[thadroe]

I think the most optimal diet for anyone is simply one that includes large amounts of natural plant food, whether you eat some meat or not.

I find it interesting though...that when most people talk about deficiencies, they tend to talk about vegan or vegetarian diets. However, anyone who centers most of their meals around meat and/or processed foods is going to be far more deficient in nutrients than a vegan/vegetarian diet of mostly plant food.

I'm not just talking about the basic vitamins, like A, C, E etc...I'm talking about all the 1000's, perhaps millions of micronutrients and phytochemicals our bodies desperately crave...the ones only found in plant food. Those are the real nutrients people should be concerned about...flavonids, carotenoids, allyl sulfides, indoles, isoflavones...etc. etc. These are all extremely critical nutrients that most people don't even know exist.

Thad