Joe Rogan is not vegan. The notorious podcast host has made his love for meat clear on several occasions, even adopting the carnivore diet for a period of time. But even though he does tuck into animal-based food, he does still possess qualities that we think even vegans can appreciate.
Hear us out. Taking to Instagram recently, Joe Rogan shared an image of some elk meat he cooked to perfection. No far, so not vegan. But, Joe said in the caption of his image that he “loves knowing exactly where the meat in my freezer came from.”
While we wouldn’t expect him to receive any words of encouragement for those who live a plant-based lifestyle, the fact Joe does still put effort into knowing where his meat and food comes from is a quality that should be admired.
Chef’s Pencil highlights the differences between organic and non-organic meat, stating that for meat to be classified as organic, it needs to ensure “animals are raised in living conditions accommodating their natural behaviours (such as the ability to graze on pasture), fed 100% organic feed and forage, and not administered antibiotics or hormones.”
To be organic also means the animal will live a more fruitful life, “On an organic farm, cows are fed at least 60% fresh grass and are reared outdoors. This is not only the right way to raise animals but also ensures a higher quality of meat,” Chef’s Pencil adds.
So, while yes, Joe is still eating an animal, he feels more comfortable knowing that animal was treated far better than those reared on large-scale farms (it’s also possible he hunted it, and it had a fully wild life).
It’s not the first time he’s indicated he’s particular about the food he puts in his body. A couple of years ago, Joe shared an image of some eggs sizzling in a pan, all of which were claimed to be free-range. But the colour of the yolk was darker on some than others, and it’s the darker yolks that indicate the egg is truly organic and truly free-range.
While that post did receive some comments from people in countries such as Scotland and New Zealand, claiming all their eggs always have orange yolks, it’s worth mentioning that egg producers also have far fewer people to supply in those smaller countries. In the US, where demand for eggs is going to far higher, farmers are going to want to house as many hens as they can, so the amount of actual “free-range” time they get won’t be the same.
While we’re still pretty sure vegans won’t suddenly become lifelong Joe Rogan fans after seeing this, Joe has also previously said he believes you can indeed be 100% healthy living a vegan lifestyle. He’s not against it per se, he’s just decided it isn’t for him.
He’s expressed on numerous occasions that he eats meat for its nutritional value. Along with the elk meat in the image he shared recently, Joe has also shared images of a home cooked meal using elk liver. As expected, the post received its fair share of criticism from the vegan contingent, but Joe defended his corner by saying, “Liver is a weird thing because it’s not something that most people enjoy, but it’s one of the most nutrient rich foods on the planet.”
Indeed, liver – and red meat in particular – is one of the most nutritious foods around and contain the essential nutrients we need, as humans, to survive and live healthy lifestyles. You can’t find the same nutrients in plant-based foods and so need to turn to supplements to increase your intake.
It was with this clashing of heads in mind that nutritionist Ryan Carter devised the nutrivore diet, which essentially sees you listening to your body and consuming a balanced mixture of animal-based and plant-based foods. We completely appreciate the ethical reasons behind going vegan, but when it comes at the sacrifice of essential nutrients, we’d argue it can still be wise to include some meat in your diet, just in moderation.
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