I took my first nutrition class as a freshman in college in 2010 and have been pretty locked in on studying nutrition and health ever since. I have also been very conscious of my health during this time and have tried many different dietary approaches. The one thing I can’t help but notice is that I function most optimally when the majority of my calories are coming from meat.
This is a personal experience but I have heard this from so many colleagues of mine. Whenever meat, and especially beef, is making up a high percentage of my diet (note, it doesn’t have to be 100%) my energy goes up, my satiety goes down, my health markers improve, my physical and mental abilities improve, and my body composition improves. I find that when I am eating more meat I have more control over my health. I am more easily able to make good choices and less likely to fall to temptations inside AND outside of my dieet. Most notably, I no longer feel that food is the central focus of my life.
You hear people say things like “meat heals” and while it sounds pretty crazy, it’s really not. It seems as though when people are eating more high-quality meat they see a ton of improvements across a wide array of health conditions. Of course, this is in part due to a subsequent reduction in processed food intake. But meat also provides a ton of health benefits.
Less processed food and more meat means more nutrition. Experts like Robb Wolf and Diana Rogers have brilliantly noted that we do not have a calorie problem, we have a nutrient problem. We have an overfed, undernourished population. This is because a higher percentage of our diets are processed foods and not high-quality animal meat.
Notice how I have to say “animal meat” nowadays.
When we eat quality meat, we get nutrients delivered to us in the most efficient form. Nutrients in meat are more bio-available or better absorbed by humans, meaning our bodies can readily use these nutrients to support our health. While meat not only contains the most easily absorbed nutrients it also contains essential nutrients that can’t be found in other foods. Even plant foods.
When we understand that meat is providing us with all of the essential nutrients we need to thrive and in a better-absorbed fashion, then it’s easy to understand why so many people report having more energy, mental clarity, physical performance, better body composition, and just better overall health when they eat more of it.
While these benefits are great, I think my favorite benefit is that food no longer controls me when I’m eating more meat. My cravings and hunger are virtually non-existent. I don’t think of food between meals and I’m much less likely to fall victim to temptations. If you’re wondering why, I think there are a lot of contributing factors:
Stable Blood Sugar: More meat and less carbs means more stable blood sugar levels. No more blood sugar rollercoaster stimulating your hunger and cravings.
Protein and Fat Combo: Protein and fat are the most satiating macronutrients. They keep you full, especially when from the right sources.
Hunger Signals: There is plenty of research demonstrating that low carb diets positively alter hunger hormones.
Nutrient Status: After listening to Anya Fernald from Belcampo on the Natural State Podcast, I realized this might be the biggest reason. Cravings and hunger are evolutionarily ingrained into our DNA. They were meant to provide us with insights into what our bodies need to get the necessary nutrients to survive and thrive. Hyper-sweetened and delicious sugary foods have turned this evolutionary trait against us. They provide us with calories but little nutrition, making our bodies crave for more. However, when we eat more meat and less processed food, we are getting all the nutrients we need from the meat thus hunger and cravings inherently become lower.
From the research I’ve done, my experiences, the experiences shared with me by others, and the environmental benefits of properly raised meat, I can’t help but think that meat should make up the bulk of the human diet.
I am always open to hearing other opinions, but if you check the comment feeds on my last couple of posts, you’ll see that discussions with advocates from the other side have been challenging of late haha.
Thanks for reading,
Chris Irvin
P.S. I have an awesome podcast episode coming out this week with Brain Sanders talking about meat and regenerative farming. Subscribe to my Thinking Health Podcast to hear it!
Second P.S. You may have seen the Carnivore Reset program that launched last week. If you didn’t, here is my newsletter explaining the program. I am launching a challenge between Thanksgiving and Christmas as a way to reset your health between the holidays and get yourself ahead of your new year goals. The challenge will have a Facebook Group and I’ll be doing the diet with you and providing support in the group! The challenge is going to cost $49 when it launches but for those of you who support and read this newsletter, you can get registered for $19 for the next two days! Let me know if you have any questions!