Episode 2591 - On today's show, Vinnie Tortorich welcomes authors Dr. Anita Tagore and Dave Ellis to discuss their new book  'Why Vegans Have Smaller Brains and How Cows Reverse Climate Change'. Their conversation explores several key topics: brain atrophy in vegans due to B12 deficiency, the dangers of vegan diets for children, the problems with current dietary guidelines, and the misconceptions about cattle's impact on climate change.  https://vinnietortorich.com/why-vegans-have-smaller-brains-episode-2591 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS YOU CAN WATCH ALL THE PODCAST EPISODES ON YOUTUBE -   Why Vegans Have Smaller Brains Vinnie introduces the book 'Why Vegans Have Smaller Brains and How Cows Reverse Climate Change.' The third co-author, Allie Morgan, couldn't attend due to illness. The discussion begins with references to Frank Mitloehner from UC Davis and his work and appearance in Beyond Impossible. Dr. Tagore presents research from Oxford University (2008) showing how B12 deficiency leads to brain shrinkage. She explains that while everyone's brain shrinks with age, those with the lowest B12 levels (correlating with meat-free diets) experience the greatest shrinkage. She also discusses cases of severe brain atrophy in babies exclusively breastfed by vegan mothers, noting that this condition is reversible if caught within six months through B12 supplementation. (00:04:57) The discussion turns to how current dietary guidelines promote excessive carbohydrate consumption. Vinnie criticizes the food pyramid, noting it recommends 21 servings of carbohydrates before any animal protein.  Additionally,  Dave Ellis explains how their book challenges these guidelines and proposes returning to an ancestral diet based on animal foods, meat, fat, and organ meats. (00:07:02) Climate Change and Cattle Farming As a geophysicist, Dave Ellis explains how livestock farming's impact on climate has been misunderstood. He details how well-managed livestock farming helps sequester soil carbon, while arable farming releases carbon through soil disturbance. (00:51:42) He notes that world soils hold approximately 2.5 trillion tons of carbon, making them the largest carbon store after oceans. The discussion challenges common misconceptions about cattle's contribution to climate change. You can find the book  'Why Vegans Have Smaller Brains and How Cows Reverse Climate Change' in Vinnie's BookClub .  You can get more info about the book at and at X (twitter)  https://x.com/vegansmallbrain and  Instagram More News Anna and Vinnie will be at Bold Fork Books in Washington, DC, on January 15, 2025.   Here is a link to the event: If you are interested in the NSNG® VIP group, it's OPEN for all your New Year's motivation and accountability at Don’t forget to check out Serena Scott Thomas on Days Of Our Lives on the Peacock channel.  “Dirty Keto” is finally available on Amazon! You can purchase or rent it . Make sure you watch, rate, and review it! Eat Happy Italian, Anna’s next cookbook is available!  You can go to You can order it from . Anna’s recipes are in her cookbooks, website, and Substack–they will spice up your day! There's a new NSNG® Foods promo code you can use! The promo code ONLY works on the NSNG® Foods website, NOT on Amazon. https://nsngfoods.com/   PURCHASE  DIRTY KETO (2024) The documentary launched in August 2024! Order it TODAY! This is Vinnie’s fourth documentary in just over five years. Visit my new Documentaries HQ to find my films everywhere: Then, please share my fact-based, health-focused documentary series with your friends and family. The more views, the better it ranks, so please watch it again with a new friend! REVIEWS: Please submit your REVIEW after you watch my films. Your positive REVIEW does matter! PURCHASE BEYOND IMPOSSIBLE (2022) Visit my new Documentaries HQ to find my films everywhere: REVIEWS: Please submit your REVIEW after you watch my films. Your positive REVIEW does matter! FAT: A DOCUMENTARY 2 (2021) Visit my new Documentaries HQ to find my films everywhere: FAT: A DOCUMENTARY (2019) Visit my new Documentaries HQ to find my films everywhere: