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"You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one...."
(--John Lennon, "Imagine")

Documented information stated in “The Food Revolution” by John Robbins, © 2001, from selected sections entitled “What We Know”

(Keep in mind that the statistics below are over ten years old now. We know that certain of them, such as obesity rates, have gotten alarmingly worse since then.)

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Drop in heart disease risk for every 1 percent decrease in blood cholesterol: 3-4 percent.
Blood cholesterol levels of vegetarians compared to non-vegetarians: 14 percent lower.
Risk of death from heart disease for vegetarians compared to non-vegetarians: Half.
Blood cholesterol levels of vegans (vegetarians who eat no meat, eggs, or dairy products) compared to non-vegetarians: 35 percent lower.
(page 19)
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Intake of cholesterol for non-vegetarians: 300-500 milligrams/day.
Intake of cholesterol for lacto-ovo vegetarians: 150-300 milligrams/day.
Intake of cholesterol for vegans: Zero.
Average cholesterol level in the United States: 210
Average cholesterol level of U.S. vegetarians: 161
Average cholesterol level of U.S. vegans: 133
(page 20-21)
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Most common problem for which people go to doctors in the United States: High blood pressure.
Ideal blood pressure: 110/70 or less (without medication)
Average blood pressure of vegetarians: 112/69
Average blood pressure of non-vegetarians: 121/77.
Definition of high blood pressure: The top number (systolic) is consistently over 140, or the bottom number (diastolic) is consistently over 90, while the person is at rest.
Incidence of high blood pressure in meat eaters compared to vegetarians: Nearly triple.
Incidence of very high blood pressure in meat eaters compared to vegetarians: 13 times higher.
Patients with high blood pressure who achieve substantial improvement by switching to a vegetarian diet: 30-75 percent.
What patients are typically told when prescribed medications for high blood pressure: “You’ll probably need to take these for the rest of your life.”
Patients with high blood pressure who are able to completely discontinue use of medications after adopting a low-sodium, low-fat, high-fiber vegetarian diet: 58 percent.
Incidence of high blood pressure among senior citizens in United States: More than 50 percent.
Incidence of high blood pressure among senior citizens in countries eating traditional low-fat plant based diets: Virtually none.
(page 28-29)
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Death rate from breast cancer in the United States: 22.4 (per 100,000)
Death rate from breast cancer in Japan: 6.3 (per 100,000)
Death rate from breast cancer in China: 4.6 (per 100,000)
Primary reasons for difference: People in China and Japan eat more fruits and vegetables and less animal products, weigh less, drink less alcohol, and get more exercise than people in the United States.
Impact on breast cancer risk for women who are 45 pounds overweight: Double.
(page 44)
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Most common cancer among American men: Prostate cancer
Risk of prostate cancer for men who consume high amounts of dairy products: 70 percent increase.
Risk of prostate cancer for men who consume soy milk daily: 70 percent reduction.
Risk of prostate cancer for men with low blood levels of beta-carotene: 45 percent increase.
Best sources of beta-carotene: Carrots, sweet potatoes, yams.
Risk of prostate cancer for men whose diet is abundant with lycopene-rich foods: 45 percent reduction.
Best sources of lycopene: Tomatoes.
Amount of beta-carotene and lycopene in meats, dairy products, and eggs: None.
Risk of prostate cancer for men whose intake of cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage cauliflower, collards, kale, mustard greens, and turnips) is high: 41 percent reduction.
American men who are aware of a link between animal products and prostate cancer: 2 percent.
(page 48)
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Number of lives lost to colon cancer each year in the United States: 55,000.
Risk of colon cancer for women who eat red meat daily compared to those who eat it less than once a month: 250 percent greater.
Risk of colon cancer for people who eat red meat once a week compared to those who abstain: 38 percent greater.
Risk of colon cancer for people who eat poultry once a week compared to those who abstain: 55 percent greater.
Risk of colon cancer for people who eat poultry four times a week compared to those who abstain: 200-300 percent greater.
Risk of colon cancer for people who eat beans, peas, or lentils at least twice a week compared to people who avoid these foods: 50 percent lower.
Impact on risk of colon cancer when diets are rich in the B-vitamin folic acid: 75 percent lower.
Primary food sources of folic acid: Dark green leafy vegetables, beans, and peas.
Ratio of colon cancer for white South Africans compared to black South Africans: 17 to 1.
Explanation for this vast discrepancy (according to the American Journal of Gastroenterology): South African blacks are protected from colon cancer by the absence of animal fat and animal protein, and by the resulting difference in bacterial fermentation.
American who are aware that eating less meat reduces colon cancer risk: 2 percent.

“The beef industry has contributed to more deaths than all the wars of this century, all natural disasters, and all automobile accidents combined. If beef is your idea of ‘real food for real people,’ you’d better live real close to a real good hospital.” – Neal Barnard, M.D., President, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.
(page 49-50)
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Americans killed annually by diseases due to excess weight: 280,000.
Increased risk of heart disease for obese people: Double to triple.
Increased risk of gallstones for obese people: Double to triple.
Increased risk of colon cancer for obese people: Triple to quadruple.
Increased risk of diabetes for very obese people: 40 times greater.
Obesity rate among the general U.S. population: 18 percent.
Obesity rate among vegetarians: 6 percent.
Obesity rate among vegans: 2 percent.
Average weight of vegan adults compared to non-vegetarian adults: 10-20 pounds lighter.
U.S. children who are overweight or obese: 25 percent.
U.S. vegetarian children who are overweight or obese: 8 percent.
U.S. children who eat the recommended levels of fruits, vegetables, and grains: 1 percent.
U.S. vegan children who eat the recommended levels of fruits, vegetables, and grains: 50 percent.
Fat in a single foil-packaged restaurant serving of butter: 6 grams.
Fat in a Burger King Whopper: 40 grams.
Fat in a Double Whopper with cheese: 67 grams.
Fat in the average veggie burger found in U.S. supermarkets and natural food stores: 3 grams.
(page 58)
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Protein in human mother’s breast milk (as percentage of total calories): 5 percent.
Human minimum protein requirement (according to the World Health Organization): 5 percent of total calories.
Primary disease linked to inadequate protein consumption: Kwashiorkor.
Number of cases of kwashiorkor in the United States: Virtually none.
Primary diseases linked to excess protein consumption: Osteoporosis and kidney disease.
Number of cases of osteoporosis and kidney disease in the United States: Tens of millions.
(page 70-71)
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Percentage of nutrients lost when whole wheat flour is refined into white flour:
Protein: 25 percent
Fiber: 95 percent
Calcium: 56 percent
Iron: 84 percent
Phosphorus: 69 percent
Potassium: 74 percent
Zinc: 76 percent
Copper: 62 percent
Manganese: 82 percent
Selenium: 52 percent
Thiamin (B1): 73 percent
Riboflavin (B2): 81 percent
Niacin (B3): 80 percent
Pantothetic acid (B5): 56 percent
Vitamin B6: 87 percent
Folate: 59 percent
Vitamin E: 95 percent
Of the 25 nutrients that are removed when whole wheat flour is milled into white flour, number of nutrients that are chemically replaced (enriched): 5
Percentage of total dietary energy in most traditional diets, worldwide, historically accounted for by whole grains: 75-80 percent.
Percentage of total dietary energy in Standard American Diet accounted for by whole grains: 1 percent.
(page 82-83)
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What would a healthy plant-based diet look like:
* It would include lots of fresh vegetables and fruits.
* It would be low in refined and processed foods and sugar.
* It would not include hydrogenated fats and trans-fats (found in many margarines and white flour pastries).
* It would be low in both saturated animal fats and vegetable oils such as safflower, corn, sunflower, and cottonseed oils.
* It would include more water and less soda pop, more baked potatoes and less French fries, and more whole grains and fewer products made from refined flour. (The American Institute for Cancer Research says 40 studies have linked regular consumption of whole grains with a 10 to 60 percent lower risk of certain cancers.)
* When possible, it would feature locally and organically grown foods.
* It would not include msg, artificial preservatives, colors, or other chemical additives.
* For infants, it cannot be said too often, there is no product that can even begin to match the advantages of breast milk.
* For vegans, it’s important to include foods that are fortified with vitamin B-12, or supplementary sources of the vitamin. For vegan women who are pregnant or nursing, B-12 supplements are indispensable.
(page 90)
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Where most Americans get their information about foods: Advertising.
Amount spent annually by Kellogg’s to promote Frosted Flakes: $40 million.
Amount spent annually by the dairy industry on the “milk mustache” ads: $190 million.
Amount spent annually by McDonald’s advertising its products: $800 million.
Amount spent annually by the National Cancer Institute promoting fruits and vegetables: $1 million.
(page 94-95)
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Annual medical costs in the United States directly attributable to smoking: $65 billion.
Annual medical costs in the United States directly attributable to meat consumption: $60-$120 billion.
(page 95)
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Calcium absorption rates (according to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition):
Brussels sprouts 63.8 percent
Mustard greens 57.8 percent
Broccoli 52.6 percent
Turnip greens 51.6 percent
Kale 50 percent
Cow’s milk 32 percent
(page 101)
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Countries with the highest consumption of dairy products: Finland, Sweden, United States, England.
Countries with the highest rates of osteoporosis: Finland, Sweden, United States, England.
Daily calcium intake for African Americans: More than 1000 mg.
Daily calcium intake for black South Africans: 196 mg.
Hip fracture rate for African Americans compared to black South Africans: 9 times greater.
Calcium intake in rural China: One-half that of people in the United States.
Bone fracture rate in rural China: One-fifth that of people in the United States.
(page 104)
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Mass of breast tissue of eight-week old chicken today compared with 25 years ago: 7 times greater.
Broiler chickens that are so obese by the age of 6 weeks that they can no longer walk: 90 percent.
(page 196)
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Number of cows and calves slaughtered every 24 hours in the United States: 90,000.
Number of chickens slaughtered every minute in the United States: 14,000.
Food animals (not counting fish and other aquatic creatures) slaughtered per year in the United States: 10,000,000,000.
(page 214)
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Water required to produce 1 pound of U.S. beef, according to the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association: 441 gallons.
Water required to produce 1 pound of U.S. beef, according to Dr. Georg Borgstrom, Chairman of the Food Science and Human Nutrition Department of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Michigan State University: 2,500 gallons.
Water required to produce 1 pound of California beef, according to the Water Education Foundation: 2,464 gallons.
Water required to produce 1 pound of California foods, according to Soil and Water specialists, University of California Agricultural Extension, working with livestock farm advisors:
1 pound of lettuce: 23 gallons
1 pound of tomatoes: 23 gallons
1 pound of potatoes: 24 gallons
1 pound of wheat: 25 gallons
1 pound of carrots: 33 gallons
1 pound of apples: 49 gallons
1 pound of chicken: 815 gallons
1 pound of pork: 1,630 gallons
1 pound of beef: 5,214 gallons
(page 236)
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Amount of waste produced by North Carolina’s 7 million factory-raised hogs (stored in open cesspools) compared to the amount produced by the state’s 6.5 million people: 4 to 1.
Relative concentration of pathogens in hog waste compared to human sewage: 10 to 100 times greater.
(page 242)
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Calories of fossil fuel expended to produce 1 calorie of protein from soybeans: 2.
Calories of fossil fuel expended to produce 1 calorie of protein from corn or wheat: 3.
Calories of fossil fuel expended to produce 1 calorie of protein from beef: 54.
“American feed (for livestock) takes so much energy to grow that it might as well be a petroleum byproduct.” –Worldwatch Institute.

Amount of greenhouse-warming carbon gas released by driving a typical American car, in one day: 3 kilograms.
Amount released by clearing and burning enough Costa Rican rainforest to produce beef for one hamburger: 75 kilograms.

“Livestock account for 15 percent to 20 percent of (overall) global methane emissions.” –Worldwatch Institute.
“Methane is actually 24 times more potent a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.”
(page 266-267)
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Number of underfed and malnourished people in the world: 1.2 billion.
Number of overfed and malnourished people in the world: 1.2 billion.
Experiences shared by both the hungry and the overweight: High levels of sickness and disability, shortened life expectancies, lower levels of productivity.
Children in Bangladesh who are so underfed and underweight that their health is diminished: 56 percent.
Adults in the United States who are so overfed and overweight that their health is diminished: 55 percent.
(page 290)
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Cattle alive today on Earth: More than 1 billion.
Weight of the world’s cattle compared to weight of world’s people: Nearly double.
Area of Earth’s total land mass used as pasture for cattle and other livestock: One-half.
Grassland needed to support one cow under optimal conditions: 2.5 acres.
Grassland needed to support cow under far more common marginal conditions: 50 acres.
(page 291)
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U.S. corn eaten by people: 2 percent.
U.S. corn eaten by livestock: 77 percent.
U.S. farmland producing vegetables: 4 million acres.
U.S. farmland producing hay for livestock: 56 million acres.
U.S. grain and cereals fed to livestock: 70 percent.
Human beings who could be fed by the grain and soybeans eaten by U.S. livestock: 1,400,000,000.
World’s population living in the United States: 4 percent.
World’s beef eaten in the United States: 23 percent.
(page 292)
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Number of people whose food energy needs can be met by the food produced on 2.5 acres of land:
If the land is producing cabbage: 23 people
If the land is producing potatoes: 22 people
If the land is producing rice: 19 people
If the land is producing corn: 17 people
If the land is producing wheat: 15 people
If the land is producing chicken: 2 people
If the land is producing milk: 2 people
If the land is producing eggs: 1 person
If the land is producing beef: 1 person

Grain needed to adequately feed every one of the people on the entire planet who die of hunger and hunger-caused disease annually: 12 million tons.
Amount Americans would have to reduce their beef consumption to save 12 million tons of grain: 10 percent.
(page 294)
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