We forget something important about the older studies on animal foods…
A good amount of research was done long before our food supply was flooded with synthetic dyes, preservatives, emulsifiers, and other chemicals. Back then, people cooked from scratch, animals were pasture raised, and ultra processed food barely existed.
Yet even in that cleaner environment, the links between animal flesh and secretions and chronic disease were already well established. Mechanistic studies show how these foods drive inflammation, oxidative stress, and hormonal disruption. Observational studies show higher rates of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes in those who consumed them most.
Since then, we have not only added a flood of artificial ingredients and environmental toxins to our diet, we have also started eating even more animal products, often from industrial sources loaded with hormones, antibiotics, and chemical residues. Even wild animals accumulate higher concentrations of environmental contaminants in their fatty tissues, including pesticides, heavy metals, dioxins, and PCBs, meaning that eating animal foods often delivers a concentrated dose of the very toxins we are trying to avoid.
Every healthy population ever studied in human history has relied mainly, if not entirely, on plant foods. There has never been a documented population that thrived long term on a diet rich in meat and dairy. Anthropological evidence and modern nutritional science both support that plant-based diets provide the nutrients, disease protection, and longevity humans have historically relied on.
RFK Jr. is currently fighting to reduce chemicals and synthetic additives in our food supply, and that is important. But he also tends to emphasize that “cleaner” versions of animal foods are the solution, without highlighting the strong evidence that animal flesh and secretions themselves drive chronic disease. By overemphasizing chemicals, he may unintentionally lead people to believe that eating more “clean” meat and dairy is healthy, when the bigger issue is the foods themselves.
Your best defense against chronic disease is a diet built on whole, plant-based foods, and there is no such thing as “clean” animal food because it carries both pathogen risks and biological risks that plants do not. I believe RFK Jr.’s heart is in the right place, but he is uninformed when it comes to nutrition. As someone who works closely with people changing their diets and lifestyles, I am all too aware of how the wrong messaging can confuse and even impede their progress … and that is harmful. If he truly wants to help improve our diets, he should focus on shutting down slaughterhouses and making fresh produce accessible to all communities and schools. And yes, he should continue fighting to remove harmful synthetic chemicals from our food supply.
But ultimately, the clearest path to health is what humans have thrived on for millennia: diets predominantly rooted in nutrient dense, whole plant foods.
Working with clients making these dietary changes every day shows me how empowering it is when they put the science into practice and substantially improve their health, versus being misled daily by conflicting headlines.
Marc Jaoudé
Naturopath, Health Educator
Nutrition & Exercise Specialist
Great article about busting some myths and educating people about plant food. I switched to plant food almost 10 years ago, and although I’m getting older, I feel very healthy and energetic, and I’m able to do what I want with my life (painting). Most of my peers are busy rushing to doctor’s appointments, having medical procedures, and taking multiple medications. I have none of that, and if my plant-based diet (and exercise) are the reasons, I’m all for that!
And, Lynda, I can add that you are still improving with your exercise! Thanks for being such a great example. If long-term, sustainable health is the goal, combining consistent exercise with a nutrient-rich, plant-based diet is the most effective way to achieve it. Here’s to your next ten years of great health and art!