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Rethinking Plant-Based Nutrition: The Hidden Costs Behind the Greens and Fruits
Commentary by Richard Z. Cheng, M.D., Ph.D.Highlights:
The Vitamin C MythCitrus fruits are almost always quoted as the best source of vitamin C. I usually take >10,000 mg vitamin C (VC) daily as part of my nutritional supplement package. But I don't get my VC from citrus fruits (or any other fruit for the bulk part) [1]. Plant-based foods-vegetables, fruits, legumes, grains-have long been promoted as cornerstones of a healthy diet. Mainstream dietary guidelines encourage high intake of fruits and vegetables for their fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins. But are plant-based foods always beneficial? From an orthomolecular and functional medicine standpoint, the answer is: not always. Orthomolecular Medicine focuses on optimizing health and preventing disease using substances natural to the body-primarily micronutrients. While plants do provide some essential nutrients, they also contain plant toxins (both natural and man-made), and high sugar content that may hinder health-especially in people with autoimmune disorders, metabolic dysfunction, chronic inflammation or cancer. Is Plant-Based Always Healthy?The Nutritional Upside of PlantsPlant-based foods do contain:
But these benefits are only one side of the equation. What You May Not Know About Plant Foods1. Plant Toxins and Anti-NutrientsTo survive in nature, plants produce defensive chemicals:
For individuals with autoimmune or inflammatory conditions, these compounds may trigger or exacerbate symptoms. 2. High Sugar in Fruits: The Orange TrapFruits are often promoted as "healthy snacks" and "natural sources of vitamin C." However, the sugar content is frequently ignored. A medium orange contains 12,000-14,000 mg of sugar and only about 70 mg of vitamin C [11]. In Integrative Orthomolecular Medicine, vitamin C is used at 5,000-10,000 mg per day for immune support, disease prevention and reversal. To meet that dosage with oranges alone, you'd need to eat 70 to over 140 oranges daily-consuming 1,000,000-2,000,000 mg of sugar in the process. Such a sugar load would likely kill you before the help of vitamin C kicks in. It wreaks havoc on health and directly contradicts orthomolecular and low-carb principles, fueling inflammation, insulin resistance, and metabolic disease. The marketing of oranges is a perfect case illustration of nutritional reductionism-highlighting a single nutrient while ignoring broader metabolic consequences. You can't fruit your way to 10,000 mg of vitamin C-too much sugar, too little C. It is both impractical and metabolically harmful to attempt to obtain orthomolecular doses of vitamin C-typically 5,000 to 10,000 mg or more daily-solely from fruits or plant sources, due to their high sugar content and low vitamin C. This pattern is common. Many so-called "superfoods" come with unseen metabolic or toxic burdens that can outweigh their micronutrient value. 3. Pesticide and Chemical ResidueNon-organic plant-based foods are often contaminated with [12,12-14]
These compounds have been linked to gut dysbiosis, neurological impairment, and cancer. 4. Incomplete Proteins and Fatty AcidsMost plant proteins lack key amino acids like lysine or methionine [15,16]. Similarly, plants do not provide long-chain omega-3 fats (EPA and DHA) [17,18], which are vital for brain and cardiovascular health. Strict plant-based eaters are also at risk for deficiencies in: 5. Individual Intolerance and Digestive StressSome individuals experience digestive discomfort or fatigue after consuming high-FODMAP, histamine-rich, or oxalate-heavy plant foods. Symptoms include:
Personalized Nutrition Over DogmaThe Orthomolecular Approach: Personalization Over PrescriptionOrthomolecular medicine advocates biochemical individuality. There is no one-size-fits-all diet. For many patients, especially those with:
A low-toxin, low-carb, animal-based ketogenic diet may offer profound improvements in inflammation, energy, and immune balance. Short-term elimination diets such as the carnivore ketogenic approach allow for the identification of plant-food sensitivities before careful reintroduction.
Bottom LinePlant-based foods have nutritional value-but they are not universally benign. The orthomolecular perspective urges us to look beyond headlines and into the metabolic, biochemical, and toxicological context of what we eat. Key orthomolecular considerations include:
Nutrition is never just about one vitamin. It's about the total biological impact of what we eat-and how it affects long-term health. If you want real health, don't just follow the hype. Question it. Test it. Personalize it. About the author:Richard Z. Cheng, M.D., Ph.D., is an international health consultant specializing in integrative orthomolecular medicine for complex and difficult conditions-especially atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), cancer, autoimmune diseases, and anti-aging. He is Editor-in-Chief of the Orthomolecular Medicine News Service and a leading advocate of low-carb nutrition, high-dose nutrient therapy, and personalized, root-cause medicine. References:1. Cheng, R. Z. Orange as a Source for Vit C? A Bad Idea. https://rzchengmd.substack.com/publish/posts/detail/159949686 (2025). 2. Freed, D. L. Do dietary lectins cause disease? BMJ 318, 1023-1024 (1999). 3. Harvard University, T. H. C. Lectins - The Nutrition Source. https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/anti-nutrients/lectins/ (2019). 4. Salgado, N., Silva, M. A., Figueira, M. E., Costa, H. S. & Albuquerque, T. G. Oxalate in Foods: Extraction Conditions, Analytical Methods, Occurrence, and Health Implications. Foods 12, 3201 (2023). 5. Siener, R., Seidler, A. & Hönow, R. Oxalate-rich foods. Food Sci. Technol 41, 169-173 (2020). 6. Fekadu Gemede, H. Potential Health Benefits and Adverse Effects Associated with Phytate in Foods: A Review Potential Health Benefits and Adverse Effects Associated with Phytate in Foods: A Review. 14, (2014). 7. Bohn, L., Meyer, A. S. & Rasmussen, S. K. Phytate: impact on environment and human nutrition. A challenge for molecular breeding. J Zhejiang Univ Sci B 9, 165-191 (2008). 8. Tinsley, G. Phytic Acid 101: Everything You Need to Know. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/phytic-acid-101 (2023). 9. Muzzaffar, S., Nazir, T., Bhat, M. M., Wani, I. A. & Masoodi, F. A. Goitrogens. in Handbook of Plant and Animal Toxins in Food (CRC Press, 2022). 10. López-Moreno, M., Garcés-Rimón, M. & Miguel, M. Antinutrients: Lectins, goitrogens, phytates and oxalates, friends or foe? Journal of Functional Foods 89, 104938 (2022). 11. Hebail, F. Determination of Vitamin C Concentration in Various Fresh Orange and Lemon Samples from Janzour Region Using Volumetric Titration. AlQalam Journal of Medical and Applied Sciences 1214-1218 (2024) doi:10.54361/ajmas.247444. 12. Wyckhuys, K. A. G. et al. Resolving the twin human and environmental health hazards of a plant-based diet. Environ Int 144, 106081 (2020). 13. Defarge, N., Spiroux de Vendômois, J. & Séralini, G. E. Toxicity of formulants and heavy metals in glyphosate-based herbicides and other pesticides. Toxicol Rep 5, 156-163 (2018). 14. Diamanti-Kandarakis, E. et al. Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals: An Endocrine Society Scientific Statement. Endocrine Reviews 30, 293-342 (2009). 15. Hertzler, S. R., Lieblein-Boff, J. C., Weiler, M. & Allgeier, C. Plant Proteins: Assessing Their Nutritional Quality and Effects on Health and Physical Function. Nutrients 12, 3704 (2020). 16. Krajcovicova-Kudlackova, M., Babinska, K. & Valachovicova, M. Health benefits and risks of plant proteins. Bratisl Lek Listy 106, 231-234 (2005). 17. Williams, C. M. & Burdge, G. Long-chain n−3 PUFA: plant v. marine sources. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 65, 42-50 (2006). 18. Damude, H. G. & Kinney, A. J. Engineering oilseed plants for a sustainable, land-based source of long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. Lipids 42, 179-185 (2007). 19. Novy, M. A. Are strict vegetarians at risk of vitamin B12 deficiency? Cleve Clin J Med 67, 87-88 (2000). 20. Neufingerl, N. & Eilander, A. Nutrient Intake and Status in Adults Consuming Plant-Based Diets Compared to Meat-Eaters: A Systematic Review. Nutrients 14, 29 (2022). 21. Łuszczki, E. et al. Vegan diet: nutritional components, implementation, and effects on adults' health. Front Nutr 10, 1294497 (2023). Orthomolecular MedicineOrthomolecular medicine uses safe, effective nutritional therapy to fight illness. For more information: http://www.orthomolecular.org Find a DoctorTo locate an orthomolecular physician near you: http://orthomolecular.org/resources/omns/v06n09.shtml The peer-reviewed Orthomolecular Medicine News Service is a non-profit and non-commercial informational resource. Editorial Review Board:
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