Here at Heart & Soil, we get asked about a lot of nutritional nuances…
What are the best bones for bone broth?
What’s better for boron - bananas or apples?
Is it okay to feed my son lamb instead of beef?
These are all great questions, and these small things can and do matter…
But we must also be careful not to "major in the minor"…
And to always focus on the fundamentals first.
Here are 2 nutritional fundamentals:
#1: Are you getting organs in your diet?\xa0
#2: Are you getting enough high-quality protein?
We’ve already discussed the importance of organs at length (read it here)...
So today let’s focus on protein, which is arguably the most important macronutrient.
Because if you aren’t getting enough fat, your body can burn its own…
And if you aren’t getting any carbohydrates, your body can switch over to ketones.
But your body can’t synthesize all the protein it needs and must obtain it from food.\xa0
Specifically, there are nine essential amino acids we must source from our diet: histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine.
These amino acids serve as the foundational elements for creating cells, muscles, enzymes, DNA, and hormones.\xa0
And insufficient protein compromises the entire system, accelerating aging, muscle loss, impairing metabolic function, and critically, impairing growth in children.
On an ounce-for-ounce basis, animal proteins are also the most nutritious macronutrient.
So if you’re getting your protein from foods like eggs, beef, liver and raw dairy, not only are you getting the highest quality protein, but you’re getting it alongside a ton of micronutrients too.\xa0
Do not rely on plants or ultra-processed foods for your protein.