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People think that following the carnivore diet is just about food choices, but for many, it become a comprehensive lifestyle.
The carnivore diet is not only about what and when you eat, but also a deeper understanding of ancestral connection (the way our ancestors evolved) and, yes - the care for planet Earth and for the animals we eat.
While there are varied dietary choices and their environmental impact, it’s important to explore how the carnivore diet can also be aligned with a commitment to animal welfare and ecological sustainability.
This article isn't about contesting other dietary ideologies but rather shedding light on a less-discussed subject — the potential for responsible carnivorous eating to contribute positively to our planet and to animal welfare.
In this article, I refer to both - the animal's welfare and the health of our planet. Using simple language as much as possible, I explored the connection between cow grazing and planetary health, why understanding this connection is crucial for informed dietary choices, and how this connection is essential for both.
Cows Are Part of The Natural Biogenic Carbon Cycle
1) When we exhale, we emit carbon dioxide (CO2) - this is part of the natural cycle and does not contribute to climate change.
2) Cattle are also part of this natural cycle.
3) Grass requires sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide (CO2) from our atmosphere to grow.
4) Cows and any other vegetation grazing animals, eat the grass/plants and convert a small portion of this organic material into methane (CH4) by burping it into the atmosphere.
5) In the atmosphere, the methane is oxidized and becomes carbon dioxide (CO2) again.
6) Then the CO2 goes back to the soil and feeds the grass, which the cow eats, burps, and so on.
(The image is a screenshot taken from "The TRUTH About Modern Agriculture" video (watch it here).
It's Not The Just The Cow
1) GHG - Greenhouse Gases.
2) The cow symbol is MISLEADING - as this figure (9%) is actually for ALL agriculture. This misleading symbol creates the wrong impression.
3) Out of the 9% (agriculture) - only 3.9% are coming from animals.
4) Using tractors is part of the agriculture emissions. And tractors (or any other field machines), are used to manufacture a lot of plant-based foods.
5) The majority of GHG - 78% - is from transportation, electricity and industry.
(The image is a screenshot taken from "The TRUTH About Modern Agriculture" video (watch it here). Updated figures can be found here)
The Truth About The So-Called Increase Of Greenhouse Gases
1) Greenhouse gases are like a blanket for Earth. They're in the air and trap heat from the sun, keeping our planet warm enough to live on. The main ones are carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor, nitrous oxide, and ozone. These gases are natural to Earth.
2) This blanket of greenhouse gases is very important. Without greenhouse gases life on Earth would not be possible, because it would be too cold here for anything. On the other hand - too much of these gases - from things like cars and factories - can make Earth too hot.
3) Anti-livestock people will tell you it's methane responsible for the increase in greenhouse gases, particularly methane (CH4) from livestock, BUT...
4) All the sources producing methane (fossil fuel production and usage, agriculture and waste, biomass burning, wetlands) amount to 558 teragrams of methane emitted.
5) On the other hand, there are the "sinks". These are nature's way of 'cleaning up' or absorbing methane from the atmosphere, to reduce the amount of methane in the air. These sinks can be things like soil, where certain bacteria eat up methane, or chemical reactions in the atmosphere that break down methane into other substances. Essentially, methane sinks help to balance out the methane levels.
The 'sinks' amount to 548 teragrams.
6) Therefore - 558 minus 548 = 10 teragrams of methane.
ONLY 10 TERAGRAM OF METHANE is added to our atmosphere every year.
7) In general and in order to simplify the explanation - Methane, will react to radicals in the atmosphere. This process will create a natural atmospheric methane removal. This happens over 10 years. There is some imbalance in the process as shown above in item 6, which is the remaining extra methane.
Most Plant That Humans Eat Are Nutrient Deficient Because They Are 'Processed Plant Production' (PPP)
1) Topsoil can degrade into a less fertile state, it becomes dirt. This happens when there are no livestock animals on it, adding their manure to it.
2) It is not optimal and sometimes even not possible to grow a plant in 'dirt' - unless you spray synthetic nitrogen fertilizer on it and add a few extra ingredients like Miracle Grow.
3) It turns out that significant nitrogen loss occurs and is causing concerns for water quality, greenhouse gas emissions, and soil health.
4) A plant that grows in the soil is NOT the same as a plant that grows in the dirt, where nitrogen and Miracle Grow were added to.
5) Soil is a 'live' substance: it has bacteria, viruses, and fungi. All that contributes to the vitality of the soil, which allows for the plants that grow to be able to create the various chemicals that they need for their survival and also to create their various nutrients.
6) while adding synthetic nitrogen can influence the nutrient content of dirt, it doesn't make dirt equivalent to healthy, biologically active soil. Soil is a complex, living ecosystem that requires a balance of nutrients, organic matter, and microbial activity to sustain plant life and provide ecological services.
7) Although nitrogen is crucial for plant growth, it's the holistic qualities of soil - nutrient balance, structure, microbial life, and organic matter—that collectively ensure the optimal health and productivity of plants. Just using nitrogen fertilizer on dirt can't replicate these conditions, which are essential for the overall health and robust growth of plants.
8) Plants that are grown on 'nitrogen dirt' are sometimes referred to as Processed Plant Production (PPP).
9) Plants grown in an environment that lacks the comprehensive benefits of true soil can indeed suffer from nutrient deficiencies and related health issues. This highlights the importance of a well-balanced, nutrient-rich growing medium for optimal plant health and productivity.
Regenerative Farming In A Nutshell
Regenerative agriculture refers to specific farming and grazing practices that, among other benefits, restore soil health, improve water retention, and sequester carbon in the soil. These practices often include:
1) Rotational or Managed Grazing: Moving livestock between pastures to allow for vegetation recovery and soil restoration.
2) Diverse Cover Cropping: Planting a variety of crops to improve soil biodiversity, reduce erosion, and enhance water retention (In other words - no more monoculture agriculture).
3) No or Low Tillage: Reducing soil disturbance to maintain soil structure, organic matter, and microbial life.
(Photo credit: UCANR)
2/3 Of Earth's Land Is Not Good To Grow Corps On, But It Can Be Used For Regenerative Farming With Cows
1) Two-thirds of all agricultural land in the world is Marginal, meaning you cannot grow crops on it because either the soil is not of good enough quality or there's not enough water
2) The only thing that grows on marginal land is non-human edible cellulose-containing forages - fiber.
3) The only way we can use these marginal lands is with ruminant livestock, as they are the only ones that can digest this fiber (humans and monogastric animals like pigs and poultry cannot digest fiber).
4) Ruminants are the most efficient at utilizing these marginal lands.
5) Using these marginal lands in a regenerative way, means letting the cattle graze on a section, and while grazing, the cattle drops manure which in turn fertilizes the soil. Then moving the cattle to a different grazing section. meanwhile, the previous grazed section is growing new grass.
Cows In Closed Feeding Places VS Cows That Graze In a Regenerative Way
1) Up until the '60s, most cows were grazing on pastures. They ate Alfalfa, Clover, and grass. That's how the cows got essential nutrients that they needed that prevent or reduce infections.
2) In the 70's most of the cow industry was moved to concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), as part of the monoculture industry. This was a cheaper way of production but also more profitable. In monoculture - the emphasis is on quantity and not quality
3) When cattle are raised in CAFOs, antibiotics are commonly used. This is in comparison to grazing cows, which are generally less exposed to the conditions that necessitate such treatments.
4) There is a concern that antibiotic use could influence the cow's gut microbiota, potentially leading to increased methane emissions from cows. Although the relationship between antibiotic use and methane production is complex and not definitively established, the critical point remains: antibiotics represent an unnatural addition to the cows' system, which could have repercussions.
5) The natural process of cows grazing, stomping on their manure, and thus feeding the ground, is compromised when most of the cattle industry is maintained through CAFOs
The Importance Of Healthy Cattle In Keeping The Environment Healthy
1) Ruminant and other livestock are extremely important with respect to human food supply.
2) When you take away multiple types of animals grazing on the land and plants all living together - you're disturbing the natural cycle of our ecosystem
3) If cows ate what was growing naturally on the land - they would get healthy and would hardly need antibiotics.
4) Grazing cattle is excellent in putting carbon back into the soil, which gets all of the organisms and all the bacteria growing - and all that makes a healthy ecosystem.
5) This is what regenerative farming is all about, and it was the sensible way for thousands of years, where the cows were grass-fed and grass-finished.
Eat The Grass-Fed Meat
Regenerating Grazing animals has a major role in the health of our planet Earth and their own health:
Maintaining the natural biogenic carbon cycle
Essential for maintaining a 'healthy' greenhouse gas blanket.
Help maintain the health of soil ecosystems, which in turn can contribute to the natural biogenic carbon cycle.
Providing sufficient and natural nutrients to the livestock as well as allowing them to roam freely just as they did for thousands of years.
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Article Major Points:
Please note - these points are a synopsis of the full article - not my personal conclusions.
1) Cows are part of the NATURAL biogenic carbon cycle.
2) The cattle contribution to the greenhouse gases is only 3.9%. Most of the greenhouse gases are coming from industrial, electrical, and transportation.
3) The qualities of a healthy soil - nutrient balance, structure, microbial life, and organic matter - are what allow plants to create nutrients and chemicals needed.
4) Soil degradation occurs when livestock is not grazing on it, as seen in CAFOs, leading to less fertile land, or what is called 'dirt'.
5) To grow plants on dirt, synthetic nitrogen has to be added.
6) Adding synthetic nitrogen influences the nutrient content of dirt and allows us to grow plants in it, but it doesn't make dirt equivalent to healthy, biologically active soil.
7) When cattle are raised in CAFOs, antibiotics are commonly used.
8) Antibiotics represent an unnatural addition to the cows' system, which could have repercussions.
9) Two-thirds of all land in the world is marginal - not suitable to grow crops on it - but they are suitable to have cattle grazing on it.
10) Regenerative farming means rotating the livestock between pastures to allow for vegetation recovery and soil restoration.
11) Using these marginal lands in a regenerative way will enrich the health of Earth: restore soil health, improve water retention, and sequester carbon in the soil.
12) Grazing cattle enhances soil carbon sequestration, fostering a thriving ecosystem and promoting animal health.
Sources
The facts in this article were drawn from the following:
1) "The TRUTH About Modern Agriculture" video (watch it here).
2) "Why cows might not be the villains of climate change (w/ Frank M. Mitloehner, Univ. of Calif. Davis) (Watch it here),
3) "The TRUTH About BIG FOOD & BIG PHARMA: How REGENERATIVE Farming Benefits Health | Dr. Robert Lustig" (watch it here)
I am not affiliated in any way with these channels/people, but I'd like to thank Kent Carnivore, Conversations That Matter, and Levels for the information that was provided in their videos.
Disclaimer:
This article is not intended to provide health or dietary advice. I do not aim to convince you, but rather to empower you with facts.
Fact accuracy of this information: As always, I am committed to factual accuracy when presenting information. The insights and conclusions in this article have been thoroughly reviewed and checked for factual integrity. While AI tools like ChatGPT have been utilized as part of the fact-checking process, they complement a wider strategy that includes viewing current scientific research, expert analyses, and authoritative resources to ensure the reliability and relevance of the content presented. If there is any facts that I might have missed or that I have presented wrong - please contact me: at tammars.com@gmail.com
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