Sustainable Dish Podcast

I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Robb Wolf for over a decade and over the course of that time and through our work together on Sacred Cow, we’ve had so many conversations that we wish we would have recorded. 

During these Fireside Chats, you’ll hear us talk about recent studies we find interesting, current events, complex food issues that need deep exploration, and other related hot topics that have captured our attention.

Join us for today’s chat as we discuss:

- How we met

- The structure of the book Sacred Cow and how it hits the three main points of controversy in a meat inclusive diet

- The reality of beef consumption in America

- The problem with profitability in Impossible Burger

- How sometimes the best use of land is grazing

- Well For Culture’s Instagram post about the importance of bison to Indigenous people

- The reality of humans trying to improve upon nature

- The study from India that attributes positive pregnancy outcomes solely to eating a vegetarian diet

- Historical lessons to be learned from demonizing meat consumption

- How being a proud meat-eater affects Diana’s social life

- The Indian Express article about the first ‘Climate Change’ diagnosis

- How the cause of wildfires should not only be attributed to climate change and how mismanagement is, in part, to blame. Don’t worry - we are not climate change deniers!

Resources:

The Paleo Solution by Robb Wolf

The Dark Horse podcast

UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP 26)

Global Food Justice Alliance

Well For Culture

The Wizard and the Prophet by Charles Mann

Where the Deer and the Antelope Play: The Pastoral Observations of One Ignorant American Who Loves to Walk Outside by Nick Offerman

Dr. Sylvia Karpagam’s article on India’s politics and ideology around food 

Connect with Robb:

Website: The Healthy Rebellion

Instagram: @dasrobbwolf

LinkedIn: Robb Wolf

Facebook: RobbWolf.com

Twitter: @robbwolf

YouTube: Robb Wolf

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Episode Credits:

Thank you to all who’ve made this show possible. Our hosts are Diana Rodgers and James Connelly. Our producer is Meg Chatham, and our editor is Emily Soape. And of course, we are grateful for our sponsors, Patreon supporters, and listeners.

A big thanks to Nakano Knives for their support of my work and the podcast. I’ve been using their knives for a couple of years now and I love them. They are beautiful, easy to hold, and a fantastic value. And just in time for the holidays, you can use my offer code DIANA for 10% off plus get a $25 voucher toward your next purchase. Who doesn’t love a new knife, right? 

This episode is also sponsored by Paleovalley, my go-to, grab-and-go source for products that prioritize nutrient density in an industry that prioritizes everything else. Their epic lineup of products includes Organic Supergreens, 100% Grass-Fed Beef Sticks, Grass-Fed Organ Complex, 100% Grass-Fed Bone Broth Protein, and low-sugar snack bars. Visit their website here and enter the code SUSTAINABLEDISH for 15% off your first order.

As I have mentioned before, what we wear plays as much of a part in sustainability as what we eat.  Along with leather, wool is a natural fiber that can be used to create earth-friendly, fashionable pieces that are long-lasting.

On this episode of the podcast, I am joined by Edzard Van Der Wyck, co-founder of Sheep, Inc. Since 2017, Sheep, Inc has been making “contemporary knitwear that has a positive impact on the world.” This mission is completed through solar powered manufacturing, carbon-negative raw materials, and well-cared for sheep. 

Join our conversation to learn:

- How Edzard got started in the fashion industry and how Sheep Inc came to be

- The problems with fast fashion 

- The process of finding sustainable materials

- Cashmere versus Merino wool

- The self-cleaning nature of Merino wool

- How Sheep Inc is able to have a carbon negative impact through optimizing their supply chain

- All about the adopt-a-sheep program

- How comparing wool to slavery or the holocaust is inaccurate and unjust

- Why sheep need to be shorn once a year

- How the wool is treated affects the feel

- The unique marketing approach of Sheep Inc and gender neutral quality of the products

- How you eventually pay the price for things in one way or another

- All of Sheep Inc’s Impact Program where 5% of revenue goes to regenerative projects

- How Covid has encouraged people to make more meaningful purchases

Resources:

- Heist Studios

- Sustainable Dish Episode 14: Director Michael Matheson Miller of Poverty Inc.

- The Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design (CIID)

- ZQRX program

Connect with Edzard:

Website: Sheep Inc.

Instagram: @sheepinc

LinkedIn: Edzard van der Wyck

Twitter: @evdwyck

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Episode Credits:

Thank you to all who’ve made this show possible. Our hosts are Diana Rodgers, Lauren Manning, and James Connelly. Our producer is Meg Chatham, and our editor is Emily Soape. And of course, we are grateful for our sponsors, Patreon supporters, and listeners.

A big thanks to Nakano Knives for their support of my work and the podcast. I’ve been using their knives for a couple of years now and I love them. They are beautiful, easy to hold, and a fantastic value. And just in time for the holidays, you can use my offer code DIANA for 10% off plus get a $25 voucher toward your next purchase. Who doesn’t love a new knife, right?   

Creating a world that is not only sustainable but regenerative extends past our plates into what we wear. With the rise of fast fashion and unchecked consumerism, buying quality, real leather goods is one way to make your wardrobe more sustainable. 

You can read my article here about the problems in the textile industry and how many of the “ethical” or “better” options fall short.  One solution is long lasting quality goods made from leather. 

A few years ago the Savory Institute connected me with Janet Hamilton, owner of Farrier Leather, a company dedicated to making sustainable vegetable tanned leather goods. Janet makes beautiful, functional pieces from responsibly sourced materials and continues to strive for higher standards as availability improves.

Join my co host, Lauren Manning and Janet as they discuss the role of real leather in the sustainability movement and other topics:

-Why Janet started Farrier Leather and the barriers she faced finding well-sourced raw materials

-The benefits  of  traditional vegetable tanning methods over current methods using chromium salts

-Other brands that are concerned with leather sourcing

-The good and the bad about sustainable materials becoming more mainstream

-Correcting misconceptions about leather and highlighting the problems with vegan leather

-How to start making more sustainable choices - and it’s not throwing out all your clothes and starting over

-Sometimes the most sustainable choice is choosing not to buy 

-It’s about better choices, not perfect choices. Define your personal priorities

-It’s not used. It’s vintage!

-How Janet learned how to make leather goods

-Janet’s favorite leather items

Resources:

Leather Working Group  

Pennyroyal Designs

Savory Institute

Modal fabric

Poshmark

Thredup

Rent the Runway

Leatherworking group on Reddit

Leatherworker.net

Connect with [Guest]:

Website: Farrier Leather

Instagram: @farrier_leather

Facebook: Farrier Leather

Twitter: @Farrier_Leather

Pinterest: Farrier Leather 

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Episode Credits:

Thank you to all who’ve made this show possible. Our hosts are Diana Rodgers, Lauren Manning, and James Connolly. Our producer is Meg Chatham, and our editor is Emily Soape. And of course, we are grateful for our sponsors, Patreon supporters, and listeners.

Today’s episode is a little bit different. I wanted the opportunity to talk about current events, topics that need deep exploration, or catch-up with friends. So, I am starting Fireside Chats, intimate conversations with people in my inner circle, like my co-host James Connolly, and Robb Wolf, my co-author of Sacred Cow. 

This first chat was sparked by responses I received from my Instagram post a few days ago. You can read the original post here and my response here. James and I talk about our feelings surrounding the food landscape in which we find ourselves living and how the food industry, specifically ultra processed foods, is using activist language in order to sell products. 

These tactics create a right versus wrong situation absent of all nuance, which leads to fights over language and word use rather than allowing us to get to the heart of the issue. As a dietitian, it is my job to identify foods that are better sources of nutrients than other foods. Those of you that have been following my work for some time, know that I look at diet holistically considering many factors.

For folks new to Sustainable Dish, I would encourage you to read my post on foods that are more expensive and less nutritious than grass-fed beef. Or listen to previous podcast episodes featuring experts in the field of climate change, sustainable farming, and other issues that impact human health (like poverty).

James and I continue our conversation discussing:

-Michelle Obama and the Let’s Move campaign leading to the Everything in Moderation mantra

-Processed food’s predatory nature on communities

-The importance of diving deeper into the issue and determining how less nutritious foods came to be culturally appropriate foods

-How the potato became a part of Irish culture as a way to control the Irish

-How food groups are made up

-Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and its effect on people’s food choices

-How food access is only one factor when it comes to eating healthfully

-The Universal Basic Income experiment that led to positive health outcomes

-How stressors prevent you from making choices that lead to a better health future

-A study of pregnant women from India that associated vegetarianism with positive pregnancy outcomes without considering class, economic status, or healthcare access.

-What James is up to now

What Diana is up to now

-Resources:

The Four Agreements

Food Compass Study

Sacred Cow

Wired to Eat by Robb Wolf

Utopia for Realists by Rutger Bregman

Death in the Garden with Jake Marquez and Maren Morgen

White Oak Pastures

Sustainable Dish Episode 164: Will Harris of White Oak Pastures  

Center for Agricultural Resilience (CFAR)

Jason Rowntree at Michigan State University

Sustainable Dish Episode 167: Dr. Tony Hampton

Connect with James: 

Website: The Primate Kitchen

Instagram: @primatekitchen

Twitter: @jamescophoto

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Episode Credits:

Thank you to all who’ve made this show possible. Our hosts are Diana Rodgers, Lauren Manning, and James Connolly. Our producer is Meg Chatham, and our editor is Emily Soape. And of course, we are grateful for our sponsors, Patreon supporters, and listeners.

Tufts University recently released the updated Food Compass, a nutrient profiling system to help consumers and policymakers determine the healthfulness of certain foods. You can read the full study here, (a subscription to Nature is required) read the brief overview here, or see a detailed list of the food rankings here. 

Dr. Tony Hampton joins me in this episode to discuss some of the shocking and inaccurate results of the Food Compass. Spoiler alert: Cheerios scored a 94 out of 100 while beef only scored a 24.

Dr. Hampton is a board certified obesity specialist, Certified Physician Executive, researcher and author. His goal is to empower his patients with knowledge in order to improve their health conditions. 

Like me, Dr. Hampton is passionate about the necessity of meat in a healthy diet, and takes issue with how animal-based foods are often vilified in studies like the Food Compass.

Guides like this are troubling because they serve as reference points for school lunches, food policy, and government programs like SNAP.  They claim to be intended for healthy populations but the sad fact is that many Americans are not metabolically healthy. 

Along with the Food Compass report, Dr. Hampton and I discuss:

How Dr. Hampton started his journey in metabolic health with his wife’s diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes

The importance of bio individuality

The concept of TOFI - Thin on the Outside, Fat on the Inside

The importance of self-experimentation

Why learning how to breakdown research papers is important, especially for clinicians

The importance of a culturally appropriate diet

The origins of soul food

How small changes can make a big difference

Resources:

Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition and Policy

 Dr. Tony Hampton’s book: Fix Your Diet, Fix Your Diabetes

Nina Teicholz

Dr. Eric Westman

Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian

Levels Glucose Monitor

Dr Vyvyane Loh & her video on TOFI

Society of Metabolic Health Practitioners

Chris Masterjohn’s podcast on how to read a research paper 

Chicken George

Connect with [Guest]:

Website: Doctor Tony Hampton

Instagram: @drtonyhampton

LinkedIn: Tony Hampton, MD, MBA, CPE

Facebook: Tony Hampton, MD, MBA, CPE

Twitter: @drtonyhampton

YouTube: Dr Tony Hampton

Podcast: Protecting Your N.E.S.T

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Episode Credits:

Thank you to all who’ve made this show possible. Our hosts are Diana Rodgers, Lauren Manning, and James Connelly. Our producer is Meg Chatham, and our editor is Emily Soape. And of course, we are grateful for our sponsors, Patreon supporters, and listeners.

This episode is sponsored by Paleovalley, my go-to, grab-and-go source for products that prioritize nutrient density in an industry that prioritizes everything else. Their epic lineup of products includes Organic Supergreens, 100% Grass-Fed Beef Sticks, Grass-Fed Organ Complex, 100% Grass-Fed Bone Broth Protein, and low-sugar snack bars. Visit their website here and enter the code SUSTAINABLEDISH for 15% off your first order.

Take a look at the list of ingredients on the back of almost any ultra-processed packaged food and you are likely to find palm oil or its derivatives as an ingredient. Its presence is just as ubiquitous in cosmetics and personal care products. 

The consequences of the excessive use of palm oil are far-reaching and impact more than just our health. In this episode, my co-host James Connolly is talking with Jocelyn Zuckerman, author of Planet Palm:  How Palm Oil Ended Up in Everything - and Endangered the World.

Jocelyn and James dive deep into the history of the palm oil industry and how it came to be in everything, exploring the devastation of natural habitats, corporate corruption, and how many of these practices continue today.

Join them in this enlightening conversation as they discuss:

-Jocelyn’s connection to Nina Teicholz and her inspiration for the book

-The effect of land grabs in Africa in the aftermath of the 2008 economic crisis

-How Liberia was founded and the palm oil industry there

-The brief summary of Unilever’s violent past from Sunlight Soap to enslaving native populations 

-How the palm oil trade replaced the slave trade after it was outlawed in 1807

-How growing palm oil trees started as a way to alleviate poverty

-The processing oil palm and stats on palm oil usage

-Major brands that use a lot of palm oil

-The perspective of poachers

-The connection between what’s happening in the palm oil industry with other commodity industries

-Tragic stories of modern-day slavery in the agriculture industry

-The current practice of using prisoners as farmworkers and the effect it has on prison sentences 

While topics like this can seem overwhelming and discouraging, I encourage my listeners to see the links below for ways you can find out more and take action.

Resources:

Books & Articles:

The Big Fat Surprise: Why Butter, Meat, and Cheese Belong in a Healthy Diet by Nina Teicholz

Selections of Jocelyn’s articles in Gourmet Magazine here, here, & here

Selections of Jocelyn’s articles in On Earth Magazine here, here, & here

Lord Leverhulme's Ghosts: Colonial Exploitation in the Congo by Jules Marchal

The World for Sale by Javier Blas & Jack Farchy

Merchants of Grain by Dan Morgan

The Secret Life of Groceries: The Darkside of the American Supermarket by Benjamin Lorr

The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together by Heather McGee

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

The Warmth of Other Suns and Caste by Isabel Wilkerson

How Beautiful We Were by Imbolo Mbue

Black Boy and The Man Who Lived Underground by Richard Wright

Articles on prisoners used as farm labor here and here

Websites for Info & Action:

National Resources Defence Council

Chain Reaction Research

Mighty Earth

Rainforest Action Network

No White Saviors

Other Resources:

Natural Habitats Palm Oil

James’s podcast with Benjamin Lorr: Sustainable Dish Episode 127

Behind the Bastards Podcast

Connect with [Guest]:

Website: Jocelyn Zuckerman

Instagram: @jocelynzuck

LinkedIn: Jocelyn Zuckerman

Twitter: @jocelynzuck

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Episode Credits:

Thank you to all who’ve made this show possible. Our hosts are Diana Rodgers, Lauren Manning, and James Connelly. Our producer is Meg Chatham, and our editor is Emily Soape. And of course, we are grateful for our sponsors, Patreon supporters, and listeners.

In a world where we are increasingly removed from our food, hunting is a way for us to connect with what we are eating. Meet Danielle Prewett, founder of Wild + Whole, Wild Foods contributing editor for MeatEater, and proud hunter. In 2014 Danielle and her husband pledged to only cook meat that they hunt and fish themselves, allowing her the privilege of having a deeper connection with her food. 

In my conversation with Danielle we discuss:

-Danielle’s story of how she got into wild game and her first experience with eating mindfully

-The way she eats and the privilege of hunting that may not be accessible to everyone

-The inaccurate stereotypes of hunters

-The responsibility of killing an animal is on you

-How hunters are conservationists

-The overpopulation of deer and how hunting is a solution

-Danielle’s best hunting experience

-How to get started hunting

-The misconception of a natural death 

Resources:

The Meateater &  Steve Rinella

Deer in Molokai

Deutsch-Drahthaar

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Sacred Cow 

Nature is Metal (@natureismetal)

The Flavor Bible

Backcountry Hunters and Anglers

The Pittman Robertson Act

Connect with [Guest]:

Website: Wild + Whole

Instagram: @danielleprewett or @wildandwhole

LinkedIn: Danielle Prewett

Facebook: @wildandwhole

Twitter: @Danielleprewett

YouTube: MeatEater

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Episode Credits:

Thank you to all who’ve made this show possible. Our hosts are Diana Rodgers, Lauren Manning, and James Connelly. Our producer is Meg Chatham, and our editor is Emily Soape. And of course, we are grateful for our sponsors, Patreon supporters, and listeners.

This episode is sponsored by FOND Bone Broth, one of my favorite “better broth” companies. Their broths and elixirs are not only well-sourced, but they are delicious. Visit their website here and enter the code SUSTAINABLEDISH for 20% off your first order.

It's also sponsored by Paleovalley, my go-to, grab-and-go source for products that prioritize nutrient density in an industry that prioritizes everything else. Their epic lineup of products includes Organic Supergreens, 100% Grass-Fed Beef Sticks, Grass-Fed Organ Complex, 100% Grass-Fed Bone Broth Protein, and low-sugar snack bars. Visit their website here and enter the code SUSTAINABLEDISH for 15% off your first order.

In this episode, I welcome back to the show, Will Harris, fourth-generation farmer, and owner of White Oak Pastures. You can listen to our first episode here. 

In 1995, Will made the bold decision to stop using industrialized farming methods at White Oak Pastures and instead return his operation to the traditional farming techniques used by his forefathers.

Today, White Oak Pastures operates as a living ecosystem that is holistically managed and proudly zero-waste - all while employing 155+ people and helping to revitalize the small town of Bluffton, GA.  

Listen in as Will and I discuss the big plans for our upcoming event October 21-24.  We also chat about: 

The office at White Oak Pastures and the interesting construction of his driveway

How Spider Lilies indicate the changing of the seasons

-The size and scope of White Oak Pastures

-What is raised at White Oak Pastures

-The unique lodging at White Oak Pastures

-How the end of small and medium-sized farms have changed rural America

-How Will’s family is involved in their family-owned farm

-Center for Agricultural Resilience (CFAR)

Resources:

Savory Hubs

Gabe Brown

Jason Rowntree

Ranching for Profit

Regenerative Farming and Nutrition workshop October 21-24

Sacred Cow

Jules Horn - Website & Podcast with Jules 

Samantha Garwin 

Connect with Will:

Website: White Oak Pastures

Instagram: @whiteoakpastures

LinkedIn: Will Harris

Facebook: @whiteoakpastures

Twitter: @whiteoakpasture

YouTube: White Oak Pastures Farms

Episode Credits:

Thank you to all who’ve made this show possible. Our hosts are Diana Rodgers, Lauren Manning, and James Connelly. Our producer is Meg Chatham, and our editor is Emily Soape. And of course, we are grateful for our sponsors, Patreon supporters, and listeners.

This episode is sponsored by FOND Bone Broth, one of my favorite “better broth” companies. Their broths and elixirs are not only well-sourced, but they are delicious. Visit their website here and enter the code SUSTAINABLEDISH for 20% off your first order.

Meet Jules Horn, a German fashion model, wellness, health, fitness & breath coach, and former vegan. Jules is an encouraging soul, driven to serve and help others discover their best selves.

In my conversation with Jules we discuss:

• His journey into modeling
• How he became vegan
• Why he transitioned away from veganism
• Tools he used to find the best way to eat, move, and breathe for his optimal health and wellbeing
• His self-discovery during lockdown
• His wellness, fitness, and breath coaching passion
• Rediscovering ourselves through journaling
• His upcoming breathwork sessions at the White Oak Pastures’ Regenerative Farming, Nutrition and Wellness, and Butchering Workshop with Diana, Jules, Will Harris, and Sam Garwin - Join Us!
• And More!

Resources:

• My Gene Food
• Work with Jules at Oxygen Advantage Breath Coaching
• Work with Jules at Primal Health Coach
• Oura Ring
• Ede Fox aka Black Carnivore
• White Oak Pastures Event
• Will Harris of White Oak Pastures

Connect with Jules:

Website: Oxygen Advantage

Website: Primal Health Coach

Instagram: @jules_horn

Facebook: @juleshorn1190

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Episode Credits:

Thank you to all who’ve made this show possible. Our hosts are Diana Rodgers, Lauren Manning, and James Connelly. Our producer is Meg Chatham, and our editor is Emily Soape. And of course, we are grateful for our sponsors, Patreon supporters, and listeners.

This episode is sponsored by FOND Bone Broth, one of my favorite “better broth” companies. Their broths and elixirs are not only well-sourced, but they are delicious. Visit their website here and enter the code SUSTAINABLEDISH for 20% off your first order.

In this episode, I chat with Tara Youngblood, founder of Chilisleep, an innovative company with “science-based sleep products to inspire people to sleep better”.

Tara, as a self-described “Sleep Geek,” used her background in science to unlock the connection between temperature and sleep to solve her sleep problems. 

Tune in to this episode to discover:

• The phases of sleep and the importance of deep sleep
• How lack of sleep is like being drunk and what it looks like to your brain
• The link between sleep and athletic performance and learning
• How famous creatives use sleep in their work
• The impact of sleep on diet and exercise
• How to plan for good sleep
• Common sleep issues
• How wine and cannabis affect sleep quality
• The effects of Ambien on sleep
• How temperature affects sleep
• Sleep hacks from Tara and Diana

The ChiliPad has changed my life - literally. My sleep, and in turn, my health, has dramatically improved since using the Ooler sleep system.

I strongly encourage you to join Tara's 5-Day Back to Sleep Challenge. In less than ONE week, you could feel blissfully rested, even on those mornings where you don’t have time for a full night of slumber. Join the FREE 5-Day Back to Sleep Challenge today.

And if you decide to try one of their products for yourself, use Chilipad20 for 20% off a full chiliPAD sleep system, OOLER15 for 15% off a full OOLER sleep system, or chiliBLANKET10 for 10% off a full chiliBLANKET sleep system!

Websites: Chilisleep and The Sleep Geek

Social Media:

Instagram (@the_sleep_geek) 

LinkedIn

Facebook (The Sleep Geek) 

Twitter (@the_sleep_geek)

Thank you to all who’ve made this show possible. Our hosts are Diana Rodgers, Lauren Manning, and James Connelly. Our producer is Meg Chatham, and our editor is Emily Soape. And of course, we are grateful for our sponsors, Patreon supporters, and listeners.

This episode is sponsored by FOND Bone Broth, one of my favorite “better broth” companies. Their broths and elixirs are not only well-sourced, but they are delicious. Visit their website here and enter the code SUSTAINABLEDISH for 20% off your first order.