In last week’s newsletter I mentioned we would dig a little deeper into why I believe high-quality meat is such an important part of our diet. I like to look at it from 3 perspectives: Nutrition, Environment, and Ethics/Animal welfare, the same 3 pillars of the vegan diet. This week we’ll cover nutrition and why including an abundance of high-quality animal foods in one’s diet is truly the only way for our bodies to get the micronutrients we need. I’d like to start by saying that I am not a certified nutritionist, nor do I pretend to be. I will use the sound research of many experts in the field that have all come to the same conclusion, and that is that the only suitable human diet is one that includes an abundance of animal foods. A good start into understanding this concept is with this useful guide written by Dr. Kevin Stock.
Visit his website here
The term “superfood” is something we have all heard, but is it based on nutritional science or is it simply a marketing term used to sell the perceived health benefits of a certain food? We’ve all been led to believe that if it’s green and comes from an organic garden, it must be good for us, but what are we actually ingesting and absorbing when we eat some of these greens? Can Kale play a more significant role in our health than a steak? One is touted as a super food (that no one likes) and the other is demonized for “health” reasons. Again, I’m no nutritionist but I can assure you kale doesn’t stand a chance when put up against a powerhouse of a food such as a healthy grass-fed ribeye. The absorption rate of iron from a steak is much higher than through spinach, even though in a direct comparison, spinach has high levels of iron, the question is, how does OUR digestive system absorb those nutrients? Another great guide written by the same doctor looks at things from a different perspective, instead of looking at what is good for us about meat, this guide opens the door on what is toxic to us in plants. I highly encourage reading this as it’s a true eye-opener to the not so pretty world of plant foods. Visit his page here.
There’s a reason 84% of vegans go back to eating animal foods at some point in their lives. Our brains are made of fat and water, if we feed it nutrient-dense animal fats and proteins, it will thrive, listen to your body, not your news feed!
If you’d like to learn more or have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me directly at jeff@valbella.ca
some other great links on ancestral nutrition include: