Animal-Based Grocery Guide

These days, what kind of diet you're on seems to be the next big trend in the fitness industry. Not that it wasn't important before, but people are finally beginning to wake up to all the toxic chemicals that are in their food.

To the seemingly mundane all the way to the highly processed garbage that fills the average American grocery store. True awakening to the wholistic diet approach is realizing that 90% of the grocery store is inedible.

As more and more people wake up to this fact, they are starting to go back to a more ancestral form of diet and nutrition. This would include diet trends like the carnivore or an animal-based diet, which is essentially the same as the carnivore diet, but with a few addition of primarily organic fruit, with focus on berries.

At Based Nutrition, we have found success adhering to the animal-based diet for consistency sake and in an effort to add back some carbs, etc. That is why we do what we do, offer all-natural nutrition supplements that are "based" around an animal-based diet.

In any case, for those who are already on an animal-based diet, or are simply looking to try it out and see how it works for you, we created a grocery list for an animal-based diet, focusing on a variety of nutrient-dense animal products and assorted fruits:

Animal Protein Focus on "Grass-Fed" cow, bison, lamb and try to avoid any animal that is primarily fed grains and soy.

Red Meat

Red meat if the most important part of your new diet and the foundation to your optimal health. We have evolved for many thousands of years eating animal protein, so it would be foolish to avoid it now. There's simply no substitute for animal protein in any diet.

Primarily focus on "Grass-Fed" cow, bison, lamb and try to avoid any animal that is primarily fed grains and soy. This would include any cut you prefer, but the below should be a good start to fill out your freezer:

• Ground beef
• Ribeye steaks
• Sirloin steaks
• Elk
• Lamb chops
• Lamb shank
• Ground lamb

Eggs

Eggs one of the most vital parts of any diet, let alone an animal-based one. These are nutrient powerhouses and should be consumed daily. You were told to avoid eggs, but what you really should be avoiding is the highly processed garbage you see throughout the store.

The equivalent to grass-fed here would be to look for pasture-raised, organic, and free range eggs. A brand such as Vital Farms is a good source of your diets eggs. Pick from any of the following eggs:

• Chicken eggs
• Duck eggs
• Quail eggs

Organ Meat

This is a cornerstone of the animal-based diet. Adding cuts like grass-fed beef liver is one of the best things you can for your diet. Organ meat is often referred to as "nature's multivitamin" because they are so nutrient dense.

You can either cook and eat the various organ meat, or if you're someone that isn't as fond of them, you can add a beef organ multivitamin to you nutrition stack, like the one from Based Nutrition.

• Liver
• Heart
• Kidney
• Bone marrow
• Lamb liver
• Heart
• Bone marrow

Raw Dairy

Once you start to go through this list, you'll find one of the hardest things to get your hands on is raw dairy products. That's because big brother government frowns upon raw dairy. Even the FDA has repeatedly advised consumers not to drink raw milk, which can contain bacteria like E. coli, Salmonella, Listeria, and Campylobacter.

The health "experts" are wrong once again. While federal law prohibits sale of unpasteurized dairy across state lines, individual states are still free to regulate the product as they see fit. Small farms in your area are a great place to start your search or a specialty grocer in your area may carry these products.

When looking for a good brand, Raw Farms is a great brand when shopping for the below:

• Raw, grass-fed whole milk (preferably grass-fed or raw if available)
• Grass-fed butter (e.g., Kerrygold, Kirkland Grass-Fed Butter)
• Raw Cheeses - Aged cheddar, Parmesan, Blue cheese, Goat cheese
• Grass-fed creams - Coffee creamer, heavy creamer, sour cream
• Grass-fed Greek yogurt (plain, unsweetened)

Fruit

In an animal-base diet, you reintroduce the carbs, but how? Well, when you're adhering to an animal-based diet, your primary source of carbohydrates are going to be coming from your fruit intake.

As far as what fruit, if never hurts to have a variety, but at the foundation of it all should be berries. This means prioritizing blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, etc.

• Blueberries

Blueberries are known for their high levels of antioxidants, which can help protect cells from damage. They are also a good source of fiber, vitamin C, and vitamin K. Blueberries can be a great addition to an animal's diet, providing a tasty and nutritious treat.

• Raspberries

Raspberries are rich in fiber and vitamin C, making them a healthy choice for animals. They also contain antioxidants that can help reduce inflammation and improve overall health. Raspberries can be fed to animals fresh or frozen, adding a burst of flavor to their diet.

• Strawberries

Strawberries are a favorite among many animals due to their sweet taste and juicy texture. They are a good source of vitamin C, manganese, and antioxidants. Strawberries can be a refreshing snack for animals, providing hydration and essential nutrients.

• Blackberries

Blackberries are packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that can benefit animals. They are also high in fiber, which can aid in digestion and promote gut health. Blackberries can be a tasty addition to an animal's diet, offering both flavor and nutritional value.

Animal Fats for Cooking

Now for how we are to get our fats and what you should be cooking with from now on. No more synthetic cooking oils or "I Can't Believe It's Not Poison."

Your rule of thumb here is to not cook with anything that is man made. No vegetable oils and certainly no fake butters. Grass-fed butter or animal fat is the best way to replenish your body's fat stores and the most natural way to cook your food.

Do not let the unhealthy health "experts" fool you. Another good rule of thumb is if the "experts" tell you not to eat it, you probably should double up on it.

• Grass-fed butter (e.g., Kerrygold, Kirkland Grass-Fed Butter)
• Tallow (beef fat)
• Lard (pork fat)
• Duck fat
• Ghee (clarified butter)
• Avocado or coconut oil (although not animal products, they are better alternatives to any vegetable oil or weird fake butter out there)

Some other options for your sources of animal protein can be found below. Note, a traditional animal-based diet is typically limited to ruminants, or animals like a cow, elk (deer), bison, or lamb.

Duck

• Duck breast
• Duck legs
• Duck fat (eating or for cooking)

Seafood

• Wild-caught salmon
• Mackerel
• Sardines
• Tuna
• Cod
• Shrimp
• Scallops
• Oysters
• Mussels
• Crab
• Squid
• Octopus

Broth and Gelatin

Important for your skin, hair, cartilage and joint health, intake of things like bone broth can give you some much needed collagen and gelatin. You can either buy the bone broth as is or make it yourself. Note, you will need a decent amount of beef bones, marrow included, and you're going to need to boil those bones for an extended period of time.

• Beef bone broth
• Grass-fed gelatin powder
• Collagen peptides

Snacks

We all need a snack from time to time. When you're looking for something quick, remember not to sacrifice quality just because you're in a pinch. Continue to focus on ingredients and animal products. Jerkies and dried/smoked fish are great places to start:

• Beef jerky (sugar-free, nitrate-free)
• Dried sardines
• Smoked salmon

Optional Condiments

Some of the most toxic products in the entire grocery store can be found in the condiments aisle. Full of seed oils and other synthetic chemicals, sauces and condiments require special consideration when looking to add some spice to your animal-based diet. Focus on brands with very few ingredients and that use bases like avocado oil, as opposed to some type of "vegetable" oil.

Some of your options include:

• Hollandaise sauce (made with butter and eggs)
• Béarnaise sauce
• Tallow mayo (made with beef tallow)

This list should cover most of the essentials for an animal-based diet, emphasizing nutrient-rich and whole animal products. 

Give this diet a try for 30 days and see if you don't feel much better overall. You'll find once you start to eliminate the toxins from your diet, you will have more energy, a better mood, and overall better performance than a diet riddled with harmful chemicals.