14/07/2021
I haven’t made the entire internet angry at me in at least 67 hours, so.
Today’s Moment of Science… plant based diets.
Simply, if it came from an animal don’t eat it. If it came from a plant, eat it. Uh, except maybe the gympie gympie.
Plant based diets are taken up for a variety of reasons, ranging from managing vascular issues and weight related health complications to concerns about the ethical implications of eating Fluffy. If you go plant based for ethical reasons, cool. I’m not trying to change your mind. I think it’s a healthy way to eat and a conscientious decision. Especially in the US, many of us could stand to cut down drastically on our consumption of animal products.
But is a plant-based kitchen right for everyone though? It’s super healthy for many people, but there can be pros and cons to any way of eating.
Animal products have been pushed at us as our “best” way to get nutrients like protein and iron. It’s true, animal products are often the most dense sources of protein available. But that doesn’t mean they’re the healthiest. Our intake of meat and other animal products has increased in tandem with weight-related health problems. Given this, it may be wise to divest from meat at least to a point, supplementing or replacing it with complete proteins from plant based sources.
Then there’s the inevitable “but muh proteenz” question. Some athletes can have significantly higher protein requirements than a typical mortal, but most people can easily get enough without feasting on the standard American diet of 30-50 feral hogs each night. You can find more than sufficient plant-based protein in a variety of sources, and it’s tastier and easier than ever now to incorporate these options into your everyday life.
Short of vitamin B12 (which is easily obtained from supplementation), a healthy person can get everything they need out of a very satisfying and healthy plant-based diet. In addition to the metrick f**ktonne of vitamins and minerals from your veggies, you’re getting an imperial assload of fiber, which studies have shown have some impact on satiety.
Also, you’ll have super regular poops. My fellow elder Millennials, you can’t hate that.
There’s a rub though, right? There’s always a rub.
Animal products seem to be in everything, or at least in a lot of processed foods, sauces, and even beers. Guinness wasn’t entirely plant based for most of its murky existence, but really, who was fooling themselves into thinking alcohol the color of Margaret Thatcher’s soul was a health food? Depending on how strict you are, you’re not just saying goodbye to a well-marbled steak, you’re done with any products that an animal farted at.
It’s also worth considering that just because something is made up of nutrient dense, healthful foods doesn’t mean it’s right for you personally. Due to some underlying health issues, a fully plant based diet can be too high of a fiber load for some people, leading to gastric distress and sometimes malabsorption issues. There are lots of ways to be healthy, and this isn’t necessarily it for all seven billion of us.
There are reasons to consider if or how this would fit into your life, but there’s no reason not to try it out if you’re interested and your doc’s given you the greenlight. Whether you go super strict or “just” cut meat and cheese while not worrying too much about the errant splash of fish sauce, it’s up to you. Either approach has similar beneficial effects for your health, but don’t forget, we make potato chips from plants. So make good choices, maybe just grab the chips in moderation, and may God have mercy on anyone who says to you “BuT bAcOn” like they’ve just proven anything.
This has been your daily Moment of Science, letting you know it’s okay to not be on a diet ever, and it’s also okay to tell people that your diet is none of their goddamn business.
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