What killed the vegan movement

Rich Roll

Jun 29, 2026

Episode description

By 2020, being vegan was cool. A few years later, it faltered. So what happened? I sit down with nutrition scientist Simon Hill to unpack the truth about plant-based meat, protein and supplements, and how eating plants got tangled up with masculinity and politics. READ MORE👉🏼http://bit.ly/richroll997

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CHAPTERS
00:00:00 Intro
00:01:25 The Shift in Culture and Nutrition Science
00:05:02 Three Primary Factors Contributing to the Situation
00:07:23 The Role of Transition Foods
00:10:05 The Need for Objectivity and Trust
00:13:39 Reflection on Past Communication
00:17:59 Sponsor Break
00:22:01 The Impact of Ethical Considerations on Health Advocacy
00:26:26 The Consequences of Oversimplifying Complex Health Topics
00:27:37 The Role of Scientists in Conveying Certainty and Uncertainty
00:29:49 The Need for Honest and Transparent Health Advice
00:32:01 The Oversimplification of Protein in Plant-Based Diets
00:38:53 AD BREAK
00:41:29 The Impact of Advocacy Styles on the Plant-Based Movement
00:45:39 The Importance of Effective Communication in Advocacy
00:47:07 The Role of Attraction in Promoting a Plant-Based Lifestyle
00:50:18 The Stakes of Conversations and Communication
00:53:03 Masculinity and Diet: A Misconception
00:54:13 Revisiting the Concept of Masculinity
00:55:54 What Defines a Man in the Modern World
00:58:30 The Importance of Emotional Capacity in Masculinity
01:00:02 The Trap of the Manosphere and Aggressive Masculinity
01:01:55 The True Essence of Security and Self-worth
01:03:17 The Attraction of Authenticity and Integrity
01:05:28 The Misconception of Masculinity and Meat
01:07:36 The Influence of the Meat Industry on Masculinity Perception
01:09:19 Masculinity and the Pursuit of Ethical Living
01:10:37 Living in Alignment with Personal Ethics
01:13:10 The Challenge of Absolute Advocacy in the Vegan Community
01:14:22 Concluding the Discussion and Practical Ways to Start a Plant-Based Diet
01:16:50 Additional Resources for Plant-Based Diet
01:18:28 Final Words and Farewell

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Thanks To The Team: Jason Camiolo, Dan Drake, Morgan McRae, Blake Curtis, Desmond Loh

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Hi I'm Rich Roll. I'm a vegan ultra-endurance athlete, author, podcaster, public speaker & wellness evangelist. But mainly I'm a dad of four. If you want to know more, visit my website or check out these two the NY Times articles:
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Mindsip insights from this episode:

Address health-washing in processed vegan foods

Presenting highly processed plant-based alternatives like Beyond Meat as health foods, when they are not, created a breach of trust with the public.

#processed-food

#vegan

Challenge oversimplified health information in the attention economy

The online attention economy incentivizes confident, absolute claims over nuanced scientific ones, which contributed to the spread of oversimplified health information.

#attention

#education

Prioritize ethical and sustainable reasons for a plant-exclusive diet

The ethical and sustainability arguments for a plant-exclusive diet are stronger than the health argument, as various dietary patterns like the Mediterranean diet can also produce great health outcomes.

#plant-based

#sustainability

Redefine masculinity through emotional capacity

True modern masculinity is less about external signals like eating meat and more about emotional capacity, such as the ability to listen and create safety for a partner.

#emotion

#relationships

Challenge meat-masculinity narrative to embrace true skepticism

It is paradoxical for 'red-pilled' individuals who question institutions to accept the meat-masculinity link, a narrative heavily promoted by the meat industry.

#skepticism

Respect individual dietary preferences for optimal health

A 100% plant-based diet may not work for absolutely everyone, and people shouldn't be shamed if they feel better on a plant-predominant diet instead.

#nutrition

#plant-based

Combat sarcopenia by addressing sedentary lifestyle

The primary driver of age-related muscle loss in America is a sedentary lifestyle, not a lack of dietary protein.

#muscle

#sarcopenia

Rebuild public trust by avoiding Trojan horse health messaging

Many advocates used health messaging as a 'Trojan horse' for an ethical message, which backfired by eroding public trust.

#risk

Use multivitamins and omega-3s to safeguard plant-based diet

For the average person switching to a plant-exclusive diet, taking a multivitamin and an Omega-3 supplement is a great insurance policy against nutrient shortfalls.

#plant-based

#supplement

Model aspirational lifestyle to attract curiosity

A more effective advocacy strategy is 'attraction rather than promotion,' where you model an aspirational lifestyle that makes people curious instead of lecturing them.