My Account

Vegan and Vegetarian – Kaufmann 1 Compatible?

Michael Smith Blog - Know The Cause
Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Kyle Drew has an excellent piece in this month’s edition of Know This, our monthly newsletter. In it, he discusses one of the more recent trends in dieting – the Paleo diet. 


 I highly recommend you read his piece, mostly because it is excellent (in the nature of all Kyle Drew pieces), but also because this blog continues on the points that he arrives at.

Kaufmann 1 and Kaufmann 2 dieting is obviously a single philosophy amidst a sea of dieting and health philosophies. Most of these philosophies and programs, with the exception of a few of the more extreme programs, are indisputably health-promoting. However, we at Know the Cause would contend that any health philosophy, regardless of how healthy it is, is incomplete without the knowledge of fungus and mycotoxins.

In addition to having years of work in clinics around the country, Doug Kaufmann has written a number of books linking fungi and their poisonous byproducts known as mycotoxins to ill health. Fungi and mycotoxins can have an effect on nearly every tissue in the body, and can be complicit in promoting disease as annoying as sinusitis and as serious as cancer and diabetes. His work is very well researched, and countless people have benefitted from the strategies outlined in his program.

These strategies center around avoiding mycotoxins and starving pathogenic fungi; this is essentially function of the Kaufmann 1 diet. Any supplements recommended on the diet serve this end, as well. A secondary, albeit no less important, function of this diet is the fact that it is nutritive and breaks addictions to some of the more toxic foods that have become commonplace in the American diet.

I happen to have many friends that are vegetarians and vegans, and a number of people on the blog have asked about the compatibility between the Kaufmann 1 lifestyle and vegetarian or vegan lifestyles. Are the two compatible? In short, absolutely!

One of the best things about eating a vegetarian and/or vegan diet is the copious amount of fresh, potent phytonutrients present. Many, if not most of these plant compounds are anti-fungal. The documented benefits of eating this way aren’t ignorable.

The primary issue with eating strictly vegetarian or vegan is the caloric void that comes from the exclusion of meat that must filled. Often, the most readily available source of calories comes in the form of grains, potatoes and other sources that are high in sugar or carbohydrates.

Grains, potatoes and sugar are excluded from Kaufmann 1 for two reasons. Ruth Etzel, MD published in the Journal of the American Medical Association that corn and grains are universally and commonly contaminated with mycotoxins, respectively. Grains, sugar and potatoes are all sources of mycotoxin exposure that are common in the diet of vegetarians. Secondly, pathogenic fungi must eat sugar in order to survive; grains, corn and potatoes are high in carbohydrates. Carbohydrates immediately break down into sugar when they are digested, and they can help fuel a fungal infection, if one is present.

Is it possible to still eat Kaufmann 1 vegetarian? Sure! In place of all those carb-y grains and sugar, be sure to substitute things that are Kaufmann 1 friendly like hearty vegetables, quinoa and nuts. Chia seeds are also a great option. Nuts are a great source of protein and fat, and flax oil is a great source for Omega 3 fatty acids. When you graduate to Kaufmann 2, black beans are a great source of protein, and steel cut oats make a great breakfast.

Share on Facebook
Share on Reddit
Share via Email
Share on Twitter

Leave a Reply

Recent Articles

Weekly Q&A Show

Featured Sponsor

Follow Us

Doug's Books

Doug Kaufmann has written many books that cover a full range or health issues. Find out which of his books best suits you by clicking the button below.

The Kaufmann Diet

Doug Kaufmann developed his diet after years studying the clinical effects of pathogenic fungi on the body. Fungi and yeasts can become parasitic organisms on and inside our body, causing health problems that can be difficult to diagnose. Learn more about the Kaufmann Diet, change your life and know the cause.

The Science of Fungus

We encourage all visitors to this site to take some time and study these technical articles prior to initiating lifestyle changes, including dietary changes and to do so with their physician’s awareness and approval. The articles posted in this link are scientific and with few exceptions are taken from medical journals familiar to healthcare workers.

Our Healthy Recipes

Looking for help assembling antifungal Kaufmann Diet approved recipes for breakfast, lunch or dinner? We have several videos, books and recipe write ups here on Know the Cause that will help your health journey. The recipes in this section are so good, you’ll feel like you’re indulging. No sacrifice needed! Enjoy.