For decades, the dominant cultural narrative has forced vegans into the defensive hot seat. We are constantly badgered with the same repetitive, exhausting questions: “Where do you get your protein?” “Isn’t a plant-based diet deficient?” “What about our evolutionary history?”
But the scientific landscape has fundamentally transformed.
When you strip away the social conditioning, the defensive cognitive dissonance, and the nitpicking of nutritional epidemiology, a massive biological reality becomes clear.
The burden of proof is no longer on vegans to defend their health. The burden of proof has entirely shifted to those who eat animals.
🏛️ The Science Is Settled: Meat Is a Choice, Not a Necessity
The foundational argument for eating animals has always been biological necessity. If humans must consume animal flesh and secretions to survive and thrive, then the associated violence, environmental destruction, and public health risks could be argued as unfortunate but necessary evils.
However, the world’s largest, most prestigious medical and scientific bodies have officially shattered that premise. The consensus across mainstream medicine is absolute: a well-planned vegan diet is healthy, nutritionally adequate, and actively reduces chronic disease risk for every single stage of life.
Because animal consumption is completely unnecessary for human survival, eating meat shifts from a metabolic requirement to an elective preference.
But it’s not a choice when there are victims involved.
When you eat animals, you are supporting the most violent jobs, the most atrocious living for animals crammed by the thousands into Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs), and the most gravely invasive industry on the planet. Over 97% of the animals people eat come from this brutal, industrialized system.
And the reality is clear: even if you think you’re getting your meat from somewhere more humane, you are still normalizing the exploitation that inevitably results in the most abusive commodification of animals. You cannot claim “personal choice” when that choice requires a victim to suffer and die.
The consensus across mainstream medicine is absolute. A well-planned vegan way of eating is:
- Healthy and nutritionally adequate for every single stage of life—including pregnancy, infancy, childhood, adolescence, and for competitive athletes.
- Clinically proven to reduce the risk of major chronic killers, including atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, and obesity.
The Institutional Consensus Includes:
“Multiple experts have concluded independently that vegan diets can be followed safely by infants and children without compromise of nutrition or growth and with some notable health benefits.”
Whether you’re considering eating less meat or giving it up entirely, the benefits are clear: less risk of disease and improved health and well-being. Consuming less meat decreases the risk of:
- Heart disease.
- Stroke.
- Obesity.
- High blood pressure.
- High cholesterol.
- Type 2 diabetes.
- Many cancers.
Follow a healthy eating pattern at all ages
- A healthy eating pattern includes:
- Foods that are high in nutrients in amounts that help you get to and stay at a healthy body weight
- A variety of vegetables – dark green, red, and orange, fiber-rich legumes (beans and peas), and others
- Fruits, especially whole fruits in a variety of colors
- Whole grains
This plant-forward way of eating is associated with improved health outcomes and decreased risk for a variety of chronic diseases. Specifically, plant-based diets have been linked to a decreased risk for developing kidney disease in people with type 2 diabetes, and decreased risk of mortality in people with chronic kidney disease.
“It is the position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics that, in adults, appropriately planned vegetarian and vegan dietary patterns can be nutritionally adequate and can offer long-term health benefits such as improving several health outcomes associated with cardiometabolic diseases.”
“statistically significant reductions in trimethylamine N-oxide, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and body weight” “bean intake can reduce the risk of chronic disease—including cardiovascular disease—as well as overall mortality”
Replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats is associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease It also concluded that strong evidence demonstrates that diets lower in saturated fatty acids and cholesterol during childhood results in lower levels of total blood and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol throughout childhood, particularly in male children The Committee’s findings reinforce the recommendations in the current (2020-2025) Dietary Guidelines to limit total saturated fat intake to less than 10 percent of calories per day starting at age 2 by replacing it with unsaturated fat, particularly polyunsaturated fats. Evidence indicates that when reducing butter, processed and unprocessed red meat, and dairy, substitution or replacement with a wide range of plant-based food sources, including plant-based protein foods (e.g., beans, peas, and lentils), whole grains, vegetables, or monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA)- and PUFA-rich vegetable oils and spreads, is associated with cardiovascular disease risk reduction. Fruits, vegetables, and grains are complementary food options between ages 6 and 24 months that are not associated with unfavorable outcomes related to growth or risk of obesity, based on the Committee’s systematic reviews The Committee did, however, identify supporting evidence from food pattern modeling analyses to explore potential modifications to the 2020 HUSS that simultaneously modify at certain calorie levels: (1) Vegetable subgroups, specifically to increase Beans, Peas, and Lentils and decrease Starchy Vegetables while keeping Total Vegetables in the same quantities; and (2) reduce Total Protein Foods by reducing Meat, Poultry and Eggs. The Committee also proposes reorganizing the order of the Protein Foods Group to list Beans, Peas, and Lentils first, followed by Nuts, Seeds, and Soy products
Because a whole-food, plant-based diet is fully capable of optimizing human health, eating animals is an elective lifestyle preference. It is a non-essential behavior.
Hear from World Renowned Doctors and Scientists⚖️ The Critical Asymmetry of the Debate
When critics of plant-based diets find themselves backed into a corner by the medical consensus, they almost always pivot to a hyper-focus on methodology. They will spend paragraphs trying to hand-wave away massive cohort studies by shouting about “healthy-user bias,” “correlation is not causation,” or “self-reported food questionnaires.”
But notice what they never do.
They never provide a single piece of scientific justification establishing meat as a biological necessity for human health.
Pointing out that nutritional science is complex does not magically turn beef into a health food, nor does it create a biological requirement where none exists. Human metabolism is highly flexible, but flexibility is not a mandate to cause harm.
🛑 The Heavy Price of an Elective Choice
Once an action transitions from a biological necessity to an elective choice, you are legally, logically, and morally required to account for the consequences of that choice.
If you choose to consume animal products when perfectly viable, disease-preventing plant alternatives are readily available, you are actively voting for and supporting:
1. The Real-World Human Cost
The meat industry directly relies on some of the most violent, dangerous, and psychologically damaging occupations on the planet. Slaughterhouse workers suffer from disproportionately high rates of physical injury, severe psychological trauma, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) due to the repetitive nature of industrial killing.
2. Atrocious Living and Dying Conditions
Tens of billions of sentient, highly aware animals are subjected to lifelong confinement, mutilation without anesthesia, and industrial slaughter every year. This isn’t a “value system” argument; it is a documented, institutionalized reality of Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs). Watch: Why Humans Became Comfortable With Cruelty | Jim Mason Watch: What They Were Caught Doing | Alka Chanda
3. A Gravely Invasive and Destructive Industry
Animal agriculture is a leading driver of global environmental degradation. It is a wildly inefficient mechanism for feeding a growing population, utilizing roughly 80% of global agricultural land while yielding a meager 20% of global caloric intake. The environmental externalities are staggering:
- Massive deforestation and desertification to grow pesticide-laden monocrops for livestock.
- Millions of gallons of toxic waste stored in anaerobic lagoons that spew ammonia and hydrogen sulfide, poisoning surrounding human communities.
- Severe aquatic dead zones caused by agricultural runoff.
- The catastrophic acceleration of antibiotic-resistant “superbugs” bred in crowded, unhygienic factory farms.
📢 To Those Eating Animals: Provide the Justification
If you are an omnivore or a proponent of meat-heavy elimination diets, the rules of the debate have fundamentally changed.
We no longer need to spend our time proving that our lifestyle is viable. Decades of peer-reviewed data, clinical trials, and global health guidelines have already done that for us.
Instead, the question belongs to you:
What is your definitive, clinical, scientific justification for consuming animal products, given the immense, measurable destruction it inflicts upon human health, human workers, sentient animals, and the biosphere?
Until you can provide data proving that meat is an absolute requirement for human survival, your critiques of plant-based data are nothing more than a smokescreen. The scale has tipped. The science is settled. The burden of proof is yours.
Share this graphic and post on your social channels to help flip the script on traditional dietary debates! Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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- The Smoking Analogy: There was a time when 45% of the population smoked. It took more than 6,000 studies to definitively prove the harm of tobacco before the first Surgeon General’s warning was even issued.
- Delayed Response: Decades later, even with bans and public education, millions still smoke. People do things for “shallow, mindless, and status quo” reasons. We are currently in the “pre-warning” phase of animal product consumption.
- The Hispanic Paradox: Lower socioeconomic groups often have lower rates of chronic disease when eating traditional staples like beans and rice compared to those who adopt a “Standard American Diet.”
- Wartime Health in Denmark: During a WWI blockade, Denmark fed grain directly to people instead of livestock. This resulted in a 34% drop in mortality rates, demonstrating the massive health improvements that can occur when a nation shifts toward a plant-based diet.*More examples at the end
- Transient Results: People boast about quick weight loss or temporary energy bursts on meat-heavy diets, essentially trading long-term cardiovascular and metabolic health for immediate, superficial gains.
- Collective Conscience: Industries took marketing advantage of this efficiency, gaining unfettered access to public thought before science could guide us.
- USDA Lobbying: Animal agriculture controlled the USDA with lobbyists and no transparency for decades.
- PCRM Victory: It took until 2000 for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine to sue and win, finally forcing transparency in how industry influences federal dietary guidelines.
- Jainism: Practicing Ahimsa (non-violence) toward all living beings for thousands of years.
- Pythagoras: The Greek philosopher and the “Barley Men” who taught that eating animals corrupted both the body and spirit.
- Al-Ma’arri: The 11th-century Arab poet who spoke out against the “theft” of milk and the killing of animals.
- CAFOs: Over 97% of animals come from Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations, which are toxic to surrounding communities.
- Environmental Destruction: These operations are the leading cause of pesticide-laden monocrops, deforestation, desertification, and aquatic dead zones.
- Global Health Threats: This system drives species extinction, antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and deadly zoonotic diseases.
- Cultural Inertia & Tradition: Food is deeply tied to identity, family, and heritage. For many, meat is a traditional dietary norm that is difficult to change even when presented with alternatives.
- Convenience and Habit: Many people report difficulties maintaining a vegan lifestyle due to the extra effort required for meal planning and navigating a world where non-vegan options remain the default.
- Industrial and Economic Influence: The food industry has spent decades cementing animal products as a dietary cornerstone through marketing and lobbying. Historically, meat was seen as a symbol of prosperity and “living like a king,” a perception that still lingers in the collective conscience.
- Social Stigma: Adopting a niche lifestyle often comes with social friction. Fears of being “the difficult one” at a dinner table or facing judgment from peers can discourage people from making the switch.
- The “Pre-Warning” Phase: Similar to how it took thousands of studies and decades of advocacy for smoking rates to drop, public behavior often lags behind scientific consensus by a generation or more.
- The Trend: For centuries, these populations were physically isolated and lived on “peasant food.” In Okinawa, 90% of the traditional diet was purple sweet potatoes, soy, and greens, with meat reserved only for rare ceremonial occasions.
- The Result: These groups have the lowest rates of the “King’s diseases”—heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and dementia. Interestingly, as these regions have become “Westernized” and meat intake has risen, their life expectancy has begun to decline toward the global average.
- The Blue Zones: These are five specific regions—including Okinawa (Japan), Sardinia (Italy), and Nicoya (Costa Rica)—that have the world’s highest concentration of centenarians. Their secret is a “Plant Slant”: traditional diets that are 95–100% plant-based, centered on beans, whole grains, and garden vegetables, with meat eaten only as a rare celebratory garnish.
- The Hong Kong Contrast: While Hong Kong often tops longevity charts despite high meat consumption, experts note this is a modern outlier driven by world-class healthcare infrastructure, low smoking rates, and high levels of physical activity among the elderly. Unlike the Blue Zones, where longevity is a byproduct of a lifelong, low-inflammatory “peasant” diet, Hong Kong’s success is largely attributed to modern medical intervention and social factors rather than the protective nature of their meat-heavy diet.
- The Trend: When the German occupation began, livestock were confiscated for the military, and the Norwegian people were forced to eat a diet of whole grains, vegetables, and potatoes.
- The Result: Dr. Strøm and Dr. Jensen documented a sharp, immediate drop in deaths from circulatory diseases during the war years. As soon as the war ended and meat/dairy returned to the diet in 1945, the death rates from heart disease shot back up to pre-war levels almost instantly.
- The Trend: Concerned about the sluggishness and digestive issues (common symptoms of the “Royal Diet”) in religious cloisters, he convinced a group of monks to abstain from meat for an extended period.
- The Result: He reported significant improvements in their digestion, energy levels, and even cognitive function, noting that the “lean” diet of the poor was actually more conducive to the monks’ mental and physical health.
- The Trend: Rural Africans lived on high-fiber, plant-based starches with almost no animal products. Westerners lived on the “Royal” standard of high meat and low fiber.
- The Result: Burkitt found that colon cancer and other “Western” diseases were virtually non-existent in the rural African populations. He famously stated that the size of your stool is inversely proportional to the size of your hospital bill, highlighting that the “simple” diet of the poor was protective against the diseases of the wealthy.
- The Trend: It compared rural counties (where meat was still a rare luxury) to burgeoning urban areas (where the “Royal Diet” was becoming the norm).
- The Result: It found a “dose-response” relationship: as even small amounts of animal products were added to the diet, the “diseases of affluence” (heart disease and cancer) began to emerge. The counties eating the most “peasant-like” plant-based diets remained the healthiest.
- The Trend: He observed that the elite class, who could afford meat year-round, suffered from “thick blood” and chronic illness, while the mandatory Lenten fasts forced a “cleansing” period of plant-based eating.
- The Result: He was a pioneer in suggesting that a “lean” diet reduced inflammation and promoted longevity, essentially advocating for the health benefits of the Lenten period as a medical necessity rather than just a spiritual one.
- Melina V, Craig W, Levin S. Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Vegetarian Diets. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2016;116(12):1970-1980. [PMID: 27886704]
- Campbell TC, Parpia B, Chen J. Diet, lifestyle, and the etiology of coronary artery disease: the Cornell China Study. Am J Cardiol. 1998;82(10B):18T-21T. [PMID: 9860368]
- Markides KS, Coreil J. The health of Hispanics in the Southwestern United States: an epidemiologic paradox. Public Health Rep. 1986;101(3):253-265. [PMCID: PMC1477704]
- Appleby PN, Key TJ. The EPIC-Oxford study: a 20-year retrospective review. Proc Nutr Soc. 2016;75(3):273-279. [PMID: 26563333]
- Satija A, Bhupathiraju SN, Rimm EB, et al. Plant-Based Dietary Patterns and Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes in US Men and Women: Results from Three Prospective Cohort Studies. PLoS Med. 2016;13(6):e1002039. [PMCID: PMC4907440]
- Dinu M, Abbate R, Gensini GF, et al. Vegetarian, vegan diets and multiple health outcomes: A systematic review with meta-analysis of observational studies. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2017;57(17):3640-3649. [PMID: 26853923]
- Hindhede M. The effect of food restriction during war on mortality in Copenhagen. JAMA. 1920;74(6):381-382. [JAMA Digital Archive]
- Strøm A, Jensen RA. Mortality from circulatory diseases in Norway 1940-1945. Lancet. 1951;1(6647):126-129. [PMID: 14795748]
- Buettner D, Skemp S. Blue Zones: Lessons From the World’s Longest Lived. Am J Lifestyle Med. 2016;10(5):318-321. [PMCID: PMC6125071]
- Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM). PCRM v. Vilsack (2011). Legal victory regarding USDA dietary guidelines transparency. [PCRM Newsroom]
- Hribar C. Understanding Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations and Their Impact on Communities. National Association of Local Boards of Health. 2010. [CDC Archive]
- Espinosa R, Tago D, Treich N. Infectious Diseases and Meat Production. Environ Resour Econ. 2020;76(4):1019-1044. [PMCID: PMC7447605]
- Williams GC. Pleiotropy, natural selection, and the evolution of senescence. Evolution. 1957;11(4):398-411. [JSTOR Archive]
Mic the Vegan’s video covers some of this really well. So I wanted to include it here. He does such fantastic work. I have never been one to inject politics into my work. But the U.S. government has now crossed a line so clearly that silence would be complicity.
The finalized 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans are not a faithful reflection of the scientific evidence they claim to represent. They are a political document — not a scientific one — and they directly contradict the findings of their own expert advisory committee.
That matters, because these guidelines influence school lunches, hospital food, military rations, public health messaging, and medical norms for hundreds of millions of people.
The Science Was Clear. The Government Ignored It.
The 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) released its Scientific Report in late 2024. That report explicitly recommended a “bold shift” toward plant-based protein, based on strong, consistent evidence that higher intake of plant protein is associated with lower risk of chronic disease.
Specifically, the committee recommended reordering protein sources to lead with:
- Beans, peas, and lentils
- Followed by nuts, seeds, and soy
- With animal proteins listed afterward
This was not ideological. It was evidence-based.
The final government-issued guidelines rejected that recommendation.
Instead, on page 3 under “Prioritize Protein Foods at Every Meal,” the published document leads with animal products:
“Consume a variety of protein foods from animal sources, including eggs, poultry, seafood, and red meat…”
Plant proteins are mentioned only afterward — a direct reversal of the scientific recommendation.
This is not a neutral formatting choice. Order signals priority. And the government chose tradition and industry comfort over science.
Internal Contradictions That Expose the Agenda
The final document goes further, encouraging full-fat dairy and claiming healthy fats are “plentiful in meats, poultry, and eggs” — while simultaneously advising Americans to reduce saturated fat, cholesterol, and trans fats.
These positions cannot coexist logically.
Animal products are the primary dietary source of saturated fat in the U.S. population. The science is unequivocal on this point. To promote them as foundational while warning against their defining nutritional liabilities is not guidance — it’s gaslighting.
Vegan Diets Were Singled Out — and Misrepresented
Most disturbing is how the guidelines treat vegan diets.
Every dietary pattern has potential shortcomings when poorly planned. Yet only vegan diets were singled out and framed as nutritionally suspect — despite decades of data showing the opposite.
Vegans do not suffer unique deficiencies when diets are adequately planned. In fact:
- Vitamin B12: Vegans who supplement routinely achieve higher and more stable serum B12 levels than omnivores, whose intake often depends on animals that were supplemented themselves.
- Other nutrients cited (B2, B6, choline, vitamin A): These are abundant in legumes, greens, whole grains, mushrooms, nuts, seeds, and vegetables — staples of well-planned vegan diets. Deficiency occurs only in extreme caloric restriction, not veganism.
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (January 2025) reaffirmed that appropriately planned vegan diets are:
“Healthful, nutritionally adequate, and beneficial for the prevention and treatment of certain diseases.”
The Health Outcomes the Guidelines Conveniently Omitted
The scientific report — the one the government sidelined — acknowledges outcomes the final guidelines barely mention:
- Lower coronary heart disease risk (up to 26%)
- Lower type 2 diabetes risk
- Lower LDL cholesterol and insulin levels
- Slower biological aging in recent twin studies
- Greater longevity, with some models estimating up to 10 additional years of life expectancy
These are not fringe benefits. These are the leading chronic diseases driving U.S. healthcare collapse — and the final guidelines largely omit them while portraying vegan diets as risky.
The Real Nutritional Crisis Isn’t Veganism
The real failures belong to the standard omnivorous diet:
- Fiber: Less than 10% of Americans meet recommended intake
- Legumes: Over 80% fail to meet targets for beans, peas, and lentils
- Saturated fat: ~75% already exceed recommended intake from meat, poultry, and eggs
So why did the administration move animal foods ahead of plants?
Because the Final Document Is Political — Not Scientific
The truth is simple and admitted outright:
The DGAC report is advisory. The final Dietary Guidelines are approved by USDA and HHS leadership — not scientists.
In other words, the administration is legally allowed to ignore empirical evidence and publish public health policy that contradicts it.
That is exactly what happened.
One Final Truth We Refuse to Say Out Loud
The website is called “Real Food.” Animals are not food any more than humans are. We are animals too. What makes us human is humane behavior — and needless exploitation, violence, and consumption of sentient beings is neither humane nor ethical.
A society that knows better — and chooses otherwise — is not acting rationally. It is acting politically.
And that is the real scandal behind the 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
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This is a rough transcript of a video by Public Health Nutritionist Dr. Radak, RDN, MPH
As a public health nutritionist and Plant-Based researcher, I would like to share a different perspective. I am not looking to debate. I am only providing a science-based critique and view to consider.
Dr. Ede seems to be saying that for most of us have been misled and feeding our brains incorrectly. And that her health symptoms resolved by not following the standard recommendations. Instead she is following an animal protein centric diet replete with cholesterol and saturated fat, low in fiber and plants. She is not convinced we need anything beyond meat. But with a sample size of 1 does research reflect that? Additionally, she says there is almost no science, biology, or logic behind the majority of current recommendations for a healthy diet, mentioning: whole grains, legumes, a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, nuts, and seeds, as examples. She adds that recommendations for increasing plants are also a concern as some plants are not equally nutritious or safe and have more risks than benefits.
Questioning this perspective, with fiber alone there is plenty of research (including randomized trials) demonstrating beneficial effects via the production of anti-inflammatory compounds in the gut or the gut-brain axis. Separately, there are potential harms from animal products (which contain no fiber) that produce either the microbial metabolite, Trimethylamine N Oxide which has been associated with neuro-inflammatory processes or advanced glycation end products (Łuszczki, 2023; Solanki, 2023; Guan 2021; Mitrea, 2021; Czarnik, 2024; Grant, 2023; Kahleova, 2024; Katonova, 2022).
Why when comparing a Plant-Based diet to a high fat and saturated fat Atkins diet for 4 weeks showed large increases in Trimethylamine N Oxide as well as branched-chain amino acids in plasma which are known cardiovascular risk factors (Park, 2019)?
Why is it that omnivores have a worse inflammatory profile than vegetarians (Franco-de-Moraes, 2017)? It is interesting that she mentions we do not need any carbohydrate at all and can make glucose from fats and protein ‘smoothly’ which ignores some of the benefits of carbohydrates and ignores some of the risks from meaty diets rich in protein and fat.
And the glucose spike from exogenous carbs? Yes, refined carbs certainly but complex carbs from nutrient dense plants? A few examples…
Why do trials with Plant-Based diets do better at controlling and improving glycemic control, insulin resistance and reducing risk for (or reversing) type 2 diabetes and cardiometabolic risk factors than non-vegetarian diets as well as reducing inflammatory markers (Eichelmann, 2017; Kelly, 2020; Jardine, 2021; Del Carmen, 2024)?
One reason may be because of protective nutrients like polyphenols or fiber which can may inhibit glucose absorption while enhancing insulin-dependent glucose uptake (Katonova, 2022). This may also be why a recent meta-analysis of studies in over 1.4 million people found a significant increased risk for type 2 diabetes with meat intake (either processed or unprocessed) and further increases with each 20g portion, while plant protein sources did not (Fotouhi Ardakani, 2024).
Why is it that vegan or vegetarian diets in trials or diet interventions have all resulted in improvement in inflammatory autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus nephritis, systemic lupus erythematosus and Sjögren’s syndrome patients (Barnard, 2022; McDougall, 2022; Fujita, 1999; Hafström, 2001; Kjeldsen-Kragh, 1991; Hänninen, 1999; Müller, 2001; Goldner, 2019; Goldner, 2024)?
I agree a poorly planned diet that promotes excess insulin is not good. But refined carbs are the concern not whole-food based carbohydrates. Conversely, several studies suggest saturated fat is implicated in reducing insulin sensitivity by incorporation into cell membranes affecting insulin response (Marsh, 2010). We absolutely need to get a handle on the processed food and saturated fat we consume.
No doubt the Standard American Diet is bad for brain health and contributes to just about every chronic disease. And she is correct in relating inflammation to brain health and the benefit from antioxidants. Processed foods addictive nature containing refined sugars incite inflammation and are not nutrient dense. They make up over 50% of total caloric intake and are a relatively recent phenomenon (thank you food industry!). And they have been associated with mental health issues, depression and anxiety, cognitive decline, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease (Dai, 2024; Li, 2022; Gomes Gonçalves, 2023; Claudino, 2024).
So yes, a diet approach to brain health is important. But to advocate for the consumption of meat and cholesterol and exclaim hazards of plants is not an accurate determination based on the available research. If plants, fruits and vegetables, spices are so harmful to our health why is it that some of the longest living people (blue zones) on the planet consume mostly plants? Why does the Tsimane and Moseten tribes in Amazon rainforest have some of the lowest incidence of Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia in the world as well as less age-related brain atrophy while eating a predominantly complex carb diet, low in fat and saturated fat (Gatz, 2022; Kraft, 2018; Irimia, 2021)?
Or why have Plant-Based diet interventions been shown to lower blood pressure, angina and even reverse type 2 diabetes? I was lost about the topic of how plants store energy (carbs) and humans do not and store as fat. Why the comparison? No one would argue that but it would be a stretch to say humans need to get exogenous fat rather than carbs simply because we store fat or because the body only has about a day’s worth of glucose stored.
To exclude other well-known disease risks with meat consumption, particularly colorectal cancer is also a concern (Vieira, 2017; Papadimitriou, 2021). It should not be ignored that the World Health Organization classified processed meat as a group 1 carcinogen and red meat as a “group 2A probably carcinogenic”. Additionally, there is significant non-observational research to demonstrate the hazards of animal product intake on our nation’s top killer, cardiovascular disease. Ingestion of a fatty meal can induce post-prandial lipemia and Angina pectoris for 5 hours after ingestion (Kuo, 1955) which can promote inflammation and injure the arterial endothelium. Saturated fat in clinical studies was found to be more harmful than simple sugars and increases insulin resistance (Luukkonen, 2018). Oxidized lipoproteins/cholesterol by consuming cooked meat is absorbed into the bloodstream and injures the endothelial lining inciting atherogenesis by plaque formation (Staprans, 2003). Metabolic studies support saturated fat as adversely affecting coronary heart disease risk (Zaloga, 2006) with meat-based diets increasing blood viscosity compared to vegetarian diets which reduced blood viscosity. The latter likely due to the high levels of antioxidants and low levels of saturated fats in plants (Ernst,1995; Naghedi-Baghdar, 2018; Sloop, 2018). An analysis of studies looking at high protein intake suggested that consumption of high protein diets may affect immune cells leading to arterial plaque formation (Zhang, 2024).
What is the only diet I am aware of that actually can reverses cardiovascular disease? A vegan diet (Esselstyn, 2014) or Plant-Based diet and lifestyle (Ornish, 1998). Several case studies on patients demonstrates improvement in heart failure symptoms, reversal of Angina and one whose Angina returned with the resumption of an animal product rich diet (Massera, 2015; Massera, 2016; Allen, 2019; Choi, 2017).
Will taking patients with CVD and changing their diet to a keto or animal dominant diet yield the same results? LDL cholesterol for example is a known risk factor for CVD and not just from observational studies. A recent meta-analysis of low carb trials suggests an overall increase in LDL cholesterol in normal weight people (Soto-Mota, 2024). And while observational studies did not find low carb diets to increase CVD incidence, that is probably because most are not able to stay on the diet for long periods of time. What is consistent however is the 30% increase in overall mortality from following low carb diets as the Scientific Statement from the National Lipid Association Nutrition and Lifestyle Task Force noted (Kirkpatrick, 2019). A recent clinical trial looking at the keto diet for 12 weeks suggested that in addition to the predictable loss in fat mass, restricting carbohydrates via reducing glucose tolerance negatively impacted the gut microbiome with reduced beneficial gut bacteria, with the authors suggesting that the results did not necessarily produce a cardiometabolic health benefit that would have been expected by the weight loss observed (Hengist, 2024).
Having once eaten as an omnivore, I’ve followed what the preponderance of research has suggested. Following a whole food (minimally processed) Plant-Based diet is the ‘best bet’ for reducing chronic disease risk and maintaining brain health, while also leaving a smaller environmental footprint. I’ve written about the topic of brain health extensively addressing diet and other lifestyles factors primarily to address those who follow vegan diets. But this is still useful for any dietary pattern and addresses meat, cholesterol, and glucose and why some are calling Alzheimer’s Disease “Type 3 Diabetes: https://radaktim.wixsite.com/website/post/omega-3-diet-and-lifestyle-factors-influencing-brain-health
It is important to be careful in advocating something for just one disease state such as brain health without factoring in other diseases or the environment. And to exclude the relation between food choices and the environment is increasingly considered irresponsible (Storz, 2020) and in my opinion selfish. Food systems account for roughly a third of global greenhouse gas emissions. A lot of research is happening in this area.
Shifting from red meat to principally Plant-Based proteins could result in global annual dietary emissions falling 17% (Li, 2024). Even a flexitarian diet approach can considerably reduce greenhouse gas emissions (Humpenöder, 2024). Even compared to a Mediterranean diet, a vegan diet was suggested to incur a 44% less total environmental impact (Filippin, 2023). It is important to care for our health and we have a responsibility to care for our planet too.
A meat diet was suggested to affect greenhouse gas emissions twice as much as vegan diets with the latter using less water, less land, and resulting in less loss of biodiversity (Scarborough, 2024). Just research the loss of precious rainforest land due to animal agriculture in south America. All important things to consider if deciding to follow a carnivore, paleo, or ketogenic diet.
This is what happens when a psychiatrist delves into diet as we’ve seen with others like psychologist Jordan Peterson. And even physicians who are not trained in nutritional science like Dr. Gundry underscore the importance of having a solid background in nutrition or seeking input from those who do. Yes, like many areas of science and medicine, there can be incorrect or biased information. And the federal dietary guidelines as well have a way to go with translating and disseminating the available research. But to say there is almost no science, biology, or logic behind the majority of recommendations for a healthy diet (she mentioned whole grains, legumes, a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, and more plants), and there is no value in epidemiological studies, and advocate meat and exogenous cholesterol in the context of ignoring the other diseases and environmental risks, does not seem wise. She is not looking at all of the available research.
Many of the studies are available freely online. Judge for yourself. Even the Carnivore MD, author of the book The Carnivore Code has reversed his position on the diet and stopped eating the Carnivore diet after 2 years as he saw his testosterone levels drop and it caused sleep disturbances, heart palpitations, and muscle cramps.
References located:
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As we wait for the implementation of the new administration, several departments and staff changes have already been designated or proposed.
One of these is the appointment of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. While still needing senate confirmation, RFK Jr. has been vocal about a topic that as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Public Health expert for >25 yrs has me concerned.
He has expressed his reservation over the use of plant seed oils like canola (rapeseed) and sunflower oil in fast foods (which are also processed or ultra processed foods) and has suggested this is linked to the rise in obesity among Americans.
In his Instagram post he says “Seed oils are one of the most unhealthy ingredients that we have in foods. We need to Make Frying Oil Tallow Again.” And that “one of the reasons they are in foods is that they are heavily subsidized”. And that they are associated with all kinds of very serious illnesses including body-wide inflammation”. “It is one of the worst things you can eat…”
On his X account he says “Fast Food is a part of American culture. But that doesn’t mean it has to be unhealthy, and that we can’t make better choices. Did you know that McDonald’s used to use beef tallow to make their fries from 1940 until phasing it out in favor of seed oils in 1990? This switch was made because saturated animal fats were thought to be unhealthy, but we have since discovered that seed oils are one of the driving causes of the obesity epidemic. Interestingly enough, this began to drastically rise around the same time fast food restaurants switched from beef tallow to seed oils in their fryers.” “People who enjoy a burger with fries on a night out aren’t to blame, and Americans should have every right to eat out at a restaurant without being unknowingly poisoned by heavily subsidized seed oils. It’s time to Make Frying Oil Tallow Again”
It is true that seed oils consumption has increased dramatically and are widely used in fast foods and ultra processed foods. These “foods” are already inherently unhealthy and steps should be taken to reduce the consumption of these products. Period.
Seed oils also were substituted for beef tallow around the 1990 while the rise in obesity started back in the 1970’s.
But replacing the oil used in fast foods with beef tallow as a proposed healthier alternative?
First, beef tallow, typically obtained from rendered beef tissue during the slaughtering process is unhealthy. Primarily made up of saturated fat, which has long been implicated in increasing risk for a variety of diseases. Since the inception of the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans in 1980, and with every iteration of the guidelines thereafter, limits have been set for consumption (no more than 10% of total calories). The USDA, in 2024, has also proposed in a series of food pattern modeling to reduce the intake of saturated fat with options to replace saturated fat in the diet from solid fats with plant oils containing PUFA without any overall negative effect on nutritional adequacy.
A 2020 Cochrane review of trials found that reducing dietary saturated fat reduced the risk of combined cardiovascular events by 21% and that greater reduction of saturated fat resulted in greater reductions of CVD events. They also concluded that “Replacing the energy from saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat (PUFA) or carbohydrate appear to be useful strategies”. Newer research by Kim, 2021 in a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies also suggests increased risk for all cause mortality and cancer mortality from saturated fat.
· Seed oils are a significant source of polyunsaturated fat, particularly omega-6 fatty acids. Omega 6 fatty acids get a ‘bad rap” as they are incorrectly categorized as inflammatory, especially when compared to omega-3 fatty acids.
· Both Omega 3 and 6 Produce Anti-inflammatory metabolites. We can no longer say Omega 3 are Anti-inflammatory and Omega 6 is Inflammatory. This is a misconception as Omega 6 fatty acids found in seed oils (Linoleic acid) are associated with no increased risk and in certain cases CVD benefit. Some of which are converted to dihomo-γ-linolenic acid (DHLA) which is anti-inflammatory.
· And there is research supporting that replacing saturated fat with PUFA, reduces risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
· It is the long chain fatty acid Arachidonic Acid that is the Omega 6 fatty acid that is pro-inflammatory and little LA is converted to Arachidonic Acid. Beef tallow as is red meat and other animal products are a significant source of AA.
With beef tallow comprising almost 50% saturated fat, this is not a good replacement for seed oils in fast foods or processed foods. What is needed is a reduction in fast foods and processed foods! Something probably most of the country is not interested in hearing as 36.6% of adults Americans consume about fast food on any given day with that number increasing to 44.9% in young adults. So it is not really an accurate picture to say “People who enjoy a burger with fries on a night out aren’t to blame”…they are enjoying it much more than just an occasional night!
A national US study by Martínez Steele, 2016, found ultra-processed foods (processed foods “engineered” to be high in fat/oils, salt, sugar) made up over half of daily calories and contributed a staggering 89.7% of the energy intake from added sugars. And the United States currently has the distinction of ranking among the highest in consumption. These ‘foods’ also meet the criteria for being addictive based on established scientific criteria.
And this should be focused on when examining the obesity epidemic we find ourselves in especially as saturated fat as well as ultra-processed foods are associated with other diseases besides CVD, including dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, cognitive decline and several others. So while I applaud any efforts in addressing the consumption of processed and highly processed foods, if we truly want to “Make America Healthy Again”, adding beef tallow to our diets seems counter to that mission. Instead, consumers can consider opting for a veggie burger or a grilled portabella mushroom burger as a healthier alternative and striving to reduce intake of processed and fast foods.
Lastly, perhaps RFK Jr, with his background in environmental law, should focus on commodities which are hugely subsidized, corn and soybeans. Seed oil subsidies make up a mere fraction compared to these, perhaps 30 times less. Corn and soybeans are primarily used to feed livestock, an inefficient and environmentally damaging way to feed the population, something worth putting into perspective compared to seed oils.
Dr. Tim Radak, DrPH, MPH, RDN
References
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https://www.instagram.com/robertfkennedyjr/reel/DBkBhZPRH6d/?hl=en
https://x.com/RobertKennedyJr/status/1848499491151745180
https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/adult-obesity-facts/
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