Do You Really Need Vegetables in Your Diet?

For decades, we’ve been taught that vegetables are the backbone of a healthy diet. Leafy greens, cruciferous veg, colorful salads—health magazines and government guidelines can’t stop preaching them.

“You must eat your five-a-day,” they say. Or “eat the rainbow” for all your essential vitamins and minerals. It’s become such a widely accepted narrative, so embedded, that we never think to question it.

Yet, when you look at human history, the picture isn’t so clear. Our ancestors didn’t have kale smoothies or spinach shipped in from halfway across the world.

Here’s a controversial thought: perhaps they’re not the magic bullet we’ve been led to believe. In fact, you might find you do better without them—or at least without relying on them.

If that statement gets you back up and makes you want to curse my name, I get it. I once believed vegetables were the undisputable food heroes – it seemed so logical and obvious. Well, I urge you to read on with an open mind.

If you let common sense prevail, you may be surprised at what you’ll learn.

So, let’s dig into the question: Do You Really Need Vegetables in Your Diet?

TL;DR

• You don’t need vegetables to stay healthy—animal foods can provide complete nutrition on their own.
• Our ancestors survived mainly on meat and fat, eating plants only when in season.
• Vegetables contain antinutrients that can cause bloating, joint pain, or digestive issues in some people.
• The best test is personal: try a week without vegetables and see how your body responds.

Why Do People Think Vegetables Are Essential?

Vegetables are seen as essential because they contain vitamins, minerals, and fiber, and health advice has reinforced this message for decades.

Since childhood, most of us have been told to “eat your greens.” Parents, teachers, doctors, and governments have all repeated this mantra, which has stuck so deeply that many people never question it.

What nutrients do vegetables provide?

Vegetables supply vitamin C, folate, potassium, and antioxidants. They also provide fiber, which supports digestion for some people. These nutrients sound impressive on paper, but the story isn’t so simple.

Many of the same nutrients are found in animal foods—often in more bioavailable forms. For example, liver contains far more vitamin A and folate than leafy greens, and in the forms that our bodies can absorb with minimal effort.

Where did the “eat your veggies” advice come from?

Modern dietary guidelines shaped this message. After World War II, governments wanted cheap, shelf-stable food to feed populations. Vegetables and grains became the backbone of these recommendations.

Nutrition science also focused on disease prevention by promoting plants high in fiber and antioxidants. However, these guidelines often ignored how humans ate for thousands of years before supermarkets.

Can You Survive Without Vegetables?

Yes, you can survive without vegetables, and many people thrive on diets built almost entirely around animal foods.

Check out Dr. Shawn Baker, who openly eats predominantly steak, and Mikhaila Fuller (previously Peterson), who resolved her health conditions by eating just beef.

Human physiology is flexible. While vegetables can provide nutrients, they’re not the only—or even the best—source. Cultures like the Inuit traditionally ate almost no vegetables, yet remained healthy for generations. Meat, fish, fat, and organs provided everything they needed.

What happens if you cut out vegetables completely?

Some people notice improved digestion, less bloating, and more stable energy when removing vegetables. Others may feel worse at first, especially if they’ve relied on high-fiber foods for years.

The key is adaptation. Your gut microbes shift, your digestion adjusts, and your energy source changes from fiber-driven fermentation to fat-fueled metabolism.

Do meat and animal foods cover the same nutrients?

Yes. Red meat, eggs, and organ meats supply complete proteins, essential fatty acids, vitamin B12, vitamin A, folate, iron, and zinc—nutrients that plants can’t provide in usable amounts.

Even vitamin C, often linked to vegetables, exists in raw liver, adrenal glands, and fresh meat. In fact, meat-eaters with low carbohydrate intake need less vitamin C because glucose competes with vitamin C in the body.

What Did Our Ancestors Eat Before Farming?

Before farming, humans ate what they could hunt, fish, or forage—mostly meat, fat, and seasonal foods.

Archaeological evidence shows that early humans were skilled hunters. Large animals provided dense nutrition in ways that vegetables simply couldn’t. Fruits, tubers, or greens were eaten only when available.

In colder climates, those options were rare or non-existent for months on end. Yet humans didn’t just survive—they thrived and expanded across the globe.

Did hunter–gatherers depend on vegetables?

Not really. Meat and fat were the staples, while plants played a supporting role. If berries were in season, people ate them. If they weren’t, the diet returned to animals. Survival meant flexibility, not reliance on a constant vegetable supply.

How did seasonal availability shape their diet?

Seasonality meant vegetables weren’t a daily guarantee. In winter, roots or dried meat sustained people. In summer, fresh fruit might appear. Compare that to today: we can buy strawberries in January from halfway around the world. That’s not how our biology evolved.

Are Vegetables Always as Healthy as We’re Told?

Not always. Vegetables contain nutrients, but they also come with natural defenses like antinutrients and toxins.

Plants can’t run away, so they defend themselves chemically. These compounds—like oxalates, lectins, and phytates—can block nutrient absorption or irritate the gut.

Spinach, for example, is high in oxalates, which bind to calcium and may form kidney stones in sensitive people. Beans and grains need soaking, sprouting, or cooking to reduce their antinutrient load.

Do vegetables contain antinutrients or toxins?

Yes. Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli release goitrogens, which can interfere with thyroid function. Nightshades like tomatoes and peppers contain alkaloids that trigger inflammation for some.

While not everyone reacts, many people notice improvements when they cut these foods out.

Can cooking or fermenting reduce those risks?

Cooking helps. Heat can break down lectins and certain toxins. Fermentation—like sauerkraut—can also reduce plant defenses.

But the fact that we need to process vegetables heavily before eating them raises a question: How “essential” can they be if they require so much modification just to be tolerated?

What Are the Benefits of Eating Meat Without Relying on Vegetables?

Eating meat without relying on vegetables gives you steady energy, complete nutrition, and freedom from digestive discomfort.

Animal foods are nutrient-dense by design. A ribeye steak provides protein, fat, B vitamins, iron, and zinc in highly absorbable forms. Add liver or eggs, and you cover nutrients like vitamin A, folate, and choline that vegetables can’t match.

Nutrient (per 100 g)	Beef (Ribeye)	Beef Liver	Broccoli	Kale
Calories	250 kcal	175 kcal	35 kcal	49 kcal
Protein	26 g	27 g	3 g	4.3 g
Fat	20 g	5 g	0.4 g	0.9 g
Iron	2.6 mg	6.2 mg	0.7 mg	1.6 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)	40 µg	9,400 µg	31 µg	241 µg
Vitamin B12	2.3 µg	59 µg	0 µg	0 µg
Vitamin C	0 mg	27 mg	89 mg	93 mg
Folate (B9)	10 µg	290 µg	63 µg	141 µg
Zinc	5 mg	4 mg	0.4 mg	0.4 mg

This table says it all. Beef and especially beef liver pack far more usable nutrition than vegetables ever could. You’d need to eat a mountain of broccoli or kale to match the vitamins, minerals, and protein in a small serving of meat.

That’s not anti-veggie—it’s just biology. Animal foods are more nutrient-dense and more efficiently absorbed by the human body.

How does animal fat fuel the body differently?

Fat is a slow-burning fuel that stabilizes energy and supports hormone health. Unlike carbohydrates from plants, fat doesn’t spike blood sugar.

When you eat fat without carbs, your body switches to ketosis, a natural fat-burning state. In my diet, I noticed fewer crashes, better focus, and energy that carried me through the day—switching to this way of eating cured my chronic fatigue syndrome.

Can nose-to-tail eating replace the “five-a-day”?

Yes. Eating the whole animal—muscle meat, organs, connective tissue, and fat—delivers every nutrient for human health. Bone broth brings minerals. Liver is rich in vitamin A and folate.

Even the much-debated vitamin C is present in organs. In this approach, vegetables become optional, not essential.

What About Fiber—Do We Really Need It?

No, fiber isn’t essential, and many people feel better without it.

We’ve been told fiber is key to healthy digestion. The idea is that roughage “sweeps” the gut clean and prevents constipation.

But this doesn’t always hold up. Some people experience less bloating, cramping, and discomfort when they reduce or remove fiber.

Does fiber improve digestion for everyone?

Not really. For some, high fiber worsens gas and slows digestion. Clinical studies even show that reducing or eliminating dietary fiber can improve constipation in some instances..

The effect depends on the person, not a universal rule.

How does the body adapt on a low-vegetable diet?

When you switch to mostly animal foods, your gut adjusts. Instead of fermenting fiber, your body relies on fat and protein metabolism.

This shift often leads to smaller, less frequent, but more comfortable bowel movements. Although it feels strange at first, many find it easier on the body long-term.

Are There Downsides to Avoiding Vegetables Entirely?

For most people, no, but some may still benefit from small amounts of certain plant foods.

Cutting out vegetables doesn’t leave you nutrient-deficient if you eat nose-to-tail. However, some may miss the variety of vegetables, flavors, or convenience. A crunchy salad can feel refreshing even if it’s not nutritionally necessary.

Who might still benefit from some plant foods?

People transitioning off a processed food diet sometimes find vegetables helpful as a stepping stone. Lightly cooked greens or berries may help replace junk food and provide comfort during the switch.

Athletes or those with high-calorie needs might also enjoy the extra bulk and carbs that vegetables bring.

Are there situations where vegetables help recovery or health?

Some studies show that certain phytonutrients in plants may support specific conditions. For example, some find that cruciferous vegetables support detoxification enzyme pathways like phase I/II metabolism of xenobiotics.

That doesn’t make them essential—it just means some people seem to respond well to them.

How Can You Test if You Personally Need Vegetables?

You can test it by removing vegetables for a week or two and observing how your body responds.

There’s no universal rule—some thrive without plants, others enjoy a little. The best way to know is by running your own experiment.

What signs tell you vegetables aren’t serving you well?

Look out for bloating, gas, irregular digestion, or energy crashes after eating vegetables. Joint pain or skin flare-ups can also be linked to plant antinutrients. If these symptoms improve when you cut vegetables, it’s a clear sign.

How can you run your own one-week experiment?

Try a strict animal-based or carnivore approach for seven days. Focus on meat, eggs, butter, and maybe some dairy. For help, see my post on the Best Animal-Based and Carnivore Diet Books.

Skip all vegetables. Track your energy, digestion, sleep, and mental clarity. After a week, reintroduce vegetables and notice the difference.

Common Sense Check: What Would Humans Eat Without Supermarkets?

Take away supermarkets, fridges, and year-round imports. What’s left?

Humans would eat what nature provided in their environment. That means hunting animals, fishing rivers, and gathering seasonal foods when available.

No strawberries in January. No spinach shipped across the world. Just local, natural, and often animal-based nutrition.

When you look through that lens, the question shifts. Are vegetables bad? Not necessarily. But are they essential, daily, and year-round? Common sense says no.

Our ancestors didn’t have kale chips in winter, yet they survived—and often thrived—without them.

The evidence? Well, we’re here, aren’t we? We’re here because our ancestors survived and thrived before us.

Conclusion: Do You Really Need Vegetables in Your Diet?

The short answer: no, you don’t.

Vegetables can provide nutrients and flavor, but they’re not essential for survival or thriving health. Humans have always relied on animal foods first, with plants as an occasional bonus when available.

We’ve covered why people think vegetables are necessary, how our ancestors ate before farming, and why animal foods alone can deliver everything your body needs.

We’ve also looked at the downsides of vegetables, from antinutrients to digestive issues, and why many feel better without them.

The best test is personal experience. Remove vegetables for a week, eat nose-to-tail, and see how you feel. Your body will give you the real answer.

However, if you can eat vegetables and remain healthy, crack on. You do you. As long as you’re dodging the modern human-made junk food, you’ll do just fine.

If this topic grabbed you, I recommend diving into The Ultimate Human Diet for a deeper look at our ancestral blueprint. You might also enjoy Are Eggs Healthy? and Is Beef Fat Good for You?, where I explore other so-called “controversial” foods with the same common-sense lens.

And that’s it… have a nutritious day!

FAQs

Do carnivores really eat no vegetables at all?

Yes. Many on a carnivore diet eat only meat, fat, and organs. They report stable energy, strong digestion, and improved health without plants.

Can you get vitamin C without vegetables?

Yes. Fresh meat and organs contain vitamin C. On a low-carb diet, the body also needs less vitamin C because glucose doesn’t compete with it.

What’s the healthiest way to include vegetables if you choose to?

If you want them, choose seasonal, local, and well-prepared options. Cooking or fermenting helps reduce antinutrients, making them easier to digest.

Are vegetables bad for everyone?

Not necessarily. Some tolerate them well, others don’t. The key is testing your own response instead of blindly following dietary guidelines.