Bear Grylls says he's 'embarrassed' that he ever promoted veganism - and now shuns veggies completely in favor of red meat

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Bear Grylls says he feels 'embarrassed' that he used to promote veganism — and now shuns vegetables completely.

The iconic adventurer and TV presenter, 48, claimed he's 'never felt stronger' and that his skin and gut have 'never been better' after binning a plant-based diet.

Inspired by how our ancestors survived for millennia, Grylls eats red meat, blood, bone marrow, as well as salted butter, eggs, fruit and honey. 

As well as veg, he avoids processed foods, bread and pasta. 

But while Grylls claims the science stacks up, experts insist that vegan diets can be perfectly healthy and vegetables are key for a balanced diet. 

Experts also say that despite red meat being a good protein source, too much can increase the risk of bowel cancer, while a recent Harvard University study found low-carb diets can increase the risk of early death. 

Bear Grylls says he feels 'embarrassed' that he used to promote veganism - and has now shunned vegetables completely in favour of red meat

Grylls sharing his meal of steak, avocado and bacon online with the caption: 'Breakfast of champions! Plus my @AncestralSupps. What's your perfect breakfast look like? And 

'I was vegan quite a few years ago – in fact I wrote a vegan cookbook, and I feel a bit embarrassed because I really promoted that,' Grylls said in an interview with PA. 

'I thought that was good for the environment and I thought it was good for my health. 

'And through time and experience and knowledge and study, I realised I was wrong on both counts.'

The negative effect of the meat industry on the environment is well-documented. 

A study published in Nature Food in 2021 found meat accounts for nearly 60 per cent of all greenhouse gases from global food production, and causes twice the pollution of production of plant-based foods.

But the father-of-three believes that 'one of the worst things for the environment' is food that contains palm oil and soy oil.

'It's terrible for the environment, strips rainforests, and kills a ton of animals in the process,' he said.

He's also not impressed with processed vegetarian and vegan food that contains seed oils. 'I used to think they were brilliant,' he said. 

'And then I started looking at the ingredients and just thought hold on, this is horrific. 

'This is so processed, and it's full of seed oils.'

For the last two years, Grylls has been trying to eat 'natural food just like our millennia of ancestors would have eaten for hundreds of thousands of years'.

He claims that since ditching vegetables in favour of blood and bone marrow he feels the strongest he has ever felt and that his skin and gut have 'never been better'.

Grylls posting a picture of bacon, sausages and scrambled egg on Twitter with the caption: 'Solid feed up before speaking at an event! Ready to go... @CarnivoreMD. What's your go to food for strength?? #carnivore #fruit #honey #eggs #liver #steak #rawdairy'

Grylls sharing his 'dream lunch' on Twitter - which consists of grass-fed beef and live, eggs, rice, butter, cheese and bone marrow supplements

Earlier this month, a report by the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which looked at more than 500 studies, concluded that animal sources of food offer 'crucial sources of much-needed nutrients'.

It noted that plant-based 'meat', available in all major supermarkets, cannot replace animal products, is deficient in some essential nutrients and is high in fat, sodium and sugar. 

But Dr Duane Mellor, one of Britain's top dietary researchers, said it is a 'shame' that Grylls feels embarrassed as 'there are a range of ways of eating healthily which can include being vegan'.

Dr Mellor said: 'It is important to remember that humans have evolved to consume a variety of foods. 

'So, sticking to only a few food groups could without careful planning could lead to a diet which is lacking in variety and put someone at risk of deficiencies of vitamins and minerals.'

READ MORE: Leading cardiologists rank the 10 most popular diets in terms of heart health 

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He added that sticking to a diet based almost exclusively on meat products would be expensive and 'unsustainable from a planet perspective'.

And Professor Gunter Kuhnle, an expert in nutrition at the University of Reading, said it is unhelpful for celebrities to attach labels of shame to 'perfectly normal diets'.

Regarding Grylls' food choices, Professor Kuhnle said that it is difficult having a healthy diet without any vegetables, adding that plant-based food is the only source of vitamin C and fibre.

'The former is essential, the latter is known to be very important for health, reducing the risk of cancer and cardio-vascular disease,' he said.

'Blood and red meat are obviously very good protein sources and provide iron and vitamin B12, but there are rather convincing data that high meat intake increases the risk of cancer, and it is likely that blood does so too.'

But Grylls, who is a spokesperson for beef organ supplements Ancestral Supplements, claims he has been reaping the rewards of his meat-heavy diet.

A former member of the SAS Reserves, Grylls starts every day with a walk, and does weight training every other day, as well as regularly joining in with gruelling sessions at his outdoor fitness company Be Military Fit.

He now starts every workout with 25 pull-ups (while wearing a weighted vest), 50 press-ups, 75 squats and 100 sit-ups in one go - which he says he 'could never do that before.' 

And since switching to a red meat-focused diet, Grylls claims he no longer craves junk, and slammed his previous plant-based diet as 'such an unhealthy way to live.'

'I was having salads every day, I would really crave junk food and once or twice a week have cheat meals – a real blow-out of whatever you want, burgers, pizzas, etc,' he says.

'You're basically starving for 80 per cent of the time and then you're bingeing for the rest. That's not good for the body.'

Grylls added: 'I find now I'm always full when I'm eating so much meat and eggs and butter and fruit and honey – I'm never hungry.'

What should a balanced diet look like? 

Meals should be based on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, ideally wholegrain, according to the NHS

• Eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day. All fresh, frozen, dried and canned fruit and vegetables count;
• Base meals on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, ideally wholegrain;
• 30 grams of fibre a day: This is the same as eating all of the following: 5 portions of fruit and vegetables, 2 whole-wheat cereal biscuits, 2 thick slices of wholemeal bread and large baked potato with the skin on;
• Have some dairy or dairy alternatives (such as soya drinks) choosing lower fat and lower sugar options;
• Eat some beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins (including 2 portions of fish every week, one of which should be oily);
• Choose unsaturated oils and spreads and consuming in small amounts;
• Drink 6-8 cups/glasses of water a day;
• Adults should have less than 6g of salt and 20g of saturated fat for women or 30g for men a day.

Source: NHS Eatwell Guide