This is a list of foods that I found irritated me the most to the least. If I've missed any foods, please comment. I know it comes off as a random/quack list of foods, but I've put some thought into it, and this is how my body has reacted.
Why Vegans Feel Better:
If you eliminate the first 3 on this list you should see quite an improvement.
This is part of the reason going vegan makes people feel so much better (depending on the person of course). The first three foods are really hard on people. Eliminating dairy can really help. Going vegetarian is probably the worst thing you can do, you end up eating grains and dairy and eliminating meat. Increase your consumption of soy to replace meat and you're in even worse shape. Not a good idea. At least going vegan eliminates dairy. They just lump meat in there and end up getting rid of the safest food. So I understand people who have changed the way they ate, gone plant-based, and felt better. Hell, the people who go gluten-free vegan and limit their sugar intake have already eliminated the top three harmful foods. No wonder they feel better. Gluten and dairy and sugar are not good. But meat can't be lumped in there just because it's an animal product. People need it in order to really thrive.
If you eliminate the first 7, even better. I would say the first 12 items really bothered me, but not as bad as the first 7. Go all the way to greens and meat, even better, or even just meat.
Worst to Best
- Gluten-containing grains: wheat, rye, barley, spelt, kamut
- Dairy
- Cane Sugar
- Soy
- Citrus fruits
- Legumes (including peanuts) and bananas and melons
- Other grains - rice, quinoa
- Figs
- Canola oil
- Potatoes
- Almonds
- Green Cabbage
- Squash
- Grapes
- Pork
- Coffee
- Plums
- Berries
- Peaches and nectarines
- Pears and apples
- Macadamia nuts (people seem to tolerate these better than other nuts)
- Avocado
- Red Cabbage
- Coconut flesh
- Black pepper
- Olives
- Greens - lettuce, arugula, spinach, collard greens, swiss chard
- Tea - peppermint and black
- Coconut oil and olive oil
- Fish
- Chicken
- Salt
- Beef
- Water
- I can tolerate the minerals they add to sparkling water (potassium citrate, etc.)
- I can take activated charcoal. I use this before I go to bed if I drink plus this.
- I can drink vodka and bourbon and not suffer for too long afterward. I'll be a bit stiff, and have a hangover, but that's about it. Other alcohols have additives I react to.