Ryan’s back. And this week he’s making the case for organs.
When we hear we need more of something in our diet, it’s usually fruit or vegetables.
Both can be a step in the right direction compared with the Standard American Diet, which comprises refined grains, refined sugar, refined dairy, and mostly rice, corn, and wheat.
But we need to go further than fresh fruit and veg if we’re going to reach our full potential each day and prevent the onset of modern neolithic diseases that are so prevalent today.
At Oath, we believe there is no one-size-fits-all nutrition approach.
We’re not carnivores here. We take no sides – but instead believe that humans thrive as omnivores. And that the ratio of plants to animals is variable depending on your situation.
Your personal needs (age, gender, exercise volume), the time of year, your location and your current gut health all dictate what an optimal diet would be for you.
Plants absolutely do provide specific nutrients that animal products do not offer, but they aren’t enough on their own for you to thrive. And when it comes to nutrient density, vegetables are no match for organs like heart, liver, kidney (or even muscle meat).
Unless you’re really clued up, opting for balance (with a focus on nutrient density) is always best.
Now here’s something you didn’t think you’d hear from a nose-to-tail company…
Vegans and the plant-based community do make valid points – most typical meat eaters don’t care about the planet; they don’t care how their food is farmed, transported and cooked.
These are your meat eaters that have a kebab, a greasy builder’s fry up, an egg bacon McMuffin. As opposed to those who understand the soil, carbon sequestration, the welfare of the animal, the slaughter, the sacrifice, and show respect by sharing it round a table on a Sunday with the family.
That distinction is also true for people who eat plant-based…
There is a big difference between shopping at your local farmers market and cooking at home with organic and well-prepared grains and dairy — and a new-aged vegan who buys processed products from Tesco's latest range that are refined and resemble the kebab eater above.
(This, by the way, is why you need to be mindful of reading studies that claim meat eaters vs plant eaters have X Y Z problem - it's too general).
So, balance is key.
But whatever balance you find, organs need to be in the mix.
As always, the clues lie in our past…
Weston A Price, the original pioneer in understanding the secrets behind ancestral diets, showed that every indigenous (healthy) population he studied ate nose-to-tail. He noticed that the whole animal was prized: eyeballs, tongue, stomach, intestines. All of it.
In times of scarcity or an unsuccessful hunt, the prized catch and its organs would be rationed for a select few, leaders (chieftains), elders, and pregnant women. Then in times of abundance, the whole tribe, young and old, would feast and share the spoils.
Now, we’ve been speaking a lot about balance in this article. So again, while organs are important, we need them in ratios that reflect nature.
If you think about it, there's plenty of meat on an animal. But there's only one heart, one tongue, one liver, two kidneys etc. We evolved eating the whole animal – so the ratio of muscle to organ is key…
We do not need or want to consume the whole liver all in one go, for example. Which is why we have selected the appropriate ratios and types of organs to deliver the nutrition you need (while tasting exceptional).
Oath is unique in designing all our products to mimic nature’s balance.
Now back to that ancient wisdom
In times of stress, injury, or despair people would consume the adrenals (as part of a food-is-medicine approach). This has been born out in modern science, as we now know the adrenals are concentrated in vitamin C and are similar to taking cortisone to calm and reduce inflammation. They are also rich in B vitamins, iron, and copper to power our immune system.
There were no Boots or walk-in GP clinics. Medicine was based on ancestral food principles, and these values have been fading for many years. The values we hope to bring back with Oath – our messaging and our products.
Whichever product you consume, below are the main headline nutrients each organ in our burger and sausage range provides…
When you consume liver, you get the most concentrated form of vitamin A—bioavailable and useable retinol, which is pivotal for your immune system and circadian biology to work. Low levels of retinol in your blood have been associated with more sleep disorders and leaky gut.
Copper: Plays Robin of Batman and Robin when we are discussing iron. Iron gets all the glory and importance, but copper is an instrumental mineral that allows iron to be transported and utilised in the body. It's unique in enabling us to use oxygen in the mitochondria. It plays a role in our antioxidant defences with the formation of superoxide dismutase, the synthesis of collagen, and the regulation of our neutrophils.
Vitamin B12 participates in heme synthesis, DNA and RNA synthesis, methylation, and the nervous system, with myelination, which is the protective cap on our nerves. You naturally consume the most bioavailable form when consuming real food like liver.
With heart you get a tissue that preferably burns fat for energy, which means it contains fat-burning nutrients. These include creatine, which supports energy production, muscle mass, and strength and potentially reduces the risk of neurodegeneration.
Carnitine: this is a unique amino acid that we need to shuttle fats from the cell into the mitochondria to "burn". Carnitine can be created endogenously with the exact nutrients found inside our products + vitamin C, or we can eat heart and muscle meat directly for the carnitine (or take potentially a synthetically derived supplement which is usually from GMO corn). I know which I’ll take.
The heart is rich in vitamin B2, which has a defining role in fat oxidation, detoxification of alcohol and aldehydes, and methylation (it is not purely about vitamin B9 and folic acid). B2 is the most essential vitamin in the "dreaded" MTFHR snp.
Bone marrow is not rich in B vitamins but in stem cells and growth factors. Encased within bones where red blood cell and immune cell production occurs, bone marrow plays a crucial role in our health and metabolism. Consuming bone marrow can have a healing effect on the body due to its stem cell content and unique fats. From my experience, consuming bone marrow massively increases my skin health and libido.
Sounds pretty good, right?
We hope to add more products to our online butcher counter down the line, which also means a broader variety of organs. Keep your eyes peeled and stay current by signing up for our newsletter with special limited-edition drops or "be fed and give feedback" for many insider articles and news.
As always, our mission at Oath is to encourage and inspire you to consume quality over quantity. Most people who jump into something new go all in, and organ meats or meat can easily create such situations because it is so primal. But consuming organs doesn't need to be extreme—it should be elegantly done.
This approach also supports our environment and the animals we sacrifice.
Speak soon,
R, J & N