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Science Vs

Vegans: Are They Right?

Science Vs

Spotify Studios

Education, Science, Health & Fitness

4.412.4K Ratings

🗓️ 15 September 2022

⏱️ 28 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Do vegans have a right to be so smug? We’re finding out whether it really is better for the environment, and our bodies, to go vegan. We speak to environmental researcher Joseph Poore, historian Prof. Connie Hilliard, anthropologist Prof. Katharine Milton, and nutrition researcher Prof. Roman Pawlak. A version of this episode originally ran in 2018; today’s episode contains updated science. Check out the transcript here: https://bit.ly/vegansupdated  The episode was produced by Rose Rimler and Wendy Zukerman, along with Meryl Horn, Odelia Rubin and Kaitlyn Sawrey. Editing by Blythe Terrell and Caitlin Kenney. Fact checking by Michelle Harris and Erica Akiko Howard. Mix and sound design by Emma Munger and Bumi Hidaka. Music by Emma Munger, Bumi Hidaka and Bobby Lord. Recording assistance from Robbie MacInnes, Paul Reece, Spencer Silva, and Hady Mawajdeh. For this episode we also spoke to Connie Weaver, Nathan H. Lents, Mark Bolland, Ambrish Mithal, Marco Springmann, Mary Beth Hall, Tara Garnett, Tom Sanders, Frederick Leroy, and others. Thank you so much for your help. And a big thanks to the Zukerman family and Joseph Lavelle Wilson.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

Hi, I'm Wendy Zuckerman and you're listening to Science Burses from Gimlet.

0:05.1

This is the show that pits facts against fried chicken, fish, feta, flan, fratars,

0:11.7

even fricando is off the menu. Today we're asking, should you go vegan?

0:23.6

Vegan say no to meat, dairy products and eggs,

0:26.6

pretty much nothing that comes from an animal.

0:29.6

They say it's better for the environment and their health.

0:32.6

But this diet, it is super polarizing.

0:36.6

People seem to have very strong opinions about whether veganism is the holy grail for health

0:41.8

or a sanctimonious diet that will make you weak.

0:45.8

Even around our office at Gimlet, we sent producer Rose Rimler to find out what's ruffling everyone's feathers.

0:53.5

So what do you think about going vegan? You need some meat. I think meat is bad for the planet. I don't think it's crazy to be like, do you need to eat meat? I mean, I think humans evolved to eat meat. Like, we ate a lot of, we've always eaten meat. I fucking hate vegans. What if they were quietly vegan? Quietly vegan? What's a quiet vegan?

1:11.9

They expect my bones to turn to dust or something bad to happen, but no, I'm still walking around.

1:17.1

To be a vegan is to suffer.

1:23.3

Many of us have been told our whole lives that we need milk and meat to be strong and healthy.

1:29.2

So can vegans actually give up this stuff and still be okay?

1:34.3

We are going to dive into the following questions.

1:38.0

One, is going vegan actually better for the environment?

1:42.2

Two, do you need milk for strong bones?

1:46.5

And three, if you don't eat any meat at all, is it bad for you?

1:52.9

We first published this episode a few years ago, and since then, there's been a banana

1:57.9

bunch more research on this.

2:01.0

Banana bunch, anyway.

...

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