Summary of What Happened To The Vegan Movement? Rich & Simon Hill On The Rise & Fall Of Plant-Based Eating

Overview of What Happened To The Vegan Movement? Rich & Simon Hill On The Rise & Fall Of Plant-Based Eating

Rich Roll and nutrition scientist Simon Hill unpack why the vegan/plant-based movement lost momentum after peaking culturally around 2020. Their core argument is that the science supporting whole-food, plant-predominant diets has not gone away—but the movement suffered from a mix of overhyped product marketing, overly absolutist health claims, poor communication, cultural backlash, and a shift toward more aggressive carnivore/anti-“woke” narratives. The episode ultimately makes the case for a more honest, nuanced, and sustainable way of advocating for plant-forward eating.

Why the Movement Lost Steam

1) Overhyped plant-based meat and dairy alternatives

• Companies like Beyond Meat, Impossible Foods, and Oatly rode a wave of hype, but many products failed to deliver on:
  • Taste
  • Price
  • Health expectations
• As grocery budgets tightened and inflation rose, products that were 2–3x more expensive than animal-based options became harder to justify.
• The category also got caught in the broader backlash against ultra-processed foods.

2) The health message was often overstated

• A major point of agreement: many people were sold plant-based foods as if they were inherently “healthy,” when many were actually highly processed.
• That created a trust problem.
• The hosts argue that people felt misled when the public health message blurred together:
  • ethical veganism
  • environmentalism
  • and actual nutrition science

3) Culture shifted hard in the opposite direction

• Post-2020, there was a strong backlash against “wokeness,” and veganism got lumped into that broader cultural bucket.
• Online and in media spaces, “plant-based” became associated with being soft, overly moralistic, or politically aligned.
• At the same time, carnivore, high-meat, and masculinity-coded diets gained traction.

What They Think Went Wrong in Messaging

Absolutism backfired

• A recurring theme is that the movement relied too heavily on claims like:
  • “protein isn’t a concern”
  • “you don’t need to worry about B12”
  • “all animal foods are poison”
• Rich and Simon argue that these kinds of blanket statements may energize a movement in the short term, but they damage credibility over time.

“Vegan” became a purity test

• They criticize the tendency toward:
  • shaming
  • moral superiority
  • “vegan on vegan crime”
  • rigid all-or-nothing thinking
• Their view: this alienates people who might otherwise be open to eating more plants.

Good intentions don’t excuse bad communication

• The hosts acknowledge that many advocates were motivated by animal welfare or environmental concerns.
• But they argue that using health claims as a “Trojan horse” for ethical messaging eroded public trust.
• Their preferred model is honesty with nuance, not simplifying away complexity.

The Science Still Supports Plant-Predominant Eating

The evidence hasn’t shifted

• Both hosts emphasize that the underlying nutrition science remains strong:
  • Plant-predominant diets are associated with better long-term health outcomes.
  • The best diets tend to be high in fiber and minimally processed.
• But they stress that many dietary patterns can be healthy:
  • Mediterranean
  • DASH
  • MIND
  • vegetarian
  • vegan
  • pescatarian

The real issue is food quality

• The healthiest version of plant-based eating is not burger patties and dairy-free cookies.
• It’s foods closer to their natural state:
  • beans
  • lentils
  • tofu
  • tempeh
  • chickpeas
  • whole grains
  • vegetables
  • fruits
  • nuts and seeds

Protein, Supplements, and Practical Nutrition

Protein needs more honesty

• They reject the idea that protein “just takes care of itself” for everyone.
• For some people, especially active people who eat enough total calories, it may be fine.
• But for others, a plant-based diet can underdeliver on protein if they don’t deliberately replace animal foods well.

Key nutrients to watch

• They specifically mention:
  • B12
  • omega-3s
  • iodine
  • zinc
  • potentially others depending on the person’s diet

Practical supplement advice

• Simon recommends that many people starting out consider:
  • a multivitamin
  • a DHA/EPA supplement
• For active people, he suggests aiming roughly for:
  • 1.2 g protein/kg body weight as a baseline
  • 1.6 g/kg if very physically active

Veganism, Masculinity, and the “Soy Boy” Narrative

Meat became a symbol, not just food

• The episode spends significant time on how meat got tied to masculinity, strength, and leadership.
• The hosts argue this is a cultural construct, not a nutritional truth.
• They note the irony that “red-pilled” thinkers claim to resist propaganda, while often repeating meat-industry messaging.

Real strength is behavioral, not dietary

• Their definition of masculinity focuses on:
  • integrity
  • emotional capacity
  • protectiveness
  • discipline
  • willingness to do hard things
• They argue that being a man isn’t about eating steak; it’s about living according to values and being able to show up for others.

A Better Way to Advocate

“Attraction rather than promotion”

• One of the strongest practical ideas in the conversation is to model the lifestyle instead of preaching it.
• Rather than scolding people or demanding purity:
  • make the diet appealing
  • be a positive example
  • respect people’s autonomy
  • meet people where they are

Focus on addition, not elimination

• A more effective entry point, they suggest, is to encourage people to add more plants rather than immediately demand full veganism.
• That can mean:
  • meatless Mondays
  • swapping in legumes
  • reducing ultra-processed foods
  • moving toward a plant-predominant pattern gradually

Main Takeaways

• The science for whole-food, plant-forward eating remains strong.
• The movement lost credibility because it often oversold processed vegan products and made absolute claims it couldn’t fully support.
• Cultural backlash and the rise of carnivore/macho messaging intensified the decline.
• The most persuasive message is not “be perfect vegan,” but:
  • eat more real food
  • mostly plants
  • not too much
  • and be honest about tradeoffs
• The episode argues for nuance, humility, and trust as the foundation for any sustainable nutrition movement.

Practical Starting Point

If someone wants to eat more plant-based without overcomplicating it, the hosts’ advice is essentially:

• Base meals around:
  • beans
  • lentils
  • tofu
  • tempeh
  • chickpeas
  • whole grains
  • fruits and vegetables
• Don’t ignore:
  • protein
  • B12
  • omega-3s
• Consider:
  • a multivitamin
  • DHA/EPA supplementation
• Aim for a pattern that is:
  • healthy
  • sustainable
  • aligned with your values
  • realistic for your life

Closing Perspective

The episode is less a eulogy for veganism than a reset. Rich and Simon’s position is that plant-based eating doesn’t need hype, moralizing, or absolutism to be worthwhile. It needs honesty, practical guidance, and a broader tent—because the goal isn’t winning arguments, but helping more people eat better for their health, the planet, and animals.