The principle here is simple: if a plant/fungus can’t run away from you, it’s definitely going to contain defense chemicals, and be net negative for humans. 

Most mushrooms people eat like the white button, portobello and cremini varieties, are all from the same fungi, Agaricus bisporus.

This species of mushroom produces a mycotoxin known as agaritine, which is known to be harmful to humans for it  binds to DNA, and causes various forms of cancer in animals..

This can be partially solved via cooking, but I don’t believe it’s worth the risk.

Think about it: fungi don’t want to be eaten, just like plants (or animals, but animals can run away/bite, etc.). hey are definitely going to contain defense chemicals!

Sure, they may also contain compounds useful as “medicines”, but MUCH more research is needed before we declare mushrooms a “superfood” and drink them in our morning coffee (also BS!).

I strongly believe there are NO essential compounds found in mushrooms that you can’t get from organs/meat/fruit, etc.

Anecdotally, mushrooms (like lion’s mane, chaga, and reishi) caused one of the worst eczema flares of my life during my residency. This doesn’t mean they will do the same to you, but they clearly contain defense chemicals, oxalates, etc.

I talk more about mushrooms in this episode of Fundamental Health.

Grains are seeds, and all seeds are highly defended by plants. They contain many defense chemicals that will mess with your digestion and hormones.

Plants put a LOT of energy into making seeds – these are their genetic packages that create their next generation, after all. 

Grains AKA seeds contain digestive enzyme inhibitors, phytic acid (prevents mineral absorption), and lectins (think gluten in wheat, etc.) that can damage the gut and may contribute to autoimmune illness.

See specific grains on this list for more details.

Most granolas are a combination of seed oils, processed sugars, nuts and oats.

Nuts and oats are plant seeds, and these are all highly defended by plants because they are “plant babies” – they are required to move DNA to the next generation.

Granola is a suboptimal food for humans. Don’t be fooled by the fancy packaging or the sweet taste.

Oats are grains, and grains are seeds.

Seeds, like oats, are full of lectins (damages the gut), phytic acid (prevents mineral absorption), oxalates, and digestive enzyme inhibitors.

Oats are particularly high in phytic acid and are known to significantly decrease assimilation of minerals like magnesium, calcium, zinc, etc.

Oats, oatmeal and oat milk are great ways to deplete yourself of important minerals and to mess up your digestion. Strictly void all three.

Most oat milks combine oats with sugars and seed oils, producing a toxic sludge that is then marketed as being better for you and the planet. Horseshit.

Rice is a grain; grains are seeds and all seeds are highly defended by plants and contain many defense chemicals that will harm your digestion and hormones.

Brown rice is definitely bullshit, and it’s often quite high in arsenic (a harmful heavy metal).

White rice has indeed had the bran and germ removed. Health pundits will tell you it’s now good for you, but I call bullshit.

White rice is much less toxic than brown rice for humans, and of all the grains this is probably the least bad…

But I still don’t think it’s an ideal food for humans, or optimal for most. Do what works for you. Try eliminating rice and see how you feel.

Bread contains gluten. Gluten is composed of two main types of proteins, gliadins, and glutenins, both of which are lectins - carbohydrate binding proteins that are WELL KNOWN to open tight junctions in the gut => LEAKY GUT = no bueno!

Gluten is well studied in vitro and in vivo in both animal and human models, and is known to activate the immune system, as well as trigger the release of zonulin - a protein that induces the opening of these high junctions and leads to leaky gut.

We also know that gliadin passes across the intestinal epithelium and ends up in the breast milk of nursing mothers… that’s lectins from bread going into your infant! And we wonder why many babies end up with autoimmune issues!

And this doesn’t just happen in some people, this appears to happen in ALL humans.

Yes, gluten (gliadin and glutenin) are likely inducing transient leaky gut in all humans when you eat bread.

Even SOURDOUGH bread is BS - fermentation won’t remove all of the problematic plant defense chemicals that are going to mess with your gut and screw up your digestion!

Broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collard greens, and kale are all Cruciferous from the mustard family of plants and all possess the same defense mechanisms.

Specifically, glucosinolates combine with myrosinase when these plants are chewed (AKA defense mechanism!) and this produces isothiocyanate, like sulforaphane and goitrin-compounds. This process can inhibit iodine absorption at the level of the thyroid in doses commonly consumed. PMID: PMC4892312

Contrary to popular belief, sulforaphane is a PRO-oxidant, not an ANTIoxidant…

Compounds like these are plant toxins that trigger your body to make excess  glutathione on its own…

Which sounds like a good thing, until you realize these compounds have negative side effects (see iodine above)…

What’s more, you can coax your body into making plenty of glutathione WITHOUT the side effects  and without plant defense chemicals. Try things like exercise, sunlight, cold/heat, and fasting, along with eating nutrient-rich food, like organs and meat!

Learn more about the danger of broccoli here.

Broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collard greens, and kale are all Cruciferous from the mustard family of plants and all possess the same defense mechanisms.

Specifically, glucosinolates combine with myrosinase when these plants are chewed (AKA defense mechanism!) and this produces isothiocyanate, like sulforaphane and goitrin-compounds. This process can inhibit iodine absorption at the level of the thyroid in doses commonly consumed. PMID: PMC4892312

Contrary to popular belief, sulforaphane is a PRO-oxidant, not an ANTIoxidant…

Compounds like these are plant toxins that trigger your body to make excess  glutathione on its own…

Which sounds like a good thing, until you realize these compounds have negative side effects (see iodine above)…

What’s more, you can coax your body into making plenty of glutathione WITHOUT the side effects  and without plant defense chemicals. Try things like exercise, sunlight, cold/heat, and fasting, along with eating nutrient-rich food, like organs and meat!

Learn more about the danger of broccoli here.

Chard is a leaf, and leaves are one aspect of plants that are highly defended.  Leaves are full of chemicals that will mess with your hormones, digestion, and nutrient absorption…

Chard and beet greens in particular are extremely high in oxalates, which are known to be involved in the formation of kidney stones, and like beets, are linked with joint pain, fatigue, and neurological issues. 

Want the scoop on oxalates? Check out this episode of my podcast. (link to Sally Norton episode)

Broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collard greens, and kale are all Cruciferous from the mustard family of plants and all possess the same defense mechanisms.

Specifically, glucosinolates combine with myrosinase when these plants are chewed (AKA defense mechanism!) and this produces isothiocyanate, like sulforaphane and goitrin-compounds. This process can inhibit iodine absorption at the level of the thyroid in doses commonly consumed. PMID: PMC4892312

Contrary to popular belief, sulforaphane is a PRO-oxidant, not an ANTIoxidant…

Compounds like these are plant toxins that trigger your body to make excess  glutathione on its own…

Which sounds like a good thing, until you realize these compounds have negative side effects (see iodine above)…

What’s more, you can coax your body into making plenty of glutathione WITHOUT the side effects  and without plant defense chemicals. Try things like exercise, sunlight, cold/heat, and fasting, along with eating nutrient-rich food, like organs and meat!

Learn more about the danger of broccoli here.

I include peanuts, lentils, peas, soybeans, chickpeas and all beans in this list.

These are all seeds AKA  plant babies, and they are HIGHLY defended against consumption by animals.

Beans are full of lectins like PHA (phytohemagglutinin), which has caused many outbreaks of food poisoning when undercooked (PMID: 2249712). Raw beans are completely toxic and make you very sick if you eat them.

Lectins like PHA have also been shown in animal models to contribute to gut dysbiosis (PMID: 3061624) and gut inflammation; two things which can be placed  at the root of autoimmune conditions.

Lectins have also been implicated in neurological illness, like Parkinson’s disease (PMID: 26031848)

“But Paul, what about ‘all of the studies’ that prove beans are good for humans?”

These are epidemiology and are confounded by healthy user bias. Full stop.

Beans do not love you back. They are highly defended and are not good for humans who want to thrive. You’d have to go to extreme lengths to even partially detoxify them (pressure cooking only removes a portion of the lectins)…

Clearly they do not want to be eaten and are a survival food -  not a thriving food.

There’s a reason the nightshade family is termed “deadly.”

This family of plants includes tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, peppers and even, goji berries. 

They are well-known for containing lectins (carbohydrate-binding proteins) that appear to cause/worsen autoimmune issues in many individuals. 

Though most of this evidence is anecdotal and clinical experience, many individuals report improvement in skin issues, acne, fatigue, joint pain, back pain, etc., with the removal of foods like tomato and other nightshades from their diets. 

At a chemical level, these plants contain varying levels of solanine, a glycoalkaloid with toxic consequences for animals and humans. Don’t believe me? Try eating a green potato and see how you feel….

Wait, don’t do that, please.  Just read-> PMID: 19446683 or PMID:15036866

In summary, most fruit is great, but fruit from this family is to be avoided if you really want to thrive.

There’s a reason the nightshade family is termed “deadly.”

This family of plants includes tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, peppers and even, goji berries. 

They are well-known for containing lectins (carbohydrate-binding proteins) that appear to cause/worsen autoimmune issues in many individuals. 

Though most of this evidence is anecdotal and clinical experience, many individuals report improvement in skin issues, acne, fatigue, joint pain, back pain, etc., with the removal of foods like tomato and other nightshades from their diets. 

At a chemical level, these plants contain varying levels of solanine, a glycoalkaloid with toxic consequences for animals and humans. Don’t believe me? Try eating a green potato and see how you feel….

Wait, don’t do that, please.  Just read-> PMID: 19446683 or PMID:15036866

In summary, most fruit is great, but fruit from this family is to be avoided if you really want to thrive.

Remember that white potatoes are also a root, and the leaves, roots, stems, and seeds (seeds, nuts, grains, beans) of plants are highly defended against predation. 

White potatoes also contain the toxic glycoalkaloids, solanine and chaconine, nasty molecules that are known to be highly-toxic to  humans and other species (PMID: 6338654).

Sure, everyone loves mashed potatoes with butter, but in this case, the potatoes really don’t love you back. They are clearly net negative for humans and I believe that your gut will be much better off without them! 

In the case of sweet potatoes: they are better than white potatoes but I’m still not a fan of these! They are still a root, and will still contain defense compounds (such as Ipameamarone).

Hot peppers like jalapeños, Fresno etc belong to the Solanaceae (nightshade) family of plants (which also includes tomatoes, eggplant, goji berries and red peppers).

This family of plants contains lectins that are consistently associated with the worsening of autoimmune symptoms in humans.

These plants,especially hot peppers, have been shown to create leaky gut (PMID: 29889546 & 21430248) in cell culture models (decreased trans-epithelial electrical resistance or TEER).o bueno!

Opening gap junctions, decreasing TEER, and causing zonulin release creates a perfect storm for leaky gut and is probably one of the proximate events to launch a  cascade of autoimmune diseases.

Hot peppers do not love you back. Nightshades, including tomato, eggplant and bell peppers do not love you back.

Ultimately, you can eat whatever you want – and no, these plants won’t kill you instantly. But why eat foods that harm your intestinal lining?

Why not consistently choose foods that nourish your body with unique nutrients?

Seeds are plant babies and are highly defended with all sorts of defense chemicals. They are therefore BS.

Yes, all seeds are BS: flaxseeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds…

And all nuts: walnuts, almonds, pecans, cashews, pine nuts… they are all seeds, and they all contain defense chemicals like phytic acid, oxalates and digestive enzyme inhibitors.

And yes, this applies to seed and nut milks too. These combine nuts with sugars and seed oils to make a toxic sludge that is marketed as being better for you and the planet. Learn more about the dangers of almond milk here.

Peanut butter is pure BS!

Peanuts are beans (legumes); they are full of defense chemicals like lectins and digestive enzyme inhibitors, that damage your gut and cause dysbiosis.

The oils in peanut butter also oxidizes while in the jar – just like seed oils.

The moldiest peanuts are the ones selected for peanut butter, which leads to very high levels of aflatoxin. a known mold toxin often associated with cancer.

There’s a reason this is #1 on the BS list. These are the biggest offender when it comes to chronic disease and metabolic dysfunction.

Do not cook with them. Do not consume processed foods (they all have seed oils). If you must eat out in restaurants, insist they cook with butter or tallow.

Cut out all seed oils if you care about your mitochondria or your gut. Seed oils contain massive amounts of omega-6 linoleic acid, a polyunsaturated fat (PUFA) that clearly impairs the membrane of mitochondria, signaling scarcity in the body, causing us to become fat and promoting the progress of metabolic and chronic diseases. No thanks, I’ll be here eating my grass-fed steak, liver and animal fat.

Explore a quick history and dangers of seed oils here. Full episode on seed oils here, and more quick thoughts about them here.

People always ask about getting omega-3s on an animal-based diet.

Here’s news for you. There’s plenty of EPA/DHA to be found and consumed in fat from cows (ie. tallow) and egg yolks on an animal-based diet. You definitely do NOT need fish oil to get enough omega-3s.

And since you are avoiding seed oils on an animal-based diet, your body is much better at converting omega-3 like ALA (which also occurs in animal fat) into longer chain omega-3s.

Many nutritional pundits will tout the benefits of 2-4g of fish oil per day, but then ignore multiple studies (like those discussed in a recent JAMA editorial) which clearly show that such doses of fish oil are associated with significantly higher rates of atrial fibrillation. PMID: 33724309

Fish oil is fragile, and putting it in capsules, or even worse, in a liquid form, is a sure way to get it to oxidize (unfortunately, you can’t always tell when oils are rancid).

Get your omega-3s from animal fat – not rancid, oxidized fish oils.

First question: why are you eating olive oil and not tallow? Tallow is made from rendered cow fat.

Yes, olives are a fruit, which is an edible portion of the plant.

But olive oil? Don’t get me wrong, it’s much better than seed oils like corn, canola, sunflower, safflower or soybean oils. However, olive oil still has 12-14% linoleic acid content, which in my view, is far too much for humans.

MANY (if not, MOST) olive oils are also low quality, and cut with vegetable oils. MANY olive oils have been left on the shelf for far too long and are also highly oxidized. Olive oil is much more easily oxidized than tallow, and lacks beneficial compounds found in tallow, like stearic acid and odd-chain fatty acids, which are very important for human health. 

Even high-quality olive oil straight from your grandparent’s farm in Italy contains a dangerous amount of  linoleic acid for humans. It’s just not ideal.

Avocado oil is lower in linoleic acid than seed oils – but not nearly as low as  fat from ruminant animals (cows, bison, etc.). There’s about 12-14% linoleic acid in avocado oil, vs. 2% in fat from cows. And if you didn’t already know, linoleic acid is very harmful for humans!

Many avocado oils are also low quality, and cut with vegetable oils. A large percentage of these oils have been left on the shelf for far too long and are highly oxidized. 

To make matters worse, many avocado oils are cut with seed oils (no bueno). Stick to butter, ghee and tallow!

Sure, beets are pretty, and you’ve been told they’re great for erections and blood flow, but this is BS. Yes, the nitrates in beets help with vasodilatation, but you can get these compounds without the added toxicity by eating things like liver, heart, meat, and raw honey! (PMID: 14977445)

Beets are a root and therefore contain defense chemicals to discourage confused humans from eating them. They contain digestive enzyme inhibitors, lectins and excessive amounts of phytic acid. This molecule binds phosphorous and other positively charged ions (magnesium, zinc, calcium, selenium) to ultimately limit vitamin absorption. 

Beets are also full of oxalates, the compounds known to be involved in the formation of kidney stones. They are also associated with joint pain, fatigue, and even, the development of neurological issues! 

Want the scoop on oxalates? Check out this episode of my podcast. (link to Sally Norton episode)

Don’t be fooled by fancy BS marketing about beets. They make for great decorations or finger paint, but they’re horrible as food for humans!

Turmeric is a root. Any plant is going to concentrate defense chemicals into its roots to dissuade animals from eating them, and therefore, to sustain reproduction. In this case, turmeric root is loaded with oxalates, and curcumin in particular, has been shown to have many negative effects (PMID: 19830693).

I did an entire podcast on turmeric which you can check out here.

Garlic is a bulb, and a bulb is a root. All plant roots are highly defended against predation, and in the case of garlic, which is an allium, it produces allicin and mustard oil. I have observed these to cause significant reactions in many individuals.

The malabsorption of essential nutrients is only the beginning of innumerable issues with garlic. 

You've also got over 30 sulfur compounds that combine to cause serious damage to the gut and a long list of undesirable changes to the microbiome.

Onions are bulbs, which are plant roots, and therefore, highly defended against predation.

In the case of onions, there are many sulfur-containing compounds that act as defense chemicals. This is why cutting them makes you cry!

Isoalliin (trans-(+)-S-(propen-1-yl)-L-cysteine sulfoxide) is the predominant ASCO found in onions. ->PMID: 10588342

Chocolate is a beloved, celebrated food within our culture, but do you know what chocolate actually is?

It’s roasted (burned) plant seeds from the cacao fruit. And remember that seeds are plant babies – they are HIGHLY defended by plants, who REALLY don’t want their babies to get eaten.

Chocolate is reasonably high in oxalates, which appear to cause issues for many people, when they accumulate in the body. Chocolate also contains lectins, which can mess up your gut microbiome and inflame your gut lining.

Wait, there’s more. Chocolate contains theobromine, a methylxanthine similar to  caffeine, which triggers your stress response nervous system and can worsen low blood sugar.

Personally, I know that chocolate triggers my eczema and I avoid it strictly.

Lastly, chocolate has been shown to worsen GERD or reflux by loosening the gastroesophageal sphincter… no bueno! 

“But what about the “beneficial” polyphenols in chocolate?” I don’t think these do anything beneficial  that cannot be achieved through regular saunas, getting cold, exercising, fasting, etc... all of which come with no negative effects!

Coffee is made from a plant seed, a burned plant seed to be exact…

Some call it roasting, but it’s really just burning.

So, in short, coffee is burned seed water.

Coffee seeds present the same problems as any seed specifically, they too contain defense chemicals, like digestive enzyme inhibitors, etc.

In the case of coffee, one of the main defense chemicals is caffeine. No, it's not a vitamin – it’s a methylxanthine compound that you probably love, but that can also cause erratic blood sugar levels.

Most coffee is full of pesticides, acrylamide (a potential carcinogen and neurotoxin), mold toxins (mycotoxins), and compounds that block opioid receptors (which typically regulate pain, reward and addictive behaviors). 

Is it really surprising that there may be serious issues associated with drinking burned plant seeds? I think not. 

As for the “benefits” you’ve been told about, both observational epidemiology and interventional studies don't suggest any unique benefits that can’t be achieved through animal-based eating, fasting, saunas, cold plunging and exercise. Coffee is a clear net negative for humans.

Listen, if you are truly thriving, don’t change anything about your diet…

BUT I have seen SO MANY people find health improvements when they cut out coffee – I would be remiss if I didn’t share my ideas about this.

Check out this episode of Fundamental Health podcast to hear more on why I’m not a fan of coffee, including a bunch of compelling scientific literature to support my case.

Quinoa is a grain; grains are seeds, and all seeds are highly defended by plants and contain many defense chemicals that will harm your digestion and hormones.

In the case of quinoa, there are saponins (chemicals shown to induce leaky gut), phytic acid (binds minerals), tannins, and other digestive enzyme inhibitors. PMID: 32120971

I am not a fan of seeds or seed oils, and flaxseed or flaxseed oil is no exception!

For the better part of the last few decades, you have been told that flaxseed oil is great for you – that it’s full of magical omega-3s.

I have news for you. You can get plenty of omega-3s from animal fats, like tallow or egg yolks (preferably from chickens who have been fed a species-appropriate diet, AKA not corn and soy).

ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) is the omega-3 in flaxseed oil. There’s essentially no DHA/DPA/EPA.

Many people aren’t good at converting ALA to EPA/DHA, and consuming omega-6 fatty acids from seed oils (full of linoleic acid) only inhibits this further. Furthermore, flaxseeds and flaxseed oil contain hormonedisrupting compounds (phytoestrogens), like lignans, that are problematic for both men and women. (PMID: 25848676).

Soybeans are beans; all beans are seeds, and all seeds possess multiple defense mechanisms.

Phytic acid in soy is not denatured by cooking, and can chelate minerals in your gut, preventing absorption.

Soy is full of phytoestrogens – compounds that mimic estrogen in the body and may act as hormone disrupters. This is problematic for both men and women.

Protein found in soy is also MUCH less bioavailable than protein found in meat and organs.

There’s zero reason to eat soybeans in general, nevermind in the form of tofu, edamame, or natto.

Celery is a plant stem and leaf; two parts that plants don’t want to be eaten. Celery is therefore full of defense chemicals, like furanocoumarins; a set of compounds that are known to accumulate in the skin (epidermis) and crosslink DNA when exposed to UV light. This leads to photodamage and inflammation.