Link: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/feb/19/beef-lamb-legumes-eu-subsidies-study

Beef and lamb receive 580 times more in EU subsidies than legumes, a report has found, despite scientists urging people to get more of their protein from less harmful sources.

Analysis by the charity Foodrise found the EU’s common agricultural policy (CAP) provides “unfair” levels of support to meat-heavy diets that doctors consider unhealthy and climate scientists consider environmentally destructive.

It found beef and lamb were subsidised 580 times more than legumes in 2020, while pork was subsidised nearly 240 times more. Dairy, meanwhile, received 554 times more in subsidies than nuts and seeds.

Cause beef and lamb are delicious. Seems clear. Need tastier legumes.

See, this is what all the carnist arguments come down to. Shamelessly willing to sacrifice animal lives, the climate, and by extension the future of your own species on this planet for your tastebuds, and don't anyone dare criticize you on it otherwise they're the problem.

"The hippies preaching veganism are classist because vegan food is expensive!"

I have no issue subsidizing food. It shouldn't be a race to the bottom. Different food has different costs and that's ok.

Sure sounds like a lot when you say 580 times more, but if the legumes had close to 0.01% subsidiaries 5% is already 500 times more.

Ehh...

Let's talk iron. Iron absorption rate for humans is up to 1% for legumes and up to 30% for read meat.

To meet recommended daily iron intake you'd have to either eat ~2kg of beans or ~200-300g of red meat (or ~75g of liver).

Iron deficiency rate in Europe is 5-10% (in older studies 4%-30%). Its similar in the USA. Worldwide is 25%.

The article sounds like it was paid for by iron supplement companies.

Lol I'm gonna bet all of this is wrong

Treatbrained

pretty much. they’re like toddlers. immediate satisfaction, the planet and the animals be damned

Sounds like this was written by the meat lobby.

Oh yes, because we all know more people suffer from iron deficiency than uric acid excess, obesity increased risk of cancer and other well known illments that come from excessive meat consumption.

It literally says in the article that people eat too much meat which is unhealthy.

Like literally wanna bet me? How much? How will you pay when you lose?

uric acid excess

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11243194/#%3A~%3Atext=Sucrose%2C+the+chemical+component+of%2CNutrition+Examination+Survey+(KNHANES).

Latest studies say sugar is the root of that evil. And there's plenty of veggies that cause it, and of course seafood.

obesity

Sugar and UPF (which may or may not contain meat)

increased risk of cancer

It's magnitudes less likely than iron deficiency. And some studies attribute increased risk of cancer to UPF (which may or may not contain meat) rather than meat protein. Except one study that I know of that found esophagus cancer be correlated to non heme iron consumption significantly above the recommend dosage.

literally says in the article that people eat too much meat which is unhealthy.

Agreed.

580% well spent

Yeah, alright, I'm gonna bet 1 jpg. I'll just DM you the jpg should I lose.

I'll take it.

Iron absorption in legumes is ~1%, example study:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6741854/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2405457717304941

From meat it's ~30%

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8305097/

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12252460/ (interestingly this study reports higher legumes iron absorption rate)

Iron in beans per 100g is 2mg-4mg

Source: https://www.swbh.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Iron-in-your-diet-ML3395.pdf

At 1% absorption rate you need 1kg to absorb 2mg-4mg. You need 2kg to be in 4mg-8mg iron absorbed range.

Adults recommended iron intake is 8mg-18mg

Source:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/iron/

Iron in red meat per 100g is 2-5mg

Source:
https://www.webmd.com/diet/foods-high-in-iron

At 30% absorption rate its ~300g of meat to achieve 8mg.

QED.

(Oh, and btw - most iron in the meat is non-heme, which means from plant origin. Veggies have a lot of iron, humans just don't absorb it very well without intermediary usage of an animal)

Maybe humans are delicious too. Especially the young ones

Could be. If they are too tasty they get subsidized.

I haven't forgotten about this, but couldn't get around to it yet. I'll assume that your DM is not about this post?