Cowboys Versus “Soy Boys”: The Politics of Food, Alcohol, and Tobacco

Cowboys Versus “Soy Boys”: The Politics of Food, Alcohol, and Tobacco

I was overjoyed to learn of the new food pyramid, recently announced by RFK, which reversed harmful earlier guidelines. I strongly believe that individuals should be free to do their own research and make their own informed choices regarding their food and drink consumption. This presupposes that the government should not provide misleading and outright dangerous guidelines, as was the case for the past several decades, when natural animal foods were demonized, while refined carbohydrates and highly processed plant-based oils were recommended.

I have often pondered the politics of nutrition and the underlying ideologies behind it. When I first arrived in America 30 years ago, after being fortunate to win a doctoral scholarship in Classics, I was shocked to discover that after one short semester, I had gained over 30 lbs. I examined what I was doing differently and realized that I was eating predominantly refined carbohydrates, which had caused rapid weight gain despite my youth and daily practices of vigorous swimming and climbing the steep hills of Ithaca, NY.

I knew from chemistry and biology classes that carbohydrates are quickly absorbed by the body and readily turned into fat when aided by insulin. I therefore combined a low-carb diet with intermittent fasting and managed to successfully reverse my shocking weight gain. I still resort to such measures to maintain good health. I also realized that there was a rampant, government-supported war on saturated fat and meat in general, which had resulted in predominantly carb- and plant-focused nutritional recommendations.

I love and admire everything American, so I couldn’t understand at first why the greatest country on Earth promoted what I thought were untrue and harmful dietary guidelines. I delved into deeper research and learned about the influence of scientists like Ancel Keys. Keys, who conducted the notorious Minnesota starvation experiment, produced a misleading study, which blamed saturated fat for heart disease. He apparently intentionally omitted data that did not fit the hypothesis outlined in his now infamous “Seven Countries Study.” Keys was well-connected in political circles, and he managed to insert his theories into subsequent government guidelines, which enjoyed tremendous influence and popularity until now.

Ancel Keys was challenged by internationally renowned scientists like John Yudkin, who blamed the exponentially increased intake of dietary sugars for the predominance of coronary disease, which had been a rare phenomenon before the 20^th century. Keys prevailed in the debate on political rather than scientific grounds, and thus, the guidelines that contributed to generations of Americans becoming overweight and sick were formulated and ubiquitously imposed. This was facilitated by the influence of various “Big Food” and soda companies’ lobbies, which subsidized questionable research that “proved” no ill effects associated with, say, drinking several liters of sugary beverages per day.

Today, various medical doctors and scientists emphasize the importance of nutrition for preventing and treating chronic disease and underscore the need to avoid refined carbohydrates and seed oils. I have listened to fascinating lectures and podcasts by experts such as Philip Ovadia, Ken Berry, Shawn Baker, Anthony Chaffee, Ben Bikman,  Thomas Seyfried, Sean O’Mara, and Eric Berg, to name just a few, who explain the benefits of prioritizing natural, animal-based foods, as our ancestors have done for millennia.

I was curious to examine whether there were any deeper philosophical and ideological reasons for the insistence by leftist governments in different Western countries on prioritizing plant-based foods and processed carbohydrates — reasons that might go beyond economic interests and corporate influences. A major reason is the climate hysteria and net-zero policies, which have demonized cows and beef, despite the phenomenal nutritional profile and far-reaching benefits of animal products, especially those of ruminant species. The climate hysteria has led to the proliferation of absurdities such as lab-grown and plant-based meat, as well as encouraging the consumption of insects. History shows that numerous tribes in cold climates, for example, had survived and thrived on animal foods alone, in excellent health and without widespread chronic disease, until they were introduced to the modern Western diet.

Another reason for the war on meat is linked to the leftist rejection of individualism and self-reliance, associated with traditional images of nomads, warriors, cowboys, and independent farmers. Many independent farms are struggling, which hurts the health of the American public and serves hostile interests such as those of Chinese businesses and massive offshore production.

The war on animal-based food is related to the “intersectional” leftist demonization of masculinity and traditional gender roles. Since time immemorial, meat consumption has resulted in well-developed musculature and physical strength, and animal fats have proven essential for hormonal balance and both mental and physical thriving. Leftist propaganda praises instead effeminate men, masculine women, “gender fluidity,” and “body positivity.” It has led to the phenomenon of “soy boys,” who spend their time in their parents’ basements, jobless and addicted to their electronic devices. It is not surprising that many young people struggle not only with a host of previously rare medical conditions but also with social interaction, dating, and marriage.

This attack on what the Left labels as “toxic masculinity” is also evident in the politics of alcohol and tobacco, as pointed out by some conservative influencers, notably in Daily Wire and PragerU videos. Traditional male camaraderie over a drink or a cigar has been ridiculed and vilified, even though there is a significant difference between smoking cigarettes and inhaling the smoke, on the one hand, and the occasional enjoyment of pipes or cigars, without smoke inhalation, on the other. Even iconic images of Churchill have been photoshopped to remove his cigar from various school materials. At the same time, leftist ideologues laud the virtues of drugs like marijuana, which negatively affect mental concentration and productivity, among other, more serious side effects.

The new food pyramid promoted by the current administration is a monumental step in reclaiming America’s health and reviving traditionally successful nutritional approaches and lifestyles. It is a victory of cowboys over “soy boys” and of common sense over anti-Western leftist absurdities.

Nora D. Clinton is a Research Scholar at the Legal Insurrection Foundation. She was born and raised in Sofia, Bulgaria. She holds a PhD in Classics and has published extensively on ancient documents on stone. In 2020, she authored the popular memoir Quarantine Reflections Across Two Worlds. Nora is a co-founder of two partner charities dedicated to academic cooperation and American values. She lives in Northern Virginia with her husband and son.

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