KNH 213: Book ReviewLisa Silvaggio, Scott Trau, Jack Trusler, & Brittany Wrasman

OverviewSocieties whose diets

are based around animal products develop more

diseases than those who follow a plant based diet.Avoid highly processed

foods. Avoid preservatives

and additives. Eliminate dairy.

Plant-based foods=good Animal products=bad

Key Points• Relying on food (your fork) over

surgery (surgeon’s knife).– Prevention of disease through diet and

lifestyle choices over medications.• Plant-based diet is good for the

environment and for animals.

Global Implications• Worldwide farm animals consume 756

million tons of grain.– This same amount of grain would be enough

to provide the 1.4 billion people living in poverty with approximately 3 lbs. of grain/day.

• The average American diet derives 47% of its calories from animal products, resulting in a carbon footprint of 2.52 tons of CO2 emissions per person per year.– If this average was reduced to 25% of total

calories, the carbon footprint would be reduced by ~1 ton.

• Global Warming– A meat-centric diet is responsible for the

emission of more than 7 times as much greenhouse gases as a plant-based diet.

• Deforestation– Livestock operations account for 30% of the

earth’s entire land surface use-much of which has been deforested to create pastureland.

• Waste– Animals raised for slaughter produce 130

times as much waste as the entire human population.

• Water Pollution– The U.S. EPA estimates that 1 lb. of

processed beef requires 2,500 gallons of water, compared to 250 gallons needed per pound of soy, or the 25 gallons per pound of wheat.

• Soil Erosion– Animal farming accounts for about 55% of

soil erosion, and the soil is being depleted at 10-40 times the rate it is being formed.

Changes in Behavior• Decrease the portion of animal-based

products in our diet, increase our intake of fruits, vegetables, and unrefined grains.

• Nutrition over medication.• Pay attention to a product’s ingredient list.• Tweak your favorite recipes. – Remove the butter from toast and replace it

with sugarless jam.

Critique• Doesn’t cite sources.• Correlation doesn’t prove causation.• Overall good health message, but

lacks scientific accuracy.

Thoughts?• Do you think eliminating all animal-based

products in your diet would be realistic?• What nutrition deficiencies do you feel

would result from a plant-based diet?• Forks Over Knives suggest to eliminate

dairy from your diet stating that dairy products increase the risk for chronic diseases. What’s your thoughts on this topic?