Bear Grylls has opened up about his vegan past, and revealed that he is “embarrassed” by his experience without meat.
The TV survivalist said that he was “wrong” to have sworn off meat.
Now, Grylls is a renowned adventurer and television personality. Known for his survival skills, Grylls has captivated audiences with his daring expeditions and extreme challenges.
He gained popularity through his television series, Man vs. Wild, where he showcased his ability to navigate treacherous terrains and demonstrate survival techniques.
The forty-eight-year-old Brit is celebrated for his resourcefulness, courage, and physical endurance, which he exhibits while encountering harsh conditions and wildlife.
Beyond his television career, he has authored books, worked with multiple charities, and has been serving as Chief Scout of the UK since 2009. He has even been awarded an OBE for his work with young people, media and charity.
However, being a survivalist like Grylls is a process of learning – which he recently opened up to the Telegraph about as he revealed he has moved away from a vegan and vegetarian lifestyle, to one filled with red meat, eggs and organ meat.
“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.
“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.”
He continued: “For a long time, I’d been eating so many vegetables thinking it was doing me good, but just never felt like it had given me any good nutrients compared to the nutrient density I get from basically blood or bone marrow – red meat,” he said.
“I’ve tried to listen to my body more, tried to listen to nature, and I don’t miss vegetables at all. I don’t go near them and I’ve never felt stronger, my skin’s never been better, and my gut’s never been better.
“I’ve found a counterculture way of living, of embracing red meat and organs – natural food just like our millennia of ancestors would have eaten for hundreds of thousands of years. And out of all the different things I do for my health, I think that’s probably been the biggest game-changer, in the sense of improving my vitality, wellbeing, strength, skin and gut.
“It’s just been getting away from the processed stuff and making the predominant thing in my diet red meat and liver and the natural stuff – fruit, honey, that sort of thing. It’s just about finding a more ancestral way of living.”
He also discussed how it has impacted how he feels after meals.
“And 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. I go out and I’ll order three burgers and get rid of all the buns and the fries and just have the burgers. I don’t crave junk food,” he shared.
