Meat: Weak Vegans Falling Off Scaffolding?

«Germany's Strongest Man» challenges minister: In the debate over cheap meat, Bavaria's Minister of Economic Affairs and hobby hunter Hubert Aiwanger (Freie Wähler) stated in a «BILD» interview that a construction worker would fall off the scaffolding on the third day if he only ate meat once a week.

In response, last week vegan professional strength athlete and former «Germany's Strongest Man» Patrik Baboumian addressed a letter to Hubert Aiwanger, conveyed via PETA. In it, he challenges the minister's prejudices against a vegan diet and challenges him to an arm-wrestling duel:

«I invite you to meet up for a soft drink and try to beat me at arm wrestling. But you would then have to promise me that you will draw consequences from the outcome of our duel and give a vegan trial period a go. You would be surprised by the positive effects a purely plant-based diet has on your fitness,» wrote strength athlete Baboumian in his letter to the Bavarian Minister of Economic Affairs.

Animal products contribute to diet-related diseases

The annual costs of diet-related illnesses amount to nearly 100 billion euros — estimated at around one third of all healthcare costs. Switching to organic-vegan farming could contribute to a healthier diet and significantly relieve the burden on the healthcare system. The high levels of cholesterol and saturated fatty acids found in animal products have an unfavourable effect on health and are a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and various forms of cancer. It is no coincidence that more and more competitive athletes are turning to a purely plant-based diet.

Added to this are unforeseeable risks from infectious diseases transmitted from animals to humans — so-called zoonoses: As early as 2004, the World Health Organization identified the growing demand for animal products as one of the main causes of the emergence of zoonoses.COVID-19, avian influenza H5N1, the SARS pandemic, MERS-CoV, Ebola, countless victims of multidrug-resistant pathogens, and even AIDS — they all share a common denominator: humanity's greed for meat, dairy, and eggs. More on the connections between animal farming and animal welfare issues on wildbeimwild.com.

Animal-based products are the number one climate killer

A plant-based lifestyle saves the lives of countless fellow creatures and also makes a decisive contribution to climate and environmental protection. Findings from the 2018 World Agriculture Report show that producing 100 grams of protein from beef generates 36 times more CO2 equivalents than producing 100 grams of pea protein. Dairy products also have significant negative impacts on the environment and climate — butter is even the most climate-harmful food of all. Compared to one litre of plant-based milk, producing one litre of cow's milk generates three times as many greenhouse gas emissions. These emissions are also caused indirectly, for example through deforestation for feed crop cultivation and through land-use changes, particularly for new grazing areas. An Oxford study published in April 2019 emphasises that a vegan lifestyle saves two tonnes of greenhouse gases per person per year.

Patrik Baboumian

Patrik Baboumian won the title of “Germany's Strongest Man” in 2011 and has set several world records. The strength athlete, who has lived a vegan lifestyle for several years, also appears in the documentary “Game Changers” on the subject of “veganism in elite sport,” alongside, among others, Arnold Schwarzenegger. The film demonstrates scientifically that a balanced vegan diet can not only keep pace with a non-vegan one, but is in fact superior in many respects.