When it comes to nutrition, and especially
when it comes to vegan nutrition, we tend

to focus on what we’re not getting enough
of, and the dire consequences of nutritional

deficiencies. What about our protein? Iron?
Zinc? B12? Omegas? And on and on. And while

these concerns are important, the truth is,
at least in America, it’s not what you’re

not getting enough of that will kill you,
but what you’re getting too much of.

Hi it’s Emily from Bite Size Vegan and welcome
to another vegan nugget. If you’re not familiar

with my channel, you may not know that I have
an entire series covering all the nutritients

of greatest concern to new vegans with the
incredibly knowledgeable Dr. Michael Greger

of Nutritionfacts.org, which is linked up
there and down below.

While I had the pleasure of talking to Dr.
Greger for that series, we branched off into

some other topics. One of which is the state
of the field of nutrition and how Dr. Greger

believes it's focus is completely off. I wanted
to share with you his fascinating look at

the real nutritional dangers for which we
seem to have a collective blind spot.

There's all sorts of ways your
body makes sure you get enough of stuff, right...maybe?

Look, there wasn’t even a nutrition of science for the first couple millions years of our existence, right?. Our bodies

had to figure it out on their own. The whole
field of nutrition was based…the foundation

of nutrition, based, you know...back the first part
of the twentieth century on deficiency diseases.

We discovered scurvy. We discovered beriberi, and pellagra.
So the whole mindset of nutrition is..."are we a deficiency

disease", “are we not getting enough,”
right? But, I mean, when's the last time a friend

of yours was diagnosed with pellagra or beriberi, or some of these actual...or scurvy. These deficiency diseases.

Okay now, have you ever heard of anyone diagnosed with
the overnutrition symptom like heart disease or diabetes,

or high blood pressure, or...I mean

these are diseases of not under consumption - of over consumption. Cause overconsumption

of saturated fat and cholesterol, and sodium,
etc. So, but still the field of nutrition is in

this kind of deficiency mindset making sure everybody
gets enough. Whereas people are dying by the

millions, not...at least in the developed world.
Not by what they’re not getting enough of

but what they are getting way too much of. So, that's why...

...there really needs to be this change in thinking.
The whole field of dietetics towards let's

make sure you're not getting enough. And there's
something we really, you know, are concerned about, I mean,

there are a few nutrients that ninety seven
percent of Americans don’t get enough of:

Fiber! 3% of Americans get enough fiber. 98%
of Americans don’t reach the minimum for

potassium right? Where is potassium found?
Greens, beans okay. So, I mean,

you want a deficiency disease? That’s what
you should be going after but most of the

diseases are caused by getting too much of
the bad stuff. And so, that's really where we

need to think. I mean, that's what people are going
to die of. That’s what your family is going to die of.

And of course I’m happy to talk
and assuage fears about not getting enough

of these various, you know, wacky things. But
you should kind of have faith that your body kind of

figured it out, and that if we eat a variety
of whole healthy plant foods, we should be

fine unless our diets are just packed with
empty calories junk where we’re getting

enough calories to walk around every day,
because we are eating candy bars, but we’re

just not eating enough food. Well, then okay you
can run into, you know, deficiencies. But other than

that you know, other than the B12 issue, I think you
should be comfortable, you're getting

enough, and the most important thing is that
you’re not getting too much of the nutrients

of concern that are killing people.

I hope you enjoyed this bonus with Dr. Greger.
What are your thoughts on our collective focus

on deficiencies while we’re dying of excess?
Do you feel the field of dietetics needs a

makeover? I’d love to hear your thoughts
in the comments! And for any deficiency questions

you have, be sure to check out my nutrition
series with Dr. Greger,

again linked below, and in the sidebar.

If you enjoyed this video, please give it
a thumbs up and share it around to help inform

others. If you’re new here be sure to hit that
big red subscribe button down there for more

awesome vegan content every Monday, Wednesday,
and some Fridays. If you want to help support

Bite Size Vegan, check out either of the support
links in the video description below, and for

perks & rewards for your support, click on
the Nugget Army icon or the link in the sidebar.

Now go live vegan, change your focus, and
I’ll see you soon.

You’re vegan?

Where do you get your...

Omega 3s?

Protein?

Calcium?

Protein?

Iodine?

Protein?

Magnesium?

Protein.

Iron?

Protein?

Zinc?

Vitamin D?

Protein.

B12?

Protein.

Protein?!

Let's...ask a doctor.

Protein..