Food Freedom Friday Edition 305 - Incorporating Some Plant Foods
Although eating a meat-based diet has many benefits, eating a few well-chosen plant foods may allow you to enjoy all the positive effects of a carnivore diet, whilst also providing additional support as long as you can tolerate the individual plant (the type, amount you can eat and number of which may very from person to person). Many people doing strict carnivore diets do so for specific health reasons and if you struggle to tolerate any plant foods due to autoimmune or other issues, this post is not for you. For those who are able to tolerate some plant foods, testing for tolerance and adding in a select few plants can add a bit more variety in your diet!
Some of the best plant foods to add are:
Avocado
Avocado is certainly a strong start. With some salt and pepper or as guacamole it is possibly one of the most delicious healthy plant foods there is. It is also a solid source of potassium (about 50% more than bananas) Avocado has 0.3g of sugars compared to 12.2g for 100g of banana. They both have the same amount of Vitamin C and avocado has more total vitamins & minerals including folate and Vitamin K1.
Avocados are also rich in monounsaturated fat (MUFA) and low in polyunsaturated fat (PUFA). It’s good to mix it up and get some more MUFAs in your diet and not always rely on saturated fats that animals are blessed with. It is also advised to keep your PUFAs to only about 2–4% of your calories.
Cucumber
Cucumbers are a good low-sugar fruit that most people consider a vegetable. They have seeds and are therefore technically a fruit, without all the sugar that most modern fruit contains. Cucumber comprise about 95% water so they are hydrating and quite satiating for such a low number of calories.
Use them as a vehicle for dips or spreads instead of chips or simply cut them in half, hollow them out, and fill them with your favorite ingredients! Don’t forget to add bacon.
Squash
Squash, also known as summer squash, tends to have a slightly more carbohydrate than the rest of these items, but it is useful for people who want to include some starchy foods in their diet. Squash is commonly thought of as a vegetable, however, it is technically a fruit. Fruits can definitely fit into a low carb framework for anyone who is very active or feels better on the higher end of the low carb range.
Besides being rich in potassium and magnesium, squash is a good source of manganese. Manganese boosts bone strength and aids in the metabolism of both carbohydrate and fat. Squash is the perfect seasonal treat for carnivores looking to try something different during the holiday season. While the carbohydrate content is frowned upon by many, it is definitely a healthier option than most vegetable oil-laden items on the dessert menu.
Sauerkraut
Fermented foods like sauerkraut are amazing in many ways. The fermentation process not only gets rid of anti-nutrients that block vitamin absorption, but also decreases the amount of sugar. Sauerkraut contains a variety of probiotics without the added sugar of other fermented products like kombucha. It also contains 25% of the daily value of Vitamin C that people may lack on the carnivore diet.
Humans have been consuming fermented foods like sauerkraut for millenia. This makes them ancestrally appropriate and there seems to be little downside. Sauerkraut is very low calories (not that anyone should track them) and is thus by no means reducing your animal-based nutrition. It adds to variety and flavor and gives savory meats a great accompaniment. Kim chi has similar benefits, but unless you are making it yourself, it likely has added sugar.
Mushrooms
Any variety of mushrooms or edible fungi are great additions to an animal-based diet. They provide potassium, selenium, and antioxidants.
While some in the carnivore world think antioxidants and fiber are useless, a small amount of them are likely to be beneficial. Mushrooms provide a small amount of fiber that help the intestines transmit any undigested matter. They have even been said to have some antiseptic properties since they can absorb toxins and disinfect the bowels. Plus, having a side of delicious mushrooms to soak up leftover fat in the pan is a treat nobody should deny themselves of.
Pickled Foods
Pickled foods like pickles, jalapeños, and pickled carrots are delicious, low anti-nutrient plant foods. Like sauerkraut, they can provide a source of probiotics which likely supports a healthy gut. Pickled foods are a great source of electrolytes which is important since many people on the carnivore diet experience electrolyte imbalance.
In fact, on any low carb diet, it can help to up your electrolytes. Cyclists have been using pickle juice for decades to aid them in their long rides and even to treat muscle cramps since it is rich in potassium and magnesium.
Coffee
Many people claim (with varying degrees of sarcasm) that life is simply not worth living without coffee. Black coffee is a rich source of vitamin B2 and magnesium. Although you should be wary of epidemiological studies, they have repeatedly shown that coffee is associated with lower rates of cancer and Alzheimer’s; they have also shown that coffee can improve symptoms of depression and diabetes.
Coffee does not actually contain magical properties, but it can be a powerful tool for some people. The caffeine content can provide a boost of energy and ward off hunger in the morning. Even if you don’t drink it daily, having one in a social setting is probably not going to impede your progress on the carnivore diet.
Onions
Onions are very delicious if cooked properly. They can take any dish to the next level in terms of taste, particularly ground beef or burgers. In terms of their nutritional value, onions are rich in potassium, Vitamin C, and they provide some prebiotic starch. Prebiotics feed your gut bacteria to create short chain fatty acids including butyrate which has been positively associated with gut health. A healthy gut means leads to a stronger immune system and enhanced digestion.
Dark Chocolate
Some people can’t imagine a world without chocolate. Dark chocolate can be double edged sword. On one hand, people are pointing to its health benefits, on the other, people are arguing that it contains harmful anti-nutrients such as phytic acid and lectins.
If you can tolerate it, having a hunk of dark chocolate now and then may be beneficial. It is rich in magnesium, a mineral that many are deficient in. Like onions, it also contains some prebiotic fiber. Chocolate is rich in important minerals like copper and manganese. Aim for a dark chocolate with a cacao percent of 85% or above. The higher the cacao percent, the more bitter the dark chocolate will be since the sugar is replaced with pure cacao.
Cacao is definitely an ancestral food. Amazonian tribes consumed it during ceremonies. The Kuna of Panama drink up a few cups of hot cacao daily. Like other foods on this list, dark chocolate actually undergoes a fermentation process that makes it palatable and nutritious.
Remember to always check the ingredient labels for any hidden ingredients or additives! You can also make your own pretty easily with a quick google search.
Seaweed
Seaweed contains a high amount of hard-to-get nutrients including iodine and tyrosine which are important for optimal thyroid function. Iodine is key for proper function yet many people seem to neglect its role in a healthy metabolism.
Nori is the type of seaweed that is used for sushi. It has a lower iodine content compared to other types of seaweed such as Wakame, or Kombu. Wakame is used in miso soup, and Kombu is a brown seaweed that is often sold dried or in a powder. Just one gram of Kombu contains 2,000% of the recommended daily intake of iodine.
If you are feeling adventurous or maybe there’s a special occasion, you could try some home-made rice-free sushi by taking any cuts of sushi-grade raw fish and some avocado and cuxumber and wrapping it in small sheets of nori to make hand rolls.
Why These Plants?
These foods were chosen for a variety of very specific reasons although all have a few things in common:
· They provide key nutrients not very abundant in common animal foods
· They all have low anti-nutrients
· They all are low in sugar
· They’re traditionally processed (which is the opposite of harmful modern processing)
· They are delicious!
Diet and food preference are very personal and there is no single way of eating. If you prefer a little more variety than a strict carnivore diet, these are some great plant foods with little side effects.
There’s also a social and ancestral component to these foods.
Humans have been bonding over different plant foods for thousands of years. Whether it’s drinking a ceremonial hot cup of cacao or fermenting vegetables, they are built into some cultures. Of course, you can bond while barbequing, but would it hurt to have a coffee with a friend? Probably not.
Stress is a big factor in your health, and it is important to minimize it as much as possible. It might be important to loosen up and try a small amount of plant foods at a social occasion if it means feeling more comfortable socially. You also want to avoid feeling as if you are ‘cheating’ or going off-plan to have some of these safe plant foods if you follow a carnivore diet.
Some of these foods have been around for thousands of years. They are part of a tradition, and if you can tolerate them, they are probably worth trying and enjoying with friends and family.
Lastly, it also could be a good idea to keep the gut bacteria species around that deal with plant foods. Once you stop feeding them, they will die off. Some people have terrible GI distress when trying to add plant foods back in once they go strict carnivore for too long.
The goal is to be strong and resilient as opposed to fragile. You do not want a little bite of cucumber to land you in the bathroom for an hour. This is why it may be wise to keep your gut flora primed and ready for whatever you may throw at it.
In Conclusion
I believe it can be very beneficial to have some flexibility and variety in your diet to achieve long term success. For the average person, a carnivore diet may feel restrictive long term. You might find the exact same benefits with a 95% animal-based diet without the multiple downsides that can come with strict adherence.
All civilizations have and do include plant foods in their diet at some time of the year - perhaps for good reason. Perhaps it’s just for a bit of variety or we are simply looking for reasons to eat a bit of avocado!