Veggies in the “Pro-Metabolic” World
You may have noticed the metabolic realm has a lesser emphasis on vegetables than dietary camps like Paleo, Whole 30, etc, so let’s talk about that!
The summary? Veggies aren’t bad. They’re also not the miracle food most people think! They can have a place in our diets that is contextually and biologically accurate (and still makes us want to eat them!).
With anything, we’re not looking for extremes, but balance! Let’s dive into what that means.
Why are there fewer veggie apologists in the Ray Peat metabolism world?
Historically, veggies would have usually been eaten in season and with ample protein and fat. They would often have been cooked or used as a garnish or side. Today, diet culture has made many women believe (myself for a long time, too!) that massive raw veggie salads are the epitome of a successful wellness pursuit. We’ve heard that spinach and kale are the ultimate super foods and then feel bad when it doesn’t particularly sound good to eat an entire bowl of them every. single. day. And there’s a reason we don’t often naturally crave nothing but greens! Biologically, it doesn’t make a ton of tense for humans to consume 2-3 cups of raw greens in a sitting. Why?
First, they are almost no-calorie (energy!). Imagine you eat a semi-decent breakfast, then lunch & dinner are mostly salad. You could easily be sitting at 500-700 calories total from your day without realizing it. Is it any wonder that salads-as-meals culture is also linked with crazy chocolate/pizza/dessert-craving culture? Your body is trying to make up for the calorie lack!
Second, plant nutrients are absorbed at a lower rate than animal nutrients. Greens contain anti-nutrients and fibers that can be tough to digest since as humans, we only have one stomach. Cattle & grazers, for example, who were meant to live off raw green food, have a four-chambered stomach to help them properly digest those plants. That’s not to say we can’t digest them - but cooking can do wonders!
And third, did you know above ground plants contain anti-nutrients and toxins to help ward off predators? That’s where that whole having–four–stomachs thing comes in handy. Again, it doesn’t mean never ever eat raw veggies - it means don’t only eat raw veggies!
How can we make vegetables more supportive?
None of this information means you should avoid salads or veggies, especially if you enjoy them. But here are some things to make them more supportive!
1. Things like raw kale and spinach are going to be the hardest to digest. Those are best for cooked meals! Baby greens and lettuces can also be a bit easier on the gut - play around with your own quantity and type!
2. Don’t eat salad without all of your other macro nutrients. You need plenty of animal protein, some good quality fats, and some supportive carbs.
3. Raw veggies are a trial-and-error food - see if your body feels warm or cold, happy or irritated after you eat them!
4. Did you know lots of veggies are actually fruits? It’s true! Tomatoes, cucumbers, squashes, and bell peppers, as well as other seed-containing vegetables digest more easily - I love to eat all of these fresh, cooked, and aplenty!
5. Root vegetables do not have the same toxin level as above-ground plants (above ground plants are trying to ward off being eaten!). I love potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, beets, parsnips, and other in-ground growers!
6. Another fantastic way to consume veggies is by fermenting them first! Farmhouse on Boone is a queen fermenter and has lots of free tutorials!
What about the raw carrot salad?
Raw carrot salad has gotten quite the attention over the last several years, and for good reason! This quick recipe was originally created by Dr. Ray Peat himself! It includes shredded carrots, a splash of coconut oil and vinegar (white, ACV, etc) and some sea salt. Carrots are touted to have a unique fiber that lends itself to detoxification, estrogen balance, and improving overall gut health. Is it actually magic? It depends. I believe it’s an incredibly valuable tool alongside a nutrient-dense and bio-available diet! I personally love to utilize it for myself and my kiddos and we love it! I also have a fun apple and carrot salad recipe that is perfect for fall - you can find it in my Batch cookbook!
What did Ray Peat have to say about all this? If you can wade through this article, it’s fantastic!
“Poor people, especially in the spring when other foods were scarce, have sometimes subsisted on foliage such as collard and poke greens, usually made more palatable by cooking them with flavorings, such as a little bacon grease and lots of salt. Eventually, "famine foods" can be accepted as dietary staples. The fact that cows, sheep, goats and deer can thrive on a diet of foliage shows that leaves contain essential nutrients. Their minerals, vitamins, and amino acids are suitable for sustaining most animal life, if a sufficient quantity is eaten. But when people try to live primarily on foliage, as in famines, they soon suffer from a great variety of diseases. Various leaves contain antimetabolic substances that prevent the assimilation of the nutrients, and only very specifically adapted digestive systems (or technologies) can overcome those toxic effects.”
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And all this, friends, is why I created meal plans and recipes that aren’t just straight salads and raw veggies. It’s food you actually want to eat! Vegetables still have an important place in our diet as long as we understand how to best utilize them.