Bear Grylls says he’s ’embarrassed’ he ever promoted being vegan

Bear Grylls had some choice words about veganism recently, despite adopting the lifestyle himself in the past.

The 48-year-old adventurer and TV presenter has claimed that his quality of life, including his physical health, has improved since ditching a plant-based lifestyle.

It would appear that the survival expert has gone back to basics and is eating the diet that humans have eaten for centuries, including primarily red meat and fish.

Here is the real kicker, he has also ditched processed foods and carbs such as bread and pasta, which is sure to raise some eyebrows.

Bear Grylls had some choice words about veganism (Credit: Alamy)

As we all know, carbs are very important because they make us happy and a life without bread and pasta just seems incredibly upsetting.

Bear sat down with PA and his comments have since hit several headlines. In the interview, he explained why he ditched the vegan diet.

He noted that he was vegan a few years ago, and even wrote a vegan cookbook – but he now feels “embarrassed” that he promoted the lifestyle.

“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.”

Bear Grylls came for plant-based meat alternatives (Credit: Alamy)

When it comes to his health, Grylls said he believed that processed vegan food that contained seed oils was having a detrimental impact.

He went on to claim – rather dramatically – that a vegan lifestyle actually harms the environment as opposed to saving it.

He explained that to harvest palm and soy oils, rainforests were being destroyed and animals’ habitats were being lost, too. 

The TV personality therefore branded the foods “horrific” and “so processed.”

I’m often asked my secret to having the energy to tackle some of life’s toughest challenges? Nutrition is key, as is resistance training, sunlight, cold water and fun community. pic.twitter.com/elir3HsAUD

— Bear Grylls OBE (@BearGrylls) March 12, 2023

Of course, it’s worth noting that you can be vegan, veggie or flexi without eating plant-based alternatives that have these ingredients in. Ever heard of vegetables?

Plus, it should be noted that animal agriculture also has a bad impact on the planet, as Compassion in World Farming states: “Livestock farming produces 37 percent and 65 percent of our global methane and nitrous oxide emissions respectively.”

A 2006 study by Nature also adds context to this. It reports: “Current trends suggest that agricultural expansion in the Amazon for grazing and crops will see 40 percent of this fragile, pristine rain forest destroyed by 2050.”

Now, we’re not here to tell anybody what they should and shouldn’t eat – but it’s important to note that the argument is a complex one, and nothing is black and white.