Beef

Beef covers two very different roles in a bioenergetic diet: liver, which is exceptionally nutrient-dense, and muscle meat, which needs to be balanced against its amino acid profile.

Beef liver

Beef liver is rich in the oily vitamins (A, E, K), and an occasional meal covers those requirements generously. It's also a good source of the intracellular, lipid-soluble form of Vitamin C, though standard nutrient charts don't reflect that form. Vitamin E content is much lower in grain-fed beef than in grass-fed. About 6 ounces a week is considered enough and safe; drinking coffee with it reduces iron absorption, which can be useful given liver's high iron content.

From ReciPeatsBeef liver pâté

A practical way to work a nutrient-dense weekly liver serving into the diet.

Muscle meat

Muscle meat alone provides an amino acid balance similar to what's produced by extreme stress, since it lacks the glycine found in skin, tendons, and connective tissue. Balancing muscle meat with gelatin or gelatin-rich cuts (bone broth, oxtail, shank) corrects this; see Diet: Protein strategy.

From ReciPeatsSlow-Cooked Beef Shank with Gelatin Gravy

Shank is naturally gelatin-rich, balancing the tryptophan/cysteine load of muscle meat.

From ReciPeatsBeef Foot Broth

Gelatin-rich and low-fiber, an easy way to add glycine alongside muscle meat.

Recipes

From ReciPeatsOxtail & Beef Chunk Mushroom Stew

Gelatin-rich cuts stewed with muscle meat in one pot.

From ReciPeatsMaster broth

A base gelatinous stock for soups and gravies.

All beef recipes

See also

• Tryptophan
• Gelatin
• Tryptophan:Glycine ratio
• Iron
• Diet