How to Choose Protein That Helps You Recover Faster

G'day Legend,

If you’re in the North East like me, it’s officially time to bundle up. Beanie on, jacket zipped… but if you’ve been following me for a while, you know it’s still shorts no matter what (I’ll let you know how it goes). 

Last week, we unpacked why protein quality plays a far bigger role than most people realize. This week, we’re going one layer deeper. Because protein never comes alone.

Every protein source brings fat with it — whether you’re consciously thinking about it or not. And that fat quietly changes how your body responds to the protein you eat. In some cases, it supports recovery, hormones, and joint health. In others, it can subtly increase inflammation and slow down adaptation, even when total protein intake looks “perfect” on paper.

In this week’s newsletter (4 min read):
 🧠 Why the fat attached to your protein changes recovery + inflammation
🧈 Why ultra-lean protein isn’t always the best move long-term
🌿 How to choose protein sources that support joints, hormones, and performance

If you’ve got a mate who’s “hitting their protein” but still feels sore, flat, or beat up, send them THIS link.

The Core Reframe

Before we go any further, let me be clear: fat is not the enemy. We need it for health, performance, and longevity. What gets overlooked is context.

We tend to look at foods as single macros. Steak = protein. Chicken breast = lean. Salmon = “healthy fat.” But biologically, that’s not how the body works.

Every protein choice is also a fat choice. And the fat that comes with your protein influences inflammation, hormone production, nutrient absorption, and even how effectively your body uses the amino acids you’re consuming.

More often than not, the issue isn’t protein itself. It’s the fat riding shotgun.

Omega Balance: Where Things Start to Break Down

One of the biggest challenges with modern protein sources is an overload of omega-6 fatty acids, especially from conventionally raised, grain-fed animal products.

Omega-6 fats aren’t inherently bad. They’re essential. The problem is when omega-6 intake stays high and omega-3 intake stays low for a long time. That’s when the body can drift toward a more inflammatory state.

If you train hard, you feel this faster. It often shows up as persistent soreness, tight joints, or feeling beat up even when your sleep and nutrition look solid on paper.

Same protein intake. Very different recovery experience.

Why Ultra-Lean Protein Isn’t Always the Answer

There’s a common belief that leaner automatically means healthier. But when protein becomes too lean, it often loses the fats that help support long-term performance.

Those naturally occurring fats help deliver fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K, which matter for immunity, bones, and connective tissue repair. Strip them out and you often lose satiety too, meaning you need more food to feel the same effect.

Over time, living exclusively on ultra-lean protein can also blunt hormonal signaling. Testosterone and estrogen production both rely on adequate dietary fat and cholesterol. That’s one reason people who stay overly lean year-round can struggle with recovery, mood, or lingering aches.

Fat Quality and Joint Health

Your joints don’t recover from protein alone.

Connective tissue repair depends on anti-inflammatory lipid signaling, sufficient cholesterol availability, and micronutrients that are only absorbed properly in the presence of fat. Diets that include higher-quality fats — particularly omega-3s — are consistently linked with better joint health and improved recovery.

When fat quality improves, many athletes notice something subtle but powerful: fewer background aches and pains, better bounce between sessions, and more consistency week to week. Not because they trained differently — but because their nutrition stopped quietly working against them.

The Regenerative Angle (Why Sourcing Actually Matters)

This is where sourcing stops being a buzzword and starts being biological.

Animals raised on pasture or within regenerative systems tend to express healthier fat profiles, including higher omega-3 content and a more balanced omega-6 to omega-3 ratio. They also often contain higher levels of fat-soluble nutrients, driven by healthier soil and more diverse forage.

Practically, this means two identical protein servings — same grams, same calories — can create very different inflammatory and recovery responses in the body.

Same protein.
Different signal.

This Week’s Recipes: 35g protein for under $3

Legends, this week I have four recipes for you, and all of them deliver 35g+ of protein for under $3 per plate.

1. Dad’s Chile Con Carne

2. Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Sweet & Sour Sauce

3. Roasted Whole Chicken

4. Tahini Dressing

Quick Notes

🎬 I have a new YouTube video live on the 5 meals every hybrid athlete needs to know — watch it HERE.

🎁 Reminder, this is the last week to earn the January referral challenge prize of a free year of Alma premium – all you have to do to enter is refer a mate. Every referral is an entry.

#EatGoodFeelGood

— DC