Oct 25, 20183 min read

Peter Ballerstedt on Cows Being Essential to Environmental and Human Health

Peter Ballerstedt - Peak Human Podcast - Food Lies Film

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Today we have Peter Ballerstedt who has a Phd in forage production and utilization. He’s also an expert in ruminant nutrition (this means cows, sheep, bison, etc.) He travels around the US and world giving lectures on the necessity and benefits of animal agriculture, for the health of our environment and human nutrition. I love him because he presents facts that go against the mainstream narrative and the animal rights propaganda that is absolutely rampant and taking over the conversation. He’s one of the only voices we have, so appreciate him and listen to his wise words.

You may have noticed I skipped a week putting out episodes - I had to prep for our upcoming film tour and make the Shawn Baker and Ted Naiman videos - check them out on Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/c/FoodLies

It’s the last days of the Food Lies film Indiegogo campaign - please pre-order the film. It’s the only way to be sure to be able to get it and share it with family and friends. It could take months to get to Netflix or never even make it there. Who knows. Just know you’ll likely get the film 3 months in advance if you pre-order now on the new Indiegogo campaign http://indiegogo.com/projects/food-lies-post

I really appreciate all the support so far, we can’t do it without you all. Let’s hear what the leader of the Ruminant Revolution has to say.

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Preorder the film here: http://indiegogo.com/projects/food-lies-post

Show notes

What Peter does for a living - forage agronomist
Eating beef is not only good for you, it is in fact good for the environment as well.
All cows spend the majority of their life on pasture
The facts around animal agriculture are skewed and basically the opposite of what the mainstream narrative has led us to believe
We’re removed from the entire process of raising animals
Very small and well-funded minority of animal rights activists with the loudest voices
They claim the majority of the land is used for animal agriculture. The truth is there’s 4 times as much rangeland we can use for cows or other ruminants that can’t be used for crops
The vegan rope starts unraveling
Wildly exaggerated claims of environmental impact if we ate less meat
Let’s look at insulinemia and diabetes
Animal agriculture more greenhouse gas emissions than transportation based on a flawed and retracted study
Cows aren't alchemists. The CO2 containing compounds they release came from the grass they are which got it's CO2 from the atmosphere.
They’re finding it harder and harder to try to claim eating meat is bad for you so they’re trying harder and harder to claim it’s bad for the environment
Don’t feel guilty if you’re eating some or all animal products in your diet and restoring your health
If you haven't heard of Mikhaila Peterson http://mikhailapeterson.comhere’s an articel https://www.healthline.com/health-news/meat-only-diet-eased-autoimmune-disease-symptoms#7
Jordan Peterson talks about his carnivore diet on Joe Rogan’s podcast https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGikB-54Lwk
We talk about soil health
The role of ruminants in reducing agriculture's carbon footprint in North America http://www.jswconline.org/content/71/2/156.short
Climate change and CO2
How the carbon cycle actually works with grasses and grazing cows
CO2 helps plants to grow faster
The great horse manure crisis of 1894 https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofBritain/Great-Horse-Manure-Crisis-of-1894/
plant protein and micronutrient content is far less than animal equivalent
Study with oysters, beans, and corn tortillas showing zinc absorption https://www.researchgate.net/publication/22684528_Studies_on_the_bioavailability_of_zinc_in_man_II_Absorption_of_zinc_from_inorganic_sources
We can study the diet and outcomes of animals and make lots of conclusions, but can’t do that for humans
“Our animals have never been healthier, and humans have never been sicker”
Modern societies are dependent on ruminant animals. We need to meet the growing need for animal protein with the growing population.
For an ancient food to cause a modern disease is ludicrous
The danger of nitrates and nitrites has been debunked
Omega 3 and Omega 6
What’s going on with this carnivore thing?
All plant diets = healthy hero. All meat diet = insane person who’s going to die
“Diet for a Small Planet” and “Population Bomb”
Lab grown meat
How’d the margarine experiment go?
Can you really replicate all the intricacies of meat? It's not just a protein matrix. Do we trust the makers to even get the ratios of fat/protein correct?
Ruminants are part of the lifecycle of grasslands and soil health, we shouldn’t exclude them. Essential for watersheds, carbon cycle - what’s their replacement?
We shouldn't put a big portion of our food supply into the hands of one company that gets the patent or a few big companies
Where are the nutrients going to come from?
They’re starting from a false nutritional premise
What about other wealth generation from cows, especially in developing countries
What about the energy it would take to cool and produce all this lab grown meat?
Same thing that’s going on in the healthcare system - we’re making a medication for each disease instead of treating the root problem
Eating beef is beneficial to you and the environment
Buy the animal products you can afford to feed yourself and your family and don’t let the other side and their fear-mongering influence you.