Big Surprise: Beef Industry Warns Breastfeeding Mothers Against Consuming Plant-Based Meat

Some brands of plant-based meats are healthier than others, of course, but in nearly every way, meat alternatives will always be the more ethical, healthier option compared to cancer-causing animal-based meat. Nevertheless, wealthy meat and dairy industry groups spend unholy amounts of money to deceive consumers, leading them to fear plant-based meat alternatives in favor of chronic disease-causing animal-based meats.

Such is the case with one new study aimed at deceiving breastfeeding mothers.

To combat this disinformation about plant-based meats and their impact on breastfeeding mothers, Green Matters spoke to a vegan registered dietitian to clarify what's fishy about this new study, and what new mothers should know as it relates to diet and breastmilk quality.

Continue reading below to learn more about this toxic research that reeks of propaganda, as well as why vegan mothers should feel confident in continuing to maintain their plant-based diet while breastfeeding.

Before you draw conclusions about the merits of consuming — or abstaining from — plant-based meats as a breastfeeding mother, let's start at the end. Specifically, in this tiny paragraph at the conclusion of a Newsweek report about a group of biased researchers recommending breastfeeding mothers avoid plant-based meats:

"Funding for the study came from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, and the Texas Beef Council."

Now that you're aware of the obvious biases and conflicts of interest in a ridiculous study funded by the beef industry, you can better understand why wealthy groups with an extremely vested interest in maintaining the status quo (which is to say, shoveling meat in mothers' mouths) would like said mothers to avoid alternatives to animal-based meat.

Researchers compared a "popular...ultra-processed plant-based meat" with "whole-food beef" and drew widespread conclusions. Surprise, surprise.

"Although this paper aimed to villainize plant-based protein sources, it seems to focus more on the ultra-processed angle," Tiffany Bruno, MS, RDN, Director of Education at Switch4Good, tells Green Matters. "It notes that the parents' primary protein source switched from beef to an ultra-processed, plant-based meat. What did other protein sources throughout the day look like? Were they eating legumes and whole grains, or only ultra-processed meat analogs?"

Indeed, the study is riddled with issues.

The meat industry — with its unlimited funds, barbaric treatment of animals, and love of pesticides — wants to keep families addicted to meat by supplementing animal corpses with a steady diet of propaganda.

Again, while some plant-based meat options are more healthful and nutritious than others, to suggest that breastfeeding mothers must avoid all plant-based meats reeks of money-motivated disinformation.

"Additionally, not all plant-based meats are created equal," Bruno explained. "There are options that deliver on convenience without sacrificing nutritional value, but that, of course, was not acknowledged. Nor was the fact that many meats are also ultra-processed and come with health consequences. This article isn't really telling us much beyond diet affects breast milk, which is not new information."

There you have it. The meat industry wants mothers to collectively continue eating meat and avoid plant-based alternatives. No surprise there. Unaffiliated public health experts, like Bruno, recognize that several key clarifying details were intentionally omitted from the research.

If you are a vegan mom who wishes to plan the perfect plant-based diet for your newborn, it's best to consult a primary care provider in conjunction with a dietitian who respects your personal animal-free preferences.