Real vs. Fake Food

A Fork in the Road for the Future of Food

In Part 1 of “Regenerative Revolution,” we explored Joel Salatin’s regenerative approach to farming, which defies the industrial food system and restores balance to the land.

But Salatin’s regenerative philosophy doesn’t stop at soil health—it also calls into question the food we put on our plates. Is the food we eat nourishing our bodies—or just convenient and cheap?

In today’s world, the line between real, nutrient-dense food and highly processed, synthetic alternatives has blurred. Joel believes that to truly heal ourselves and the planet, we must go back to basics. We need to seek out real food—unprocessed, unadulterated, and nutrient-dense.

In this second article, we’ll dive into the differences between real food and fake food, and how this distinction plays out in everything from the quality of our beef to the milk we drink.

Is the food we eat nourishing our bodies—or just convenient and cheap?

If Worms Won’t Eat It…Why Should You?

This simple question came from a school experiment where children placed processed foods like gummy bears and bleached bread in a worm compost bin next to natural foods. The worms ignored the processed foods, but they devoured the natural ones—a striking metaphor for what our bodies crave and need.

The Cost of Convenience

Processed foods are engineered to last, but that longevity comes at a cost. Highly processed foods are stripped of nutrients and loaded with artificial ingredients. While they may sit on shelves for months without spoiling, they offer little to nourish us.

Worse, these “fake foods” contribute to a range of health issues, from obesity to heart disease, by overwhelming our systems with chemicals and depriving us of the vitamins and minerals that real, whole foods provide.

Joel Salatin is adamant that the food system has lost touch with what’s real: “The more we process food, the more we rob it of its vitality,” Joel says. “We’ve turned nourishment into convenience, but at a huge cost to our health.”

We’ve turned nourishment into convenience, but at a huge cost to our health. —Joel Salatin

Reclaiming Health with Real Food

The rise of processed foods has led to a dramatic decline in the nutrient density of our diets, contributing to widespread health issues.

If we want to reclaim our health, we need to return to the basics. Real food, like fruits, vegetables, and grass-fed meats, are nutrient-dense and support health at the microbial level, feeding the good bacteria in our gut and providing us with the building blocks of wellness.

By choosing whole, unprocessed foods, we can restore balance in our bodies, support our microbiomes, and ensure we’re getting the nutrients we need to thrive.

Real Beef: The Grass-Fed vs. Grain-Fed Divide

Did you know that feeding cows grain turns them into pre-diabetic animals?

The grain-based diets that have become the norm for livestock, particularly cows, are unnatural and detrimental to both the livestock and the people who consume them.

“We’ve taken animals off the land they were designed to thrive on and replaced it with feedlots and grain troughs,” Joel explains. “That’s why we see so many health problems in both animals and humans.”

The Nutritional Divide

Grain-fed cows develop acidosis, which makes them sick. Grain-fed cows develop metabolic problems that make them overweight, producing meat with high levels of intramuscular fat (marbling) but low levels of key nutrients like conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). Grass-fed cows, on the other hand, offer leaner, more nutrient-dense meat, supporting better health outcomes for those who consume it.

Choosing Healthier Beef

Choosing grass-fed, grass-finished beef is more than just a dietary preference—it’s a health decision. By opting for grass-fed beef, consumers can significantly increase their intake of beneficial nutrients like CLA, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamin E. This simple shift can help combat chronic diseases linked to poor nutrition and unhealthy fats, such as heart disease, obesity, and cancer.

Real Milk: The Struggle for Food Freedom

Why can’t you buy raw milk from a farmer, even if you want to?

For Joel Salatin, this question is at the heart of a larger issue—the lack of food freedom. Despite producing healthier, cleaner, and more nutrient-dense products, small farmers like Joel face regulatory hurdles that make it difficult to sell directly to consumers. Raw milk, in particular, has become a battleground for these food freedoms.

“Everything I want to do is illegal,” Joel famously quipped, pointing out how the system is stacked in favor of large-scale industrial operations, which often prioritize profit over health. Raw milk, for example, is illegal to sell in many states, despite being a more nutritious and less processed option than pasteurized, homogenized milk sold in supermarkets.

Everything I want to do is illegal!

The Bias Toward Big Agriculture

Government regulations often protect industrial farms while stifling small, regenerative farmers. These regulations are based on a one-size-fits-all model that assumes bigger is better, ignoring the fact that small, local farms like Joel’s operate under cleaner, safer, and more transparent conditions. This regulatory bias limits consumer choice and makes it harder for people to access real, nutrient-dense food like raw milk.

Fighting for Food Freedom

The fight for food freedom is about more than just personal choice—it’s about creating a food system that prioritizes health and sustainability. Joel Salatin’s advocacy highlights the need for policy changes that empower local farmers and give consumers the right to choose nutrient-dense, unprocessed foods that align with their values.

Conclusion: Building a Real Food Future

Joel Salatin’s vision for the future of food isn’t just about farming—it’s about creating a food system that prioritizes real nourishment over convenience. From grass-fed beef to raw milk, his philosophy is rooted in the belief that the closer food is to its natural state, the better it is for both the land and the people who rely on it.

“We need to shift away from industrial farming’s focus on quantity and start thinking about quality,” Joel insists. “When we do that, we’re not just healing the land—we’re healing ourselves too.”

Salatin’s approach offers a blueprint for a future where:

• Food is real, nutrient-dense, and nourishing.
• Farming works in harmony with nature, not against it.
• Consumers have the freedom to choose foods that support their health and the health of the planet.

Go Deeper

1. Read Joel Salatin’s book, Folks, This Ain’t Normal
   Dive deeper into Joel’s unique philosophy on farming and food. Discover why real food matters for our health and the environment.
2. Explore My FREE Microcourse: Real Food Diaries
   Learn practical strategies for integrating real, nutrient-dense foods into your diet. Get a clear roadmap to improve your health through the power of real food.