Feeling depleted in preconception, pregnancy, or postpartum? Learn the organ meat benefits during pregnancy and postpartum, plus easy, realistic ways to add liver and other nutrient-dense foods to family meals without overhauling your kitchen.
EPISODE 49 | HOLISTICALLY WELL PODCAST — NOURISHING FROM THE INSIDE OUT: WHY ORGAN MEATS ARE THE MISSING LINK IN MODERN NUTRITION WITH JAMES BARRY
Whether you learn best by listening, reading, or watching, there is something for you! You can catch the audio version on the Holistically Well Podcast—available on all your favorite platforms!
Holistically Well Podcast on Apple | Episode 49
Holistically Well Podcast on Spotify | Episode 49
Holistically Well Podcast on YouTube | Episode 49
Ancestral Nutrition for Modern Motherhood
There’s a reason this conversation has been sitting in my “can’t wait to share” folder!
Because at the heart of true root-cause wellness is something beautifully unglamorous and wildly powerful: nutrient-rich, whole-food nourishment. In a world where so much of our food has been stripped down, rushed, sprayed, and shipped before it’s even ready… it’s no wonder so many women (especially in preconception, pregnancy, and postpartum) feel like they’re running on empty.
So what if we reclaimed the wisdom of traditional diets?
The kind our great grandmothers knew. The kind that supported full-bodied energy, resilient pregnancies, and postpartum recovery that didn’t require “pushing through.”
Today’s guest, James Barry, is here to make that wisdom simple, accessible, and actually doable for modern families.
James has over 20 years in the culinary world, including time as a private chef for well-known names like Tom Cruise and George Clooney. His real passion is helping families nourish well especially through the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet!
He’s the founder of Pluck—an organ-based superfood seasoning created to make getting organ meats into your diet both easy and enjoyable.
And yes, it tastes so good. My favorite is the Zesty Garlic!
KEY EPISODE TAKEAWAYS
🥦 Why nutrient-dense foods matter more than ever
🍳 How to incorporate organ meats (like liver) without forcing a total diet overhaul
🤰🏽 Why this matters specifically in preconception, pregnancy, and postpartum
🌱 How small shifts in your kitchen can create a generational impact on health
Here’s Why You May Feel Depleted Right Now
James puts words to something I see constantly in clinic. Even women who are “doing everything right” can still feel…
- low energy
- stubborn deficiencies (hello, low iron or B12)
- slower recovery
- symptoms that don’t fully resolve when we only address movement or strength
One of the biggest missing pieces is that modern food often isn’t as nutrient-dense as we assume.
So even when you’re eating “healthy,” you may still be under-nourished especially in seasons where your body is building, healing, bleeding, breastfeeding, and adapting.
Pregnancy and postpartum are not the time to “get by.” They are the time to build deep reserves.
Are Organ Meats Nature’s Multivitamins?
James didn’t grow up eating organ meats. He was a self-proclaimed picky eater—so picky he didn’t have his first taco until college.
But in culinary school, he learned about the role of traditional diets and the repeated emphasis on organ meats as the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet.
And still… he wasn’t sold.
That changed when he became a father.
Because at some point, the conversation shifts from “what do I feel like eating?” to “what will help me stay healthy enough to show up for my family long-term?”
That’s when he did the deeper research and landed on a simple truth that organ meats helped shape human health for generations… and now we largely avoid them. Why? Maybe sourcing feels confusing. Maybe you’re not quite sure how to prepare them. Maybe the connotation alone has you assuming they’re not for you. I get that! Hopefully this episode helps clear any confusion.
“Microdosing” Organ Meats
Small amounts of organ meats is the entire idea behind using an organ-based seasoning like Pluck! This way, you don’t have to change what you’re eating. You keep the foods your family already enjoys… and simply enhance them.
Mac and cheese? Sprinkle.
Eggs? Sprinkle.
Tacos? Sprinkle.
Popcorn? Sprinkle!
This matters so much in first trimester nausea, busy seasons where the goal is “fed” not “fancy”, postpartum exhaustion, and feeding toddlers and picky eaters!
Organ Meat for Pregnancy and Postpartum
If you’re someone who likes to measure (and I get that), James also shares that they created a version designed for that!
Pluck Pure (100% organ meat)
- ½ tsp = ~1 ounce of organ meats
- easy to add to smoothies, soups, sauces, coffee, or mixed into ground meat
This can be especially helpful if you’ve been told you’re:
- anemic
- low in B12
- depleted in key nutrients
- actively trying to build reserves for pregnancy or postpartum
The Pregnancy and Postpartum Connection to Organ Meats (and why this can be generational)
This is the piece I want every woman to feel in her bones! When you nourish well in preconception, pregnancy, and postpartum—you’re not just supporting your energy.
You’re building the foundation for your baby’s development. You’re supporting recovery. You’re influencing your child’s relationship with food.
James shares something really powerful here that real food becomes a dinner table conversation and I couldn’t adore this more. If you want to keep this simple, start here 👇
✅ Aim for consistency over overhaul
A little, often, beats perfect once.
✅ Stack nourishment onto what you already do
Season foods you already make—eggs, tacos, soups, veggies, popcorn.
✅ Pregnancy + postpartum are seasons of reserve-building
Think: deep nourishment, not “getting by.”
✅ Make food a conversation at the table
It’s one of the most powerful ways to pass health forward to your kids.
Want To Try Pluck Organ Seasoning?
The Zesty Garlic is my absolute favorite (it’s also my kids’ favorite). It’s been an easy way to support that “microdosing” approach without needing to reinvent meals!
