Fans of the JRE (Joe Rogan Experience) podcast are no strangers to Joe Rogan’s advocacy of the ‘carnivore diet’. According to the Harvard Health website, the diet involves only consuming animal products like meat, poultry eggs with the complete exclusion of all vegetables, grains, fruits, etc. It is also sometimes called the ‘zero carb’ diet for the same reasons. Rogan, an avid fitness enthusiast has proclaimed in past episodes of the podcast that, “The interesting thing about the carnivore diet is you can’t overeat.”

During his conversation with author Max Lugavere, who writes about diet and brain health, the podcast host was provided a startling insight into the decline in red meat consumption in the American diet and its impact on public health. Their conversation brought to light the complexities of dietary choices and the misconceptions that surround them!

Joe Rogan’s guest sheds light on concerning trends in American diets  

In his appearance on the JRE episode no. 2170, Max Lugavere emphasized the nutritional benefits of red meat by stating, “And red meat is you know, again and again, it comes up on these lists on, you know in the data as one of the most nutrient-dense foods. I mean, it’s the most, it provides the most bio-available source of iron, heme iron, right. I mean, Iron deficiency, anemia, is still a major global health problem last I checked and red meat is the ultimate iron supplement.”

The author and advocate for nutritional science also noted that red meat is a readily available source of essential nutrients like bio-available iron, zinc, creatine, carnosine, and carnitine. He pointed out that iron deficiency anemia remains a significant global health problem, and red meat offers an excellent source of highly bio-available iron.

Lugavere also claimed that steak is low in saturated fats and questioned why there are health concerns raised about steak as he believes there aren’t any in his opinion. Rogan then chimed in by adding, “And yet, there’s people that will tell you, you need to less, which is just like so strange…”

According to reports available online, the meat market in the USA in 2024 is worth $131.60 billion and is expected to grow by 4.22% annually in the coming years. However, Lugavere then brought up the fact that, “Well our beef consumption actually over the past few decades has declined, our chicken consumption has gone but we are eating less red meat and look at our health is trending worse and worse and worse, where today, your average American is largely on a plant-based diet.”

He attributed this decline to the rise in ultra-processed plant-based foods rather than whole foods. Lugavere stressed that the average American diet is now heavily reliant on these ultra-processed options, far from the nutrient-rich whole foods promoting good health. This conversation between Joe Rogan and Max Lugavere illustrated the paradoxical trend of people eating less red meat yet facing worse health outcomes. Later in the conversation, Rogan also confessed that it’s hard for him to talk to people about his carnivore diet as he also gets warned about its health problems!

Rogan reveals frustration with people who “demonize steak”  

Joe Rogan’s impressive health and physique in his late 50s isn’t an easy feat to achieve, however,  the podcast host has also found himself getting frustrated by advocates of a meat-free diet. During his conversation with Max Lugavere, Rogan shared that, “When I tell people that I’m eating mostly meat, they’re like, ‘What about your cholesterol?’ It’s like trying to walk them down the rabbit hole of good cholesterol, bad cholesterol…”

He also shared that he finds inconsistencies in the arguments of meatless diet advocates by claiming that the same people will, “…readily consume this processed bullsh*t on a daily basis, but then demonize steak” as many studies have shown that consuming processed foods is especially harmful in the long run. Rogan’s frustration highlights a broader debate about diet and health. 

While plant-based diets have been praised for their benefits, Rogan argues that the demonization of meat is misguided and believes that the focus should be on the quality of food rather than eliminating entire food groups. What are your thoughts on the debate between a meatless diet and its alternative as revealed by Joe Rogan? Let us know in the comments below!