You Don’t Need Veggies or Grains for Optimal Health

You can thrive while eating only a few food groups. You see, no matter what any “expert” tells you, they are 100% wrong when they say that you need whole grains for optimal health. They have either been mislead or are lying to you.

This is also true for red meat. And vegetables.

Wait, what?! Am I serious when I say that you can thrive without eating another vegetable in your life? Or am I just playing games with you?

I’m dead serious (no pun intended).

I do my best to remain completely unbiased. I focus on eating Paleo foods but am not afraid to say that some individuals living in today’s world do better eating properly prepared grains compared to eating raw vegetables.

Food groups is a relative term. The following is how I break down foods into different groups:

Red meat
Poultry
Fish and seafood
Organ meat
Eggs (chicken, duck, salmon, etc).
Dairy
Fats (butter, coconut oil, olive oil, etc.)
Vegetables
Tubers
Grains
Legumes
Greens
Fruit (including coconut)
Nuts
Seeds
Herbs

I think this covers all edible foods. If you think I can add a group let me know by leaving a comment below. I’ll edit the list as I see fit.

Variety is important but it’s a relevant term. It seems as if most people think this means you need to eat every single food group available to us. This is a lie.

You can get all the nutrients you need to thrive into your 80′s from only a few food groups.

Be gentle the next time someone freaks out on you when you tell them you are ditching grains. Ask them if they honestly believe that you must eat every single food group to thrive. Tell them to think about it without any distractions. Then you can have a pleasant conversation (perhaps debate) about it later.

Additionally, please don’t tell anyone that Paleo is all about eating a bunch of red meat. It’s not. It’s far from it. Can some people thrive eating a lot of red meat? Certainly. Some can thrive eating a lot of white potatoes too. It all depends on the individual.

So, what do you need in order to thrive? A mix of plant and animal foods.

Your personal needs will vary. Without proper supplementation, vegans can not thrive for life. Neither can human carnivores. Why? Because we are omnivores.

My best tip is to experiment. Begin eating what you think makes you feel awesome. Eat a lot of those foods. Then try new foods and tinker from there. No one knows what is best for your own body outside of YOU. A respectable doctor or someone like Mark Sisson may help a lot but it ultimately comes down to you being in tune with your own needs and feelings.

What are your thoughts? Do you agree or disagree? Sound off in the comments below. I’d love to get a civilized debate going about this topic that probably 99% of the population disagrees with.

photo credit

Alice

I think it’s up to each person to find the appropriate mix from the list you’ve created above. You have to see what works with your body and not be influenced by anyone else’s rules of what’s OK or not OK according to whatever diet. For me, I can eat a few grains in small quantities (not wheat!), and my body is fine. Same thing for potatoes and sweet potatoes. I love veggies, and they’re staple in my diet. My primary rule of thumb is to select foods that are minimally processed, organic and as local as possible. That works for me. Sometimes I bend my own rules, but that’s life.
- http://primaltoad.com/ Todd Dosenberry
  
  Well said. I could not agree more!
- http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1314456 Emma Thomas Watterson
  
  Ditto what Todd said! I’ve been reading about so many diets and philosophies on eating that it all starts to jumble together after a while. This is really an opportunity for me to actually listen to my body and figure out what works for me Here’s to good eating!
Dan

Eggs need to be added to your list.
- http://primaltoad.com/ Todd Dosenberry
  
  Thanks Dan! I just added them.
http://www.facebook.com/joy.wilkins.52 Joy Wilkins

Todd I think you are right on! Humans have thrived for thousands of years on different types of food–making use of what has been available to them. I think fresh veggies are probably over rated and animal fats under rated. You need some of both. People get way too fundamentalist and rigid about food choices. The key is to eat REAL FOOD and not all the food-like substances that are ubiquitous today.
I primarily follow the Weston A. Price diet, but probably deviate from it way more than I should for optimal health. But we’re all works in progress right?

btw love that you describe yourself as a Truth-seeker! Sounds like you are doing well and following your heart. I feel honored to have met such a young mover -and -shaker like yourself! Be well!
- http://primaltoad.com/ Todd Dosenberry
  
  They are definitely over rated and I am not suggesting that anyone ditches them for no reason. It always depends on the individual and the current situation.
  
  Yes we certainly are all a work in progress! NO ONE should be 100% strict unless it’s life or death. Stress is the root cause of 100% of diseases (eating foods that you don’t digest well is included in this) so if one is about to eat a crap food but feels guilty doing it then they added lots of stress which is a big no no.
  
  And thanks! Making it to Austin has been an awesome experience. I’ve met awesome people thus far and I am just getting started. I LOVE it here! But I do plan on being back in the midwest for the Summer.
http://www.facebook.com/jfriedland Jackie Stone Friedland

This was so perfectly timed for me! I was just venting on FB yesterday about how I am on overload from everything I am reading about nutrition and I just don’t know where to go. You are right…I need to focus on what works for me! Potatoes make me feel like crap and kill my stomach…I should probably stop eating those. I can eat grains in moderation, so go ahead and keep eating those. Thank you so much! I’ve been focusing so much on what I should eat and instead I should pay attention to my body and eat what it tells me to eat.
- http://primaltoad.com/ Todd Dosenberry
  
  Awesome. Read what others have to say and ask what they suggest for you in your situation but know that you are the only one that knows what is best for you in the end. It looks like you get that which is great. Good luck on your journey!
  
  Don’t be afraid to experiment.
- http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1314456 Emma Thomas Watterson
  
  Same here, Jackie!!! So glad to hear you’re figuring out and doing what works best for you instead of trying to force someone else’s diet plan on yourself Now I just need to do the same thing Cheers to good eating!!!
JonO

Wow! love the comment about some people can thrive on white potatoes too. I have recently changed my eating habits from high-protein/low-carb to high-starch/mod-saturated fat/mod-protein and found I do much better eating potatoes and even legumes with a handful of shrimp or clams instead of pounds of meat and non-starchy veggies. My digestion is better (I don’t digest a lot of meat well) and I sleep much better too.
- http://primaltoad.com/ Todd Dosenberry
  
  I’m glad to read that you have found what works best for you. This is what I wish to drill into the minds of billions because no one can figure out what is best for a different individual. Only you know what is best. I love my white potatoes too
http://primaltoad.com/ Todd Dosenberry

Oh I know all about Terry. I am not saying veggies are not bad. I am not against them. I eat them. I am just suggesting that they are not necessary for optimal health for all individuals. Some folks have a lot of trouble digesting them!
- Harrison
  
  On top of all of the phytonutrients, veggies contain a lot of fiber which will cleanse your colon. If you begin eating a lot of veggies of the sudden you might get flatulence and diarrhea because your body is currently cleansing itself from all the toxins that were probably in your diet. Vegetables are also alkalizing and highly anti-inflammatory, as opposed to meat. I’m going to conjecture that for OPTIMAL health, organic vegetables should be the FIRST thing on the list. Furthermore, sometimes its simply hard to tell if your health is just good or actually optimal. I think the optimizing benefits of vegetables may be something that becomes more apparent in the long-run.
  - http://primaltoad.com/ Todd Dosenberry
    
    I agree about the phytonutrients but veggies are not the greatest food group on the planet. I’d go for seafood first and then organ meats. Then eggs.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1314456 Emma Thomas Watterson

Todd, thanks for posting this! My husband will be THRILLED (he’s not too keen on veges)… We’re still figuring out what works best for each of us. I do try to make sure that our red meat is grass-fed, our pork is forest-raised, our chickens and eggs are local & pastured, and our fruit/veges are local and organic I eat very few grains (sometimes oatmeal) and have really been enjoying your smoothie recipes in the mornings! So glad to hear you’re having a blast in Austin and enjoying the awesome epic Paleo walk-about Cheers to you!!
- http://primaltoad.com/ Todd Dosenberry
  
  You bet! I’m glad you enjoyed it and will be sharing with your husband. I’m definitely not against veggies but they are not essential. And, our needs and wants are always changing. I’m guessing that your husband will be more curious about veggies down the road if he breaths a bit that he does not need them today to thrive.
Viv

Because of the high stress environment we live in it is also important to watch your electrolytes while on a whole foods diet… It is possible to get very low on the trace minerals because paleo is so low on sodium and sometimes potassium if you are more if a carnivore. Getting low on the electrolytes is a very scary experience…
- http://primaltoad.com/ Todd Dosenberry
  
  Indeed. This is why I have been drinking coconut water nearly daily here in Austin. Sodium is definitely huge!
http://www.primalbritain.co.uk/ Gary Conway

Good post Todd. I totally agree that taking responsibility and discovering your own dietary needs based on your genetics and personal tolerances is crucial. I would say though that people should still be cautious if striving for “optimal” health. I tolerate grains fine but does that mean I should add them in? Tolerance isn’t proof I thrive on them and so would still advocate a diet based on paleo principles.
- http://primaltoad.com/ Todd Dosenberry
  
  Good points. BUT, if you are in tune with your body then you will begin to notice symptoms from eating grains. I won’t ever recommend grains but I know that some people can do very well with them.
  
  One must think about all aspects of health… fertility, energy, ability to sleep, passion for life, communication skills, ability to focus, taste for different foods, etc. It all counts and if one is struggling with something then they probably need to tweak their diet. I’ll always recommend folks start with the general Paleo guidelines and then tweak from there.
Cindi@MyPrimalAdventures

Awesome post, Todd! I would personally add fat to your foods list. I love fat. I used to think fat was hard to digest, but as soon as I removed grains and starches from my diet, it became very easy to digest and a must in my diet. I fall into the pro-potato camp–I digest them perfectly, but can barely tolerate grains (especially wheat) any more. I’ve had to prioritize my primal diet on a sliding scale of “eat unlimited amounts” to “ok sometimes”, to “try to eat almost never”. I hear more and more people can leave veggies out altogether, though not forever, and I agree its possible, though I personally get very, very cranky when there aren’t enough carbs in my diet (I do great at around 100/day) I am fascinated by those who can subsist in a constant state of ketosis.
- http://primaltoad.com/ Todd Dosenberry
  
  Perhaps I should. And I will.
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You Don’t Need Veggies or Grains for Optimal Health

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