These days, many health practitioners and healthy lifestyle advocates are praising the benefits of a plant-based diet. As the famous quote from Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma, wrote, “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” He also noted that “You are what you eat eats.” This simple statement, highlighting the connection between human health and the consumption of animal products, essentially recognizes that when we eat meat products, we are also consuming what those animals consume. This fact, coupled with the sad state of animal husbandry practices in the United States and other countries whose commercial operations received a failing grade in the Animal Protection Index from the global organization, World Animal Protection, suggests that consumption of animal products can carry serious health risks. But does it mean that diets that are meat-heavy are inherently bad for you? We explored some of the science-backed evidence to find out.