# Tthe minimum number of foods to remain healthy. Name them. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 18, 2018, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tthe-minimum-number-of-foods-to-remain-healthy-name-them/809045 "2018-02-18T13:52:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Not\_a\_Platypus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d26b3c/32.png) [@Not\_a\_Platypus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Not_a_Platypus)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tthe-minimum-number-of-foods-to-remain-healthy-name-them/809045/21 "2018-02-19T04:14:22Z")
Beef. Seriously. It’s boring as hell, and hard to do for social reasons, but you can live on beef alone and be perfectly healthy. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tthe-minimum-number-of-foods-to-remain-healthy-name-them/809045/22 "2018-02-19T04:23:01Z")
> [@Not\_a\_Platypus](#): > > Beef. Seriously. It’s boring as hell, and hard to do for social reasons, but you can live on beef alone and be perfectly healthy. Raw beef. If you cook it you’ll destroy the vitamin C. ---
**Author:** ![Not\_a\_Platypus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d26b3c/32.png) [@Not\_a\_Platypus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Not_a_Platypus)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tthe-minimum-number-of-foods-to-remain-healthy-name-them/809045/23 "2018-02-19T04:55:15Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Raw beef. If you cook it you’ll destroy the vitamin C. Surprisingly, no, at least not cooking it the way people ordinarily would. My understanding is if all you eat is cured or dehydrated meat you can run into issues like scurvy. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tthe-minimum-number-of-foods-to-remain-healthy-name-them/809045/24 "2018-02-19T06:12:36Z")
> [@wolfman](#): > > I’ve wondered if you would be missing anything if you only drank smoothies made from the entire bodies of people with a good diet. lT’S MADE OUT OF PEOPLE! ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tthe-minimum-number-of-foods-to-remain-healthy-name-them/809045/25 "2018-02-19T06:18:22Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > lT’S MADE OUT OF PEOPLE! Organic and gluten-free people? ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tthe-minimum-number-of-foods-to-remain-healthy-name-them/809045/26 "2018-02-19T06:22:12Z")
> [@Not\_a\_Platypus](#): > > Beef. Seriously. It’s boring as hell, and hard to do for social reasons, but you can live on beef alone and be perfectly healthy. > [@Colibri](#): > > Raw beef. If you cook it you’ll destroy the vitamin C. It’s not really a nutrient, but is there an absolute requirement for fiber? Or could your digestive system adjust? ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tthe-minimum-number-of-foods-to-remain-healthy-name-them/809045/27 "2018-02-19T14:43:30Z")
Didn’t I red somewhere that the Masai in East Africa survive on nothing but milk and blood from their cattle? ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tthe-minimum-number-of-foods-to-remain-healthy-name-them/809045/28 "2018-02-19T15:00:37Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > That 1st link says vegans can get B12 by eating … foods that are artificially supplemented with B12, and/or by consuming separate B12 supplements. > > Does either process involve a source that doesn’t originate in animal products? B12 is actually made by bacteria, but only a few kinds. Supplements are produced industrially by microbial fermentation. It’s also found in some fermented vegetable foods, such as kimchi, but only if they used one of those bacteria. ---
**Author:** ![Not\_a\_Platypus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d26b3c/32.png) [@Not\_a\_Platypus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Not_a_Platypus)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tthe-minimum-number-of-foods-to-remain-healthy-name-them/809045/29 "2018-02-19T16:09:47Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > It’s not really a nutrient, but is there an absolute requirement for fiber? Or could your digestive system adjust? Your digestive system can adjust remarkably well. It’s not really a one-size-fits-all kind of deal, though. Some people thrive eating only animal products and run into issues when they add fiber, others find that they need a little fiber to keep things running. It can be really interesting trying out different eating styles for an extended period, especially with other people to compare notes. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tthe-minimum-number-of-foods-to-remain-healthy-name-them/809045/30 "2018-02-19T16:16:51Z")
I heard that bananas, bread and orange juice would work. ---
**Author:** ![bardos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bardos/32/1069_2.png) [@bardos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bardos)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tthe-minimum-number-of-foods-to-remain-healthy-name-them/809045/31 "2018-02-19T16:47:10Z")
[http://www.biblelife.org/stefansson2.htm](http://www.biblelife.org/stefansson2.htm) Very interesting read, classical study about surviving on an all meat diet… of course it was the 1920s when people were forced to eat only grass fed animals. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tthe-minimum-number-of-foods-to-remain-healthy-name-them/809045/32 "2018-02-19T19:07:25Z")
Broccoli and steak. Broccoli gives you most vitamins and fiber. Steak gives you protein, fat & B12. I assume you will be able to get outside for a bit to get Vit D. ---
**Author:** ![Satchmo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/satchmo/32/4223_2.png) [@Satchmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satchmo)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tthe-minimum-number-of-foods-to-remain-healthy-name-them/809045/33 "2018-02-19T23:51:23Z")
> [@wolfman](#): > > I’ve wondered if you would be missing anything if you only drank smoothies made from the entire bodies of people with a good diet. Best post/poster combo this year. “How’s it taste?” “It varies from person to person.” 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tthe-minimum-number-of-foods-to-remain-healthy-name-them/809045.md?page=1)