Benefits of Not Eating Meat vs Eating Meat: The Truth

You’ve probably heard the hype: stop eating meat, and you’ll live longer, get leaner, feel lighter, and save the planet while you’re at it.

Sounds great—on paper.

But the story isn’t so simple when you dig a little deeper. Yes, there are claimed benefits of not eating meat. Vegetarian diets and vegan diets are often promoted as the gold standard for healthy eating, better gut health, weight loss, and disease prevention.

But here’s the thing…

Most of those health benefits are less about meat being bad—and more about what happens when you cut out processed foods, refined grains, and the typical modern junk diet.

So, let’s examine the other side of the story by breaking down the most common arguments for going plant-based.

TL;DR

• The claimed benefits of not eating meat—like better heart health, weight loss, and improved gut health—often come from ditching processed foods, not meat itself.
• A well-sourced, animal-based diet supports immune function, gut health, and weight loss without the need for supplements or fiber overload.
• Issues tied to red and processed meat are usually due to how meat is eaten (with seed oils, sugar, and refined grains)—not the meat alone.
• Regenerative animal agriculture can be more sustainable than industrial plant-based foods, especially when comparing real meat to fake meat alternatives.

1. Does Eating Meat Really Increase the Risk of Heart Disease?

The claim: Vegetarian diets lower the risk of heart disease by cutting out red and processed meat. The saturated fat in meat raises LDL cholesterol, clogging blood vessels and increasing heart attack risk.

Sounds convincing—but is it the full story?

🛑 The counterpoint: It’s not the meat. It’s the mix.

Heart disease didn’t explode because people ate too much steak. It exploded when we started mixing saturated fat with refined carbs, sugars, and seed oils. That’s the real metabolic bomb.

For thousands of years, our ancestors ate red meat, organ meat, and animal fat without the obesity, diabetes, and chronic diseases we see today. They didn’t suffer from blocked arteries after eating hot dogs and deli meat because they didn’t eat those.

Saturated fat in its natural form (from animal foods) plays a role in hormone health, cell structure, and energy. The issue isn’t saturated fat—it’s high-carb diets paired with fat that drive insulin resistance, inflammation, and, yes—heart disease.

👉 Excluding meat might lower cholesterol on paper, but that doesn’t always mean better health outcomes. Total cholesterol isn’t the smoking gun it’s made out to be. What matters more is metabolic health, inflammation levels, and insulin sensitivity.

And, cutting meat won’t save you if the rest of your eating plan is built on cereal, bread, vegetable oils, and soy products.

2. Will a Plant-Based Diet Really Improve Gut Health?

The claim: Removing meat and switching to plant-based foods boosts gut microbiota diversity, increases dietary fiber, and supports healthy gut bacteria. This leads to better digestion, less inflammation, and improved overall health.

That sounds good, right?

🛑 The counterpoint: Fiber isn’t magic. Meat isn’t the enemy.

Fiber is a thing that everyone simply accepts as a need for health. But is it really? I for one can say that I eat little to no fiber and I don’t seem to have any of the complications that we’re supposed to have without it. Put it this way; I’m regular. See Paul Saladino’s take on fiber:

I believe your gut health isn’t about fiber. It’s about what your gut can actually digest and absorb. And for many people, that’s animal protein and fat—not raw kale and lentils.

Let’s not forget: meat doesn’t rot in your colon. That myth’s been debunked. Meat is absorbed in the small intestine efficiently and cleanly. What does ferment in your gut? Excess carbs, refined grains, and unabsorbed plant starches. That’s where bloating comes from.

While some gut bacteria feed on fiber, others thrive on amino acids from animal foods. Our species evolved to eat meat, not grain bowls.

If your gut is inflamed, overloaded with processed foods, or you’re constantly chasing “regularity” through fiber supplements, the answer isn’t always more fiber. Sometimes, it’s eating foods your body is designed for: meat, animal fat, bone broth, eggs, and organ meat.

3. Does Eating Less Meat Help with Weight Loss?

The claim: Plant-based diets help people lose weight because they contain less saturated fat, fewer calories, and more fiber-rich foods. As a result, people feel fuller and eat less, leading to better body weight and less fat gain.

🛑 The counterpoint: Cutting meat might drop pounds—mostly muscle.

Yes, you can lose weight by cutting calories, but it doesn’t always mean you’re getting healthier.

Here’s what often happens on vegetarian and vegan diets: people eat fewer calories, drop weight fast… but also lose muscle, strength, and energy. That’s because they’re not getting enough animal protein—the kind your body absorbs and uses best.

Muscle is your metabolic engine. Lose it, and your blood sugar becomes harder to control. Your energy dips. And your body gets “skinny fat”—light on the scale but heavy on risk.

A high-protein, animal-based diet helps you hold on to muscle while burning fat. And it keeps you full—without needing piles of whole grains or endless snacks.

Want real fat loss and not just scale loss? Build your meals around meat, eggs, and fat. Ditch the processed junk. That’s the ancestral route to lean, strong, and healthy.

4. Does Avoiding Meat Really Reduce Cancer Risk?

The claim: Processed meat like bacon and hot dogs increases cancer risk, especially colorectal cancer. Red meat is labeled “probably carcinogenic,” and cutting it out could mean a lower risk of many cancers.

🛑 The counterpoint: Context matters—and so does the rest of your diet.

Sure, eating a hot dog with a bun, fries, and soda daily isn’t great. But is that because of the meat… or the highly processed foods, seed oils, and sugar that come with it?

Let’s talk red meat. It includes beef, lamb, and bison—foods our ancestors lived on. When eaten unprocessed, without added nitrates or junk sides, there’s no solid evidence that lean cuts or fresh red meat directly cause cancer.

In fact, meat contains vitamins and minerals your body uses to prevent disease—like B12, iron, zinc, and carnosine. These are hard to get (or absorb) from plant-based foods.

A systematic review of the data shows that most cancer links to red meat are observational and weak. And in many cases, they don’t control for other lifestyle factors—like smoking, alcohol, or sedentary habits.

Cutting meat might reduce cancer risk if you’re replacing junk with nutrient-rich plant foods—but that doesn’t mean meat was the problem to begin with.

5. Is Your Immune System Stronger on a Plant-Based Diet?

The claim: A plant-based diet is rich in antioxidants and vitamin C, which support immunity, reduce inflammation, and help your body fight off chronic diseases.

🛑 The counterpoint: You don’t need to stop eating meat to boost immunity.

Yes, plant foods contain antioxidants. But meat provides the building blocks of your immune system: animal protein, iron, zinc, selenium, and B vitamins.

Most people who follow strict vegan diets end up low in other nutrients essential for immunity—like B12 and vitamin D. These aren’t just small gaps—they’re major deficiencies that can weaken your defense system over time.

Meat, eggs, and animal products support immune health at the cellular level. They help you build new cells, repair damage, and fight infection.

Do you want your immune system firing on all cylinders? Skip the ultra-processed plant “meat alternatives” and eat real, unprocessed animal foods.

6. Is Eating Less Meat Better for the Environment?

The claim: If we all stopped eating meat, we’d reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save freshwater, and free up land used for animal agriculture. Plant-based diets are said to be more sustainable and eco-friendly.

🛑 The counterpoint: Industrial food isn’t eco-friendly—no matter the source.

Yes, factory farming has a footprint. But so does monocropping soy, corn, and wheat to feed the world’s appetite for processed “plant-based” products. These practices destroy topsoil, wreck ecosystems, and use chemical inputs that pollute land and water.

Here’s a common-sense check: Would our ancestors have farmed massive fields of fake meats, fortified cereals, and refined grains? Or would they have hunted, raised animals on pasture, and eaten nose-to-tail?

Regenerative animal agriculture builds soil, supports biodiversity, and captures carbon. When raised properly, animals heal the land—they don’t destroy it. Compare that to acres of GMO soy sprayed with pesticides to make vegan nuggets.

The environmental issue isn’t meat. It’s how it’s produced. Ethical, local, nose-to-tail meat is far better for the planet than industrial-scale plant-based foods wrapped in plastic.

7. Will You Save Money If You Stop Eating Meat?

The claim: Vegan and vegetarian diets cost less. You’ll spend less on groceries, especially when buying whole grains, beans, and seasonal vegetables. Some reports say people save up to $650 a year just by ditching meat and dairy.

🛑 The counterpoint: You might save money—but at what cost to your health?

Sure, you can live on lentils, rice, and soy—but that doesn’t mean it’s the best fuel for your body.

Cheap food is often nutrient-poor. And while you might save a few bucks on other foods, you’ll likely need supplements, fortified products, or extra meals to meet your basic nutrient needs. That adds up.

And let’s not forget the hidden cost: if you’re low on energy, focus, or strength because your body is not getting enough animal protein or bioavailable iron, that affects your productivity and long-term health.

Yes, red meat can be more expensive than tofu. But so is investing in quality fuel for your car. Your body deserves the good stuff, and better health now often means fewer medical bills later.

8. What About Nutritional Deficiencies?

The claim: A plant-based diet can meet your nutrient needs as long as you eat a wide variety of soy products, legumes, and nutrient-rich plant foods. Some supplements may be needed, but they are manageable.

🛑 The counterpoint: That sounds like a workaround—not a natural solution.

Here’s the truth: humans are designed to eat animal foods. They’re nature’s multivitamin. Meat, liver, eggs, and fish give you nearly everything your body needs to thrive.

Yes, you can try to build a complete protein routine from plants—but it takes planning, food combining, and a lot of volume. Even then, your body absorbs nutrients like iron, zinc, and B12 better from meat than from plant foods.

Some key nutrients are almost impossible to get from plants alone:

• Vitamin B12
• Retinol (preformed vitamin A)
• Heme iron
• DHA/EPA omega-3s

Most people on vegetarian and vegan diets lack one or more nutrients, so health professionals often recommend supplementation.

So, while avoiding deficiencies without meat is possible, it’s far easier to just eat the foods we’re biologically adapted to eat.

Final Thoughts: Are There Really Benefits of Not Eating Meat?

Sure—there are some benefits of not eating meat… especially if you’re switching from a junk-food-heavy, fast-food lifestyle. You might see better digestion, weight loss, and lower inflammation. But that’s not because meat is the problem.

It’s because you stopped eating garbage.

There’s a massive difference between cutting out processed meat like hot dogs and deli meat and real meat like beef, liver, or bone marrow.

So, it depends on whether you’re asking whether a plant-based diet is better. If it’s full of processed foods, refined grains, and lab-made meat substitutes, it’s not an upgrade.

If it’s built around seasonal fruits and vegetables and ancestral wisdom, it’s closer—but still missing a key piece of the puzzle: animal foods, or what I call the ultimate human diet.

The healthiest diet isn’t about avoiding meat. It’s about avoiding fake food.

And that’s it… have a nutritious day!

FAQs

Can a plant-based diet provide enough protein?

Technically, yes, but it’s harder. You’ll need a mix of soy products, legumes, and grains to meet your protein routine—and still may fall short of optimal levels for muscle and recovery.

Is red meat really that bad?

No. Red meat includes beef, lamb, and bison—foods rich in bioavailable nutrients. The risk comes from processed meat eaten alongside processed foods, not from the meat itself.

What about gut health—don’t we need fiber?

Despite popular belief, fiber is not essential. Your gut thrives on animal protein, gelatin, and collagen. For many, eating more meat and less meat replacements leads to better digestion and improved health.

Isn’t saturated fat dangerous?

Not in context. Saturated fat from real food is different from trans fats and industrial oils. Eating without refined carbs is part of a healthy human diet.

Does meat really harm the planet?

Not when it’s done right. Animal agriculture based on regenerative practices can actually restore soil, sequester carbon, and reduce overall environmental harm.