my favorite protein, carb, & fat sources for healing & wellness
Macronutrients can feel like a complicated topic - what are they? What are the best sources? How should I pair them?
I'm going to help you break it down, starting with my personal favorite forms of each of these vital energy sources!
A note - lots of foods contain more than one macronutrient, I classified these using the most prominent macronutrient found in each!
For delicious real life examples of how to pair everything together for healing, grab a meal plan or cookbook from my site!
Proteins
Many woman in particular are under-eating protein, especially in a confused dietary culture where animal products are so feared. Protein is absolutely essential for muscle mass, hormone production and regulation, digestion, healthy blood pressure, and so much more!
My favorite go-to proteins are:
•Skyr and Greek yogurt
•Cottage cheese
•Pasture-raised eggs
•Organic sausage (chicken, pork, turkey, beef)
•Grass fed ground beef
•Whole chicken (some premade rotisseries have questionable additives, but cooking from scratch is easier than you think! My favorite recipe is in my Fixin's book)
•Wings, thighs, and drumsticks
•Grass fed chuck roast (recipe in Fixin's!)
•Primal blend ground meats (meats that have liver and other organs added)
•Wild caught fish/shellfish: cod, salmon, halibut, shrimp, scallops, oysters, etc
•Bone broth (recipe in my meal plans; again, easier than you think to make at home!)
•Ground bison and venison
All of these are items on a regular rotation in my meals! I prefer organic, local, etc when possible, but thankfully these all offer a great punch of protein even if you're just buying conventional (non-organic!)
CARBSSS
And we all rejoiced.
Carbs are not just our favorite delicious macro, they are absolutely vital to energy production, brain function, & nutrient intake.
My favorite go-to carbs are:
•In season fruit (if you can't always buy organic, think: edible skin=organic; thick or peeled skin/rind=conventional. You can also soak your non-organic fruit in a solution of 1 tsp baking soda for every 2 cups of water for about 30 minutes, then rinse well)
•Some favorite fruits include berries & melons of all kinds, papaya, pineapple, pears, peaches, plums, figs, grapes, dates..I could go on!
(and did you know, tomatoes, avocado, cucumbers, bell peppers, are all technically fruits?!)
•White rice, soaked (cover rice with filtered water for 12-24 hours to reduce phytic acid and anti-nutrients, then drain, rinse, and cook!)
•Oats (also soaked!)
•Root veggies like white potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, beets, etc.
•Maple syrup, honey, and coconut sugar
•Soaked and sprouted beans (how-to here)
These are items I do personally prioritize buying organically, especially grains. Do the best you can and don't sweat the rest!
Fats
Fat really gets a bad rap. And I think that's contributing to our current epidemic of women with thyroid & hormonal issues. Fat has important roles like serving as a pre-curser to absorbing certain vitamins, helps keeps us full, and supports our skin and hair health, to name a few!
My favorite go-to fats are:
•Grass fed, raw, organic milk
•Cheese
•Small handfuls of nuts or seeds (if you've seen nuts as a “no-no” in the metabolic world, remember that food is about context. It was not normal to eat ½ cup of nut butter 100's of years ago, but a handful of pecans is much different than that. Nuts and seeds have incredible nutrient value. Balance, balance, balance!)
•Avocados
•Olives
•Grass fed butter or ghee
•Olive oil
•Coconut oil and coconut products
And there you have it, folks!
I will continue chatting about food combination ideas, pairing these macros, etc, but in the meantime, my meal plans and recipes were designed to help you maximize the best of the best nutrients and combine your foods in a supportive (and super delicious) way.
Happy Nourishing!
Fallon