If you caught the Oprah show today, you may have been surprised to see that Oprah and her staff- some 378 men and women- participated in Oprah’s Vegan Challenge. For 1 week, they left behind their usual fare of dairy, eggs, butter, meat, fish, and all other animal products and even the HARPO cafeteria started serving some vegan options. I thought I was dreaming when I saw the preview for this show because I did not expect this, but I was so proud of Oprah and her staff for bringing attention to this topic. I took some notes to share with you because I know many of you were not able to watch the episode.
Journalist and food expert Michael Pollan, vegan author Kathy Freston, and journalist Lisa Ling were invited onto the show to talk about veganism and being conscious of where our food comes from. Oprah was clear in stating that everyone needs to make the choice for themselves and the show was neither pro-vegetarian nor pro-vegan, but pro-education, much like her show with Pollan several months ago.
Oprah claims that many of us are ‘disconnected’ from the animals, meat industry, and the food we eat each day. As reported by the USDA, 10 billion animals are killed in the US each year for consumption. With such a staggering number, it is important to question how our food gets to our plates.
Michael Pollan thought the Vegan Challenge was fun because it makes people conscious of what they eat. I had to agree with this because when I became a vegan, for the first time in my life, I started reading the ingredients that were in my food. I was shocked to find out that I didn’t know what half of the ingredients were and I still find myself looking up mystery ingredients on a weekly basis.
Oprah’s staff member, Jill, emptied out every item in her fridge that had an animal product in it. By the time Jill went through her fridge, it was virtually empty. She was shocked how much food contains animal products.
Pollan admits to eating meat 1-2 times per week, but states that he doesn’t eat industrial or feed-lot meat and he supports small-scale, local farmers that do not feed the animals grain (i.e. corn or corn by products). Michael’s goal is to REFORM the meat industry, not eliminate it. While I would love to see a meat-free society some day, I do realize that Michael’s approach is probably the most realistic.
As a rare look inside a meat farm, Lisa Ling travelled to Cargill Meat Solutions– one of the largest meat companies in the US. This part of the episode was the most emotional for me to watch. They described the process that each cow goes through from the feed lot to the slaughtering to the processing. Each cow at Cargill spends 200 days at the feed lot where they are fed corn and corn by products. This is to fatten up the cattle where they gain about 3 pounds per day. Each day, 4,500 cattle are sent to the slaughterhouse where they will be guided through maze-like pathways for 2 hours to calm down prior to slaughter. I could almost feel the chill in the air as I watched this somber part of the clip.
It was extremely hard for me to watch the animals looking into the camera, just moments before death. Kathy Freston described how I was feeling when she said, ‘watching the animals in the slaughterhouse didn’t sit right with my soul.’ I could not have described my own emotions any better. It is one thing to read something from a book, but to actually see it happening is very real.
Not surprisingly, the episode did not show the 4 inch bolt that is shot through every cow’s head during slaughter. They did, however, show the pain on Lisa Ling’s face as she watched the slaughtering. The carcasses then go through the process of skin removal, sawing, and chopping/grinding the parts. This part was very graphic, but I was happy that they did show this behind the scenes look because I think it is important to connect ourselves to what we eat. The most shocking thing about this slaughterhouse was that it was supposed to be one of the ‘better ones’ and that many, unfortunately are much, much worse than was portrayed.
The show ended with vegan author, Kathy Freston who served as the vegan guide for Oprah and her staff members during the vegan challenge. Kathy took staff member Jill to Whole Foods to show her examples of vegan foods she could cook for her family. I expected Kathy to show her beans, legumes, lentils, vegetables, fruits, nuts, or seeds, but sadly, Kathy showed her a plethora of packaged fake meats, fake mayonnaise, fake cheese, and fake ice cream sandwiches. I strongly believe that a vegan diet does not need to rely on processed, imitation products, so I was disappointed to see this focus. When I first went vegan, I tried all the fake meat products because that is what I thought I was supposed to eat, but my real satisfaction with veganism only came when I experimented with non-processed foods like grains, beans, lentils, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. That is when it all clicked for me and I knew that I could do it long term.
Oprah and her staff member’s reactions to The Vegan Challenge were very interesting to watch. One of Oprah’s staff members, Joe, said he felt so amazing that he was going to convert to a vegan diet. Oprah, said it was definitely ‘doable’ to eat a vegan diet, but she would be ‘veganish’ from now on, meaning that she will think more about the food she eats and try to eat more animal-free foods. Her partner, Stedman, wants to continue the vegan challenge because he enjoyed it so much. Other staff members admitted that they wouldn’t be converting any time soon, but they did admit that it made them think about what they eat each day. Out of 379 participants, they lost a total of 444 pounds and gained a total of 84 pounds. Some participants said they gained weight because they relied on ‘vegan junk food’ too much. I thought it was great that they showed both sides of the story because it is just as easy to eat unhealthy on a vegan diet as it is a non-vegan diet! I don’t like the portrayal that veganism is some kind of weight-loss diet though.
To end the show, Oprah and staff members at HARPO announced that they will be holding a Meatless Monday each week in honour of this challenge. I think this is a great idea and it shows that no matter what kind of diet you do chose eat, you can always make changes, big or small, to impact the system.
If you are interested, there are a bunch of video clips from today’s show on the Oprah website.
Did you see Oprah’s Vegan Challenge show? What did you think? Do you ever go meat/animal-product free or participate in Meatless Monday?
Fantastic review. I agree with you on everything, and I am so glad Oprah brought these issues to a more public domain. People need to be educated on what they are putting into their bodies.
I appreciate that Oprah featured the vegan challenge on her show, and I think that taking a pro-education standpoint is beneficial to opening the hearts and minds of people who otherwise might not know about where our food is sourced and how animals are mistreated. Being vegan has opened my realm of consciousness regarding food. I am so much more aware of how to have fun with food and experiment with the abundant variety of tastes, colors, and textures of healthy foods. Awakening our souls, hearts, minds, and bodies to the realities of animal suffering, environmental and health concerns will undoubtedly expand the global acceptance and promotion of the vegan lifestyle. Cheers to Oprah!
Just because you are not vegan, does not mean you are not conscious about where your food comes from.
Where does nutritional yeast, kamut, couscous, etc come from. What is the cost to the environment to ship it?
I’m going to host a Vegan For A Week challenge next week!
Why didn’t they show whole foods that are actually good for you, like beans, fruits, veggies?!?! I guess they were trying to show that if you go vegan, you can still eat the junk and not change your lifestyle too much. :/
Right now I’m vegetarian, but I’ve been both vegan and a meat eater in the past 5 years. I go back and forth, depending on how my body feels and what I need. I think it’s great that Oprah is doing this — a LOT of people listen to her and value her opinion. If others do the challenge with her, hopefully they’ll make changes in their diet that are healthier than the ones they maintain. I believe that diets with meat can definitely be healthy — but the “typical” American diet isn’t so healthy…if it just brings a bit of consciousness into what one is consuming, it’s an improvement.
I stopped eating red meat this year as a baby step in doing my part. This only affirms my decision and empowers me to stay true.
I caught this episode and it was really fascinating.
I am not a vegan or a vegetarian. I eat meat. However, I try to buy locally and organically, and I try to avoid processed foods. If I want a cookie, I will make my own rather than buying a package of chips ahoy. I have many friends who are vegan/vegetarian and I respect their lifestyles. When I was living with a vegetarian, I barely ate meat. I also rarely eat red meat. I happen to love veggies and fruits and beans, so oftentimes I will go several days without meat and not even miss or realize it. I think it is good to be conscious of what we are putting into our bodies and where it comes from, and this episode could open people’s eyes.
I respect everyone’s choices when it comes to food. For me, however, I will never be a vegan or a vegetarian because of my eating disorder. I am in recovery, and I know that cutting out any food group completely would be dangerous for me. I know in my heart that I would use veganism as a way to restrict my intake. It would be a fantastic excuse. This is not to say that I cannot try to decrease my meat intake or be cognizant of where I purchase these items. However, I do not want to set “rules” for myself in which I am NEVER allowed to eat meat. It may work for some, for ethical reasons or otherwise, but it simply would not work for me.
I love your blog, though, and I really respect everything you do. In fact, I have made several of your vegan recipes and they are scrumptious! Keep it up. I also really respect the way you treat your body after eating disorder recovery. You are an inspiration and a source of hope for me.
That sounds interesting! I myself am not a vegan or vegetarian since my body specifically requires more protein (and other nutrients that are typically paired with protein) than a typical vegan or vegetarian diet can provide, and with my direct family history of breast cancer, I try to limit my intake of soy products.
Though after watching Food Inc. about a year ago, my eating and grocery shopping habits have definitely changed. I now get the majority of my meat from a local rancher who never feeds his cattle grain or gives them any hormones. He always treats them with utmost respect “from conception to consumption,” as he puts it. If I get animal protein from a grocery store, I make sure it’s pastured/free range/grass-fed/wild and sometimes organic.
I’ve also limited my overall consumption of meat. It’s not abnormal for me to go several days in a week without eating meat. On days that I do eat meat, I typically only eat it during one meal. For my non-meat protein sources, I typically turn to a combination of nuts, seeds, beans, grains, eggs, dairy, and the very rare organic non-GMO “intentional” soy product (ie. tofu, tempeh, edamame, soy milk, etc. Nothing packaged to imitate a meat product). It’s actually taken quite a while to get through the meat supply I have in the freezer! I’ve only prepared one meat dish this week, and it was a pot of bean soup with a (locally raised) ham hock in it.
I respect those who choose a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle. I know for me it’s not practical or appropriate for my own lifestyle and my body’s needs, but I do believe that people need to be aware of what they’re eating, the impact their grocery choices are making on the economy, their health, and the environment, and also be open and respectful to other schools of thought. I believe we can all learn from each other.
I used to be a vegan but realized I choose a vegan diet for unhealthy reasons (excuse to restrict, etc). I rarely eat meat now but I remember when I was vegan I had explain to a lot of people what I could and couldn’t eat. And I wasn’t offended or bothered. FYI Veganism is very new and different than the typical Western diet. Meat has (and probably will always be) the main “aspect” of a meal. I definitely believe that people should be educated on a variety of diets and how animals are slaughtered, etc. I also believe that people should be able to choose the dietary lifestyle that he/she believes benefits their health and lifestyle. I certainly do not want someone dictating what I can and can not eat therefore I refuse to do the same to other people.
But I’m glad that Oprah hosted a show about veganism as an opportunity to expose more people to a vegan diet. Though I do agree with other commentators that I wished she hadn’t focused on all the processed food. I rarely ever (or still do) eat tofu, tempeh, etc. Give me lentils and beans :)
Actually, that Oprah episode is one of the things that catapulted me into Veganism again.
I was able to catch the show yesterday, my mom had informed me that it would be an Oprah that I couldn’t afford to miss! I have been a dedicated vegetarian for eight years, dabbiling into a “Veganish” lifestyle often (cheese and me have a hard time breaking up…). Needless to say I was absoloutly impressed with the Vegan efforts of Oprah’s staff and furthermore impressed with Cargill Meat Soloutions. I often say to people that challenge my views, that if you can go home and watch “Death on a Factory Farm” and still be OK with eating meat, then thats your call. Like Kathy said yesterday, something about viewing those beautiul cows being reduced from cow to carcass simply does not sit right with my soul. However I thought that yesterdays show was an important conversation that needs to be had more often amongst society. Clearly we are all not going to wake up enlightened one day and embark on a plant based diet, i dream of this, but it is simply not reality. But what we can do is encourage people to be mindful of where there food is coming from, the process in which these animals endure, cruel killing or humane killing, its all murder. I feel an appreciation towards cargill meats that they allowed cameras willingly inside their factory, I do agree that they have a better tactic than most, as they do not allow the cows to know when they are being killed. However i still felt very uncomfortable about seeing the cows closly jammed together, and eating pure corn (this is horrible for their stomachs, but definitly makes them fat). Meat is literally dead animal on a plate, there is no getting way from that, and some will continue on for years, lifetimes being OK with that, I think it is important to remember that animal protein is not the only protein source or for that matter the most digestable. With sites like OSG, t.v segments like we saw yesterday, we have the ability to be aware and create awareness and we should. Everyone like oprah said is encouraged to make their own choice for their own body, food is integral to the circle of life, as we continue as a world to grow & change, we need to think about where our food comes from, and most importantly how it makes our bodies (life vessels) feel. Thanks Angela for posting about this show, It interested me alot evidently, I appreciate your efforts on this website everyday, I view it every morning without a doubt and it acts as a constant reminder to me to remain passionate about food and to dilligently continue an animal free lifestyle.
I watched it yesterday with my mom. We had a snow day off of work so watched it together. We are going to incorporate Meatless Monday into our weeks!
I agree with Katie as well, it was so obvious toward the end of the show that they had to “defend” Cargill, probably because they would have a lawsuit on their hands if they didn’t.
There is ALOT of money in meat and there is so much more than meets the eye with these companies. The way they portrayed the slaughterhouse was completely inaccurate, acting as if they are just an innocent everyday food packaging company, just “doing their job,” providing a service to the American people. And yes meat packaging plants provide employment, but there is no way things are going to change if sacrifices aren’t made.
Meat packaging companies are just another piece of an unnecessary puzzle. The point is, is that we don’t NEED this much meat and people don’t NEED to eat meat everyday it’s simply not sustainable, case in point.
As well with the processed vegan food, that should be mostly for people who are transitioning and find veganism daunting, yes it can be scary, but hopefully people don’t think veganism only consists of tofurky and daiya….
This is a good point. “there is no way things are going to change if sacrifices aren’t made.” I think it highlights the need for a change first to be made within ourselves.
As far as the employment part is concerned, i’m under the impression that organic farming provides a lot more work… And FAR better job satisfaction!
Growing up I was a vegetarian off and on (off because as a young child my parents cared more about me getting animal proteins than my ethical beliefs that eating animals is not right). When I was finally old enough to make my own decisions about food, I became a vegetarian and now after several years I am converting to veganism. My skin is glowing and my body just feels so much…I don’t know how to articulate it, but maybe fresher? I just feel like I am in harmony with nature and to me that is beautiful.
I will watch it tonight. I go meat free most of the time. and if I do eat meat it is humanly raised.
I stoped buying factory farm product over a year now after reading Eating aniamls by Jonathan Safron Foer.
I watched it and teared up on the elliptical at the gym. I am vegan and believe so strongly in this gentle way of life. The slaughterhouse broke my heart, but once and a while I need to force myself to see the reality of the industry.
I was frustrated by Michael Pollan saying, towards the end of the show, that it’s ok to eat meat. HE thinks it’s ok to eat meat. I don’t think so, you don’t think so, Kathy doesn’t think so. I hate that he tries to justify it for all Americans. All you can speak for if youself. How can he not see that? Quite frankly, after reading some articles in the NY Times and such about him, I think he’s a pompous ass and his opinion means nothing to me.
I, too, loved that Kathy made the comment at the end about her soul and it not sitting well. I had been waiting for her say something profound about veganism. And though she leaned towards mock-meats, I think she was trying to gently move this family away from beef sausage and toward Tofurky sausage. The average American needs those meat analogues to make changes in their diet. They don’t go from meat pasta sauce to lentil pasta sauce in one fell swoop. You started with analogues, as did I, and I still enjoy them in moderation. It’s no wonder she went there. Baby steps!
I will miss Oprah because she goes there. Because of her influence. I hope her show yesterday impacted a lot of people.
It makes me happy that Oprah tackled the topic, although I do get tired of the heavy reliance on processed foods.
This is a tricky topic for me. I would love nothing more than to be a vegan. Really. I toy with the idea several times a year. But my body won’t let me. Even being a vegetarian for me wasn’t doable. I need the iron and B vitamins to keep me healthy and strong and I can’t seem to get it from other sources. I also can’t really eat soy. I do tend to eat vegan a few times a week and vegetarian most of the rest of the time. However, a couple/few times per month I have to eat meat. I base it on what my body is telling me…if I crave a steak, I *know* I’m really low on something (I don’t naturally crave red meat). My compromise on this is to only buy free-range, organic meat (locally raised). But it still bothers me…I don’t know. I do the best I can, but it’s frustrating sometimes.
Oh and by the way, I love you blog. I’ve followed you from the beginning. :) Keep up the good work!
I actually watched Food, Inc. Monday night, so the Oprah show was a great follow-up! I am a pretty strict vegetarian who eats a mostly vegan diet – I really only eat cheese occasionally, and try to avoid other dairy products for the most part. I teared up watching Food, Inc., but I flat out cried watching them slaughter the cows. It was so hard for me to watch, just solidifying my choice to eat a meat-free diet.
I’ve never really liked the fake meat products and really only eat them for convenience, which is very rarely. The thing that bothered me the most was their emphasis on either being vegan or vegan-ish, which I took as still eating meat but not eating it as much. What happened to vegetarianism? It seemed very black and white to me, and I wish they would’ve focused on the gray area of not eating animal flesh. Vegan-ish to me means vegetarian, but that’s not how they were using the term. I guess it bothered me since I am a vegetarian, but I think it is something they should’ve mentioned. You don’t have to be vegan, but you can avoid eating animal flesh.
It’s an interesting subject that has so many different sides to it… I am not a vegan, but I’m also not a huge fan of meat or even a lot of cheese and dairy… I do like yogurt though. I try to read the ingredients on my food, and the more natural our food is the better.
I’ve tried 4 of your vegan recipes, changing them a little because of my lack of some of the ingredients. They have all been delicious and I love the feeling of eating something that is so delicious but yet so healthy for you… :) Thanks Angela.
Emily