This superfood we are referring to has been eaten by people since ancient times. It is the truest superfood and has been around the longest. It is organ meat.

Organ meat is one of the most nutrient-dense foods out there.

Nutrient density is defined as the number of beneficial nutrients in the food compared to the amount of calories the food contains. Healthy food tends to have a high number of nutrients in a small amount of food. Organ meats are incredibly healthy. In fact, they are one of the most concentrated sources of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fatty acids and amino acids.

We consider organ meats to be nature’s multivitamin. Our organ meat supplement is appropriately called Kick Start My Heart.

Top reasons to add this superfood into your diet:

1. Organ meats support cardiovascular health

   Organ meats are one of the best sources of the antioxidant CoQ10, which is key to heart health. This antioxidant reduces blood pressure, strengthens the functioning of heart cells, improves artery health and prevents against heart failure. The heart tissue of organ meats is rich in CoQ10. Organ meats are also rich in omega 3 fatty acids and choline, both of which are essential for cell membrane and arterial health. Furthermore, organ meats are one of the best foods for obtaining vitamin K2. Vitamin K2 is crucial to preventing arterial calcification and atherosclerosis.

2. Organ meats aid in brain health

   Grass-fed organ meats are a good source of omega 3 fatty acids, an essential type of fat that must be supplied by the diet. Organ meats tend to be higher in EPA and DHA (the two main omega 3 fats) than other types of meat (with seafood being the richest source). In fact, a recent study ranked organ meats as one of the most anti-depressive foods along with other foods like seafood. This is because organ meats are rich in brain nutrients like omega 3 fats, vitamin A, vitamin D, magnesium and key B vitamins.

3. Organ meats increase immunity

   Vitamin D is the key immune vitamin. Often, it is hard to get bioavailable forms (bioavailable means the body can absorb and use the nutrient) of vitamin D from food alone. This is why we love sunshine. However, organ meats have one of the highest concentrations of the bioavailable form of vitamin D, called D3 or cholecalciferol. In fact, liver is one of the best sources of vitamin D3. Vitamin D supports immune function. Essentially, this nutrient regulates the body’s innate immune response by regulating the expression of immune cells, signaling pathways and the inflammatory response.

4. Organ meats boost energy

   Organ meats are one of the best sources of vitamin B12, the key energy micronutrient. B12 plays a role in converting food to cellular energy. Vitamin B12 is also needed for heart and brain health. B12 is found abundantly in various meat sources. Organ meats like liver and kidneys contain some of the highest amounts of B12 and will aid in energy production. Vegetarians and vegans are often at risk for a B12 deficiency because plant sources do not contain bioavailable forms of vitamin B12.

5. Organ meats are part of an anti-inflammatory diet

   Organ meats help to combat cellular inflammation due to their significant concentration of omega 3 fatty acids (both EPA and DHA). Brain tissue tends to be one of the most concentrated sources of omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3 fats protect against symptoms of inflammatory disorders such as arthritis. Furthermore, these fats work to eradicate systemic inflammation at the cellular level, making them one of the most essential nutrients to fend off chronic disease.

6. Organ meats benefit the skin

   Vitamin A, the key nutrient for skin health, is a skin antioxidant that protects against infection, promotes cellular turnover and fights aging. It is found abundantly in organ meat tissues. In fact, it can be argued that organ meats contain some of the highest concentrations of vitamin A, specifically the active retinol form, found in food. There are plant sources of vitamin A, however, it is quite a tedious process for the gut to convert inactive vitamin to active vitamin A (retinol). Furthermore, many individuals have leaky gut syndrome and therefore their gut mucosal barrier is not healthy enough for full conversion. Liver is the most concentrated sources of retinol. Fat soluble nutrients need fat for proper absorption, which is another benefit to consuming organ meats (which are rich in fat and the fat-soluble vitamins).

Should I add more organ meat to my Paleo diet?

Yes.

Most individuals on a Paleo diet are consuming more muscle meats and eggs. Of course, these are still great, healthy staples, however, the inclusion of organ meats is an essential part of the Paleo diet.

Think about eating “nose to tail” when it comes to the Paleo diet. This is the way of our hunter-gatherer ancestors. Offal was a consistent part of the ancestral diet and should be today.

Best ways to consume organ meat:

• Supplement

  Take 3 tabs per day of Kick Start My Heart for health and disease prevention.

  Kick Start My Heart supplies many essential vitamins and minerals such as vitamins A, B, C, D, E and K as well as magnesium, copper, iron, and phosphorous that cannot be obtained in adequate, bioavailable amounts from the diet alone. Additionally, animal protein provides all 9 essential amino acids, making them a complete protein. This uniquely formulated supplement contains raw bovine (cow) and ovine (sheep) tissue from neonatal spleen, heart, liver, kidney, pancreas, lung, thymus, intestine and adrenals.

• Try new organ meat recipes to incorporate organ meats into the diet

  Check out our top five favorite organ meat recipes here.

• Supplement and incorporate organ meats into your diet at the same time

  Ensure you are getting enough nutrients in your diet from organ meats through a combination of supplementation and organ meat use in recipes.

  Read more about the health benefits of regularly using a glandular supplement (like Kick Start My Heart) here.