Can you eat meat on Thrive?

December 28, 2025 •

3 min read

The Thrive Diet, conceived by Brendan Brazier, is a plant-based plan intended to boost performance and decrease bodily stress. This means that, in its strictest form, meat is not allowed on Thrive, as the diet strictly prohibits animal products.

Quick Summary

The Brendan Brazier Thrive diet is a vegan eating plan that prohibits all meat and animal products. It emphasizes raw, whole foods to improve energy and overall health. Misunderstanding arises from Thrive Market, an online retailer that sells meat, and the distinction between the diet and the brand is crucial.

Key Points

No Meat Allowed: The Brendan Brazier Thrive Diet is a strict vegan plan that prohibits all animal products, including meat, poultry, fish, and dairy.
Different from Thrive Market: The Thrive Diet is a nutritional protocol, while Thrive Market is an online retailer that sells many products, including meat.
Focus on Whole Foods: The diet emphasizes consuming raw or minimally cooked plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and seeds.
Optimal Performance: Its core philosophy is to reduce stress on the body by focusing on alkaline-forming, nutrient-dense foods for improved energy and performance.
Plant-Based Protein: Protein needs are met through sources like sprouted grains, hemp seeds, and protein powders, not animal flesh.
Transition Gradually: As with any significant dietary change, it's recommended to transition gradually to avoid side effects like bloating and headaches.

The question, "Can you eat meat on Thrive?", often stems from the confusion between the specific nutritional plan known as the Thrive Diet and the online marketplace, Thrive Market. The direct answer is that meat is strictly prohibited on the Brendan Brazier Thrive Diet. The diet is fundamentally a vegan, predominantly raw food plan designed for optimal energy and health by eliminating processed foods and all animal-based products.

The Strict Rules of the Brendan Brazier Thrive Diet

The Thrive Diet, developed by Brendan Brazier, is based on consuming nutrient-dense, alkaline-forming foods to reduce physical stress and inflammation. A core principle is the complete exclusion of animal products, including all types of meat (red meat, poultry, fish, seafood), as well as dairy and eggs. The plan focuses on whole, plant-based sources for protein and other nutrients.

Distinguishing the Thrive Diet from Thrive Market

Confusion often arises due to the name similarity with the online organic grocer, Thrive Market. These are distinct entities. The Thrive Diet is a specific nutritional plan, while Thrive Market is a retailer offering a wide range of products for various diets, including sustainably sourced meat. Shopping at Thrive Market does not mean you are following the Thrive Diet.

Navigating Plant-Based Protein on Thrive

Following the Thrive Diet successfully requires incorporating various plant-based protein sources. The diet emphasizes nutrient-dense options to maintain stable blood sugar and energy.

Approved Plant-Based Protein Sources:

Legumes (beans, lentils)
Nuts and Seeds (almonds, hemp, chia, flax)
Sprouted Grains and Pseudocereals (brown rice, quinoa, buckwheat)
Plant-based Protein Powders (like Vega products)
Leafy Greens

Comparison: Thrive Diet vs. Thrive Market (Shopping)


Aspect	Brendan Brazier Thrive Diet	Thrive Market (Online Store)	General Omnivore Diet
Meat Consumption	Not Allowed (Strict Vegan)	Sold as a Product (Optional)	Allowed (Includes Meat)
Primary Goal	Optimal health, reduced stress, enhanced athletic performance	Making healthy, organic, and sustainable products accessible	Balanced diet including a variety of foods
Focus	Raw, whole, plant-based foods	Curation of high-quality products for multiple diets (keto, vegan, etc.)	Combination of plant and animal-based proteins and nutrients
Dairy and Eggs	Not Allowed	Sold as products	Allowed (Moderation recommended)
Processed Foods	Avoided	Many high-quality, low-processed options available	Consumption varies greatly depending on individual habits

What to Eat and Avoid on the Thrive Diet

The Thrive Diet focuses on nutrient-dense, whole, plant-based foods that are raw or minimally cooked.

Foods to Consume:

Fruits and vegetables
Nuts and seeds
Legumes
Sprouted grains
Healthy fats

Foods to Avoid:

Animal Products (meat, poultry, fish, seafood, dairy, eggs)
Processed Foods (white flour, refined sugar)
Stimulants (caffeine, alcohol)
Most cooked foods (emphasizes raw or low-heat preparation)

Conclusion: Understanding the Distinction is Key

In conclusion, if you're following the Brendan Brazier Thrive Diet, you cannot eat meat; it's a strict vegan plan. The diet prioritizes unprocessed, plant-based nutrition to reduce stress and boost energy. However, if you are referring to the online store, Thrive Market does sell meat. Understanding this difference is crucial for those interested in the specific nutritional philosophy of the Thrive Diet. Adhering to the plan means completely eliminating animal products and focusing on whole, plant-based alternatives.

For more information on the principles of the Thrive Diet, read more at Healthline's overview of the plan.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Thrive Diet is a vegan plan, which by definition, excludes all meat and animal products. Its philosophy centers on reducing internal stress and inflammation by consuming nutrient-rich, raw, plant-based foods.

No, they are different. Thrive Market is an online grocery store that sells a wide range of products for various dietary needs, including meat. The Thrive Diet is a specific vegan eating plan created by Brendan Brazier.

Eating meat goes against the foundational principles of the Thrive Diet. While it won't have immediate health consequences, it prevents you from fully adhering to the plan's goals of reducing inflammatory foods and maximizing nutrient absorption from plant sources.

Protein on the Thrive Diet comes from plant-based sources like legumes (beans, lentils), nuts, seeds, and sprouted grains such as quinoa. Brendan Brazier also developed the Vega line of plant-based protein supplements for additional support.

Yes, fish and seafood are animal products and are explicitly excluded from the strict vegan protocol of the Thrive Diet.

No. The Thrive Diet eliminates all animal products, which includes eggs and dairy, in favor of a 100% plant-based food intake.

You can get iron from plant sources such as legumes, leafy green vegetables, and specific seeds. Proper meal planning is important to combine these iron-rich foods with vitamin C sources to enhance absorption.

While the official Thrive Diet is strictly vegan, you can still follow its principles of eating more whole, unprocessed, and plant-based foods as an omnivore. However, you would not be following the specific Thrive Diet plan.