How to make your child unstoppable with red meat

Conflicting advice is everywhere for parents. Nutrition especially is a constant battlefield, often fought by the food industries’ proxies. There’s so many parents wondering: should children eat red meat? We answer that question below…

Grass-fed and pasture-raised red meat is essential for the optimum growth and development of children. It contains a host of vital nutrients in higher amounts than any plant foods, and some that can’t be derived anywhere else naturally.

This post will address the different reasons you MUST feed your child red meat to give them the greatest start in life and make them unstoppable.

Read here for more about our relationship with meat. And what meats to eat, and which to avoid.

What challenges do children face?

Childhood should be a time for playing, learning and exploring. A time before the real pressures of survival, work and relationships kick in. But unfortunately, modern challenges are affecting kids at a younger and younger age. Pressures from our current lifestyles are reaching them through things like social media and school. Whilst for many children, the norm of the screen-filled sedentary life and the accepted industrial diet is ruining their carefree years with health problems. 

Mental disorders, with depression being the most common, are increasing amongst children. Between 2017 and 2021, cases amongst 6-16 year olds in the UK went up from 11.6% to 17.4%(1). Obviously, conditions like depression and anxiety have many risk factors. But dietarily, they are linked to things like chronic inflammation, unstable blood sugar, nutritional deficiencies and gut bacteria imbalance(2).

Increasingly busy lives for older children due to school pressures and maintaining social lives and hobbies can cause them to become burnt out and fatigued. This subsequently leads to decreased self-esteem and a weakened immune system. Both of which exacerbate physical and mental symptoms and can cause them to spiral out of control. 

At a time when people are starting to notice the self-esteem and mental wellbeing of boys especially, and usually mess up the advice to fix it, it’s important for us to do everything we can to prevent it. Low self-esteem leaves children with a negative outlook on life, which is something we really don’t want for our children(3). We want them to be healthy and happy. And ensuring your children eat more red meat is something we can control.

Read here for the 7 things a vegan child lacks.

Should children eat red meat to address these challenges?

Increasing the quantity and quality of red meat in your child’s diet can help relieve some of the challenges they face. From increased energy and motivation at school, a happier mood and less anxiety in social situations, and a healthier body composition and hormones when they reach adolescence. We will look at each of the ways that red meat can improve the quality of your child’s life.

Health

Grass-fed red meat is packed with nutrients that children need to grow. The balance of saturated and unsaturated fats it contains is needed to create healthy cell membranes. The other fats and nutrients it contains- such as omega-3 fatty acids and zinc- are essential for hormonal health and fertility(4). Most strikingly, after decades of red-meat-bashing, a study of over 218,000 people showed that regular consumption of unprocessed meat reduces risk of early death. Also, Hong Kong has the longest life expectancy on the planet while having the greatest total meat- and 3rd highest red meat- consumption(5). 

Since the 1950s, when people started being told to cut down on red meat and animal fat, the gap in their diet has been filled with more grains and vegetable oils. A move that has only accelerated the obesity and cardiovascular disease epidemic. By increasing your child’s red meat intake, you will limit the space available for them to eat unhealthy industrial food like refined sugar products. Decreasing sugar will have a huge effect on their health in a host of ways, both physically and psychologically.

Your child NEEDS the nutrients in red meat. Read here for another 10 things that they need!

Sleep

Sleep is a superpower, for children more than anyone. They spend years through childhood in a constant rapid rate of growth. The importance of sleep for them to maintain their development can’t be overstated. Children that get adequate sleep regularly have greater overall physical and mental health(6), and sleep has a direct effect on their happiness(7).

Red meat is high in tryptophan which is needed for the natural production of melatonin(8). Melatonin is produced based on your body clock and the setting and rising sun. It helps you fall asleep. As a caveat, eating a large amount of red meat too close to bedtime could make it harder to fall asleep, as it takes longer to digest. Ideally, you want to have all your food from the day digested by bedtime. 

A higher meat diet will also mean that they get more of their daily energy from fat. Fat is the body’s most favoured energy source. It doesn’t result in the spikes and crashes from running off carbohydrates and so your child will get a better quality of sleep. They will also wake up feeling more energised instead of being in an energy slump because it’s been hours since they’ve had any sugar. That will subsequently make it easier to steer them away from sugary cereals or toast for breakfast. 

Read here to learn about how sunlight can improve your child’s sleep

Energy

The reason your child will wake up more energised is because their body has become accustomed to the increase in fat and decrease in carbohydrates from upping their red meat intake. So whilst they sleep, their body will be able to use their own stored body fat for energy, instead of simply waiting for breakfast for the next carb fix to re-spike their blood sugar. Not only that, but red meat is a good source of, iron and B vitamins- especially B12- which can help them feel more energised. Beef liver especially is one of the best sources of B12, a vitamin vital for feeling energised.

If you’re finding beef liver difficult to feed you son- I know mine doesn’t always eat it- then try these ancestral supplements from APE Nutrition. I open the capsules and mix a couple into some of my son’s porridge, just to ensure he’s getting the right nutrients. I get a small commission if you buy any of their stuff off amazon using the links below but I still recommend going to their website and seeing what else they sell, and what they stand for. The link to their website is: https://apenutrition.co.uk

Mood

Better sleep and more energy will already do wonders for their mood. But the consumption of the meat itself may also play apart in keeping low mood at bay. A review of high quality studies found that the greater a group avoided eating meat, the higher rates of depression, anxiety and self-harm behaviours they had(9).

The case for red meat improves even more when you look at the other side. Vegan and vegetarian diets are related to greater risk of depression and anxiety- especially in someone under 26 years of age(10).

Read here to learn about how obesity leads to depression

Self-esteem

We all want our children to grow up with a positive view of themselves. Just from our own experiences, we know how much worse things are when you see yourself in a bad light. This is especially important during the teenage years when you’re making more social connections. One definition of self-esteem is “the awareness of the absolute value of one’s own personality or dignity”(11). We can all appreciate the importance of our children growing up with self worth and dignity.

The previous sections are a good indicator as to how red meat is beneficial for self-esteem. A healthier and happier child is far more likely to see themselves in a positive light. 

Read here for the 5 unhealthiest foods to ensure your child avoids.

Body composition and self-esteem

Another topic I want to touch on though is their body composition- particularly body fat and muscle mass. These are seen as important health outcomes in children(12). 

In modern times, many organisations tell us that we are meant to see fat as beautiful. As fluffy and ‘virtuous’ as the message may seem, think back to puberty and how you felt about your body as it changed and how difficult it was to fit in. Now imagine how much worse it would be if you were obese and reliant on sugar highs for energy and happiness. 

It simply cannot be overlooked that we are social, judgemental creatures. I know from my point of view, a part of my job as a parent is giving my son the greatest chance of happiness and success. And an obese child can never live up to their full potential. A way to guarantee self-esteem is to instil in them to love and respect their body. And that can only happen by them knowing what their body is capable of. 

Red meat will give them the energy, motivation and power to achieve that. Increase meat and drastically reduce sugar to change their life. Its high protein and fat content will allow them to maintain a lean physique, and allow the boys to more easily build muscle. This will give them confidence in themselves simply because of the way they look. That’s even without the esteem boosted through actually using their new unstoppable body.

Exercise is essential for your child. Talking of body composition: read here to learn about the myth of strength training stunting growth. And why your child should do it!

Brain Power

This is a whole article in itself! Read here to learn about how meat is essential to promote proper brain development.

Summary

Nutrients vital for health and development are found- sometimes exclusively- in meat.

Children nowadays have to deal with increasing pressures in school and at home, navigating the dangers of modern society.

Increasing your child’s intake of good quality red meat and decreasing industrial grains and sugars has a host of benefits.

It will improve their sleep, mood and energy levels to allow them to maximise their time learning, playing and socialising.

Prioritising fat and protein over carbohydrates will limit the risk of your child holding excess body fat during adolescence. Though you no doubt see them as beautiful no matter what, a leaner, healthier body will help them love and care for their body more. It will also reduce social anxiety in a seriously social time.

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