Understanding Why Doesn't Paul Saladino Eat Vegetables? A Look at the 'Animal-Based' Philosophy

October 8, 2025 •

4 min read

While vegetables have been a staple of conventional dietary wisdom for decades, health influencer and physician Dr. Paul Saladino challenges this norm. Citing concerns about specific plant compounds, many question, 'Why doesn't Paul Saladino eat vegetables?' The answer lies in his perspective on 'plant defense chemicals' and the belief that animal foods are more nutritionally complete.

Quick Summary

Dr. Paul Saladino avoids vegetables due to concerns over plant defense chemicals like lectins and oxalates, which he believes cause inflammation and digestive issues. He advocates for a nutrient-dense animal-based diet rich in meat and organs, supplemented with fruit, honey, and raw dairy.

Key Points

Plant Defense Chemicals: Paul Saladino believes vegetables contain 'defense chemicals' like lectins and oxalates that cause inflammation and other health issues in humans.
Concerns About Antinutrients: Specific compounds like phytates and goitrogens found in many plants are considered 'antinutrients' by Saladino, potentially inhibiting mineral absorption and thyroid function.
Focus on Nutrient Density: He advocates for an animal-based diet, arguing that animal products, especially organ meats, are the most nutrient-dense and provide bioavailable essential vitamins and minerals.
Evolution to Animal-Based: Saladino shifted from a strict carnivore diet to an 'animal-based' one, incorporating less-toxic fruits and honey for carbohydrates after experiencing negative effects.
Lack of Scientific Consensus: Mainstream nutrition experts and scientists largely disagree with Saladino's premises, pointing out that antinutrients are often harmless in context or beneficial, and that long-term evidence for his diet is lacking.
Anecdotal Evidence Over Science: Much of the support for Saladino's diet comes from anecdotal testimonials rather than controlled scientific studies, a key point of criticism from the broader medical community.

The Core Tenet: Plants Produce Defense Chemicals

The fundamental reason Paul Saladino advocates against eating vegetables is his belief that plants produce 'defense chemicals' to protect themselves from being eaten. Unlike animals, which can flee from predators, plants must rely on chemical deterrents. Saladino argues that these compounds, which are often concentrated in the leaves, stems, and seeds, can be harmful to human health, particularly for those with existing health issues. His early promotion of a strict carnivore diet, and later evolution to an 'animal-based' approach, stems from this premise.

Notable Plant Toxins

According to Saladino's reasoning, several types of plant compounds pose a risk to human health, contributing to inflammation and other adverse effects.

Lectins: These are proteins found in grains, legumes, seeds, nuts, and nightshade vegetables like tomatoes and potatoes. Saladino and other proponents of plant-free diets suggest that lectins can cause digestive problems and inflammation.
Oxalates: This is a naturally occurring compound found in high concentrations in foods like spinach, rhubarb, nuts, and cocoa. Saladino claims oxalates can bind to minerals and contribute to the formation of kidney stones.
Phytates (Phytic Acid): Present in the bran of grains, seeds, nuts, and legumes, phytates can bind to minerals like zinc, iron, and calcium, potentially inhibiting their absorption in the body.
Goitrogens: These compounds are found in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, kale, and Brussels sprouts and, according to Saladino, can inhibit iodine uptake and affect thyroid function, particularly when consumed raw.

The Nutrient Density Argument

Beyond just avoiding plants, Saladino champions an animal-based diet for its superior nutrient density. He posits that animal products, especially organ meats, provide a more bioavailable and complete spectrum of essential nutrients for humans than plant-based sources.

Animal-Based Food Benefits According to Saladino:

Essential Vitamins: He argues that nutrients like Vitamin B12, K2, and preformed Vitamin A (retinol) are exclusively or most optimally obtained from animal sources.
Minerals: Heme-iron, which is more readily absorbed by the body than non-heme iron from plants, is abundant in red meat.
Unique Compounds: He highlights the presence of compounds like creatine, taurine, and carnosine in animal foods, which he deems essential for optimal human health.

Shifting from a Strict Carnivore to Animal-Based

Interestingly, Saladino has not always followed his current protocol. After his initial strict carnivore diet, he incorporated certain plant-based foods, specifically fruits and honey. He explains this shift by suggesting that ripe fruit is less toxic than other plant parts (like leaves and stems) because plants intend for animals to eat their fruit to disperse seeds. He views this 'animal-based' approach as a more sustainable and complete form of eating for long-term health, incorporating carbohydrates from sources with fewer perceived defense chemicals.

Comparison: Animal vs. Plant-Based Nutrient Sources


Nutrient	Primary Animal-Based Source (Saladino's View)	Primary Plant-Based Source (Conventional View)	Comparison of Bioavailability
Vitamin B12	Red Meat, Liver, Eggs	Fortified Foods, Supplements (Not naturally occurring)	Animal source is naturally occurring and highly bioavailable.
Heme Iron	Red Meat, Organs	Non-Heme Iron in Spinach, Legumes	Heme-iron from animals is more easily absorbed than non-heme iron from plants.
Vitamin K2	Organ Meats, Egg Yolks, Dairy	Vitamin K1 in Leafy Greens, but less converted to K2	K2 from animal sources is more readily used by the body than K1 from plants.
Calcium	Raw Dairy, Bone	Leafy Greens (e.g., kale), Seeds	Oxalates in certain plants (spinach, chard) can inhibit absorption.
Omega-3s (EPA/DHA)	Fatty Fish, Pastured Meats	ALA in Flaxseeds, Walnuts (conversion is poor)	Animal sources provide direct EPA/DHA, bypassing inefficient conversion from plant ALA.
Vitamin C	Organ Meats, Small amounts in muscle meat	Citrus Fruits, Berries, Cruciferous Veggies	While Vitamin C is conventionally associated with plants, Saladino suggests sufficient amounts can be obtained without them.

Scientific Critiques and Counterarguments

It is important to note that Saladino's views are widely criticized within the mainstream scientific and medical community. Many nutritionists and researchers argue that the potential risks of antinutrients are largely overblown and fail to account for the overall dietary context.

Antinutrients are not always harmful: Many antinutrients, such as phytates, are actually considered antioxidants and can have health benefits. They are often deactivated through cooking, soaking, or fermentation.
Context matters: A balanced plant-based diet contains thousands of beneficial compounds that can counteract the effects of antinutrients. Focusing on individual compounds rather than the complete food matrix is a flawed approach.
Inflammation from a lack of plants: A 2014 review highlighted that plant-based foods, even those with antinutrients, can be protective against chronic diseases. The risk of inflammation and chronic disease was found to be higher with animal-based diets low in these compounds.
Anecdotal vs. scientific evidence: While Saladino cites numerous anecdotes of people improving their health on his diet, this is not a substitute for robust scientific evidence, which is currently lacking for the carnivore diet's long-term health benefits.

Conclusion: The 'Why' Behind the Choice

Ultimately, the question of why doesn't Paul Saladino eat vegetables is rooted in his unique nutritional philosophy, which is built on the premise that plants are inherently toxic for humans and animal products are superior in nutrient density. This perspective, however, stands in stark contrast to mainstream nutritional science. His recommendations are based on a combination of anecdotal evidence and a specific interpretation of evolutionary biology and biochemistry, leading to an 'animal-based' diet that prioritizes meat, organs, and selects fruits and honey over vegetables. While his followers report positive health outcomes, potential followers should be aware of the considerable scientific debate and the lack of long-term evidence supporting this highly restrictive dietary approach.

Authoritative Outbound Link

For a more in-depth look at the potential health risks associated with the carnivore diet from a conventional medical perspective, visit the article on Verywell Health covering this topic: What Is a Carnivore Diet? Health Risks and Warnings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Paul Saladino's central argument is that vegetables and other plant parts contain 'defense chemicals,' or plant toxins, such as lectins, oxalates, and phytates, which he believes can cause inflammation, gut irritation, and autoimmune issues in humans.

Lectins are proteins found in many plants, including grains and legumes. Saladino believes these can be a source of digestive problems and inflammation, leading him to avoid foods high in them.

While conventionally associated with plants, Saladino suggests that a small amount of Vitamin C can be obtained from organ meats. He also adds certain fruits to his current 'animal-based' diet, which provide a less toxic source of carbohydrates and vitamins.

Saladino incorporated fruits, honey, and raw dairy into his diet after experiencing some negative health effects on a strict carnivore diet. He believes fruit is a less toxic carbohydrate source than other plant parts.

A carnivore diet consists solely of animal products (meat, organs, eggs, and sometimes dairy). Saladino's 'animal-based' diet expands on this to include selected fruits, honey, and raw dairy, while still eliminating vegetables, grains, and most other plants.

No, there is significant scientific debate and criticism of Paul Saladino's views. Mainstream nutritional science largely disagrees with his characterization of plants as inherently toxic, noting that many plant compounds have health benefits and that the context of a whole diet is critical.

While Saladino cites anecdotal evidence, robust scientific studies supporting the long-term health benefits of his 'animal-based' diet over a balanced diet including vegetables are lacking. Mainstream evidence suggests a varied diet with both animal and plant foods is beneficial.