From Strict Carnivore to Animal-Based
For years, Paul Saladino was one of the most vocal proponents of the carnivore diet, a highly restrictive eating plan that eliminates all plant foods. During this time, the answer to whether Paul Saladino eats bananas or any other fruit would have been a firm 'no.' His foundational belief was that all plants contain defense chemicals, also known as anti-nutrients, which can be harmful to human health. However, around 2020, Saladino began to experiment with his diet, eventually reintroducing certain plant foods in response to experiencing negative health effects such as sleep disturbances, electrolyte imbalances, and low testosterone.
This led to the evolution of his philosophy from strict carnivory to what he now calls an "animal-based diet." This dietary model is centered around animal products—meat, organs, and raw dairy—but makes room for specific, carefully selected plant foods. Crucially, Saladino's new framework emphasizes consuming the most nutrient-dense animal foods while only including plants that are low in defense chemicals. Fruit and honey became his preferred sources of carbohydrates, a significant departure from his previous stance.
The Rationale for Reintroducing Fruit
Saladino's rationale for including fruit is based on an evolutionary perspective. He posits that ripe fruits are designed by nature to be eaten by animals to aid in seed dispersal. Therefore, the ripe fruit contains fewer defense chemicals compared to the leaves, stems, or seeds of a plant. In his view, this makes ripe fruit a comparatively safer and healthier way to obtain carbohydrates than other plant sources like grains or vegetables. He believes that when the body is metabolically healthy, it can process the sugars from fruit without issues, and he has reported improvements in his own health metrics after adding them back to his diet.
The Banana Specifics: Ripe vs. Unripe
When it comes to the question, 'Does Paul Saladino eat bananas?', the context of ripeness is critical. Saladino makes a clear distinction between ripe and unripe fruit based on its defense chemical content. He highlighted this in a 2022 Instagram reel where he recounted a negative experience after eating a pre-surf green banana.
A List of Banana Specifics in Saladino's Diet
- He views unripe, green bananas as essentially a vegetable, loaded with resistant starch and plant defense chemicals.
- Eating an unripe banana resulted in him feeling unwell, confirming his belief that their chemical makeup is different from their ripe counterparts.
- In contrast, he includes ripe, fully yellow bananas in his animal-based protocol.
- A 2023 collaboration with Erewhon Market on an "Animal-Based Smoothie" explicitly featured bananas as an ingredient, along with beef organs, honey, and raw dairy.
- This indicates that he finds ripe bananas to be a compatible and beneficial source of carbohydrates within his evolved dietary framework.
Comparing Saladino's Diet Stages
To better understand the shift, here is a comparison of his diet stages:
| Feature | Former Strict Carnivore Diet | Current Animal-Based Diet |
|---|---|---|
| Carbohydrates | Near zero, from any source. | Moderate, primarily from ripe fruit and honey. |
| Animal Products | Exclusively meat, organs, and some animal fats. | Meat, organs, raw dairy, and animal fats. |
| Fruit | Strictly excluded. | Ripe bananas, berries, and other seasonal fruits are included. |
| Vegetables/Seeds | Excluded entirely. | Excluded entirely. |
| Sweeteners | Not used. | Raw honey is included as a carbohydrate source. |
| Rationale | Avoid all plant defense chemicals. | Selectively include low-toxin plants for carbohydrates and nutrient diversity. |
Conclusion: A Nuanced Approach to Bananas
So, does Paul Saladino eat bananas? The answer is yes, but only ripe ones, as part of his animal-based diet. His journey from an ultra-strict carnivore to his current, more flexible approach highlights his emphasis on individual experimentation and finding what works best for one's own metabolic health. The change was driven by his own negative experiences on a long-term, zero-carb diet, and a re-evaluation of which plant foods truly contain harmful compounds. By including ripe bananas and other fruits, Saladino aims to get the benefits of carbohydrates with minimal exposure to plant defense chemicals. His current philosophy demonstrates a nuanced view of nutrition, where not all plant foods are treated equally, and ripeness plays a key role.
Learn more about his perspective on his social media where he often discusses his diet: Paul Saladino, MD (@paulsaladinomd).
