Veggies Aren’t the Cornucopia of Health

I was actually very delighted to see this video, that Mark Sisson has drifted away from plant foods. They were certainly part of my training as a Primal Health Coach, but I have been consuming less and less and have felt better and better – particularly where my digestion is concerned.

We tend to overdo veggies with our green smoothies and big sides in the name of health, but we are ingesting a huge amount of plant toxins and fiber, which cause more harm than good.

What about the copious amounts of grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables our government and many nutritionists recommend?⁣
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These items as they are today NEVER appeared before in nature, and certainly never in abundance. They are bigger, juicier, sweeter or some new fangled version of their once selves created in a lab.
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And their natural defenses to fight off predators (bugs, animals, & us!) have been genetically super-ramped up to make them hardier. What is that doing to our bodies?⁣
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They are causing malfunctions: allergies, autoimmune issues, thyroid issues, arthritis, cancer, GI issues, cognitive impairment, depression, diabetes… you get the picture.⁣

A little here and there and our own immune systems will get us through, more or less unscathed. Loading our plates at each and every meal is asking too much, and an invitation for trouble.

Here is an excerpt from Dr. Georgia Ede’s excellent article which you can read in full HERE:

Bottom line about vegetables

There is no scientific evidence proving that vegetables are necessary, let alone good for us. However, most vegetables are naturally filling, low in carbohydrate, and low in calories, and therefore may be useful alternatives to junk food, sweets, baked goods, dairy products, and seed foods (grains, beans, nuts and seeds) when trying to control weight. Very sweet and starchy high glycemic index vegetables, such as white potatoes and beets, are exceptions to this rule.

Due to high fiber content, vegetables can be hard to digest, especially if eaten raw.

Vegetable nutrients are harder for us to absorb and use than animal food nutrients.

Vegetables contain naturally-occurring defensive chemicals that are designed to harm creatures that try to feast upon them. These chemicals are very toxic to living cells, however, the concentrations that exist in most types of whole vegetables may be relatively safe for most people to eat in moderation. Vegetable extracts and concentrates may not be as safe as whole vegetables because the “dose” of vegetable chemicals is much higher in these products. Some vegetable families contain more potent toxins than others and are the most likely to cause trouble for sensitive people.

Some vegetables are actually fruits, because they contain seeds. Examples of fruits masquerading as vegetables include: cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplant, and squashes. Pureed preparations of these “vegetables” which include pureed seeds are probably riskier choices, as seeds contain especially harmful chemicals that are released when seeds are pureed.

Some vegetables are actually legumes. Examples include green beans, wax beans, and snow peas. The pods or beans inside of these vegetables pose special risks to our health.

Young vegetable sprouts contain higher concentrations of potentially harmful chemicals than mature vegetables because baby plants are vulnerable and need more protection from predators.

As a general rule, toxins are more likely to be concentrated in the skins of vegetables, to protect the plant on its outer surface. Sensitive individuals may therefore want to skin vegetables before eating. Cooking can also reduce the activity of some of these chemicals.

We and most of our ancestors have been eating vegetables for as long as 2 million years, so our bodies have adapted some ways of handling their natural toxins that may reduce their risk to our health. This is probably not true of “newer” foods, such as seed foods (5,000 to 10,000 years), refined carbohydrates (100-150 years), and artificial food additives (about 70 years). Therefore, vegetables are likely to be superior choices when compared to these newer foods.