🥦 Why Vegetables Are Often Harder to Digest Than Meat — And What That Means for Your Gut

When it comes to digestion, we’ve been taught to think of vegetables as the “light,” “easy-to-digest” option. Meat, on the other hand, gets a bad rap for being “heavy” or slow to digest.

But here’s the surprising truth: vegetables are often harder to digest than meat — and there’s good science behind why.

The Plant Problem: Fibre and Indigestible Matter

Unlike meat, plants contain structural parts that are completely indigestible to humans — namely, fibre. Cellulose, the rigid material that makes up plant cell walls, passes right through our digestive system because we lack the enzymes to break it down. That’s why after eating a big salad, you might feel bloated or gassy — your body is struggling to handle all that undigestible material.

Meat, on the other hand, is made up of protein and fat — both of which are fully digestible (provided your digestive system is functioning properly). No indigestible parts, no fermentation, no gas. Just nutrients your body can absorb directly — if your gut is up to the job.

Carnivores vs Humans: Why Meat Is Simpler to Digest

If you look at true carnivores — like lions or wolves — their digestive systems are extremely short and acidic. That’s because meat is simple to break down. It doesn’t require fermentation like plant matter does, so there's no need for a long colon or complicated gut flora.

In many ways, humans sit somewhere in between carnivores and herbivores — but when it comes to nutrient absorption, animal foods have a major advantage. Nutrients like:

Iron – found in a form called heme iron in meat, which is directly absorbable (vs non-heme iron in plants, which must be converted).

Vitamin A – found as retinol in meat and liver, which your body uses instantly (vs beta-carotene in carrots, which only some people can convert effectively).

Zinc, B12, creatine, taurine – all far more bio-available or exclusively found in animal products.

In short, meat provides nutrients in the forms your body actually needs — without all the extra digestive work.

But What If You Struggle to Digest Meat?

Here’s where it gets nuanced. Even though meat is more easily absorbed by the body, digestive issues can still get in the way — especially low stomach acid (also called hypochlorhydria). Ironically one of the possible symptoms of low stomach acid is acid re-flux.

Stomach acid is essential for breaking down proteins and activating digestive enzymes. If you’re low in stomach acid, you might experience:

A heavy, full feeling after eating meat

Burping or bloating after meals

Acid re-flux (ironically, often due to too little acid, not too much)

In cases like this, meat digestion becomes a struggle — and vegetables may seem easier to handle simply because they bypass that protein-digesting phase.

Fixing Low Stomach Acid: A Quick Test and Temporary Solution

If you suspect low stomach acid, one of the simplest at-home methods to check is using Betaine HCl supplements.

Here’s how:

1. At your next protein-based meal, take 1 Betaine HCl tab mid-meal.

2. If you feel nothing — no burning or warming sensation — then at your next protein meal, try 2 tabs.

3. Still nothing? Try 3 tabs at the next meal, and so on, until you feel a warm or slightly burning sensation in your stomach.

4. The moment you feel that sensation, immediately drink a small glass of baking soda dissolved in warm water to neutralize the acid.

That warm feeling means you’ve reached your threshold. For example, if it took 4 tablets to feel it, then your working dose is 3 tablets per meal — taken with protein — until your body begins rebuilding its natural stomach acid levels.

> ⚠ Important: This is meant to be a short-term support, not a permanent crutch. As you improve your stomach acid naturally (by eating more zinc-rich foods, fermented foods, and reducing chronic stress), you’ll likely need less and less HCl.

In Summary

Vegetables often feel light, but are harder to digest due to fibre and indigestible plant matter.

Meat is easier to absorb when stomach acid is adequate — and offers nutrients in the most bio-available forms.

Low stomach acid can make digesting meat a challenge — but it’s fixable.

Supporting your stomach acid can unlock better digestion, more energy, and a gut that’s truly working for you — not against you.

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