- Bear Grylls, who was once vegan, says he avoids eating vegetables.
- The “Man vs. Wild” star told GQ he eats primarily animal products, and claimed without evidence raw vegetables are not good for health.
- Substantial research shows vegetables are beneficial in preventing against disease and improving wellbeing.
Bear Grylls wants everyone to know he’s anti-vegetables.
The celebrity survivalist and “Man vs. Wild” star told GQ he switched from a vegan diet to a carnivore one, where he consumes red meat, dairy, and fruit.
“Super against nuts. And against grains, wheat, and vegetables,” Grylls said. “My lunch is meat, eggs and dairy, a lot of butter, and fruit. I have liver probably every other day.”
Grylls told GQ he got “mega-sore kidneys” from consuming a lot of juice and vegetables when he caught COVID-19. Kidney pain can happen when you hold your pee or have kidney stones, which can happen from dehydration or a high-sodium diet, per Mayo and Cleveland Clinics.
In the interview, Grylls claimed without evidence that raw vegetables are “really not good for you” and that he believes the human body is designed to eat meat because of evolution — a claim thoroughly debunked by researchers.
Like Joe Rogan, Grylls prefers a carnivore lifestyle — but it has flaws
The carnivore diet has become increasingly popular in recent years. Joe Rogan lauds the style of eating, and went on a month-long vegetable fast in the beginning of the year.
Though meat and animal products are a good source of protein and can provide essential nutrients, too much meat can result in to gastrointestinal issues, dehydration, and grogginess.
Not only do studies suggest eating vegetables protects against death from cancer and heart disease and reduces the risk for other diseases, veggies improve wellbeing by aiding in better mental health, sleep, energy, and digestion.
The Mediterranean diet, or one high in veggies, whole grains, and nuts, consistently ranks as the best way to eat by a panel of nutrition and disease experts.
Raw fruits and some vegetables can aggravate symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, according to Cleveland Clinic, but Harvard notes the indigestible fiber in vegetables can calm irritable bowel in people without IBS. Veggies can also relieve or prevent constipation, and help prevent diverticulitis, or inflammation of the colon wall.
“There is no body of evidence that suggests that vegetables cause illness,” registered dietitian Heidi Bates said in a post from McGill University’s Office for Science and Society. “In fact, the opposite is true. There is an excess of evidence linking vegetable consumption to reductions in the risk for heart disease, stroke, diabetes, obesity and certain types of cancer.”
