One thing that has crossed my mind is the way people think of animal-based foods as singular, “clean,” “unprocessed,” “natural,” “paleo,” etc… It even gets me wondering about my own eating practices and whether perhaps some of my plant-based foods are somehow inferior.

If I am questioning myself, surely others who are eliminating animal-based foods must also have their doubts, so I felt it was important to write about it.

Animals raised for human consumption are not exactly creatures of nature. They have been selectively bred for centuries to produce the farmed animals we see today. The animals raised on farms in modern times did not evolve via natural selection. They were selectively bred by humans to maximize their yield of meat, milk, or eggs.

The same goes for most fruits, vegetables, grains, and plant-based foods. So, nothing’s perfect, right?

The big question is: What are the farmed animals that people eat eating themselves?? The plants!! So if you’re worried about eating soy because of phytoestrogens and the like, or you’re concerned that a non-organic grain was grown with fertilizer, remember that the animals producing meat, dairy, fish, and eggs are eating much more plant food than humans are eating.

In turn, the animals raised for food are bioconcentrating components of the plants they eat for food themselves. People typically think of animal-based foods as sources of the macronutrient protein.But this is a highly inefficient conversion, meaning only a small percentage of the protein eaten by farm animals translates to a protein that is consumed when humans eat them: around 3% for cows and 10% for chickens (the most efficient).

We can eat plants directly and still get more than enough protein, assuming we eat a variety of plant-based foods with adequate calories overall. We are not missing out on an unprocessed food by eliminating animal products, rather, we are eating more efficiently and conserving the land used to grow crops for animal consumption.

What do you think about these concepts? Have you also experienced some of these doubts and concerns?

*As always, this website and blog information is not medical advice. Please consult your medical professional if you are changing your health behaviors, including starting a new diet or exercise program.