The Original 'Meatfluencers' Had Some Strange Ideas

The original “Meatfluencers” theme, based on Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s effort to reshape healthy eating, centers on a beef-forward message that entered U.S. government guidance. In January, the health secretary unveiled a new food pyramid placing a marbled ribeye at the top, and Kennedy later promoted beef on his 72nd birthday and during appearances including the CattleCon trade show. In February, he told ranchers to expand herd sizes, saying he eats beef daily “twice a day.” The article traces the underlying logic to paleo-style diet arguments, including a 90-page “scientific foundation” document citing Paleo research. It also references a 1970s model linked to Seattle gastroenterologist Walter Voegtlin’s The Stone Age Diet and its claims about “baleful salads.”