Topic: Rubisco

The hosts revisit "Rubisco," a plant protein derived from alfalfa, noting that a Saudi company is using unlimited water rights in Arizona to grow the crop. They debunk claims that broccoli contains as much protein as steak. The segment also features a viral story about a traditional Chinese dish from Hubei province called "suodiu," which consists of stir-fried rocks that are sucked for flavor and then discarded.

The discussion introduces "Rubisco," an enzyme involved in photosynthesis that is being promoted as a sustainable plant protein to replace meat. Sailesh Rao of "Climate Healers" claims that there is more protein in broccoli per calorie than in beef. The hosts debunk this claim using nutritional data, highlighting the push to move human diets toward "leafy greens, bugs, and rocks."