What to eat while on thrive? A comprehensive guide to the Thrive Diet

October 23, 2025 •

4 min read

According to Brendan Brazier, a former professional Ironman triathlete, his Thrive Diet is centered on a raw, vegan, whole-food approach to fuel your body with maximum efficiency. This guide answers the important question of what to eat while on thrive to support optimal energy and health.

Quick Summary

The Thrive Diet is a plant-based eating plan that emphasizes nutrient-dense, whole foods, with a significant focus on raw ingredients. It involves consuming fresh fruits, vegetables, legumes, and seeds while excluding all animal products and processed items.

Key Points

Embrace Plant-Based, Whole Foods: The foundation of the Thrive Diet consists of minimally processed fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains.
Prioritize Raw Consumption: For optimal nutrient intake, aim for a diet that is largely (50-75%) raw to preserve vital enzymes and nutrients.
Eliminate Animal Products: All meat, poultry, fish, seafood, dairy, and eggs are excluded from this vegan-centric eating plan.
Avoid Processed Ingredients: To maximize health benefits, steer clear of refined sugars, processed foods, and refined grains.
Distinguish from Supplement Programs: The Thrive Diet is a whole-foods eating plan, distinct from the multi-step supplement programs offered by other brands like Le-Vel.
Transition Gradually: When adopting the Thrive Diet, a slow, phased approach can help your body adjust and minimize digestive discomfort.
Balance Meals for Stable Energy: Eat several smaller, nutrient-dense meals throughout the day to maintain consistent blood sugar and energy levels.

The Thrive Diet, developed by endurance athlete Brendan Brazier, is a long-term, whole-foods, and predominantly raw, plant-based diet. The philosophy behind the plan is to consume nutrient-rich, unprocessed foods to reduce stress, boost energy, and improve overall athletic performance and wellness. Unlike other restrictive diets, it discourages calorie counting and instead focuses on eating several smaller meals throughout the day to keep blood sugar and energy levels stable. For those wondering what to eat while on thrive, the answer lies in focusing on fresh, natural, and unprocessed plant sources while strategically eliminating certain food groups.

Core Principles of the Thrive Diet

Prioritize Plant-Based and Whole Foods

At its heart, the Thrive Diet is a plant-based vegan plan centered on minimally processed, whole foods. This means basing your diet around fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes. The goal is to maximize the intake of naturally occurring vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and antioxidants.

Emphasize Raw Foods

While not strictly a 100% raw food diet, Brazier recommends consuming a high proportion of foods in their raw state. This is because raw plants contain enzymes and other nutrients that can be destroyed or diminished by cooking. For example, many followers aim for 50-75% raw food intake, incorporating cooked meals sparingly.

Focus on Nutrient Density

Instead of counting calories, the Thrive Diet prioritizes nutrient density. The idea is to choose foods that offer the maximum amount of nutritional value relative to their caloric content. This approach helps with satiety, reduces cravings, and supports healthy weight management.

What to Eat: A Thrive-Approved Food List

Fruits and Vegetables

An abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables is the cornerstone of the Thrive Diet. These provide essential vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants. Include a wide variety of colors to get a broad spectrum of nutrients.

Fruits: Berries, bananas, mangos, dates, apples, avocados.
Leafy Greens: Kale, spinach, arugula, collard greens.
Other Vegetables: Carrots, bell peppers, cucumbers, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini.

Legumes

Legumes are a crucial source of plant-based protein and fiber, helping to keep you full and energized.

Adzuki beans
Black-eyed peas
Lentils
Hummus

Nuts and Seeds

These provide healthy fats, protein, and essential fatty acids (EFAs) which are vital for overall health.

Almonds (often soaked)
Hemp seeds
Flaxseed
Sunflower seeds
Pumpkin seeds

Whole Grains and Complex Carbs

In moderation, these can provide sustained energy. The Thrive Diet recommends gluten-free options.

Quinoa
Brown rice
Buckwheat

Healthy Fats and Oils

Avocado
Cold-pressed oils (hemp, coconut, extra virgin olive oil)

Other Essentials

Spirulina and Chlorella (for added nutrients)
Sea vegetables
Apple cider vinegar
Herbal teas

What to Avoid: The 'Off-Limits' List

Animal Products

The Thrive Diet is strictly vegan and requires the elimination of all animal products.

Meat (beef, pork, lamb, poultry)
Fish and seafood
Dairy (milk, cheese, yogurt)
Eggs

Processed and Refined Foods

To maximize nutrient intake, the diet cuts out highly processed and refined ingredients.

Refined sugars (white sugar, high-fructose corn syrup)
Processed foods (packaged snacks, cereals with additives)
Refined carbohydrates (white bread, pasta)

High-Temperature Cooking

While some cooked food is permitted, the diet limits foods cooked at high temperatures to preserve enzymes and nutrient integrity.

THRIVE Diet vs. THRIVE Supplements

It is important to differentiate between Brendan Brazier's Thrive Diet and the THRIVE Experience, a supplement-based program by Le-Vel. The core principles and dietary recommendations are distinct.


Feature	Thrive Diet (Brendan Brazier)	THRIVE Experience (Le-Vel)
Primary Focus	Whole-food, plant-based nutrition for athletic performance and overall health.	A 3-step supplement system (capsules, shake, wearable patch) for energy, weight management, and wellness.
Dietary Plan	Raw and minimally cooked vegan whole foods.	Generally healthy eating recommended alongside supplements, often including lean meats and some grains.
Food Restrictions	Avoids all animal products, processed foods, refined sugars.	Discourages refined sugar, dairy, and processed foods but allows some animal protein and eggs.
Supplementation	Discouraged, with an emphasis on obtaining all nutrients from food sources.	Central to the program, involves a daily multi-step routine.
Founder	Brendan Brazier, a professional athlete.	Le-Vel, a multi-level marketing company.

Sample Day on the Thrive Diet

Breakfast

Option 1: A nutrient-dense green smoothie made with leafy greens, banana, frozen berries, hemp protein, and ground flaxseed.
Option 2: Soaked oatmeal with almond butter, fresh berries, and chia seeds.

Lunch

Option 1: A large mixed green salad with shredded carrots, avocado, bell peppers, sprouts, and a lemon-tahini dressing.
Option 2: Black bean and vegetable wraps using large lettuce leaves instead of tortillas.

Dinner

Option 1: Steamed vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower with wild brown rice and a garlic-herb sauce.
Option 2: Hearty vegetable soup with lentils and a variety of chopped veggies.

Snacks

Raw nuts and seeds
Hummus with raw vegetable sticks
Apple slices with almond butter

Conclusion

Following a Thrive-style diet means committing to a whole-foods, plant-based approach with an emphasis on raw ingredients. By focusing on nutrient density and sourcing your food from fresh, natural sources, you can work to increase energy levels, improve digestion, and manage weight. The key is a gradual transition to allow your body to adjust to the increased fiber and whole foods. This approach is distinctly different from supplement-based programs and offers a food-focused pathway to enhanced wellness. As with any significant dietary change, it is wise to consult a healthcare professional, especially if you have underlying health conditions.

For more information on the principles and recipes, consider exploring Brendan Brazier's foundational book, Thrive: The Vegan Nutrition Guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Thrive Diet is a long-term, whole-foods, plant-based plan designed by former professional athlete Brendan Brazier. It focuses on nutrient-dense, mostly raw foods to boost energy and promote optimal health without counting calories.

No, the Thrive Diet is a whole-food eating plan and is distinct from the THRIVE supplements (the 'THRIVE Experience') marketed by Le-Vel. While the Le-Vel program also promotes healthy eating, the emphasis and approach are different.

You should focus on a variety of fresh fruits, leafy greens, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, and specific whole grains like quinoa and brown rice. Healthy fats from avocados and cold-pressed oils are also staples.

All animal products, including meat, dairy, eggs, and fish, should be avoided. The diet also cuts out refined carbohydrates, added sugars, and highly processed or packaged foods.

No, the diet is not 100% raw. While it emphasizes consuming a large portion of your food raw to preserve nutrients, it does allow for some foods to be cooked at low temperatures. The typical recommendation is 50-75% raw.

You can get plenty of protein from a variety of plant-based sources, including legumes like beans and lentils, nuts and seeds, and nutrient-dense whole foods such as leafy greens and hemp. Some followers also use plant-based protein powders.

As with any restrictive diet, there is a risk of nutrient deficiencies, particularly for nutrients like vitamin B12 and iron which are more abundant in animal products. It is recommended to consult a doctor to ensure you meet your nutritional needs.