About the author
Dr. Justine Butler
Justine joined Viva! in 2005 after graduating from Bristol University with a PhD in molecular biology. After working as a campaigner, then researcher and writer, she is now Viva!’s head of research and her work focuses on animals, the environment and health. Justine’s scientific training helps her research and write both in-depth scientific reports, such as White Lies and the Meat Report, as well as easy-to-read factsheets and myth-busting articles for consumer magazines and updates on the latest research. Justine also recently wrote the Vegan for the Planet guide for Viva!’s Vegan Now campaign.
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People are confused – bad science and poor journalism don’t help our understanding of fat, lumping the good and the bad in the same basket. Many people fear all types of fat, worrying that it’s always bad for our health and that it causes unwanted weight gain. But not all fat is bad…
A story in the Metro this week says vegetarians “are more likely to be depressed and meat is good for mental health”. This is, of course, nonsense…
The Covid-19 coronavirus may be linked to a wet market, but the next pandemic could come from a factory farm near you.
Air quality in cities has improved as a result of the coronavirus lockdown, but it’s a temporary glimpse of how things could be rather than a cause to celebrate.
Finally, the right question is being asked. In the Guardian this week, an article describes how scientists are tracing the path of SARS CoV-2 from a wild animal host, but says we need to look at the part played in the outbreak by industrial food production.
We all know that we need calcium for healthy bones and teeth, but many still believe that we need cow’s milk and dairy products to get it. Do vegans fall short of this essential mineral?
No other plant food divides opinion like soya – some champion its health and nutritional benefits, others say it should be avoided at all costs. Why are there so many scare-stories surrounding this humble bean and is there any truth to them?
Veganic growing not only protects and helps regenerate the environment but offers a long-term solution to the problems associated with animal agriculture.
