Episodes

63
Aug. 17, 2026

What I didn't know as an ethical vegetarian

In this episode we talk about ethical vegetarians, and information that may be a blind spot. This includes an overview of dairy and egg production and the ethical concerns involved in those processes. We also briefly discuss protein timing in our bite sized coaching segment. New News https://www.greenqueen.com.hk/myoglobin-heme-protein-plant-molecular-farming-tobacco-lettuce-meat-study/ https://vegancuts.com/collections/specialty-vegan-boxes-a-la-carte/products/vegancuts-protein-600-box Refer...
62
Aug. 10, 2026

REPLAY: Is Veganism Privileged?

This week is a replay of one of our most popular episodes. Is veganism actually a privilege? We dig into the five most common versions of that argument (cost, access, time, culture, and nutrition) and check each one against the data. Spoiler: the cheapest thousand calories you can buy in almost every country on Earth are plant-based. Chapters 00:00 Replay Introduction 01:09 Cost of Vegan Eating 04:17 Whole Foods Save Money 08:05 Budget Vegan Strategies 15:23 Food Access Barriers 19:59 Surviving...
61
Aug. 3, 2026

REPLAY: Going Vegan 101

This week is a replay of one of our favorite episodes about going vegan! We cover lots of cooking and food tips and tricks since that is usually the part that people have the most practical trouble with. We also discuss a few other elements about going vegan. Chapters 00:00 Podcast Intro 00:27 Methane News 06:00 Mushroom Farm Switch 11:49 Melon Leather Upcycling 13:56 Vegan Basics 17:29 Cheese Alternatives 24:37 Condiments and Sauces 26:30 Meat Substitutes 30:03 Egg Replacements 32:17 Vegan Din...
60
July 27, 2026

The water footprint of animal agriculture

In this episode: Withdrawal vs. consumption, and what green, blue, and grey water footprint actually mean98% of livestock's water footprint is growing feedWhere AI and data centers really sit, and the two things that beat bothNew News UK prisons must now treat vegan beliefs as protected under the Equality Act, with a guaranteed vegan main-menu option and The Vegan Society consulted on the rules The Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein and Imperial College London launched a future food acceler...
59
July 20, 2026

The Pig's Side of the Story

Pigs can solve mirror puzzles, hold grudges, and comfort a friend who's having a bad day. So why do we call them dumb? Last week we covered what factory farming does to the water and the air. This week we cover what it does to the pig. In this episode: • Where "dirty, dumb, eats anything" came from and why every one of those is something we did to them, not something they are • Seven of eight pigs found food they could only see in a mirror, in an average of 23 seconds • A pig can live 1...
58
July 13, 2026

The Prettiest Toxic Waste in America

Why are pig factory farm waste lagoons bright pink and why should you care even if you're not vegan? We get into how America stores millions of gallons of untreated pig waste in open-air lagoons, and the fallout for neighbors, rivers, and the workers nearby. In this episode: • Why the lagoons turn bright pink and why the waste is not treated like human sewage • The toll on nearby communities: asthma, odor plumes, contaminated wells, and "blue baby syndrome" • A 25-million-gallon spill that...
57
July 6, 2026

Why Honey Isn't Vegan

Episode 57 revisits why honey is not vegan and replays a previous discussion. We also discuss some new news and have a bite-sized coaching segment about working out with minimal equipment. New News 75% of British shoppers think farmed chickens aren't caged Beyond Mycelium steak store launch Plant-based milk vs dairy milk growth Good Food Institute report Chapters 0:06 Podcast News and Honey Teaser 0:40 UK Farmed Chicken Misconceptions 2:51 Beyond Meat Steak Debut 4:26 Plant Milks Gain Ground 18...
56
June 29, 2026

Finding a Vegan Community

The episode covers the difficulties and benefits of finding a vegan community. Whether it's online or in-person, a community is helpful to answer questions, provide guidance, and help you feel supported. New News ProVeg reportTofu salesLeaps by Bayer studyReferences from Episode Faunalytics 2014 study of current and former vegetarians and vegansFaunalytics 2023 study on bringing back former vegetarians and vegansFaunalytics 2015 Qualitativate FindingsChapters 0:02 Opening News and Community 3...
55
June 22, 2026

How Not to Die at the Gym

This week we are talking about something that is often unappreciated, which is gym and lifting safety. We also discuss why honey isn't vegan. New News Netherlands reduces their national meat recommendations by 40% Morningstar Farms voluntarily recalled two products due to possible plastic pieces in the food The U.S. cattle herd is at a 75-year low Chapters 0:02 Podcast Intro and News 4:22 Gym Safety Basics 8:01 Pain or Progress 14:31 Fixing Form Mistakes 21:38 Warm Up Smart 25:10 Solo Lifting R...
54
June 15, 2026

Are Vegans to Blame for Monocropping?

This week we talk about mono-cropping, and why the Internet thinks that all the negative consequences of it are because of vegans. We also dive into cold plunging and have a new bite sized coaching segment. Referenced in Episode New News: Sweet potato milk / Rootsii & App State announcement PCRM carnivore/masculinity poll University of Exeter meat study Sources: Land Use Global Land for Agriculture Cold plunges and muscle growth Chapters 0:08 New News and Nonsense 4:09 Carnivore Masculinity M...
53
June 8, 2026

Vegan vs Plant-Based

The episode distinguishes veganism as an ethical philosophy from plant-based as a diet, and notes overlap between vegan and LGBTQ+ communities. Chapters 0:06 Plant-Based Versus Vegan 1:08 Foie Gras Ban Update 2:17 Protein From Air 4:09 Beer Waste Protein 9:19 Main Topic Begins 15:22 Two Movements, Different Roots 20:41 Why Labels Get Mixed 25:13 Veganism Gets Lost 34:12 Animals Disappear from View 41:17 Plant-Based vs Vegan 1:04:20 Pride and Vegan Community 1:15:06 Mean Tweets and Announcements...
52
June 1, 2026

Keeping the Memories, Changing the Menu

We talk about how many of our traditions and memories growing up are tied to food, and how that usually means animal products specifically. Then, we offer up some ideas for how to keep the same traditions and bonding opportunities with vegan swaps. We also cover our myth of the week this week, which is that vegans can't get enough Omega-3 fats. Chapters 0:02 Podcast Intro and News 3:56 Oatly’s Pee Fertilizer Project 9:47 Veganizing Sports Traditions 25:17 Hunting, Hiking, and Nature 37:06 Plan...
51
May 25, 2026

Is Vegan Food Highly Processed?

The episode discusses whether vegan food is “processed junk,” and addresses the myth that carbs at night cause weight gain. Chapters 0:02 Podcast Kickoff and News 3:39 Processed Food Myth 6:03 Veganism Through the Years 12:36 Vegan Foods Go Mainstream 18:52 Ancient Plant-Based Staples 24:39 Seitan to Tempeh 27:36 TVP and Burger History 34:25 Vegan Cheese Evolution 39:06 Why Vegans Seem Processed 42:36 Why Vegan Foods Seem Processed 55:44 Making Milk at Home 59:40 What Counts as Processed? 1:02:...
50
May 18, 2026

Veganism and Masculinity

Save a cow, ride a soy boy. We get into the weird history of gendered food marketing, what 40+ studies say about soy and testosterone, and why vegan men keep having to justify their existence. Plus New News and a Myth of the Week on complete proteins. References: Real Men Don't Eat (Vegetable) Quiche: Masculinity and the Justification of Meat Consumption Chapters 0:08 Veganism and Masculinity 0:44 In the News 5:56 Masculinity Marketing Origins 15:22 Soy Myths Debunked 20:47 Vegan Athletes Shine...
49
May 11, 2026

Why Your Peanut Butter Isn't Really High Protein

This week we break down protein density. We walk through why "protein per 100 grams" falls apart for anything with water or fat in it (looking at you peanut butter). Our Myth of the Week tackles the "I only eat humanely farmed meat" claim, including the data on how widespread factory farming actually is, what labels like free-range, cage-free, and grass-fed do (and don't) mean Chapters 0:02 Welcome to the Podcast 0:37 Billie Eilish Controversy 5:48 Celebrity Reactions 10:25 Beyond Meat's Stru...
48
May 4, 2026

Is Veganism Privileged?

Is veganism actually a privilege? We dig into the five most common versions of that argument (cost, access, time, culture, and nutrition) and check each one against the data. Spoiler: the cheapest thousand calories you can buy in almost every country on Earth are plant-based. Plus our myth of the week: do microwaves kill nutrients? Chapters 0:05 Welcome to Deficient Vegans 0:31 Billie Eilish's Hot Take 4:00 Is Veganism Privileged? 10:08 Cost of a Vegan Diet 18:43 Access to Vegan Food 30:44 Time...
47
April 27, 2026

Sneak More Steps Into Your Day (When You're Stuck at a Desk)

This week we break down why even regular gym sessions don't fully cancel out a sedentary workday, and share the practical tricks we've actually tried (and which ones stuck) to add 3,000-5,000 steps without restructuring your life. We also discuss our myth of the week which is that animal-based leather is more environmentally friendly than vegan leather. Meta-analysis discussed in the episode Chapters 0:06 Welcome to the Podcast 0:40 New News 2:20 Walmart's Legal Trouble 4:59 Ann Esselstyn's R...
46
April 20, 2026

Should you eat before your workout?

This week we talk about pre-workout carbs, and when they make sense to prioritize. Our myth of the week covers soy-free vegan options. Chapters 0:02 Welcome to the Deficient Vegans Podcast 0:16 Forks Over Knives Closure 2:17 Animal Rights Activism 4:47 Plant vs. Animal Protein 7:05 Pre-Workout Nutrition 21:10 Carbs During Workouts 24:28 Myth of the Week: Soy Allergy How to Get In Touch ⭐️ Deficient Vegans Discord ⭐️ Deficient Vegans Website Instagram YouTube Muscle Deficient Vegan - Fitness &...
45
April 13, 2026

Improve Your Sleep Environment

This week, we talk about how to improve your sleep quality by adjusting and controlling the environment that you sleep in. Some of the topics that we touch on are light, noise, temperature, and air quality. Chronic lack of sleep is associated with a long list of negative outcomes, so these tips can help keep you on the right track. Chapters 0:02 Welcome to Deficient Vegans Podcast 1:44 Swiss Court Ruling on Plant-Based Milk 4:09 Impossible Foods Lawsuit 6:39 Importance of Sleep 10:00 Napping a...
44
March 30, 2026

Which Supplements Might Be Useful?

This week we go over some of the supplements that we like and discuss which ones might be useful, and some others that probably aren't worth thinking about. We also cover plant anti-nutrients in our myth of the week. Chapters 0:07 Introduction to Supplements 0:22 Chomp Chocolate Update 1:50 New Vegan Cheese Alert 4:21 Solar Foods Protein Shake 5:05 Supplements Overview 7:42 Protein Powder Insights 9:36 Exploring Creatine 11:54 Understanding Citrulline 17:00 The Power of Ashwagandha 19:36 The Tr...
43
March 23, 2026

Stop Eating Back Your Workout Calories (Here's Why)

This week we talk about why you shouldn't "eat back" your calories from workouts or other exercise activities. We also tackle our myth of the week which is about serving sizes on U.S. nutrition labels. Chapters 0:02 Welcome to the Deficient Vegans Podcast 0:23 New News 2:44 Vegan Restaurant Closures 7:04 Support Your Favorites 9:48 Fitness Tracker Misleading 34:15 Myth of the Week 44:59 Closing Remarks How to Get In Touch ⭐️ Deficient Vegans Discord ⭐️Deficient Vegans WebsiteInstagramYouTubeM...
42
March 16, 2026

Identify and Overcome Limitations While Lifting

This week we talk about the limitations that can come up during your exercise program, and how best to deal with them. We also discuss our myth this week that building muscle is the best way to burn fat. Chapters 0:07 The Answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything 0:44 Overcoming Weightlifting Obstacles 1:05 New News in Veganism 4:12 Innovations in Vegan Cheese 6:36 Addressing Weightlifting Limitations 16:04 Exploring Grip Issues 24:56 Equipment Limitations in Workouts 28:18 Pain and Discomf...
41
March 9, 2026

Picking Your Protein Target

This week we talk about how you should decide what to use for a protein target, or if you should have a protein target at all, based on your personal goals, interests, and other lifestyle factors. Chapters 0:02 Welcome to the Podcast 0:16 Exciting News in Veganism 1:18 Vegan Egg White Powder Update 4:50 Protein Goals Explained 18:45 Tracking Your Protein Intake 34:32 Myth of the Week: Veganism and Politics 39:06 Updates from Protein Deficient Vegan Land How to Get In Touch ⭐️ Deficient Vegans ...
40
March 2, 2026

The Nutrition Label Decoded

This week we dive into understanding nutrition labels, as well as how to better estimate protein in restaurant meals and recipes without macros listed. Our myth of the week covers restrictive diets for weight loss. Chapters 0:04 Introduction to Nutrition Labels 0:21 New News in Vegan Products 3:01 Unique Animal Welfare Legislation 5:24 Understanding Nutrition Labels 36:57 Debunking Diet Myths 45:17 Giveaway Excitement and Updates How to Get In Touch ⭐️ Deficient Vegans Discord ⭐️ Deficient Ve...