell growth while eliminating free-radical from cells. It also plays important roles in wound healing, antioxidative reactions, and immune responses.

Glutamine for Gut and Digestive Health

Glutamine is an amino acid associated with improved gut health and reduced inflammation. These qualities are attributed to its role as a fuel source for immune cells and intestinal cells.

Glutamie’s gut-boosting properties make it a key to maintaining the lining of your intestines, protecting you against intestinal permeability, AKA leaky gut.

Glycosaminoglycans for Joint and Skin Health

If your broth is made from bones with the tendons and cartilage still attached, it will contain glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). These complex carbohydrates support many important processes in the body. They can attach to proteins to create connective tissue and the lubricant that surrounds joints. This gives them the potential to relieve joint aches.

They’re also the raw materials for the maintenance and health of skin, cartilage, and bone.

Glycosaminoglycans found in keto bone broth include:

Keratan sulfates
Dermatan sulfates
Chondroitin sulfates
Glucosamine
Hyaluronic acid

Numerous studies have found that glucosamine chondroitin can reduce joint pain and decrease symptoms of osteoarthritis.

Arginine to Reduce Inflammation

Chronic inflammation leads to the most deadly diseases across the globe including heart disease, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis, and numerous types of cancer.

Arginine, along with glycine–which we looked at above–have powerful anti-inflammatory properties.

A 2015 animal study revealed that feeding arginine to asthmatic mice reduced airway inflammation and improved their symptoms. While a 2016 animal study reduced inflammation in obese rats. But more research needs to be done with humans.

How to make bone broth.

Making bone broth is easy. This recipe is adapted from our friend Maria Emmerich’s incredible keto cooking expertise.

Ingredients:

3½ pounds beef, chicken, ham, lamb, or fish bones
2 stalks celery, chopped
12 sticks of asparagus
2 cloves garlic, smashed with the side of a knife
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1 Sprig of rosemary
¼ cup coconut vinegar
Cold filtered water

Cooking Tips:

Roast beef, lamb, pork, and chicken bones. This adds color and flavor. Roast large bones at 375°F for 50 to 60 minutes, smaller bones for 30 to 40 minutes.
Cover the roasted bones with cold filtered water. Proteins like albumin will only dissolve in cold water. Albumin helps clarify broth, so if you start with cold water, you will end up with a nice, clear broth.
Do not skip the vinegar. It draws the minerals out of the bones. It’s also a prebiotic that promotes digestive health.
If using chicken bones, use the feet as well. They increase the collagen and make for a thicker broth.
Add bay leaves, veggies, and rosemary. Rosemary in particular helps extract extra calcium from the bones.
Add all ingredients to a slow cooker and cook for 24-72 hours.

Keto Bone Broth: The Bottom Line

Keto bone broth is loaded with important and essential amino acids that offer many proven health benefits.

For people just starting out on keto, the electrolytes and gelatin in a well-made bone broth can alleviate the uncomfortable symptoms known as keto flu.

Though the science looking at bone broth is only emerging, there’s no need to wait for it. Go ahead and make this ancient staple part of your modern diet!

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