10 Hard-to-Swallow Facts That You’ll Wish Were April Fool’s Jokes

It may be 1 April, but we’re not pulling your leg. Meat and other animal products contain some extremely disturbing ingredients. Cruelty, for a start – but also some other stuff that’s just, well, gross.

Unfortunately, the following 10 facts about what’s really in meat and dairy products are 100 percent true – we’d just advise you not to read them while you’re tucking into a hamburger or any other food that contains dead animals.

1. Arsenic
   
   Farms feed chickens and pigs arsenic to help ward off infections in their filthy living conditions and to turn the animals’ flesh the pink shade that is considered appetising – because nothing says “appetising” like poison.
2. Poo
   
   Jo-Anne Mc-Arthur / weanimals.org
   When animals’ intestines are torn open during slaughter, faeces spill out onto their flesh. So when people buy meat, they’re getting – well, sorry – crappy food.
3. Industrial runoff
   
   Who would head down to the local river, whip out a glass and gulp down some river water? No one? Well, then people might want to avoid eating fish, who are contaminated with the pollutants that run into waterways from our tanneries, factories and industrial plants as well as manure runoff from pastures.
4. Hormones
   
   “Spironolactone bodies” by NEPHRON / CC by-SA 3.0
   Did you want a side of HRT with your fish and chips? How about a splash of oestrogen in your milk? Traces of contraceptives and other chemicals in the water supply have led to fish becoming “feminised”, with male fish laying eggs, and cows’ milk comes with an added dose of sex hormones.
5. Calf-stomach lining
   
   “Fromagerie” by Super Manu / CC BY-SA 3.0 
   Many cheeses are made with rennet, an enzyme taken from calves’ stomach lining. Does eating babies’ stomachs make you sick to yours?
6. Pus
   
   Cows on dairy farms often suffer from mastitis, a painful inflammation of the udders caused by bacteria. Their bodies try to fight off the infection by producing pus. And guess where the pus goes – into the milk and into the milk-drinker’s mouth.
7. Parts of a totally different animal
   
   There could be a horse in your lasagne or a pig in your “beef” meatballs. Given all the recent scandals, we’re just wondering what “surprise” ingredient is going to turn up next.
8. Drugs
   
   Lots and lots of drugs. Animals on farms are routinely fed massive doses of antibiotics (even if they’re not sick) with alarming consequences for antibiotic resistance and the emergence of dangerous “superbugs”.
9. Diseased organs
   If you’ve ever eaten foie gras, you should know that the diabolical “delicacy” is made from the livers of ducks and geese who have been force-fed until they’re desperately ill.
10. Pink slime

    This nauseating paste is made by sending animals’ bones through a machine that scrapes off the last bits of flesh and blood then treating the resulting mass with ammonia and dyes. The “mechanically recovered meat” is the main ingredient of chicken nuggets and other processed meats.

Feeling queasy? We can help you make the transition to a plant-based diet. Order your free vegetarian/vegan starter kit now.