Don't We Need Fruits and Vegetables?

“Don't you need fruits and vegetables for their vitamins and minerals?” . There are 13 essential vitamins and 16 essential minerals that we need in our diet. Let’s look at a comparison between plant-based vs animal-based vitamins and minerals. Vitamin A – It is approximately 20 times more bioavailable in animal-based food than plant foods. (In fact, plant foods don’t actually have any vitamin A. They have carotenoids which have to be converted to Vitamin A). . Vitamin B – Animal-based foods are the best source of B Vitamins. Vitamin B12 is exclusively found in animal-based foods. Vitamin C – Plant-based foods are a better source of vitamin C. But Still present in meat. Vitamin D – Plants don’t contain Vitamin D3 (the form our body needs). Sun and meat is our answer here. Vitamin E – Plant-based foods have higher concentrations of vitamin E. Still found in adequate supply in meat. Vitamin K – Plants don’t have K2 which is vital for human life. There are 3 vitamins that do not exist in plant foods: 1. Vitamin B12 2. Vitamin D3 3. Vitamin K2 There is a stark difference in minerals as well. Animal-based minerals have higher bioavailability as well as less hinderance from “antinutrients” that come pre-packaged with plant-based food. Iron is a prime example of the difference in bioavailability between plant-based and animal-based minerals (which is why iron deficiency is the most common nutrient deficiency in the world). There are two kinds of iron. 1. Plant iron = non-heme iron. 2. Animal iron = heme iron. Plant iron is at least 3-8 x less bioavailable than heme iron from animal sources. To make matters worse, plant-based foods contain anti-nutrients that further inhibit the absorption of numerous minerals, including iron. Phytates, for example, interfere with the absorption of plant iron, thereby making a poor source of iron even worse. In contrast, meat doesn’t contain these anti-nutrients, rather it contains vitamins and minerals in forms easy for us to absorb and utilize. Meat, unlike plant-based food, is complete nutrition. It doesn’t require the addition of plant-based foods or supplements to obtain all the macro and micronutrients we need.

This along with thousands of strong anecdotal testaments of improved health from very credible sources like Canadian Dr Jordan Peterson and his daughter Mikala Peterson , Joe Rogan, and Dr Dom Dogistino are many of the reason the Keto & Carnivore Diet are so popular right now. :)