Skip to Content Skip to Navigation Accessibility Policy Click to login to your Account
For a Limited Time, Take 15% Off On-the-Go Bulletproof Favorites Save Now
Bulletproof Bulletproof is a food and beverage company, known for Bulletproof Coffee and products that fuel your mind and body.
Menu
Shop
Shop
Coffee
Ground Whole Bean Single-Serve Pods Starter Kits Cold Brew Creamers & Mix-Ins View all
MCT Oil
Brain Octane Oil MCT Oil View all
Proteins
Collagen Protein Collagen Protein Bars Collagen Protein Plus Support View all
Food & Drink
Protein Bars Cold Brew Chocolate Bars View all
Supplements
Greens Gummy Vitamins Mood & Memory Performance & Immunity Detox & Gut Health Sleep Support View all
Other
Tech Coffee Mugs & Bottles Books View all
Shop All Products
Subscribe & Save 20% + Free Shipping over $35
Learn More
Health Upgrades
Health Upgrades
Guides
Immune Boost Sleep Hacks Brain Upgrades Weight Loss & Diet Anti-Aging View all
Supplements
Greens Gummy Vitamins Mood & Memory Performance & Immunity Detox & Gut Health Sleep Support View all
Shop All Products
Keep the Greens Coming
Subscribe and Save
Keep the Greens Coming

Save 20% + get a free shaker when you subscribe to Greens

Shop Now
Subscribe & Save 20% + Free Shipping over $35
Learn More
Recipes
Recipes
Recipes
Snacks Breakfasts Main Dishes Beverages Desserts Keto Paleo View all
Shop All Ingredients
Bulletproof Coffee Recipe
FEATURED RECIPE
BULLETPROOF COFFEE: THE OFFICIAL RECIPE
VIEW RECIPE
Beginner keto cookbook
Free eCookbook
21 Easy Recipes to Fuel Your Keto Journey
Download Now
Subscribe & Save 20% + Free Shipping over $35
Learn More
Learn
Learn
Where to Start
About Bulletproof Bulletproof for Beginners Bulletproof Coffee: The Official Recipe What makes Bulletproof Coffee Beans Different? What are MCT Oils? What is Collagen Protein? Starter Kits Newsletters & Guides
Keto Kickstart
Keto Beginners Guide Calculating Carbs Alcohol Guide Keto Foods List Dirty vs. Clean Keto Weight Loss Troubleshooting Keto Recipes
Bulletproof Blog
Diet Recipes Coffee Supplements Sleep Gut Health Lifestyle View all
Books
Game Changers The Bulletproof Diet Bulletproof The Cookbook View all
Shop All Products
Subscribe & Save 20% + Free Shipping over $35
Learn More
Subscribe & Save 20%
Deals
Deals Subscribe & Save 20% expand/collapse Store Locator Account Cart
Deals Subscribe & Save 20% expand/collapse Account Cart
Search

Share

product
https://www.bulletproof.com/diet/healthy-eating/why-vegan-diets-dont-work/ article-12920 Here’s What Would Happen if the Whole Country Went Vegan https://www.bulletproof.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/downsides-to-vegan-diet_1-300x160.jpg 1 USD InStock Healthy Eating Environment Grass Fed Meat Paleo article
Home / Diet / Healthy Eating
|July 25, 2021

Here’s What Would Happen if the Whole Country Went Vegan

By Julie Hand

Here’s What Would Happen if the Whole Country Went Vegan

The idea of a society where we all live off of a plant-based diet, where no animals are harmed in the feeding of humans, may sound like Shangri-La to some — especially with growing reports that industrial cattle farms contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. But new research shows why a vegan diet for all might not be as ideal as it sounds (even for those who prefer beans over bacon).

Study explores what life would be like without animal farming

To find out whether a plant-based model would be better for the planet and for humans, researchers simulated what the U.S. would be like if Americans eliminated all animal agriculture – and, by extension, all animal-derived foods from the American diet.[1] Their findings? There’d be 23 percent more food available – mostly in the form of grains. Meanwhile, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions would decrease by 28 percent. So what’s the problem, you ask? Well, there was one major snafu in their findings that would make you think twice about a world of berries without burgers.

A crappy reason why going vegan won’t work

The crux of their findings lies in a pile of…poop.  Yes, poop. Essentially, without farm animals we’d have no poop (aka fertilizer) to keep the soil healthy.  Plants, it turns out, need poop to grow. And if everyone and their mom were living off a plant-based diet, the earth would need even more fertilizer to yield enough food for the country. Without natural manure supplies, farmers would need to rely upon man-made fertilizer. Artificial fertilizers throw off the soil’s natural ecosystem, causing unbalanced microbes, flooding, and erosion problems.  Without poop, we’d also need to mine nitrogen sources, which we are already rapidly depleting. In other words, what seems like an intriguing environmental solution is in fact a lot crappier than what the researchers anticipated.

More Diet Tips From Bulletproof

  • What Color Is Your Pee? This Urine Chart Explains What It Means
  • Complete Keto Food List: What to Eat on Keto
  • OMAD: Should You Do the One Meal a Day Diet?
  • Shirataki Noodles for Keto: Nutrition & Benefits

A plant-based diet lacks key nutrients

Sustainability isn’t the only issue with Americans ditching a carnivorous diet. The researchers also found this system would strip the American diet of these important nutrients:

  •       Calcium
  •       Sufficient amounts of vitamins A and B12
  •       Essential fatty acids[2]

All in all, animal-based foods currently comprise 24% energy, 48% protein, 23-100% essential fatty acids, and 34-67% essential amino acids of the American diet. What this means is that the plant-based model is actually unable to support American nutritional needs, particularly long-term.

Related: What to Know Before Going Vegan

Why grass-fed meat may be the answer

Some people steer away from meat for ethical, environmental, or health reasons. Without a doubt, factory farming is terrible for the environment and your health — but small-scale farming is a whole different ballgame. Happily, there’s an alternative to unethical factory farming — and it involves animals grazing freely in lush pastures far away from the gates of factory farms.

Raising cattle does not hurt the environment  (See: the discussion about the necessity of animal poop above). It’s all about raising cows on pastures to replenish the soil sustainably. In fact, eating grass-fed meat is more sustainable for the planet than eating no meat at all.

According to The National Trust, a conservation non-profit in the United Kingdom, raising grass-fed beef is good practice for planetary health and sustainability, because it reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Grass farming also typically makes use of “marginal land” to increase food production. Finally, grass-fed beef production leads to biodiverse pasture ecosystems.[3] A winning solution, to boot.

Grass-fed meat is also better for you

As for the nutritional part of the equation, the problem with meat is not in meat itself — but the toxins, steroids, antibiotics, and inflammatory fats found in factory-farmed, grain-fed meat. High-quality meat from animals raised in a natural setting, on the other hand, is great for you, particularly its fat content. Grass-fed beef contains more antioxidants, omega-3’s, CLA, TVA, trace minerals, and vitamins than any other food (including conventional meat).

So there you have it—a world of corn and soy with greater emissions and unreliable nutrient sources versus an ethically, environmentally, and nutritionally sustainable utopia of sauerkraut and steaks, replenishing itself one dung at a time. What’s your pick?

Join the Bulletproof Revolution

Sign up for early access to sales, product launches, the latest Bulletproof news and more!

Statements made on this website have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Products sold on this website are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Information provided by this website or this company is not a substitute for direct, individual medical treatment or advice. It is the responsibility of you and your healthcare providers to make all decisions regarding your health. Bulletproof recommends that you consult with your healthcare providers regarding the diagnosis and treatment of any disease or condition.

About Julie Hand

Julie Hand is a certified holistic health and nutrition counselor (Institute for Integrative Nutrition), personal fitness trainer (National Personal Training Institute), and yoga teacher (Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health). Though she can’t resist trying every science-backed health tip, she also has a penchant for crystals and astrology (don’t judge). You can find her walking the beach (coffee in hand, of course) and practicing the ukulele on weekends.

References

[1] http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2017/11/07/1707322114
[2] http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2017/11/07/1707322114
[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4494320/

TAGS

EnvironmentGrass Fed MeatPaleo

Related Bulletproof Diet Tips

How to read your pee, urine color chart
What Color Is Your Pee? This Urine Chart Explains What It Means
Sliced steak and asparagus
Complete Keto Food List: What to Eat on Keto
one meal a day diet omad
OMAD: Should You Do the One Meal a Day Diet?
shirataki noodles
Shirataki Noodles for Keto: Nutrition & Benefits
Stay Bulletproof: Subscribe Today
SHOP
  • Coffee
  • MCT Oils
  • Proteins
  • Food & Drink
  • Supplements
  • Other
  • All Products
Learn
  • Bulletproof for Beginners
  • Recipes
  • Newsletters & Guides
  • Bulletproof Blog
  • Books
CUSTOMER CARE
  • Contact Us
  • Shipping Policy
  • Return Policy
  • Accessibility Policy
COMPANY
  • About Us
  • Press
  • Careers
  • Customer Reviews
PARTNERS
  • Store Locator
  • Wholesale
  • Ambassador Program
  • Affiliate Program
Nutrition Reimagined

We're reinventing what it means to fuel your mind and body.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • YouTube

†Statements made on this website have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Information provided by this website or this company is not a substitute for individual medical advice. | ©Bulletproof 360, Inc. 2013–2022

  • Privacy Policy |
  • Terms |
  • Reseller Policy |