264 - Let's Get Uncomfortable with Dr. Faraz Harsini

Episode • Jan 10, 2024 • 1h 7m

Today’s guest is Dr. Faraz Harsini. He’s a cultivated meat bioprocessing scientist at the Good Food Institute and the founder and CEO of Allied Scholars for Animal Protection – a nonprofit that supports and mentors student advocates and future vegan leaders for the abolition of cruelty to humans and nonhumans. Dr. Harsini appeared on the podcast in episode 256, in which we discussed his upbringing in Iran as a member of the LGBT community, his advocacy work on college campuses, and a myriad of social justice issues, but the conversation was so powerful, and there was so much ground we didn’t get to cover, especially about his current work, that we had to have him back.

So whether or not you listened to the first part of our interview with him, you definitely want to stay with us as we tackle some serious topical issues that pertain to everyone.

“I guess the reason that I promote a plant-based diet and veganism full-time today is because I did my entire master’s on cancer, and I worked on proteins involving cancer. And the fact that nobody ever mentioned diet at all, like I'm not talking about my research, no one, even those textbooks. And it had to come as a surprise to me when I like had to learn it by myself, and then you looked at it and you realized that every single Cancer Institute in the world says the less meat you eat, the better. Every single Cancer Institute in the world, and some even include Dairy and other types of meat, but when it comes to processed and unprocessed red meat, every single Cancer Institute in the world says the less meat you eat, the better.” - Dr. Faraz Harsini

What we discuss in this episode:

- The complete protein myth and why plants are such a powerful source of protein.

- What happens when you cook and eat red meat?

- The benefits of cultivated meat production.

- The dangers posed to humans from animal experimentation.

- The cruelty Dr. Harsini witnessed while visiting a dairy farm in Texas.

- Dr. Harsini’s thoughts on changing our food system.

- The importance of speaking up as a vegan.

Resources:

- Dr. Harsini’s website: Dr. Faraz Harsini

- ASAP’s website: Allied Scholars for Animal Protection

- Good Food Institute: Faraz Harsini, M.Sc., Ph.D. - The Good Food Institute