The Role of Organ Meats in Fertility Nutrition

November 19, 2025•5 min read

Organ meats are among the most nutrient-dense foods available, yet they are rarely part of the modern diet. For many preparing for pregnancy, these foods feel unfamiliar or difficult to use, so supplements often take their place in an effort to fill nutritional gaps.

This week at Health Youniversity, we spoke with Chef James Barry, founder of Pluck, who makes organ meats easy to use in everyday meals. His approach blends culinary skill with ancestral nutrition, offering simple, food-based support for reproductive health.

Why Organ Meats Matter

Organ meats include the liver, heart, kidneys, and spleen. These foods provide concentrated nutrients in forms the body can readily use. Compared to muscle meat, organ meats contain higher levels of bioavailable nutrition, making them especially supportive for preconception, during pregnancy, and postpartum, when the body’s nutritional needs are heightened.

Historically, organ meats were given first to individuals who needed the most nourishment, including pregnant women, young children, and elders. As modern diets shifted toward convenience and lean cuts of meat, organ meats became less common. With that shift, we lost access to a significant source of foundational nourishment.

Reintroducing organ meats is a simple way to restore deeper nutrition through food, rather than relying solely on supplements.

Traditional Use of Organ Meats

In many traditional cultures, organ meats are viewed through a “like supports like” perspective. The belief is that eating a specific organ provides targeted nourishment to the corresponding organ system in the body.

For example, the heart contains CoQ10, a nutrient often used to support cardiovascular and mitochondrial function, which plays a role in egg and sperm health. Liver has long been used to support the body’s natural detoxification processes. Brain and bone marrow have been offered to children because they support growth and development.

This approach shows up in Traditional Chinese Medicine, Indigenous food practices, and ancestral diets across the world. While the language varied between cultures, the principle remained consistent: certain foods provide support where the body needs it most.

Nutrient Gap in the Modern Diet

The nutrient content of the foods we eat today is significantly lower than in previous generations. Soil depletion, early harvesting, long transport times, and storage all reduce the vitamins and minerals available in produce by the time it reaches our plates.

As nutrient density has declined, many people rely on supplements to fill those gaps. But nutrients taken in capsule form bypass the body’s natural signaling system. When nutrients come through whole foods, taste and satiety cues help regulate intake. Without that feedback, it is easy to over- or under-supplement.

This pattern has led to widespread nutrient deficiency, even among individuals actively trying to eat well. Restoring nutrient-dense foods, including organ meats, provides the body with nourishment in a form it can absorb and use effectively.

Organ Meats for Fertility

Organ meats provide concentrated nourishment that supports the systems involved in conception and pregnancy. CoQ10, naturally present in heart tissue, supports mitochondrial energy production — a key factor in egg and sperm development. This nutrient is commonly supplemented in fertility care, yet organ meats provide it in a food-based form that is easily absorbed.

Organ meats also supply the same broad spectrum of nutrients typically found in prenatal supplements, delivered in a whole-food matrix that supports absorption and bioavailability. This makes them a practical way to strengthen nutrient stores before and during pregnancy. This is not to say stop taking your recommended prenatals, DHA and probiotic, but by eating organ meats you will absorb what you need.

Consistent intake of organ meats during pregnancy and after birth has been associated with:

Stronger milk supply
Reduced bleeding following delivery
Richer, more nutrient-dense placental tissue

Food-First Nutrient Support

Founded by Chef James Barry, Pluck is a culinary nutrition company focused on making organ meats easy to incorporate into daily meals. Its mission is to restore nutrient density through whole foods, supporting fertility and overall health without requiring major dietary changes.

Shop with Pluck here. Use code HEALTHYOU for a 15% discount at checkout!

Pluck sources organs from grass-fed, pasture-raised animals and uses a nose-to-tail approach grounded in ancestral food wisdom. By blending freeze-dried organ meats with herbs and spices, Pluck provides nutrient support in a familiar seasoning format that can be added to any dish.

Core Benefits of Pluck:

Food-Based Nutrient Support: Organ meats supply key nutrients in a whole-food form the body can readily absorb, supporting natural energy production and reproductive function.
Sourcing That Prioritizes Health: Ingredients are taken from grass-fed, pasture-raised animals, reflecting regenerative and humane agricultural practices.
Ease and Everyday Use: Pluck functions like a standard seasoning blend, allowing organ meats to be added to meals without new recipes or preparation techniques.

Food-first fertility nutrition shifts the focus from supplementation alone to nourishment that supports the body’s natural processes — steady, sustainable, and aligned with how the body is designed to thrive.

Check out all of our episodes on the following platforms:

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Shop with Pluck here. Use code HEALTHYOU for a 15% discount at checkout!
https://eatpluck.com/discount/HealthYou?ref=SUSANFOX

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James Barry is a culinary expert and functional food innovator with over 20 years of experience, including as a private chef for celebrities such as Tom Cruise and George Clooney. As the CEO and Founder of Pluck, the first organ-based superfood seasoning, and host of the Everyday Ancestral podcast, he inspires others to embrace nutrient-dense eating and ancestral wellness.

Website: https://eatpluck.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eatpluck

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chefjamesbarry/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/eatpluck/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@plucktv

Medical Disclaimer:

By listening to the Health Youniversity podcast, you agree not to use this podcast as medical advice to treat any medical condition for yourself or others. Consult your healthcare provider for any medical issues you may have. This entire disclaimer also pertains to any guests or contributors to any Health Youniversity podcast.

Dr. Susan Fox

I am a women’s health expert with a specialty in working with women and couples navigating fertility challenges for more than 20 years. I look forward to helping you realize your dream of family. I’m also a mother, a sister, a friend. I live in beautiful Northern California, where the nature of Mt. Tamalpais, the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay are my backyard. Traditional Chinese Medicine discovered me in 1978, when I was struggling with digestive complaints that flummoxed medical doctors. It wasn’t until I received my first acupuncture treatment and herbal prescription that I connected my medical condition to grief over loss of a loved one; that the stress of holding in such huge emotions was literally tying me up in knots, and I was finally able to heal. Discovering the powerful links between the physical, the mental, the emotional, the spiritual, and the environmental shifted my understanding of health and wellness forever. For more than 20 years, I’ve had the privilege of learning and implementing Whole Systems Traditional Chinese Medicine to understand the root causes of health conditions and realize optimal health and well-being. I am a strong believer in the importance of health education, for knowledge is power when you have the tools for effective self care.

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