Are fruits and vegetables really killing you?

Stick with meats like beef, pork, and chicken while ditching salads, whole grains, and coffee.

The carnivore diet involves eating only animal products like meat, fish, eggs, and occasionally dairy, while completely cutting out plant-based foods. Supporters claim that by removing plant toxins, this diet can provide various health advantages.

Additionally, adopting a carnivore diet might finally enable you to slip into those jeans hidden in the back of your closet. The pro-carnivore approach could aid in weight loss by providing a high protein intake, which helps you feel full longer and naturally reduces your calorie consumption. By cutting out high-carb plant foods, this diet can trigger ketosis, a state where your body burns fat for energy.

Dr. Anthony Chaffee, an American medical doctor and Neurosurgical resident, is a prominent supporter who transitioned into a YouTube personality. With more than 20 years of research under his belt, he has delved into discovering the best nutrition for enhancing human performance and health.

Chaffee contends that most chronic diseases treated by healthcare providers are connected to our eating habits and nutrient shortfalls. He believes that these health issues can be mitigated by following a diet designed to meet the unique nutritional requirements of our species.

Why carnivore?

Advocates of Team Carnivore often rely on to bolster their viewpoint.

1. “Our genetic history holds the story.”

Advocates claim that our ancestors flourished on a diet abundant in animal-based foods, indicating a biological adjustment to eating meat. The creation of hunting tools and the intake of large mammals highlight an evolutionary benefit offered by nutrient-packed animal products, including vital fats and proteins that could have contributed to brain growth.

Research on contemporary hunter-gatherer communities, which mimic the lifestyles of our early ancestors, frequently reveals a diet largely centered around animal foods. These groups generally display excellent health and optimal brain function, reinforcing the vital role animal products played in human evolution.

2. “Meat: nature’s multivitamin”

Some supporters argue that animal-derived foods offer all the essential nutrients minus the anti-nutrients present in plants. For instance, meat is rich in high-quality protein, vitamins B12 and D, heme iron, and omega-3 fatty acids, all of which are crucial for numerous body functions.

High-quality meat protein, which is easily absorbed, delivers all the necessary amino acids crucial for muscle growth, repair, and maintenance. Protein plays a vital role in several bodily functions, such as supporting the immune system and producing hormones.

Besides being a great source of protein, meat is packed with various vitamins and minerals that are essential for good health. For example, meat is high in Vitamin B12, which is important for nerve function and DNA creation. Fatty cuts of meat also provide vitamin D, which helps maintain bone health and supports the immune system.

Furthermore, meat provides a substantial amount of heme iron, the type of iron that the body absorbs most efficiently. This mineral is crucial for transporting oxygen, producing energy, and maintaining overall vitality. Alongside this, meat is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, especially in fatty fish, which are beneficial for heart health, brain function, and managing inflammation.

Unlike plant-based foods, meat provides all these nutrients in forms that the body can easily absorb, making it a practical and effective way to fulfill nutritional requirements.

3. “Meat good, plants bad.”

They propose that plant toxins like lectins and phytates might negatively impact nutrient absorption and damage gut health.

Plant toxins such as lectins and phytates have caught the eye for their possible effects on nutrient absorption and gut health. Lectins, present in a range of plant foods including grains, legumes, and nightshade vegetables, have the ability to attach to the gut lining, which could result in inflammation and harm to intestinal cells. Phytates, commonly found in seeds, nuts, and grains, can bind with minerals like iron, zinc, and calcium, thus impeding their absorption in the gut.

Consequently, regularly eating foods rich in lectins and phytates could lead to nutrient shortages and negatively impact health. This can result in decreased absorption of key minerals necessary for essential body functions like immune defense, bone integrity, and energy production. Furthermore, the inflammatory response caused by lectins may worsen gut problems such as leaky gut syndrome and lead to widespread inflammation, potentially heightening the risk of chronic illnesses.

4. “People tend to feel improved on a carnivore diet.”

Many people following the carnivore diet have shared personal stories of seeing improvements in autoimmune conditions, digestive problems, and weight loss. Their experiences indicate that cutting out plant-based foods might help lower inflammation and ease chronic diseases.

Pro-carnivore supporters often resort to fear-mongering to emphasize their message. For example, in a recent interview, Anthony Chaffee argues that "We are poisoning ourselves with plant-foods."

During the conversation with Chaffee, he pointed out that plant toxins, especially cyanide, can damage mitochondria, which are the parts of cells that generate energy. The discussion mentions the World Health Organization’s view on cyanide exposure, stressing its harmful impact on health, such as thyroid issues and neurological problems.

Cassava, a basic dietary item in numerous areas, is recognized for containing small amounts of cyanide, which can cause health problems such as goiter. Cyanide interferes with the electron transport chain in mitochondria, impairing their activity. Furthermore, not consuming enough protein can worsen the harmful impact of cyanide exposure.

What Chaffee overlooks, though, is that despite cassava having cyanogenic glycosides—compounds that can produce cyanide when eaten in large amounts or not properly prepared—the likelihood of cyanide poisoning from correctly processed cassava is minimal.

Conventional techniques for processing cassava, including soaking, fermenting, and cooking, are successful in lowering cyanide levels to safe amounts. Furthermore, the condition known as goiter, which manifests as an enlarged thyroid gland, is mainly due to a lack of iodine rather than the ingestion of cyanide from cassava.

The idea that cyanide interferes with the electron transport chain within mitochondria is correct; but, the amounts of cyanide found in correctly processed cassava are unlikely to significantly threaten mitochondrial function. Additionally, although consuming protein is crucial for overall health, there is insufficient evidence to indicate that it directly worsens the harmful effects of cyanide exposure from eating cassava.

Overall, when included in a well-rounded diet and cooked using traditional techniques, cassava can be a healthy and safe foundational food in various regions.

The flipside; a mixed plate.

Although the carnivore diet is gaining traction, focusing solely on animal products, a substantial amount of scientific research (and common sense) highlights the health advantages of a varied diet. Including fruits, vegetables, and whole grains supports a balanced approach, raising questions about the restrictive nature of the carnivore diet.

1. Plants aren’t (just) toxic.

A lot of plants are rich in phytonutrients—compounds known for their anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and potential anti-cancer benefits. Some common examples of these beneficial compounds are flavonoids, carotenoids, and polyphenols.

Polyphenols, which are plentiful in fruits, vegetables, cereals, as well as drinks like red wine and tea, have attracted attention for their possible health benefits. These substances play a role in plant defense and impact the taste and aroma of foods. They may also help guard against illnesses like cancer, cardiovascular problems, diabetes, osteoporosis, and neurodegenerative diseases.

Ongoing research delves into the biological impacts of dietary polyphenols, emphasizing their role in enhancing human health and warding off diseases. For example, the fiber and nutrients found in fruits and vegetables are known to benefit our well-being, such as combating depression, lowering blood sugar and estrogen levels, and hindering the progression of cancer cells.

Dietary fiber, exclusively available in plant-based foods, is essential for gut health. It aids in ensuring smooth bowel movements, lowers the risk of colon cancer, and contributes to a healthy gut microbiome. Without plant foods in one's diet, there's an absence of dietary fiber, which can result in problems like constipation and an increased risk of colorectal cancer.

2. Plants contribute to a healthy gut.

A diverse diet packed with various plant-based foods can promote a thriving and healthy gut microbiome. Research has connected a well-balanced microbiome to numerous health benefits, such as improved immune response, better weight management, and optimal metabolic function. On the other hand, a diet that lacks plant variety might weaken the microbiome, potentially leading to adverse effects on overall health.

A diet rich in various plant-based foods provides multiple benefits for the complex ecosystem of the gut microbiome, a crucial community of microorganisms vital to human health. Scientific studies have highlighted the essential role of the gut microbiome in immune function, metabolic regulation, and weight management. On the other hand, diets that lack plant diversity can weaken the resilience and performance of the gut microbiome, possibly leading to negative health effects.

3. The evidence speaks otherwise.

Extensive epidemiological research has repeatedly demonstrated that consuming more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is linked to a lower risk of various chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some forms of cancer.

A long-term study involving more than 100,000 people revealed that increasing your intake of fruits and vegetables can reduce the risk of dying from multiple causes, such as cancer, heart disease, and respiratory ailments.

The research indicated that consuming roughly five servings of fruits and vegetables daily—specifically, two servings of fruit and three servings of vegetables—was linked to the lowest death rates. Notably, the advantages appeared to level off at this point, suggesting that having more than five servings per day did not further decrease risk. These results back the current dietary advice to boost fruit and vegetable intake, though they also imply that fruit juices and potatoes might not provide the same benefits.

4. Balance is key.

The debate against eating plant foods frequently focuses on the natural defense mechanisms found in plants, including lectins and phytates. Nevertheless, when part of a balanced diet, the advantages of consuming a diverse range of plant foods significantly surpass the potential downsides of these compounds.

Additionally, the ways in which you cook and prepare food can greatly lessen their occurrence.

Nutritional experts, including Georgia Ede, a Harvard-trained and board-certified psychiatrist with a focus on nutritional psychiatry, advise caution against swinging too far to the other extreme. Ede emphasizes that we should not demonize meat.

This is the common narrative we often encounter about red meat. It’s frequently held responsible for a variety of serious health issues, ranging from heart disease to colon cancer.

"They rely heavily on a research approach known as nutrition epidemiology. This method mainly involves untested hypotheses and speculative guesses about the impact of red meat on our health, without ever being verified through clinical trials," explained Ede. "Moreover, the few pieces of supporting evidence from experimental studies are often derived from very unusual animal studies."

5. Our ancestors were not exclusively carnivores.

Throughout the ages, humans have incorporated a mixture of plant-based and animal-derived foods into their diets, showcasing our species' ability to adapt and be versatile. Early humans, while living as hunter-gatherers, depended largely on gathering a variety of plant foods including fruits, roots, nuts, and leafy greens for their survival.

Additionally, incorporating animal products such as meat, fish, and dairy into the diet significantly broadened nutritional possibilities. These foods supply dense sources of protein, fats, vitamins, and minerals. This varied dietary strategy enabled human populations to prosper in a wide range of environments, from verdant forests to dry savannas, by utilizing the rich nutritional offerings of both plant and animal sources.

As human societies shifted from wandering lifestyles to established farming communities, growing crops and taming animals became essential to our diets, emphasizing the significance of both plant and animal foods. Advances in agriculture made it possible to cultivate vital grains such as wheat, rice, and corn, along with legumes, fruits, and vegetables, offering dependable food sources that sustained growing populations. At the same time, domesticating livestock enabled the production of meat, milk, and eggs, enriching diets with extra protein and crucial nutrients.

This mutual dependence between plant-based and animal-based foods has profoundly impacted human nutrition, shaping cultural customs, cooking traditions, and dietary choices throughout various civilizations.

In summary, it's important to understand that each person is different, with their own specific dietary requirements, likes, and viewpoints. Although a very strict diet might deliver short-term benefits for some, it's essential to look at the comprehensive scientific research and possible long-term effects before completely committing to any diet plan. What is effective for one person might not be suitable for someone else, and following popular diets without taking into account individual health considerations can lead to unforeseen issues.

By thoroughly reviewing the scientific data and seeking advice from medical experts, people can make well-informed choices about their diet, ensuring they focus on both immediate advantages and long-term health benefits. In the end, embracing a balanced and sustainable eating strategy is crucial for enhancing overall wellness and extending lifespan.