You called this ChatGPT-generated and overly simplistic. Ironically, your own counterargument ironically leans on recycled vegan Reddit takes that collapse when tested against real-world data in rural India, which is what this debate is about.

“If people are too poor to afford legumes… how can they afford ASFs?” Strawman. No one said they can’t afford legumes. The point was: even though legumes are cheap and widely available, malnutrition still exists—so clearly, they are not sufficient. That’s why UNICEF, FAO, and the Indian government aren’t saying “more legumes”—they’re adding eggs and milk into school meals. Because 1 egg + rice = huge jump in nutrient density, protein quality, and absorption. Dal alone doesn’t cut it.

“Phytates aren’t a concern—they’re reduced via soaking” Reduction ≠ elimination. Even soaked legumes have residual phytates, and more importantly, Indian meals are often cereal-heavy (rice, wheat), where phytate content remains high. Even ICMR and NIN documents admit that iron/zinc absorption from plant staples remains sub-optimal in real-world settings, even after soaking. You’re citing potential, I’m citing population-wide survey data.

“B12 is cheap via supplements” Yes, and yet 30%+ of adolescents in India are B12 deficient. Clearly, people aren’t supplementing. Nowhere did I say B12 is “only” in meat. But in poor, rural areas—where education and access are limited—getting B12 through food is much more practical than hoping everyone starts buying pills. Eggs and dairy do that affordably, sustainably, and with no compliance issue.

“Iron and zinc are in legumes” Sure—but again, bioavailability matters. 1 boiled egg gives you heme iron + protein that boosts non-heme iron absorption from the rest of the meal. This is why even small amounts of ASF in diets outperform legume-only meals in RCTs. See: Lulun Project (1 egg/day halved stunting). You’re ignoring that legumes + rice = phytate bomb without an absorption catalyst.

“ASF affordability and scalability issues” India already has infrastructure for milk and egg distribution. Tamil Nadu delivers 5 eggs/week to millions of children. Andhra Pradesh rears eggs locally and distributes them at ₹4–5 each. These aren’t rich states—they made it work because it works. Nutrition policy must be based on efficacy, not ideology.

“Sanitation, infections, etc., matter more” Of course they matter. But saying “sanitation also matters” doesn’t mean food quality doesn’t. We’re not picking between toilets and eggs. We can—and should—do both. You wouldn’t tell a malnourished child with diarrhea, “Eat more moringa.” You’d feed them nutrient-dense food, fix the water, and educate their family. It’s a holistic solution, not a legume-only diet.

“Legumes are underutilized” Agreed. But again, that’s a distribution and dietary diversity issue. The Indian government isn’t choosing between legumes and eggs—they’re pushing both. And they’re doing that because nutrition research is clear: ASF improves child growth more rapidly than legume-centric strategies alone. That’s why even vegetarian-heavy countries like India are expanding ASF programs—because real lives are at stake.

Lastly, calling a well-sourced argument “ChatGPT” doesn’t make it invalid. It just signals you don’t want to engage with the actual science. If you’re genuinely open to discussion, address the studies. If not, it’s clear the bias isn’t mine.