Lean Meat

It's widely believed that lean meats (meats that aren't processed or fatty) are an important part of a healthy diet, and this often contributes to the idea that vegan diets are not nutritionally sufficient.

When discussing what foods are or aren't healthy, what has to be considered is, what would have been eaten instead? In the case of lean meats, if a person were to eat lean chicken instead of a fried chicken sandwich, then yes, the lean meat is healthy. However, if the person eats lean chicken instead of black beans and spinach, then it isn't so healthy.

In a healthy plant-based diet, lean meats are not necessary, nor are they even beneficial. All of the nutrients in lean meats can be found in various plants.

Including lean meats introduces cholesterol and higher levels of saturated fats and carcinogenics, making them poor sources of any nutrients.