Sharing some of the details on why I decided to add red meat back into my diet.
Hi friends! How are you? I hope you’re having a wonderful week! This morning, I have some 1:1 calls and then am going to take a short hike before getting the crew from school. Hope you have a wonderful day!
For today’s post, I wanted to do a reader’s request. After some of the DMs I’ve received on IG about the benefits of red meat, I got a couple of questions about when/why I decided to add it back into my life. OG readers (YAY thank you!) will probably remember that for a while I was a pescatarian, the vegetarian, I also toyed with veganism for a while, and I didn’t eat red meat for many years. I actually stopped eating red meat when I was seven or eight years old, started having it very occasionally during college, and then stopped again for quite a while.
After a hiatus from red meat, I found myself being drawn back for a multitude of reasons. Our bodies are wonderfully unique, and what suits one might not fit another. Red meat, often vilified, is a nutrient-rich powerhouse that, when approached mindfully, can offer remarkable advantages, particularly for women.
how and why I started eating red meat again
When I was pregnant with P, I found myself constantly craving red meat. I told me acupuncturist about it, and he said I needed the nutrients. He recommends ALL of his female patients to eat red meat. So, I went home and asked the Pilot to grill me a steak. You should have seen the joy on his face haha. He went to Whole Foods, got some amazing quality steaks, and I devoured the entire thing. It was kind of a short decision process for me: I knew I was craving it for a reason, so I decided to listen to my body. I haven’t looked back, and it’s now a consistent part of our routine. (Just a little note here: I don’t eat pork or lamb and have zero desire to have either of these things. Just not for me.)
Why Red Meat?
Red meat has numerous nutritional benefits, and I think it’s so tasty. Also, for a while, I was eating Beyond Burgers with a thousand ingredients that hurt my stomach (and gallbladder), and now, I eat burgers with three ingredients: grass-fed beef, salt, and pepper… maybe a little Worcestershire sauce.
Nutrient Benefits:
Iron: Red meat contains heme iron, the form of iron most readily absorbed by the body. This is critical for maintaining robust energy levels, supporting cognitive function, and preventing iron-deficiency anemia, which disproportionately affects women. During menstruation, women lose blood, and with it, they lose iron. The iron lost through menstrual blood needs to be replenished to maintain healthy iron levels in the body. If this iron is not replaced through dietary intake, it can lead to iron deficiency, and in more severe cases, iron-deficiency anemia.
Protein Powers: As active women, protein is our ally for muscle health and repair. Red meat delivers high-quality protein, complete w