Is plant-based meat actually better for you? - Carolyn Beans

[@jy6512]

To the animators that worked on this video, wonderful design choice on the lab grown meat

[@dhawalsharma8889]

😂

[@Ebilehita]

Most likely vewn

[@mrfish.-]

It was oddly adorable 😂

[@LluvioCT]

I LOVE IT

[@tjren]

Lol😂😂😂

[@alexandradelliou]

Can we say a big congrats to the animators? This video was SO fun to watch! From the artstyle, to the the colors and people's body language, it was like watching a cartoon episode. Bravo 👏👏

[@micahbush5397]

Or we could go with non-meat protein sources that stand on their own, like falafel or tempeh. At any rate, when lab-grown meat becomes commercially viable, I hope it's given names like Vitro-Veal, Petri-Pork, Lab-Lamb, and Tub-Turkey.

[@vectorthehop3945]

lab lamb is perfect

[@cinnestari5325]

these names are clever LOL my fav is petri-pork

[@samuelb-1406]

This. Faux meat is so unnecessary. It's better to promote regular plant protein sources.

[@washipuppy]

I would absolutely love to cook up some thin sliced Lab Lamb on a barbie, or some Petri-Pork in Shabu-Shabu. In the meantime though, I've got some firm tofu with my name on it tonight.

[@tkhcompany]

It’s tough doing no meats when you have tree nut and bean allergies such as myself 😢

[@RandyLy]

Hi, environmental engineer here! It's fantastic to see discussions like these gaining traction. The shift towards plant-based and lab-grown meats is undoubtedly intriguing, driven by considerations for both personal health and the environment. From my perspective, the "real" versus "fake" meat debate isn't just about taste or convenience, but also about the broader consequences for our planet. Traditional livestock farming has significant environmental implications, including deforestation, water consumption, and greenhouse gas emissions. Embracing plant-based alternatives can potentially reduce these burdens and pave the way for a more sustainable food future. However, as we delve into this conversation, it's crucial to consider a holistic view. Life cycle assessments comparing the environmental impacts of different meats are essential. While plant-based and lab-grown options can offer remarkable benefits, they still have their own set of challenges, such as processing methods, resource use, and waste management. Ultimately, our choices matter.

[@daisyjo1979]

Agree. I think it's worth studying how much energy is used and waste is produced at these plant-based factories and its impact on the environment.

[@kevinlane1219]

I for one want the slaughtering of animals to stop. But I don't want the farmers to neglect them, let alone abandon them. That's why I would prefer lab meat.

[@someguy2135]

@@kevinlane1219 I want the slaughter to stop too. Unfortunately, that will not happen overnight. The silver lining, is that current farm animals aren't going to be "neglected... {or} abandoned." Lab meat requires very few "donors" so a few individuals in farm animal sanctuaries (like the one Jon Daily Show Stewart owns) would do the job.

[@someguy2135]

@@daisyjo1979 "The primary ingredients for plant-based meats, on the other hand, have very low greenhouse gas emissions, and additional processing accounts for only 13%-26% of plant-based meat’s climate impact. The cropland no longer necessary for animal feed could even be used to mitigate climate change through reforestation, soil conservation, or renewable energy production."- Good Food Institute Title, subtitle-"Plant-based meat for a growing world Improving the efficiency of the Western diet is crucial to achieving sustainability. Plant-based meat allows consumers to enjoy the taste of meat at a fraction of the environmental cost."

[@Dom9393super]

Bot

[@jackjensen422]

My only additions to the health side of things are that 1) some plant-based meats are more processed than others, so you can go for a pure veggie patty over beyond/impossible if sodium is a concern. And 2) meat from livestock risks contamination from antibiotics, hormones, and pathogens found in blood, pus, feces, and other bodily fluids during their processing

[@mr_hobbit]

I tend to eat plant based meat sometimes not because it's vegetarian, but because it's a great invention and achievement of our society. When I tried plant based meatballs at IKEA, I was astonished at how identical it was to actual meat.

[@someguy2135]

I agree! Also, standard practices in animal agriculture make the development of more and worse antibiotic resistant pathogens only a matter of time. Ending animal agriculture would also greatly reduce zoonotic diseases, epidemics and pandemics.

[@Tamizushi]

An often overlooked problem with animal meat is the effect than antibiotics have on antibiotic resistant germs. CAFOs often use a lot of antibiotics to control germs. As humans and animals share some of our germs, if the germs we share become antibiotic resistant for the animals, they will also become antibiotic resistant for humans who get infected after a contact with those animals. This is a concern more for public health in general than for specifically the health of people who eat the meat.

[@terihaye1426]

Plant products can also be contaminated with pathogens that cause food intoxication and poisoning. It’s not just a farmed meat thing.

[@someguy2135]

@@terihaye1426 Plant products like lettuce that sometimes cause food poisoning are only due to the contamination of pathogens from animals, like the manure often used for fertilizer, or from runoff from animal agriculture CAFO's, etc.

[@asykarcompany]

Mushroom's meat might be the alternate to replace all of them. It's easy to grow and has similar tension feel like farm meat.

[@someguy2135]

I eat mushrooms basically every day as a great way to replace the savory umami from eating animals! Mushrooms aren't as high in protein density, so I also have tofu, beans, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and other sources like the occasional plant based meat alternative. Whole foods are ideal for health, but mock meats are healthier than meat.

[@someguy2135]

I grew a few batches of lion's mane mushrooms and loved the taste when I prepared lion's mane meat free steak as described by Wicked Kitchen's head chef, Derek Sarno- kzbin.info/www/bejne/q163n6OfebhnnLc It was easy, fun, interesting, and delicious!

[@donainchhinayon2057]

​@@someguy2135bro we're not mario bros to eat mushrooms everyday

[@someguy2135]

@@donainchhinayon2057 I was born before Mario was created. If he is eating mushrooms everyday, then he is imitating me! lol

[@Darknimbus3]

You can keep it. Meat is meat and mushrooms are mushrooms. Actually, you don’t even have to make a mushroom-based meat mimic. As fungi are more closely related to animals than they are to plants, mushrooms have a lot of similar qualities to meat, but without the calories. They also have a lot more nutrients than people may think.

[@umairiscool]

Wow I have a debate topic just on this in my school and I was scrolling through my notification and saw that TED Ed uploaded a new video and when I saw that topic I was estatic. Thanks Ted. It will really help me. :)

[@thelaurens1996]

I just watched this Ted video fully, it's filled with lies, actual propaganda/marketing from big food. Watch out with what you believe, if you want something on other parts about this video being wrong, like the heart risk from meat, let me know.

[@MyThoughtsImJustSaying]

Fake meat will NEVER be good for you, it’s completely a lie.

[@ShatabdaRoy115]

@@thelaurens1996 would you be so kind to tell us what propaganda there is in this video?

[@JojoJere]

@@thelaurens1996 based

[@JojoJere]

@@thelaurens1996 ratio

[@jennyclairedavies]

After reading ultra processed people by Chris van Tulleken, I wonder if there really is an overall health benefit of mostly ultra processed plant based meats vs meat. Would it not be better to stick to less processed proteins and fats like tofu, tempeh, and legumes?

[@jk-gb4et]

it is of course better but it's hard to convince people to leave meat fully (hence plant based meat)

[@jannetteberends8730]

I don’t like tofu and tempeh. But you are right. Beans are also a good alternative, and whole bread, peanut butter and other nuts . And you don’t need a lot of protein. But a plant based -hamburger is a good alternative once in a while. Especially with lot of baked onions. Also source of proteins.

[@chrismcgowan5180]

Chris Van Tulleken is a fraud. Gives no evidence for his claims, just fear-mongering BS. Of course we know UPF have to be treated with caution, but nothing he says has any evidence, only an argument that it is not 'natural'

[@whiteeye9584]

plant base meat is unhealthy and bad for enviorment

[@b_uppy]

It is even better to buy foods using restorative ag methods. It builds food nutrition of both plant and animal based foods. Restoration ag rebuilds water tables, soil health and soil carbon, uses less resources, creates less harmful wastes and bad byproducts. It avoids harmful synthetic chemical inputs. It creates local resiliency, allows degraded land to be reclaimed, costs less to produce, etc. It's basically using biome based, polycropped, alleycropped, food producing perennials, trees, shrubs, and vines that uses diverse livestock to manage weeds, fertility, pests, culls, crop residues, etc. It helps build farmer resiliency, and provides many other benefits. Look into the books on restoration ag by Mark Shepard.

[@HarrisonLuiEKYiss]

Chapters and timestamps: 0:00 Introduction 0:25 Contestants 0:28 Farmed Meat 0:45 Plant-Based Meat 1:42 Lab-Grown Meat 2:12 Nutritional Considerations 3:15 Environmental Impacts 4:28 Best Option

[@Greenguy60]

I don't think this is necessary for a 4 minute video lol

[@adilzade3022]

@@Greenguy60 its not about that, its about attention.

[@eyalurim]

Dear TedEd, a few studies are mentioned in the video. Why not post links to these studies so we can read more about them and how they were conducted?

[@GArt-ii7fg]

I'm a middle school science teacher - everything about this video is perfect. The animation is incredible and narrator's tone is engaging for the kids (and me) thank you!!

[@justindie7543]

This has got to be my favorite TED-Ed animation, and I've seen 100's of TED-Eds, well done

[@yellowstarproductions6743]

Agreed

[@luuchoo93]

Very interesting topic and well presented, as always. I’m so glad I watch these videos

[@jacobgoldman5780]

I would call tempeh a fake meat but yes there are plenty of vegetarian sources of protein that aren’t fake meat but still good like chickpeas, beans, peas, nuts, etc.

[@deeRay7292]

I skip my 1 meat based meal a day, not bc i watched this video... but bc i'm poor.

[@TRDPaul]

I've heard humans are far better at absorbing animal proteins than plant proteins so even if the products contain the same amount you will actually be getting less protein from the same volume of food so you will need to eat more

[@ShamWerks]

it's actually the other way around...

[@TRDPaul]

That's not true The proteins in foods from animals, such as meat, milk and eggs, tend to be absorbed more easily than those from plant sources, such as nuts, beans and grains. This is partly because of the fibrous coatings that help protect plants from insects and diseases, and this shield can also reduce the rate of digestion. The difference in absorption is around 10 to 20% lower from plants than animals

[@Johkko]

​@@TRDPaulHowever, even if you need to eat 10 to 20% more substitute than "Real meat" in order to reach your protein quota, the pollution (CO2, soil and water pollution) resulting from this is still far smaller than farmed meat.

[@lazyboi4824]

​@@JohkkoYou are outside of the main topic here, the main one is related on nutrition and you are talking on other topics about meat like pollution and stuff. Aside from that, I don't see how the 10-20% more to get protein qouta met important as there are 3 courses of meals which can cover the protein quota in just one day assuming you eat foods containing protein.

[@Johkko]

@@lazyboi4824 I mean, inside your 3 daily meals you can put 10 to 20% more vegan protein.

[@boone7812]

Plant base food still can cause environmental concerns. For example, rainforests are being cut down in order to farm and grow specific crops. This isn't the only reason, mind you, but it is one of them. Next, farms sometimes use chemicals to prevent bugs and parasites. These chemicals can also run off to water ways and other environmental habitats. Simply put, both have their pros and cons. This clip does an okay job at explaining these pros and cons but leaves out some context or other key information in order to persuade an opinion. It is difficult to get past personal opinions or biases. Therefore, it is important to seek multiple resources to get a bigger picture.

[@biff3156]

Very true, also the negative health effects of eating red meat that was cited in the video was a fairly loose claim and also said "processed meat". I honestly think eating pasture raised or wild meat is the healthiest option but in general I think the largest thing to note is people should just eat less processed food.

[@psychlycan]

My own addition about this is that the form of heme can have different dietary effects. I have (non-terminal) cancer in my intestine and an iron deficiency where if I don't consume enough red meat I get physically ill. As such, plant based meat isn't much of an option for me though I would like to try the lab grown as it's more likely to be accepted by my gut better. Mind you, my issues are unique and probably don't apply to very many people.

[@amandadangerfieldpiano]

Guess what? You can make your own salt- and oil-free bean or lentil burgers.

[@borisminchev9224]

In Bulgaria meat is usually eaten at dinner or lunch, but i have noticed in my friendsband in my family that it's usually 1-2 meals per day. But i also see that we consume much higher amounts of dairy.

[@userMB1]

I wish Tofu en Tempeh would be added to the comparison. I try to limit my intake of animal products to 1 meal a week because i'm not entirely sold on the fact that one can life a healthier life just being vegan. We have been eaten animal products for tens of thousands of years and it seems risky to be completely vegan at a young age. However we need to do something for better health, climate animal welfare, so i hope the meat alternatives keep getting healthier and tastier.

[@Jaccobtw]

I think standard vegan is healthier than the standard American diet, but you should eat Whole Foods and limit if not completely eliminate animal products.

[@David_Hyacinthe]

Your doing great ! Thank you for your efforts ! To fight climate change, we have to reduce the general consumption ! Don't worry to much if you eat meat sometimes ! Reducing the general consumption will be good for everyone ! By reducing the demand, we can lower the price and allows poor people to afford better quality meat, healthier and better for the environment ! As you said, most humans have eaten meat for so long. But they did'nt eat red meat every day. It was more like a few meat meal a week, mostly poultry and red meat for special occasions ! I think it is a good way to think of meat like a festive meal !

[@Alizudo]

This section is great, you're all wonderful. Exactly this, eating meat after a long hunt was a special occasion that did not happen regularly. Eat a mostly plant diet with meat rather occasionally, and you'll do great. The important part is just reducing quantity. Meat is so incredibly nutritionally dense that you don't need to eat very much of it often.

[@ddpwe5269]

It's great that you're doing your best at the moment! However, a proper whole-food plant-based diet is for all ages of life. Unless you cut out animal exploitation altogether, don't use vegan as plant-based best describes it. Tofu and tempeh won't be added for a while, as they aren't very well known in the West yet. Going vegan is the best thing any individual can do, not only for the animals but for your health and the planet.

[@pereiramariana35]

tofu is not an option for everyone, besides the ones who are alergic to soy some like me have hormone and health problems and are not recomended to ingest soy

[@MohamedAdelSci]

While there aren't studies on long term outcomes, there are some studies on the effect of plant-based meat alternatives vs meat on disease risk factors, and they're consistently better, probably because of the fiber content, lack of cholesterol and potentially inflammatory molecules, the plant proteins themselves, and maybe the presence of compounds with antioxidant effects, which are much higher in plants before processing. I feel like this should've been mentioned in the video. Also, I find it hilarious that the narrator's name is Carolyn "Beans" 😂

[@skeleex]

What should've also been mentioned in the video is that giving livestock 5% of an algae diet reduces their methane emissions by 95%, which would theoretically make real meat more environmentally friendly then plant based meat ironically

[@hmahmud34792]

The question that was imposed on the title is problematic?I mean you know Meat is better than something that is fake,fake meat.Right?Then what's the point of asking this question in the first place!?

[@yetitoride3443]

SO MUCH FOR 5mins! But I wish more details were expressed about the preservatives and feed used for agricultural farming.

[@nyasky8474]

I know there are so many kinds of foods and flavors in the world. If I can let go of attachment, there're always alternatives.

[@TV-gn9li]

🎉😂🎉

[@Cdubb1967]

I may be missing something? The only way it seems that eating both animal and plant based options would not be of some benefit, is if people add all the plant based calories to their diet without adjusting their animal product calorie intake. That seems unlikely or statistically insignificant. If it is truly significant I would love details on the mechanism.

[@b_uppy]

Restoration ag takes out the environmental, and "we-need-to-feed-the-planet" controversy as well. It uses both on the same acreage, so there us much less waste, other harms while providing varied, more deeply nutritious foods...

[@qaday123]

That’s what the video said - some people may choose to just eat “another option” while eating the same amount of animal based meat - they did say that even just reducing farmed red meat for an alternative for one meal a day can have a lot of benefits.

[@somerandomguy___]

I believe, in essence, that if you want to eat something other than meat (say you are a vegan for example like it is the case for most people eating "mock meats") then you should try and eat a meal that is naturally plant based, I.e. you make it good and healthy without trying to mimmick meat because its more natural and coincidentally, doesn't have those health risks.

[@leandroflaherty]

Its amazing how hard some vegans go to not eat legumes and vegetables

[@MineforWar]

Completely true, but starting with meat alternatives that mimic what I was used to, helped me a lot with transitioning to vegetarianism.

[@sebas11tian]

Our cultural inheritance and taste buds don't change as much as we like to our personal dietary choices. We have had hundreds of thousands of years to develop a menu and food creations around animal products. Vegan diets are just now becoming safely widespread with the advancements of dietary science. You think that you would not try because it feels"off"and not as satisfying, that is an experience vegans also have. Going hard on consuming only plants (and fungi) will only work out for any particular individual if we manage to sustain options for all tastes.

[@Nick1979BN]

The lack of umami can be remedied. Some mushrooms give very strong aromas. MSG - in moderation of frequency and amount, if you think it is as bad as we thought for the longest time - can add to the sensation. Generous use of spices (not salt) or other herbs makes any meal more satisfying and even filling. I myself like meat - I try to buy the more animal friendly produced options (as friendly as they can get when the animal is still killed before its time, but we can treat them with respect until it is time) and maybe it is easier for me because I always liked all varieties of vegetables (apart from white asparagus, go away ...). But I am not depending on having it constantly - neither did our ancestors, which are often cited as only having become so intelligent because of meat consumption ...

[@jhunt5578]

I've been Vegan 7 years. I've hardly eaten any mock products at all. Except soya milk if that counts.

[@duhxdars8667]

The most interesting points I learned from this video: 1. Replacing red meat with chicken, nuts, or legumes for one meal a day can help reduce mortality risk by 7-19%. However, the same effects cannot yet be established with plant-based meat alternatives. 2. In terms of animal welfare, public health, and environmental concerns, plant-based meat alternatives seem to be the best choice. However, which is the best nutritionally cannot yet be established. 3. Forgoing red meat at just one meal a day can decrease one's personal dietary carbon emissions by as much as 48%.

[@SebJr88]

I do think that another important thing to consider is that the majority of our farmed crops are also being fed to animals. So as we reduce the amount of animal consumption, we reduce the amount of animals purposefully being bred into existence and further decrease the amount of carbon emissions being generated by animal agriculture. And at the same time, reduces the amount of land being used and pollutants being drained into our water.

[@darshanabaishyaviolin1287]

it'll be better for the environment

[@kirbymarchbarcena]

I will eat any edible food that I am not allergic to and did not pass its expiration date, which is why I always read the ingredients label first. My question is what happens to those food expired products?

[@lp1a_]

The bunny inching back got me 😂

[@pheonix72]

- The video's question is never answered regarding nutrition. - Where are the references for the video's claims? - The info presented is over-simplified and avoids answering the numerous criticisms of plant-based.

[@kidpeligro7878]

I can see Lab Grown Meat can become the food of the future. I will go further to say lab grown meat once it can be massed produced will be the "food for the masses" while the Farmed Meat will become a form of luxury reserved for the elites.

[@meyer6891]

There are a few catches with lab-grown to consider, tho. Argueably the biggest is that you'd have clonal (clone) cells without any inmune system whatsoever that could easily go extinct the first virus, bacteria or fungus they meet, so you'd need insane amounts of antibiotics (with their environmental impact) to keep them alive. Also, they lack the ability to detox, so you'd have also to figure a way to remove the antibiotics too.

[@chrismcgowan5180]

@@meyer6891 The clean room argument has been mostly debunked. We don't need it to be lab standard. Insane amount of antibiotics are used in animal farming right now.

[@trentplunk4409]

Lab grown meat has to be cancer cells, you can’t just take regular autosomal cells out of the body and expect them to replicate in a foreign place.

[@meyer6891]

@@chrismcgowan5180 I'd like to check the review you're basing yourself on to say that we don't need antibiotics as a lab standard. Adding to your point, around 70% of antibiotics used in industrial meat production aren't necessary, since they're strictly growth promotors (I think this use is shared within serum substitutes)

[@jg5755]

@@chrismcgowan5180 In my country antibiotics are not used unless absolutely necessary and can only be used under the strict guidance of a registered vet.

[@duplicake4054]

A couple of notes on this: 1. Another option is you could just forget about meat altogether and get your protein from plants high in it instead. 2. Lab-grown meat may lead to the same amount of carbon emissions as normal meat farming so I think that plant-based meat is always going to be the best option for the environment. 3. Just gone vegetarian, and I haven't touched lab grown meat yet, I'm getting my protein mainly from eggs, dairy and peanuts. I'll read some reviews on which brand is best and try it out.

[@purplecouch4767]

I’ll probably just eat all of them at some point. Not more than like once a month though. I don’t eat meat often. And when I do it’s usually chicken. It seems good to have a variety. I think pizza is what I eat the most. Plus other things.

[@kalebscott282]

The discussion on the environmental impact of farming for plant based meats left out a lot of the negatives, such as the lack biodiversity on farmed land compared to grazed land as well as the use of deadly pesticides on farmed land that is not used on grazed land. A lot to be desired on this one.

[@OrangeSectorFN]

Thank you for covering this topic. Very Fascinating!

[@marih3286]

I heard about these differences in college in the 1980's so it's disappointing that this discussion is still being debated now. If the Government had thrown as much money behind plant based agriculture as it does the meat industry, Americans wouldn't be as unhealthy as we are now. Neither would the soil, air or water...

[@shreyaspamaraju262]

Guys, quit arguing, just eat your vegetables every once in a while

[@NinjaguyCollin]

NOOOO

[@brooksschwarz743]

THE WAY THE LAB GROWN MEAT LOOKS

[@ericstelzman5190]

I'M AN ABOMINATION! AND I'M COMING TO YOUR HOUSE AFTER SCHOOL!

[@b_uppy]

*TASTES*

[@TV-gn9li]

😂😂

[@guacamolzpeeps]

Lab grown meat also currently relies on foetal bovine serum as a medium for cell growth, which also comes from the animals themselves via an arguably painful collection method.

[@waterunderthebridge7950]

A moment of silent respect for our nameless warriors aka poor college students who replace all the meals of a day with a mixture of instant ramen, hope and love to save the Earth

[@altang884884]

I’m always fascinated how everyone talks about how plant based meats is a new tech, and more attention is not given to vegetarian meats that have already been perfected in Asia for over a 1000 years without all the fancy equipment

[@stratospheric37]

I love the animation! It's so cute ❤

[@Comenta-san]

The animation is so good! This is some Adventure Time level of quality. Nice vid though would still be better to mention the ideal option: No meat. No fake meat nor real meat. I bet our teacher Carolyn Beans knows very well what is a much better source of protein and fiber: BEANS

[@djmoulton1558]

This is a really poor comparison. Any processed food, including plant based, is much poorer than whole plant based food. Why wasn't this included in your comparison?

[@youtubehandlessuckass]

what do you mean "poorer"

[@kyuboxincubox7556]

My main issue is the cost. Plant based alternatives tend to be pretty pricey for not a lot of food. I'm not made of money and its cheaper to buy regular meat instead of the plant based stuff. Especially since plant based stuff tends to have a mark up because its a little trendier and all that. Like, its cheaper for me to buy normal meat and a lot of normal vegetables than try to buy a little bit of plant based meat.

[@Gendonramsay]

I still can't wrap my head around plant-based or lab-grown meat. You could simply ditch out meat altogether and start eating tempeh or tofu or other plant-based protein source without ultra processing them to look like meat. Maybe because western cultures have no idea how to turn them into tasty dish yet.

[@MicheleoTuTo]

as a vegetarian, I know what you mean, but also: people don't just like the taste of meat, but also the rituals around it (like going to a fast food chain with their friends, or grilling). I was too like "well, just eat tofu or seitan, why do you need to copy meat" but then I went to a McDonald with some friends, and I was able to participate in the happy moment of eating there together, because they had a beyond meat burger option. It's the same with smoking: it's not just nicotine, there is a gestuality to it, a social aspect to it, and so on. Plant-based or lab-grown meat could ease the transition for some people.

[@soulstice33]

meat is a part of diet.. u can't just throw it away. Remember when America banned beers? Yea. I don't think u do. Trying to remove stuff like smoking or alcohol or meat is next to impossible.

[@CJ-sr9wy]

Most food we eat is “ultra-processed” processing refers to anything that doesn’t resemble its original state, while we should embrace options like tofu and tempeh, these alternatives aren’t as bad as you’re claiming.

[@MicheleoTuTo]

@@soulstice33 I don't understand the point of your comment: so? We changed our diet many times, during the centuries. There are things that are eaten in some cultures, and not in others. What is your point? If someone wants to create an alternative for meat, because it would be better for the environment and for the health, why wouldn't they? Who said anything about "throwing meat away"? Are you literate?

[@hamm0155]

Why aren't all the comments about how the author's name is "Beans"?! Maybe people just assume that can't be what the title means. Am I missing something??

[@DaLing731]

Wow, I actually didn’t know plant meat contained as much nutrients etc

[@interferenzbrille_2542]

Well, it depends. There are still some that just try to mimic taste, and not protein content, so just look out for that. Most have nice pea, wheat, soy protein, etc. or a mix, which is enough.

[@biff3156]

the negative health effects of eating red meat that was cited in the video was a fairly loose claim and also said "processed meat". I honestly think eating pasture raised or wild meat is the healthiest option but in general I think the largest thing to note is people should just eat less processed food

[@Edirneli]

At 2:46, the video claims plant "meat" contains just as much protein as real meat. This might look somewhat true on paper but is misleading. Plants have lower or significantly lower protein bioavailibility compared to meats such as chicken and beef. Not to mention, plants have significantly less variety and amounts of different and essential amino-acids. Furthermore, for the same amount of calories, real meat contains more protein as a proportion per calorie ingested, so to get the same amount of protein, you need to eat more plant-based "meat". I would very much call this more unhealthy compared to real meat. I understand that it's trendy in some circles to look down on real meat for some reason, but I wanted to add this comment to highlight that there are very real and valid reasons to eat real meat and so long as you don't eat a steak every night and eat vegetables in general as well, you will be fine and healthy.

[@l01230123]

As long as you eat a variety of plant proteins you'll get all the amino acids you need. Your second paragraph is cherry picking and doesn't accurately reflect the variety of foods available. Meat is studied, that's why eating a lot of it is criticized. This has more to do with your health fears than giving healthy advice.

[@Edirneli]

I also see that there is the usual argument of "plant meat needs less water than farmed meat" and its derivatives that are completely U.S.-centric and ignore details such as: - 94% of the water used for animal agriculture is green water, eg. rainfall which means renewable and is not at all wasted - Most land (about 2/3) used for agriculture is unsuitable for growing crops. This can be due to soil quality, the land quality (eg hills or mountains) or climate. What does grow there is grass which can be upcylced by ruminants (cows, sheep mostly) to edible products. (Thinks of cows in the Alps, you can't grow any crops there) - 86% of food to cows is inedible by humans and often this is waste from crop-raising like what happens with the corn plants that get fed to cows (not the corn, the stem and leaves). - Methane production from cows is actually a natural cycle and carbon neutral. methane -> CO2 -> plant -> cow -> methane. So again, I was expecting such a slanted view, but disappointed nevertheless. You can see some of these stats directly from this U.N. report for example: www.fao.org/3/cc3134en/cc3134en.pdf

[@Edirneli]

@@l01230123 >As long as you eat a variety of plant proteins you'll get all the amino acids you need. That's the problem. Animal meat will get you all you need in one go. Animal proteins are complete proteins. You don't need to cherry pick what you need to eat to be healthy. >Your second paragraph is cherry picking and doesn't accurately reflect the variety of foods available. I don't think so. I've been counting calories for years and am well aware of how limited the options are if you want to have the same efficiency eating plants compared to just eating meat.

[@l01230123]

@@Edirneli You just eat a variety of plants, it's neither complex nor part of a health crisis. Beyond beef burger has 10% less calories than 80/20 (lean, normal for burgers) beef, and actually more calories from protein. You can get fake chicken with more calories than real stuff, and the opposite with bacon. It depends on what you're comparing.

[@l01230123]

@@Edirneli I read "methane is carbon neutral" (natural cycle wow) and it's hard to argue with someone who doesn't understand the chemistry. ✌

[@as-qh1qq]

Why not eat the plant directly without trying to make it look like meat first?

[@pauser37]

This is the first time not trusting Ted videos! We all know that highly processed anything is not suitable for human health as we don't have enough data for long-term effects.

[@kimmuwattrel]

we forgot to talk about the vats of antibiotics needed to make lab grown meat

[@nyan2317]

Between 2 of the same-ish quality product, the only difference that matters is the price tag and it feels like a LOT of these videos discussing the topic including this knowingly leave that out of the talk.

[@bubblegodanimation4915]

I feel like they do not bring it up because there is an exclusive concern about health. We also do not bring up price when discussing other foods.

[@Nickdpoul]

yeah but prices change. And with new products they usually change dramatically. So if they mention the price difference new, it may not be valid at all in 3 years

[@MarkMetEenC]

If you're worried about price, rice and beans are probably the best protein source

[@HarrisonLuiEKYiss]

@@Nickdpoul *now?

[@RowanNagy97]

This has basically always been how I've seen it - being a vegetarian/vegan really isn't healthier in the ways they espouse (nor less healthy, if done right, the point is that meat or lack of it can both fit into a balanced diet); but it sure is better for the planet

[@tkhcompany]

I’m allergic to tree nuts, including coconuts. No plant based meats for me

[@Samsontesfay-n1e]

Then eat farmed meat

[@bagellover4102]

The animation is amazing! This was so fun to watch!

[@storyheart4706]

Would like to add plant based meats have 0 cholesterol

[@dangerouscookie4790]

Another bad point.

[@Liam.Johnston_]

I eat a looooot of meat - steak, chicken, pork, all of it. My entire family is vegetarian, so that makes for funny conversation when I’m ordering food lol

[@Gorbyrev]

Pasture reared cattle is carbon neutral and its byproducts are by definition biodegradable. Indeed cattle pastures are great for locking carbon away if that is your goal. The water they consume comes from rain. Here in the UK virtually all our beef is pasture raised.

[@l01230123]

Yeah, just ignore methane and nitrous oxide! Don't acknowledge their existence even once! Willful ignorance baby! 👏👏👏

[@CJ-sr9wy]

Unfortunately, this is still unsustainable despite its claims of being “carbon neutral” and still does poorly in the other aspects when determining if a certain meat is better than others.

[@JM-lz1oi]

There's no such thing as carbon neutral cattle farming. You have eaten up industry greenwashing like a hungry little lad.

[@Gorbyrev]

@@JM-lz1oi Please explain.

[@JM-lz1oi]

@@Gorbyrev Soil sequestration (root shocking) is absolutely not a great way of locking away carbon. For a few reasons. One being that there is a saturation limit, soil can only "hold" so much carbon before it becomes saturated and can't hold any more. Another reason is that soil carbon is very vulnerable to release with poor land management or adverse weather. There has never been any evidence of carbon neutral cattle farming. Not even the industry greenwashing case study of white oak pastures was able to demonstrate carbon neutrality with exceptionally charitable conditions. Actually effective carbon locking comes in the form of wild land, forests, peat regions. I.e. not pastures. A huge amount of the UK (and much of the planet) is devoted to ruminant farming and represents a huge carbon storage opportunity cost. Anyone telling you that cattle farming is a good way to lock up carbon is lying and trying to get you to support their products (beef and dairy). It's greenwashing. Don't be a sucker.

[@EnlightenPulse27]

I really like your animations. Humour, informative and fun.

[@CristianmrWuno]

People always forget the economic factor, a totally green diet in the modern increasing inflationary economy is an expensive thing to do, the amount of food an entire family would need also increases since these products are not heavy enough to fill people, we would need a change in diet and reduce the anxiety for food to make that sustainable, which is unlikely, in US the government does really care about the causes of these issues related to green alternatives. What is also the point of subjecting these standards to the people when big companies which are the ones responsible for these emitions , usually hold no accountability nor make a difference in their production

[@chriss780]

americans have a tendency to hyperindivualize and reduce all politics from collective actions to your individual consumer choices.

[@KETAMINEBIRDIE]

Did Vewn animate this?

[@KellyGoodwin-m3n]

I patron Ted-Ed and have never regretted it. Great work.. Great video, nice and concise..

[@zonian8782]

I Tried plant base patty in 7 eleven and tasted nice tho flavor was masked by aromatic herbs but the texture was very similar

[@earthling_parth]

Plant based for the win! ❤🌱

[@eddiemasa77]

As always lol

[@suckoneczito04h51]

Absolutely not it's terrible for you

[@Kaushtav14]

Yes! Ban animal torture

[@suckoneczito04h51]

Meat is the best food for you

[@Kaushtav14]

@@suckoneczito04h51 only if you don't have access to plants

[@santiagoarrieta2175]

I not sure how accurate the green meat values are with the gas emissions. Because in the end of the day you have much more data over meet production and consecuences, as is widely spread industry. In comparation(general lines) side plant based meat is a more young industry, that didn't reach the same scale in production in a real world environment, and each jump in scale carry unknown concequences and require solutions are not contemplated until they meet experienced.

[@user-rm2qj2jh4l]

This is cool! I wish they'd discussed further the moral impact of animal meat vs. plant-based alternatives. For me one of the most important factors in that with one you're killing a sentient creature and with one only a plant.

[@snake88ification]

When you farm vegetables, you kill more animals. Many types of rodents, mice rabbits, squirrels and others get destroyed by farming equipment and the rest lose their homes.

[@user-rm2qj2jh4l]

Interesting, I hadn’t thought about that consideration before!

[@jhunt5578]

​@snake88ification Take note of this part of the video 3:42 less land is needed for plant foods than animal foods. The Joseph Poore Oxford study shows that if everyone went Vegan we'd reduce total land use by 75% a land mass the size of Africa, and we'd still have enough calories to feed the 2050 population.

[@sd-ch2cq]

​@@alightening808the meat-industry is as ruthless as the oil-industry in promoting weird one-liners to their customers that let them feel they get to mock the people that they are told are looking down on them (one-liners that fall apart with the slightest bit of critical thinking)

[@meyer6891]

​@@snake88ificationYou're comparing organic meat vs industrial vegetables. The fair thing to do would be organic vs organic. That being said, I think organic meat should be considered as a separate alternative.

[@mateuszcielas3362]

4:14 how about one harvest, immortalization of cells and constant culture?

[@mateuszcielas3362]

@@vobp-kk6kz cancer is a disease, cancerous cells are indeed dividing indefinetely, but it doesnt mean that syntethtically immortal cells are cancer

[@mateuszcielas3362]

@@vobp-kk6kz it doesnt change anything in this instance tho, you can perfectly do that to grow meat

[@DegreesOfThree]

@4:35 The verdict is not out on which type of meat is nutritionally superior. Plant based meat is NOT meat at all, and lab grown meat requires all kinds of chemicals and preservatives.

[@limerence8365]

I like to go for plant based burgers. It usually tastes the same or better. Since it's usually a mixture of plants than all cow it offers a party in my mouth sort of situation.

[@b_uppy]

This video is flawed. It cites a study that lumps all red meats together instead of taking account of meats produced under different ag methods. Conventionally raised livestock have products that are inflammatory in nature, and that causes a myriad of health problems, whereas livestock that is mob grazed on diverse pasture yields much healthier products that are also deeply nutritious and avoid the inflammatory byproducts that comes with poor diet and stressful living conditions.

[@TheFatBeaRr]

The intro music is sooo awesome 😊

[@gordo3582]

0:36 you say humans ate meat "from the very beginning". Fact check: According to the California Academy of Sciences, "Prior to about 3.5 million years ago, early humans dined almost exclusively on leaves and fruits from trees, shrubs, and herbs"

[@nandinhocunha440]

I think that's where they are wrong. I know eating meat helped us to evolve

[@micahbush5397]

But were those really humans, or merely the ancestors of humans? Where's the cutoff?

[@andieallison6792]

Where is the source for that quote lol because humans are omnivores

[@rawpuredata3072]

Can someone just tell me which the video says?

[@jimdigitalvideo]

For those just starting out on fake meat, there are a lot of options out there. Don't just give up and go back to real meat just because the first one you taste is yuck. Just like there's many types of meat, there's many types of fake meat. Shop around. You'll soon find some favorites.

[@indigofenrir7236]

We're all going to die anyway, so why should I spend real life eating fake food? This is also futile. Of the millions of people watching this, how many do you think would switch to mock meat just because there are numbers on the screen? Even if some did, that is not going to reduce significantly any consequences to the environment. Maybe 100 years we'd see some drastic changes, but people aren't going to live long enough and the world also has other ways of preserving the environment besides eating fraud food. This is merely depriving people from enjoying food the way they like it for the sake of results they won't see.

[@naranjo5277]

dont expect to find miracle meat (apart from impossible beef/meats), they will not taste like meat. for example tofu, it can be filling, it will never taste like meat but that doesnt mean you can't make it taste good.

[@fenomozo9108]

The only missing thing in this well done video is that even vegetarians and vegans that consume this plant based meat dont do it in a regular basis; is just an ocasional thing to eat for the majority.

[@andieallison6792]

Don't forget that major corporations are responsible for the majority of greenhouse gas emissions and pollution (like plastics!), not individuals!

[@stratos7755]

4:43 Here we go. You guys just had to say this, right?

[@andieallison6792]

Sorry not sorry they broke your bubble.

[@stratos7755]

@@andieallison6792 ​ What bubble? Carboon footprint was coined by (you guys call it) "big oil" to throw the guilt/responsibility onto us, individuals. Yet individuals can't change sheit. Compare your """carbon footprint""" to literally any company and suddenly it's almost nonexistent. So you cutting your "dietary carbon emission" by half means literally nothing in the big picture. You need laws, not individual's decisions.

[@nguyenhien8080]

That plant-based sausage is truly seductive.

[@IBTU]

Keep it

[@rais1953]

We tried a packet of plant based sausages and it was OK for factory produced sausages. Bland, as are factory sausages. But we buy meat sausages (beef, chicken or lamb) from a butcher who makes them at his shop and they are so delicious.

[@ultimate_pleb]

Are you a vegan? Because i want to eat your "plant-based *meat*"

[@b_uppy]

​@@ultimate_pleb That sounds cringe.

[@ultimate_pleb]

@@b_uppy lol

[@brojack3571]

But it still has a 1% animal product contents Are we must eat "5 healthy 4 perfect" huh?

[@SnakeAndTurtleQigong]

My non vegetarian friends actually prefer the veggie meats during our gatherings. Just tastes better.

[@DegreesOfThree]

😂😂😂 Tell us more about these imaginary 'friends'

[@gypsylee333]

Yeah my old boomer carnivore roommate even reluctantly admitted my beyond burgers tasted better than real burgers. They smell 10 times better cooking.

[@l01230123]

That what happens when people try things 🙂 Some fake meats are iffy, but most kinds like the ground and new burgers are great

[@cheythompson740]

"What is better for you" I don't know man I just work here

[@nine-qx3lc]

If they can make it look and taste like pork belly and wagyu, then there's no reason to not switch to plant base. That is if they can.

[@JM-lz1oi]

But there are currently tons of reasons to switch to plant based even if there isn't a plant based wagyu or pork belly.

[@its_dey_mate]

@@JM-lz1oi And reasons...to not. Normal meat will be on top until artificial ones can get THE same taste, look, texture, proof has no risks associated with the fact its fully artificiall AND price, until then, normal meat for most people it will most likely be.

[@JM-lz1oi]

​@@its_dey_mate Reasons not to eat animal products: It's cheaper. It's better for your health. It reduces the risk of zoonotic pandemics. It reduces antibiotic resistance proliferation. It reduces land use. It reduces water use. It reduces eutrophication. It reduces drivers of deforestation. It reduces the need for pesticides (we would be growing fewer crops without farm animals). It reduces GHG emissions. It reduces soil degradation rate. It gives us more opportunity for effective carbon sequestration. It reduces biodiversity loss (currently driving the current mass extinction). Oh and it reduces animal harm. What are your reasons for continuing to eat meat besides it's tasty and what you have been conditioned to habitually eat it?

[@CJ-sr9wy]

@@its_dey_mate😑 Seems like you’re asking for a whole lot when the verdict has already been made.

[@its_dey_mate]

@@CJ-sr9wy Which verdict?

[@NuzhatNastharan]

And here in the south asian region red meat is a real delicacy . In Bangladesh, majority of people enjoy red meat highest 4 to 5 times a year

[@sebastianehl624]

Have you ever heard about regenerative farming practises? That way you can rise better quality meat with smaller or even negative emisions. Plus there are enormous benefits for enviroment and biodiversity which non of the oher meat alternatives can´t provide. I know it is still minority of food which is produced this way, but it is scalable solution for lots of our curent global problems and would be great if you mention it.

[@cillianennis9921]

I think you made a mistake on the whole meat green house gas stuff. As the study that claimed the animals where at fault was later found to be eronious as it included the amount of damage done by deforrestation for food production which happens all the same with the plant based ones which also add a lot more through the processing of them which means you should actually be eating you know beans & nuts instead for proteins as they are 1 dirt cheap to grow 2 healthier than meats & 3 taste better than meats as they are often used for the sauces & breads we eat with meats so mix that with the right amount of regular meat in the diet & it should be better.

[@ThaFuzzwood]

But 3) containg fk-all protein by mass compared to meat.

[@dragothromak6261]

Does anyone else remember during the pandemic when major factories and industries shut down and the air and water quality vastly improved in the world but the number of cows stayed the same? I remember.

[@Engiction]

Your point?

[@jhunt5578]

There's more emissions than just from farmed animals. The claim is 14.5% of ghg... not all of it. When the pandemic happened transport and manufacturing reduced massively. Do you understand why your comment is flawed?

[@silasadams3329]

"don't eat red meat for just one meal a day" easy enough. I already don't eat bacon for breakfast every single day. This is incredibly educational, but my only concern is that it seems to assume that the average person is eating some kind of red meat for every meal, every day, when, in my experience talking with my friends/relatives/coworkers, nobody we know is eating that much meat.

[@oog1283]

This is a pretty decent video, but there are some points I don’t like. Lumping together processed meats with non-processed ones is misleading in the same way that lumping carbs together is. There is obviously a huge difference between getting your carbs from extremely processed white bread compared to fresh baked bread, so why should meat be treated any differently? I also don’t like the message about carbon footprints. Not to say that it isn’t important to lower the amount of CO2 we produce, but the fact that the original idea for the carbon footprint was made by an oil and gas company. It shows that the concern was never to reduce the amount of CO2 but to move the blame away from large corporations and onto individuals

[@jean-pierredevent970]

Nothing can replace a real piece of muscle meat but sausages, burgers and meatballs can contain much vegan protein without people even tasting it. For me the whole art is to wonder how meat taste can be replicated. Which chemicals are responsible? I like moussaka and in theory, the minced meat can easily be replaced by vegan one which looks a bit the same but the taste is still very different. OK, the problem could be that it's a mixture of 1000 different chemicals and that 10 of them are not enough.

[@chrismcgowan5180]

It's probably blood. People like the taste of blood.

[@ShrikarE]

THIS IS THE BEST VIDEO IVE EVER WATCHED

[@dragonblood223]

i feel one important thing always doesn't get mentioned with plant based meat alternatives vs meat farm animals are able to be raised on non-arable land (which is about 83% of the land in the us) (or 60% world wide (after cutting out obvious stuff like glaciers and deserts)) while plant based alternatives actively compete for space with main line agricultural crops on the the 17% of us that is arable land (or 11% world wide) so meat is making use of land that otherwise would be none productive and helps keep food prices down

[@l01230123]

The animal on non-arable land still need more plants (~90% more than us eating plants) to produce food. We can also grow plants (and insects) underground too, but it takes more effort/energy generally 🤷‍♂

[@dragonblood223]

@@l01230123 their feed normally comes from the none-arable land from vegetation that are too nutritionally poor for human consumption, with the exception of being supplemented hay during the winter in colder regions (since they stay in a shed to protect them from the cold and the grass is burred under snow) if they are getting regularly fed from arable land its a factory farm which i heavily disagree with (factory farms undermine all the good points of meat production and are the source of most of the listed pollution and water consumption) underground farming isnt really done as the digging of such a large complex is expensive and damaging to the local environment vertical farming has a lot more merit but its also expensive and cant operate anywhere near the scale required to supplement food needs the insects are a interesting point to bring up but as praised as it is it is only benefit is it takes less food per gram of meat which is moot vs meat being raised on none-arable land which shouldn't need any feed though insects i feel would be a good way to cycle a cities leftover food into more food so that direction i kind of like

[@ChadF-t6n]

Never forget they turned the mammoth into a meatball.

[@markedis5902]

I’ve been vegetarian for 40 years. I get annoyed that things are meat flavoured. If I wanted to eat something that tastes like meat I’d just eat meat. I don’t I want vegetarian food that doesn’t taste like meat.

[@suteners2111]

less humans= more food. stop breeding.

[@hmahmud34792]

The question that was imposed on the title is problematic?I mean you know Meat is better than something that is fake,fake meat.Right?Then what's the point of asking this question in the first place!?

[@sorincioara7861]

I wouldn't eat plant-based meat because I heard it has tons of additives so it's rather a kind of chemical-laden salad and I'm not willing to put industrial chemicals in my body.

[@rajukoley9249]

Well normal meat also has those chemicals as the meat industry feeds them to the animals that go into the meat.

[@terrydelorme]

Interesting that they did not tell how the plant based "meat" is manufactured or that "Heme" is acquired from a gmo.

[@felipoto]

At least top 3 best animations of Ted