I have to say, I’m highly skeptical of anyone who says that meat is bad for you. It is delicious, satiating, and full of nutrients. With a few exceptions, it is seen as a prized food in almost every culture in the world. Even in cultures which ban some meats, other meats are still eaten as often as possible. And in cultures with a total ban on all meat, they eat other animal products.

The reality is, data on the relationship between health and meat eating will invariably be skewed since meat eating is the default, while not eating meat takes conscious effort, which implies that the non-meat-eater puts at least some thought into what they are eating. While a vegan eating a meal of seitán, brocholli, and brown rice is certainly healthy, I have a hard time believing it is substantially more healthy compared to substituting the seitán for a grilled pork chop. But comparing a vegan diet to a “normal” omnivorous diet isn’t doing this, since a normal modern diet also includes a healthy serving of Doritos, Slim Jims, and Little Debbie snack cakes.