Latest news with #animalproducts
The Independent
a day ago
- Health
- The Independent
The truth behind ex-vegan influencers now selling organ meat supplements
Another day, another wellness influencer on social media telling me I should be rubbing tallow on my face. We're in a strange era, because for all the medical-grade skincare I'm being told I should use by doctors online, there'll be another post featuring a woman in a floral dress slathering clarified animal fat onto her face and telling me to eat raw beef. 'Pure' animal products are a booming business. I see hundreds of animal-based diets and animal-based skincare routines being pushed to me every week. They have titles like 'what I eat in a day' and 'how I balanced my hormones', but the content is all the same. These influencers are eating meat and dairy, often raw, and telling us that 'straight from the farm' is the best way to support our health. If you cast your mind back to the early noughties, the big message was plant-based everything was the healthiest way to live. Clean, green beauty products were in, and recipes were more raw vegan than raw milk. So why are popular influencers now promoting organ meat supplements, carnivore diets and raw dairy products in place of tofu, courgetti and quinoa? And why did they flip the script so willingly? Registered clinical nutritionist Claire Johnson says: 'Good nutrition advice should be grounded in scientific evidence and high-quality research, so it's worrying to see that dietary trends can move as quickly as fashion. Post-pandemic, there seems to have been a notable shift from aesthetically pleasing and 'instagramable' vegetables and veganism, to hyper-masculine, meat -heavy, ancestral carnivore diets.' Johnson explains that her concern isn't just the extremity of these diets – which claim to improve 'mental clarity, benefit weight loss and reduce inflammation' – but how influential they've become among their online communities, despite lacking scientific credibility. More often that not, their arguments are almost entirely anecdotal. 'These all-or-nothing dietary patterns are being used as an engagement tool to cultivate community, followers and a sense of identity, rather than being rooted in scientific evidence,' continues Johnson. 'Many influencers will present themselves as experts and point to 'the science' about diet and nutrition without providing such evidence. And when studies are provided, data is often lifted out of context. Studies might also be sponsored by brands or contain a very small sample size.' I was a vegan for almost a decade and now, I eat chicken and fish and drink kefir, so I'm well aware of how personal needs and choices we make when it comes to our health can change with time – of course, the same goes for influencers. However, these so-called wellness gurus with thousands-strong followings are in powerful positions. By their very nature, they sway and impact the decisions and lifestyles of their followers, and they usually profit from doing so. Which is where the conflict lies. Nutritionist Clarissa Lenherr says, 'The shift feels less like a genuine health evolution and more like a reflection of trend cycles in the wellness space. Influencers often pivot based on what's gaining traction online, and right now, we're seeing a big swing toward 'ancestral' eating, with colostrum, raw milk and organ meats becoming the new wellness buzzwords. 'That's not to say some people haven't genuinely felt better after reintroducing animal products, but the way it's packaged and promoted online often lacks context, nuance or individualisation.' Lenherr also points out that while some might genuinely believe in the dietary shifts they've made, it's important to consider why and to be wary of anecdotal evidence that lacks context. 'In many cases, people aren't necessarily going from a healthy, balanced diet to an 'ancestral' one. They're going from a diet high in ultra-processed foods to one that cuts those out. The benefits they're seeing may be less about organ meats or raw dairy, and more about the removal of excess sugar and packaged foods.' A recent report titled Nutrition Misinformation in the Digital Age revealed how just 53 high-profile super-spreaders of misinformation were able to reach over 24 million followers. Most had no formal qualifications, yet often claimed some sort of medical authority. Johnson points out that unsurprisingly, 96 per cent of these content creators had a financial incentive attached to their posts. The most common subjects identified in the report included carnivore diets, seed oils and the ills of plant-based diets. The rapid shift from pro-plant-based to pro-farmyard has occurred against the backdrop of a global political shift to the right. The rise of carnivore influencers has taken place at the same time as the rise of the Maha (Make America Healthy Again) movement and the rise in viral tradwife content. The farmyard has been presented to us as idyllic and natural, but there seems to be a subtext here – a p ipeline into right-wing ideology and a yearning for a wholesome traditional era that never really existed. Many of the influencers pushing ancestral eating are also suggesting we stop putting our faith in the likes of 'big food' and 'big pharma' – there's a political, conspiratorial and anti-establishment edge to tallow skincare and organ meat supplements and one that can't be ignored. 'I can see first-hand these growing trends, whereby high-profile influencers reject nutrition science under the guise of 'natural' living or personal truth,' says Johnson. 'But it's no longer about evidence; it's about narratives and belonging, or worse, engagement, followers and financial incentives. 'A primal fantasy is being sold that eating like a caveman can reverse modern disease and solve issues such as declining male testosterone levels. These trends are not about nutrition science. They are about identity, especially masculinity, rebellion and distrust of modernity.' 'Post-pandemic, we've seen a declining trust in institutions, and a backlash against 'mainstream' health advice. This has gone hand-in-hand with trends such as biohacking and self-optimisation. Raw liver, bone broth and unpasteurised milk are being promoted as miracle cures to world health problems. And wellness influencers have taken it upon themselves to find and share extremely specific and unfounded self-optimisation hacks and dietary patterns,' she adds. What makes it more confusing is the fact that the same influencer selling a cure-all carnivore diet now would have been touting vegan beauty products and strictly plant-based recipes just six years ago – making it difficult to ignore the financial incentive driving these so-called trends. Navigating the world of wellness on social media requires critical thinking and, there are plenty of ways information can be warped into a politically charged message or money-making schemes. For example, Lenherr confirms that while liver is one of the most nutrient-rich foods out there, high in iron, B12, vitamin A and zinc, there's very little evidence that drying and grinding up organ meats into capsules, which many influencers are now advising, gives the same nutritional benefits as actually eating liver. She explains that 'a lot of these supplements don't even list the amounts of nutrients they contain, so you have no idea if you're getting useful doses or potentially too much of something like vitamin A, which can be harmful in excess.' As for vegan vs carnivore supremacy, Lenherr says that both diets can be done well, and both can be done poorly. 'A vegan diet can support long-term health if it's well planned, with enough protein, omega-3s, B12, iron and zinc. Likewise, a more animal-focused diet might work well for some, as long as it still includes fibre, phytonutrients, and a diversity of real foods. What's 'healthier' depends on your goals, your values, your metabolism and how the diet is implemented.' In an online world which is dominated by strategic habits, bio-hacking and lifestyle identity, common sense and balance often struggle to get heard. 'Drinking raw milk and eating raw liver aren't acts of rebellion, they're risky behaviours promoted as lifestyle choices – often for likes and sales, not health outcomes,' says Johnson. If you're unsure about a piece of health, wellness or nutritional information on social media, consider this checklist before sharing the post, making any purchases or changing your habits. Is the poster transparent about whether the post is sponsored? Do they explain why they're recommending the product? Do they link to studies, rather than just mention a study or statistic? Do they mention any possible downsides or who a product or habit might not be suitable for? Do they have any relevant qualifications? Are they a registered nutritionist, dietitian, doctor, or do they have formal training in health or science? After some practice, you'll be able to work out who is merely sharing personal experience as fact, and then the unfollow button is there for the clicking.
Zawya
05-06-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Ethiopia Secures Global Laboratory Accreditation to Boost Animal Products, and Inputs Quality and Safety
In a major stride towards enhancing public health and regional trade, the Animal Products and Inputs Quality Testing Center (APIQTC) under the Ethiopian Agricultural Authority (EAA) has officially earned ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accreditation. This international certification, awarded on 25 April 2025 during a high-level event at Haile Grand Hotel in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, recognized the Center's capacity to perform laboratory tests to globally accepted standards. This milestone strengthens Ethiopia's ability to ensure the safety and quality of animal products and inputs, prevent and contain the spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and safeguard human, animal, and environmental health through a One Health approach. Accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025:2017 confirms the APIQTC's technical competence in performing on thirteen parameters on veterinary pharmaceutical quality; Aflatoxin residue monitoring in animal source food and feed, and microbiological analysis. These functions are vital for independently verifying animal products and inputs quality and adherence to international trade requirements and supporting public confidence. In a country where livestock plays a central role in the economy, such capabilities are indispensable for market access, trade, and sustainable agricultural development. FAO's Strategic Role The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Ethiopia was recognized during the ceremony for its long-standing health system strengthening support of the regulatory frameworks and laboratory capacity of APIQTC. FAO's technical and logistical assistance was instrumental in achieving this global standard. Minister of Agriculture, H.E. Dr. Girma Amente, praised the achievement during the event, stating that, 'ISO accreditation is critical for Ethiopia's agricultural sustainability and public health security. This international recognition reflects our commitment to quality assurance and our readiness to meet global food safety standards.' Looking Ahead More than a technical certification, this accreditation marks a turning point for Ethiopia's livestock and agriculture sectors. It signals the country's growing capacity to independently ensure animal products and inputs safety and quality, mitigate Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) threats, and meet the demands of markets. Aligned with FAO's global vision for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, this achievement positions Ethiopia to move forward with confidence toward sustainable agrifood systems transformation. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO): Regional Office for Africa.
