The Ultimate Animal-Based Diet Food List: Simple Foods For Optimal Health & Healing

Are you ready to make a shift in your health and wellness journey? If so, it may be time to explore the wonders of an animal-based diet.

I have people ask me daily how I healed from chronic migraines & illness.  Well, my secret weapon is switching to animal-based foods!  They provide the most bioavailable nutrients with the lowest plant toxins, making them a healthy and healing choice for optimal health.

Combining the latest research with my personal experience, I’ll share all you need to know to get started for yourself!

Meating” Your Nutritional Needs: The Best Animal-Based Proteins for Optimal Health

If you’re trying to heal from chronic illness or simply improve your overall health, animal-based proteins are where it’s at!  Let’s take a look at 5 of the best:

Grass-Fed Beef

First on the list is Grass-fed beef – it’s considered the king of animal proteins due to its high nutrient density, including high levels of protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which has been shown to have potential health benefits such as reducing inflammation and improving heart health. 

Additionally, grass-fed beef is typically lower in saturated fat and higher in healthy fats compared to grain-fed beef.

Pasture-Raised Pork

While pork has gotten a bad reputation in the past due to concerns about its fat content, pasture-raised pork is actually a healthy and tasty alternative to beef. 

Pasture-raised pork is leaner than conventional pork and contains higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which have been linked to a range of health benefits, including reduced inflammation and improved heart health.

Pasture-Raised Chicken

Chicken is often considered the go-to protein source for many due to its versatility and affordability. 

Pasture-raised chicken is a healthier option compared to conventionally raised chicken, as it is typically leaner and contains higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids.

Pasture-Raised Lamb

For those looking for a nutrient-dense and delicious choice, pasture-raised lamb is an excellent option because lamb is high in protein, vitamins, and minerals, including iron, zinc, and vitamin B12. 

Additionally, lamb is often grass-fed and free-range, which means it is a healthier option than conventionally raised lamb.

Wild-Caught Fish

Wild-caught fish is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and other essential nutrients, such as vitamin D and selenium. 

Omega-3s have been linked to a range of health benefits, including reduced inflammation, improved heart health, and better brain function.

Offal Good for You: The Benefits of Organ Meats

Organ meats, also known as offal, are a highly nutritious and often overlooked part of the animal-based diet. Organ meats are nutritional powerhouses, containing high amounts of essential nutrients that are often lacking in other foods.

Admittedly, I’m not one to include a lot of organ meats, but let’s explore the benefits of incorporating them into your diet, plus some of the best ones to include….

Some of the best organ meats to include in your diet are liver, heart, kidney, tongue, and brain. These meats are all rich in essential nutrients and can be prepared in a variety of ways. 

If you’re new to eating organ meats (like me!), it can be helpful to start with milder-tasting meats such as liver or heart. 

For example, I get Carnivore Crisps liver & heart jerky or take Heart and Soil supplements to get my organ meats into my diet easily.

Fat Is Phat: The Importance of Healthy Fats in Your Diet

Fat is often demonized in our culture, but it is actually an essential nutrient that plays a crucial role in our overall health and well-being. 

Why fat is an essential nutrient

Fat serves several important functions in the body. It is a source of energy, helps to insulate and protect organs, and aids in absorbing fat-soluble vitamins like vitamins A, D, E, and K. 

Most importantly, fat is important for hormone health, as it is a precursor to several important hormones in the body, including testosterone and estrogen.  

Specifically, consuming healthy fats like those found in grass-fed butter and fatty fish can help to reduce cortisol levels and promote a healthy stress response.

The best animal-based fats to include in your diet

When it comes to including animal-based fats in your diet, it is important to choose the best sources. Animal-based fats can come from both land and sea animals and can vary in quality and nutritional value. 

Some of the best animal-based fats to include in your diet include grass-fed butter, ghee, tallow, and fatty fish like salmon and mackerel. These sources of fat are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for brain health and can help to reduce inflammation in the body.

How to use animal fats in your cooking

Cooking with animal-based fats like butter, ghee, and tallow can add a rich, savory flavor to dishes and can also help to keep you feeling full and satisfied.

In addition, animal fats are more stable at high temperatures than vegetable oils, making them a healthier option for cooking at high heat.

The Importance of Low-Toxicity Foods for Healing and Optimal Health

First off, let’s talk about what low-toxicity foods actually are. These are foods that are grown without the use of harmful pesticides and chemicals and are processed and packaged without the use of harmful preservatives and additives. 

Now, you may be thinking, “but aren’t all foods technically toxic in some way?” And you would be right! However, the goal of consuming low-toxicity foods is to minimize the amount of harmful substances we put into our bodies on a regular basis.

Why you need to downshift your toxic load?

So, why is this important? Well, for starters, consuming foods with high levels of toxins can have negative effects on our health, such as disrupting our hormonal balance, causing inflammation, and damaging our DNA. 

Furthermore, consuming low-toxicity foods can also aid in the healing of chronic conditions and diseases by reducing the amount of stress on our bodies and allowing our immune systems to focus on repairing and restoring our health.

What Are Plant Toxins? And do I need to worry about them?

Plant toxins are naturally occurring compounds found in plants that can negatively impact our health when consumed in large amounts. 

Why? Because plants produce these compounds as a defense mechanism against predators such as insects and animals. 

While most plant toxins are harmless in small amounts, they can have detrimental effects on our health when consumed in excess – especially for those who carry the burden of chronic inflammation from health conditions. 

Some examples of plant toxins include lectins, phytates, and oxalates.

Excessive consumption of plant toxins can lead to various health problems. For example, lectins can damage the lining of the gut, leading to leaky gut syndrome, while phytates can interfere with the absorption of minerals such as iron and zinc, leading to nutrient deficiencies. 

Oxalates can contribute to the formation of kidney stones and can exacerbate certain health conditions such as gout.

My favorite plant-toxin resource is Sally K. Norton – definitely check her out if you’re having a difficult healing or managing mystery chronic illness symptoms! 

Best low-toxic foods for healing

Now, let’s talk about some examples of low-toxicity foods. As I mentioned, grass-fed and free-range meats are the best options, as they are not fed a diet of hormones and antibiotics. 

And obviously, choosing foods that are minimally processed and packaged without preservatives and additives can also help reduce our intake of harmful chemicals!

My personal experience healing with Animal-Based Foods

As a vegan, it was hard to hear that an animal-based diet did wonders for autoimmune conditions like lupus and healed chronic migraines. 

But, given my condition, I was willing to try just about ANYTHING!!! And it turns out,  adding /swapping animal-based foods that are rich in proteins and healthy fats, can help you heal and balance our hormones & endocrine system.

What’s more? It cuts out processed and inflammatory food like processed grains, vegetable oils, and sugar, which prove harmful in the long run whether you are healing from chronic disease or not!

While I ate mostly meat for several months now, I’ve added back some variety, with some low-toxin, easy-to-digest vegetables like Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and squash. However, most of meals are still meat heavy!

However, I must say, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to dealing with autoimmune conditions and chronic migraines, and while this worked wonders for me, there might be a different solution for YOU!  

But I want to share all I’m learning on this healing journey … thanks for joining me!

The Wrap – Animal Based Diet Food List for Healing

Eating a nutrient-rich, animal-based diet does not have to be complicated – in fact, it can be quite simple. 

All you need is some delicious, whole ingredients and the knowledge of what foods promote optimal health and healing. 

With this ultimate animal-based diet food list as your guide, you will be well on your way to a healthier lifestyle, stronger body, and improved overall wellbeing.  I’m cheering you on! 

XO,

jules