The Great Plant-Based Con

Why Eating a Plants-Only Diet Won't Improve Your Health or Save the Planet

By: Jayne Buxton

Narrated by: Laurel Lefkow

Plant-based is best for health, go vegan to help save the planet, eat less meat.... Almost every day we are bombarded with the seemingly incontrovertible message that we must reduce our consumption of meat and dairy—or eliminate them from our diets altogether.

But what if the pervasive message that the plant-based diet will improve our health and save the planet is misleading—or even false? What if removing animal foods from our diet is a serious threat to human health, and a red herring in the fight against climate change.

In The Great Plant-Based Con, Jayne Buxton demonstrates that each of these 'what-ifs' is, in fact, a reality. Drawing on the work of numerous health experts and researchers, she uncovers how the separate efforts of a constellation of individuals, companies and organisations are leading us down a dietary road that will have severe repercussions for our health and wellbeing, and for the future of the planet.

The Great Plant-Based Con is neither anti-plant nor anti-vegan—it is a call for us to take an honest look at the facts about human diets and their effect on the environment. Shocking and eye-opening, this book outlines everything you need to know to make more informed decisions about the food you choose to eat.

2023, Guild of Food Writers Award - Investigative Food Work, Winner

©2021 Jayne Buxton (P)2021 Hachette Audio UK

Critic reviews

The most incredible book (Delia Smith)

How I have waited for this book! A much needed, fact-packed, lucidly argued demolition of pervasive, endlessly recycled, anti-animal source food propaganda, and a very welcome, closely argued, well-reasoned defence of our traditional omnivore diet (Joanna Blythman)

THE GREAT PLANT-BASED CON is persuasive, entertaining and well researched ... the book will help to alleviate the guilt many of us feel about our diets (Louise Eccles)

[A] forensic examination of the evidence ... Buxton is brilliant at reminding us of some basic statistical truths, ones that are usually forgotten these days ... It's refreshing to read a book which recognises that life is complicated (Mark Mason)

A calm, incisive dissection of veganism's salvationist claim to protect human health and the planet (John Lewis-Stempel)

THE GREAT PLANT-BASED CON is absolutely exceptional. When you've read works of Gary Taubes and Nina Teicholz, you'll need to add this to your essential reading list. I was ignorant of so much that is so elegantly explained (Professor Tim Noakes)

With incredible skill, Jayne Buxton captures the edifice of intellectual and cultural fraud behind today's mythology of the safety plant-based eating. Everyone needs this important and timely book (Sally K. Norton MPH, nutritional scientist and author of TOXIC SUPERFOODS)

Jayne Buxton's compelling read THE PLANT-BASED CON challenges the 'plant-biased' narrative sweeping across the globe and embedding itself into the very fabric of our society. Jayne takes a deep dive into the vested interests and religious ideology shaping the plant-based con, leaving no stone unturned ... I highly recommend this book! (Belinda Fettke, https://isupportgary.com)

should be required reading in all schools

fantastic compilation of stories and data showing why the solution to so many of our planet's current issues (climate change, soil destruction, water pollution and more) can all be solved with strategic management of livestock, and why plant based diets actually make all of those problems worse.

A must read!

If I had 3 wishes one would be that every American would read/listen to this book. Great information.

Great information.

The reading becomes robotic at times. But I feel I'm better off for having the information presented in this book. I thank the author, the performer, and everyone else behind the scenes who brought it to me. Bravo!

The unified case against the plant narrative

This book is the first to my knowledge to cover all the major criticisms against the misleading but popular “good for your health and the planet” - plant based narrative. Thorough and powerful, Buxtons book builds well on established critiques and also brings some fresh findings to this broad and challenging debate. The biggest achievement is however to weave all the threads of the debate into a very readable and coherent story. Well done, I will certainly recommend this book to others!

Mispronounced Words!!

As great as the content is, I had to turn it off and I don't know if I'll finish it. Perhaps I'll purchase the hard copy and read it myself because I truly believe the content is extremely valuable.
I don't understand why the author doesn't listen to the audio and approve it first. The narrator mispronounced so many words it was almost confusing at times. I listen to a lot of health education books on audible and this is a problem that I've noticed in several other audios. If you can't pronounce the words correctly, you shouldn't be narrating the book!!

very informative

Very informative ànd well researched book. if you truly care about your health then this book is highly recommended!

True deep dive

This book is well layed out you can't go wrong if you want truth. With no propaganda or emotional manipulation

Details...

Facts not fluff.
Had to speed it up a little which was no biggie.
Loved that the author refers you to other books along the way. Do your own research. Nice!

Well researched, lots of information

The author has done a good job of providing a summary of the basis of low-carb eating and regenerative agriculture. If these are new subjects to you, you'll likely get a lot out of it. I skipped much of the part about plant-based diets and their promotion as that's not really of interest to me. The overall message was about whole, nutrient-dense foods with ethically cared-for animals raised in sustainable ways. I think everyone should get behind that for their good health and for really caring for the soil, animals, and planet

Wish everyone knew this info

Great book. Really comprehensive. Plan to share widely as this info needs to be known.