There is nothing more difficult than to write about food in connection with health. The subject is vast and controversial. Countless nutrition experts, thousands of health influencers, hundreds of books, dozens of fad diets, and still so many unhealthy people trying desperately to figure out why they are not getting any better despite religiously following the latest health and nutrition advice.
When you take two experts with conflicting views, both will argue that their way of obtaining nutrition is the only way and everything other than that is either completely wrong, or just misguided. What complicates things even more is the fact that both experts base their statements on latest research and often on their personal, real life experience. Nutritional "converts" who "have seen the light" are the worst since they seldom leave any room for deviation from the method that worked for them.
How to make sense of it all? Just look at the macro-nutrients: carbohydrates, protein, fats. Some experts will tell you not to eat any carbs at all, others that you should not to touch any fat. There is a whole fitness movement telling people to eat only red meat, bacon, eggs and butter. Some experts suggest that fish and seafood should be consumed as the only animal protein. Others swear that a fat-free vegan, raw vegan, or the fat-free raw vegan diet is the only way for you to have a long, healthy life.
How about the micronutrients - vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids? It is a well known fact that vegans often lack vitamin B12, DHA omega 3 fatty acid, and the amino acid taurine, while those on a strict carnivore diet often lack magnesium, vitamin C and fiber. People who embraced the fat free diet have difficulty absorbing that fat soluble vitamins from their food.
Food is problematic for many reasons. Some foods, like peanuts, shrimps, celery, or strawberries are potent allergens. People with celiac disease cannot eat anything containing gluten. People who cannot digest lactose should stay away from cow's milk and cow's milk products. And so on, but food is more complicated than that. Animal fats like butter and lard are high in saturated fat that is considered to be detrimental to heart health. There is a big concern about the hormones and antibiotics that might have been used in the animal husbandry, not to mention the ethical, environmental or cultural concerns.
So, how about fruits and vegetables? Here things get even more complicated. Many plants produce endocrine disruptors and goitrogens. During their evolutionary history plants developed survival strategies. Unlike a deer that can escape a hunter, a carrot or a cabbage is completely stuck in the spot it grows. In order to survive and carry their genetic information to the next generation, plants developed compounds that make them indigestible or even poisonous to humans or animals thus preventing their extinction. Although these anti-nutrients can cause serious upset in some people, plants are generally considered "healthy" food choices since they carry such vital nutrients like vitamins, minerals, enzymes, fiber, and protein.
While some of the plant anti-nutrients can have beneficial, anti-oxidant effects in the human body, some can cause
- serious damage to the digestive system
- inflammation
- potential auto-immune response
- malnutrition since they interfere with nutrient absorption
- severe allergies
- and even poisoning.
Soaking, sprouting, cooking, or fermentation are the strategies many cultures use not only to improve nutrient availability but also to make the otherwise problematic foods more easily digestible.
Here are some of the anti-nutrients found in plants:
- alcaloids - naturally occurring nitrogen-containing compounds that are found in plants, fungi, bacteria and animals, some being extremely toxic, some used by humans as hallucinogens, aphrodisiacs or medicines (ex. quinine, morphine, ephedrine)
- cyanogenic glycosides - cherries, peaches, corn, almonds
- gluten - grains
- glucosinolates - goitrogenic compounds in cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale and broccoli
- glycoalkaloids - plants in the nightshade family like tomatoes, and eggplants as well as potatoes (skin, sprouts, the "eyes")
- histamine - bananas, strawberries, papaya, citrus fruit, tomatoes, spinach, almonds, pistachio nuts, sauerkraut, cinnamon, cloves
- lectins - raw beans, peanuts, whole grains, nightshade vegetable such as tomatoes and potatoes
- oxalates - spinach, Swiss chard, rhubarb, beets, cacao, almonds, cashew nuts, dried apricots, kiwis, raspberries, cinnamon and turmeric as a spice
- phenols - most berries, grapes, apples, spinach, red lettuce, broccoli, and citrus fruit
- phytates (phytic acid) - grains, seeds, nuts
- protease inhibitors - grains and legumes
- pyrrolizidine alkaloids - hepatotoxic and genotoxic compounds that are found in some flowering plants and herbs like borage, traditionally used as medicine. Honey, grains, milk, eggs and organ meats (offal) can contain these toxic alkaloids.
- salicilates - most fruits and vegetable, especially tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, radishes, spinach, and zucchini
- saponins - legumes, especially peanuts; grains especially quinoa; licorice root, spinach
- sulforaphane - cruciferous vegetable such as cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, kale, arugula, watercress
- tannins - red wine, tea, cacao but also grains such as barley, corn and quinoa: beans, lentils, chickpeas; nuts such as hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans, pine nuts and Brazil nut; seeds such as chia, sesame, pumpkin, and sunflower seeds; red skinned apples and kiwis
Some people are more sensitive to one or more of these compounds than others and should avoid foods that have the potential to make them sick.
Many people who have chosen raw food or the raw vegan diet report incredible improvement in health. They have more energy, lose weight (where necessary), sleep and look better. Many stay healthy for a very long time, especially if they supplement with the nutrients that are missing in their diet, but some people get very sick when they start juicing and eating large amounts of fruit and leafy greens. The raw food diet may include too many nuts and too much fructose. Too many dates, too many bananas and other sweet fruits in your diet can cause blood glucose spikes and energy crashes.
A store bought vegan milk alternatives often contain added sugar, added seed oil and the gut lining damaging carrageenan. I don't even want to talk here about the rather common contamination of crops with heavy metals, about all the pesticides in conventionally grown produce or the genetically modified crops.
Results of a small, three-day study involving 14 people was published recently and surprised some in the raw food community. The participants were divided into three groups: one group was given whole plants, the second group was doing a juice fast, and the third one was given a mix diet of whole plants and juices. Those who did the juice fast had the biggest changes in their microbiome and showed an increase in inflammation causing bacteria. The problem with the study is that it wasn't a double-blind study and involved only fourteen people. Also, I did not find any information on what kind of juices were given to the participants. The only information was that the juice did not have any fiber and contained too much sugar. My questions: Was the juice freshly pressed? And! Who tries to do a cleansing juice fast with sugar loaded fruit juices? This is not how it should be done.
Interestingly, many raw food lovers who perform a green juice detox annually report increased stamina, improved digestion, and healthier looking skin. An alternative cancer therapist Dr. Thomas Lodi suggests a long term green juice fast to his patients. The alkalizing and detoxifying properties of chlorophyll from green plants cannot be underestimated.
Before I start a food war on this blog, I would like to state that we are all individuals with individual genetics, individual metabolism and individual food preferences. Some of us tolerate certain foods better than others. If you experience unexplained symptoms and are not sure whether your healthy diet makes you sick there are a few things you can do:
- have a food allergy test
- have a comprehensive food sensitivity test (secondary food allergies)
- test for anti-nutrient sensitivity (histamine, lectins, tannins, etc.)
- if you eat tree nuts, peanut butter or grains such as quinoa, test for aflatoxin
- test for nutritional deficiencies and supplement accordingly
- test for parasitic infestation and candida no matter whether you are a vegan, carnivore or omnivore
- help your immune system and implement food rotation allowing three to four days before you eat the same food again - if you had a carrot on Monday, wait till Wednesday or Thursday before you have a carrot again
- do some research to find alternatives to the food that causes upset in your body - for instance, if oxalates are your problem, eat arugula, Romaine lettuce or even kale instead of spinach or Swiss chard
- a food diary may be very useful - write down what you eat during the day and record any symptoms you observe short term and long term
- completely avoid foods that cause problems.
I am aware that articles like this one may cause confusion and anxiety. This is not my intention. I simply wish to bring some clarity to all those who embraced a healthy lifestyle but somehow feel that the food they are eating daily is not working to their advantage.
As we strive for biological optimization of our bodies, trying to
stay as healthy as possible and to look fabulous all the time, our food
choices matter. However, when our healthy food is making us sick, we need to learn how to avoid it and why, and to look for better alternatives.
In radiant health, passionately raw - Dominique
Dominique Allmon©2025
*Information in this article is for educational purposes only. it is not meant to diagnose, treat or cure a disease. Always consult a certified healthcare practitioner before making any changes in your diet.
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