Brendan Brazier, a former professional athlete, created the Thrive Diet, which is a raw, vegan lifestyle plan. It's documented in his book of the same name, which includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, smoothie, and snack recipes as well as a 12-week meal plan to help readers get started on the regimen.
The Thrive Diet does not involve calorie counting or portion control. Instead, they are encouraged to eat several small meals throughout the day to maintain consistent blood sugar and energy levels.
According to the plan, it can help with weight loss, energy levels, stress reduction, blood sugar stabilization, and cardiovascular health. It also claims to be beneficial to one's overall health. The goal is to eat nutritious foods and maintain a stable blood sugar and energy level throughout the day. The Thrive Diet promises to:
- Stabilize blood sugar levels
- Relieve stress
- Improve your energy
- Help you lose weight
Understanding the Thrive Diet
The Thrive Diet is based on eating raw ingredients rather than processed, fatty foods. People are increasingly turning to fresh fruits and vegetables rather than fad diets that provide only short-term results.
A raw food diet is healthy, but it does leave nutritional gaps. This is especially true if you are a vegan who does not consume any animal products.
The Thrive Diet consists primarily of raw, unprocessed foods. However, for variety, you can prepare your fruits and vegetables in the following ways:
- Juicing
- Soaking
- Drying
- Sprouting
The diet is based on raw, vegan foods, but there are several variations:
- Raw vegan diet. Your diet is made up of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and beans. You don't consume any animal products, including eggs and dairy.
- Raw vegetarian diet. Meat and seafood are not permitted, but eggs and dairy products are permitted. Fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and beans should make up the majority of your diet. Any type of processed food is discouraged.
- Raw omnivorous diet. You can include meat and dairy products in your diet. The emphasis is still on raw, unprocessed foods.
Switching to a raw diet can be a slow process as you eliminate processed foods and replace them with more raw foods. As you transition to a new way of eating and thinking, your body may need to adjust.
Pay attention to your body and eat what feels right to you. You might do well with mostly raw foods, or you might do better with a mix of raw and cooked foods. It is not necessary to follow the Thrive Diet in its entirety. Do your best to stick to raw foods, but don't feel bad if you cheat on occasion.
What foods are consumed?
People following the Thrive Diet should eat plant-based, whole foods that are either raw or minimally cooked at low temperatures, or foods that are as close to their natural state as possible.
On this diet, you'll eat nutrient-dense foods like:
- Beans
- Seeds
- Hemp
- Fruits
- Leafy greens
- Vegetables
- Sea vegetables
- Brown rice
- Cold-pressed oils
- Apple cider vinegar
Each meal should be high in protein, fiber, and healthy fats, with no animal products. The goal of this diet is to consume raw, vegan superfoods that provide all of the nutrients your body requires without the need for additional vitamin, mineral, or nutrient supplementation.
If you plan to follow the Thrive Diet, you'll find a long list of plant-based foods to keep you satisfied throughout the day.
What foods should be avoided?
If you decide to follow the Thrive Diet, you must avoid all animal products, including:
- Meats (beef, pork, lamb, bison, etc.)
- Fish (white fish, salmon, tuna, etc.)
- Seafood and shellfish (shrimp, oysters, calamari, scallops, crab, etc.)
- Eggs, poultry (chicken, turkey, etc.)
- Dairy products (cheese, yogurt, milk, cream, kefir, etc.)
You'll also avoid refined carbohydrates and foods high in starch and sugar. You should also limit foods that are cooked at low temperatures. While they are permitted in limited quantities on the Thrive Diet, frequent consumption is discouraged.
Finally, you'll be encouraged to avoid or limit your consumption of processed foods as much as possible because many of them contain additives and are high in sugar, salt, and fat.
Impact of the Thrive Diet on your health
Raw fruits and vegetables that remain unchanged by cooking or processing have the most nutrients. When you heat food, some nutrients are lost and fiber may be broken down.
You can add variety to your meal by juicing, blending, chopping, dicing, or shredding it. Raw food accounts for 75 percent of the diet of most people who strictly adhere to a raw diet. Others consume 50% to 75% raw foods, with more room for cooked meals.
Many vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and phytochemicals are found in raw plants that are often lost during cooking. A raw diet provides your body with these nutrients. Allicin is a phytochemical found in onions and garlic that has antibacterial properties. Raw, unprocessed cacao is high in antioxidants, which help fight disease and inflammation.
Benefits of the Thrive Diet
People who follow a plant-based diet are more likely to maintain a healthy weight and have lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels than those who do not. Vegan diets have been shown in some studies to reduce the incidence of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, and cardiovascular disease death, though larger trials are needed to investigate the potential long-term health benefits in greater depth.
Loss of weight. The Thrive Diet emphasizes foods that are filling, nutrient-dense, and low in calories. You can eat more of these foods without counting or measuring because it is more difficult to overeat when you feel full faster. This helps with weight loss because your body doesn't have to process extra fat and sugar.
A recent small trial found that the vegan lifestyle is effective at regulating blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes, but more research is needed.
Those who follow a plant-based diet may also benefit from a reduction in the number of prescription medications they must take, relief from chronic health conditions, and a lower risk of cancer.
Eliminating processed foods from your diet can help you cut back on salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats while also removing artificial, processed ingredients that aren't found in naturally occurring whole foods.
Fruits and vegetables are also high in fiber, which promotes health and complete digestion. Even if you don't strictly adhere to the raw diet, you can still lose weight. By eating mostly raw foods, you make less room in your diet for processed and sugary foods, which contribute to weight gain.
Overall well-being. Processed and sugary foods prevent your body from working at its best. To improve your health, the Thrive Diet encourages you to eat foods that fuel your body.
Brendan Brazier, the Thrive Diet's creator, claims that following the plan helps reduce stress and anxiety levels. However, these are anecdotal benefits that have not been researched.
Risks of the Thrive Diet
People who switch to a vegan diet may experience nutrient deficiencies. This is especially true for animal-derived nutrients such as iron, vitamin D, calcium, DHA, and vitamin B-12.
Nutrients. While fruits and vegetables are high in nutrients, it is possible to have nutritional gaps in your diet. Consume a wide variety of fruits and vegetables to fill nutrient gaps.
As with any dietary change, gradually incorporate the Thrive Diet into your lifestyle rather than making a drastic change all at once. Begin by incorporating one or two thrive-approved snacks or meals at a time, gradually increasing to the full diet.
If you don't eat or drink dairy, eat calcium-rich leafy greens. If you don't eat animal meat, fill up on protein-rich beans and nuts.
According to some medical professionals, while a raw diet is an excellent way to cleanse your diet, it is not long-term sustainable. Before beginning a raw diet, consult with your doctor. They can assist you in understanding the risks and making the best decision for you.
As you make the changes, you may experience gastrointestinal distress (bloating, changes in bowel habits, etc.), irritability, and headaches, especially if you change too much in too short a period of time.
Should you try the Thrive Diet?
The Thrive Diet may benefit people who have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, chronic conditions, or are obese.
Adopting a vegan lifestyle, such as the Thrive Diet, may benefit otherwise healthy people who want to clean up their diets and get more nutrients from the foods they eat.
When adopting a vegan lifestyle, should be cautious because certain plants, such as corn, sweet potatoes, soy, and raw cruciferous vegetables, are goitrogens and may aggravate your symptoms.
Cooking these vegetables makes them safe to eat for people with thyroid disease, but because cooked vegetables are restricted on the Thrive Diet, those foods may need to be eliminated completely.
Furthermore, people with kidney disease who follow the Thrive Diet should limit their intake of foods high in phosphorus and potassium.
In conclusion
Plant-based, whole-food, vegan diets like the Thrive Diet may help people lose weight and improve their health, including those with cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.
The Thrive Diet, like any other lifestyle change, should be implemented gradually, with caution, and tailored to your specific nutritional needs.