"You must eat animal protein to meet daily protein needs effectively."

nutrition myths · generated 2026-03-28 · v1.0.0
DISPROVED 3 citations
Evidence assessed across 3 verified citations.
Verified by Proof Engine — an open-source tool that verifies claims using cited sources and executable code. Reasoning transparent and auditable.
methodology · github · re-run this proof · submit your own

This one is settled. The scientific consensus is clear: you do not need to eat animal protein to meet your daily protein needs.

What Was Claimed?

The claim is that eating animal protein — meat, fish, dairy, eggs — is a requirement for getting enough protein. Not just helpful or convenient, but necessary. If you've ever been told that beans and lentils "don't count" as real protein, or that going vegan means sacrificing muscle and health, this claim is the idea behind that advice.

What Did We Find?

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics — the world's largest professional organization of registered dietitians — has an official position on exactly this question. Their conclusion: appropriately planned vegetarian and vegan diets are "nutritionally adequate" for all stages of life, including pregnancy, childhood, older adulthood, and for athletes. This is not a fringe opinion; it is the formal stance of the professional body that trains and certifies the people we trust to give nutrition advice.

A 2019 systematic review published in the journal Nutrients and indexed on PubMed Central looked at the full body of research on protein in vegetarian diets. Its finding was direct: "there is no evidence of protein deficiency in vegetarian populations in western countries." Not rare evidence, not weak evidence — no evidence. People who eat no animal protein are not showing up with protein deficiencies in population data.

The practical reason this works comes down to amino acids. Protein is made up of building blocks called amino acids, and your body needs a specific set of them. Animal proteins tend to contain all of them in one place, which is why they've been called "complete" proteins. But plants contain amino acids too — just sometimes in different proportions. Cleveland Clinic explains that by mixing and matching plant protein sources throughout the day, you can get every amino acid your body needs. The word "complete" turns out to be more misleading than useful.

Researchers also looked specifically at athletes and other high-demand populations, where protein requirements are greater. Sports science confirms that muscle development and performance do not need to be compromised on a plant-based diet, provided sufficient protein is eaten from a variety of sources.

What Should You Keep In Mind?

Animal proteins do have real advantages that this verdict doesn't erase. They tend to be more easily digested, and they score higher on measures of amino acid quality. Some research suggests a modest edge for animal protein in building lean mass, particularly in younger adults — though the same research notes this difference is not significant for overall strength gains.

What this means practically: getting enough protein from plants alone may require more planning. Eating a wider variety of protein sources, and potentially eating slightly more total protein to compensate for lower digestibility, matters more on a plant-based diet than on an omnivorous one. The claim that animal protein is required is false — but the claim that it requires no thought to replace would also be an overstatement.

It's also worth noting that most of the research here comes from populations in western countries. Evidence from populations with very limited food variety or caloric intake may differ.

How Was This Verified?

This proof identified three independent authoritative sources — including a peer-reviewed position paper, a systematic literature review, and clinical guidance from a major medical center — and verified each quotation directly against the live source. You can read the full evidence walkthrough in the structured proof report, examine every citation and verification step in the full verification audit, or re-run the proof yourself.

What could challenge this verdict?

Search 1 — Meta-analyses concluding plant protein is physiologically insufficient: Searched PubMed and Google Scholar for meta-analyses and systematic reviews on animal versus plant protein and protein deficiency. A 2021 meta-analysis (PMC7926405) found animal protein has a modest lean mass advantage in younger adults but explicitly stated the result "does not significantly impact gains in lean mass or muscle strength following resistance type exercise training" overall. No study was found concluding that protein needs cannot be met on plant-based diets.

Search 2 — Athletes and specific high-demand populations: Searched for evidence that athletes cannot meet protein needs on plant-only diets. The Gatorade Sports Science Institute (a major applied sports nutrition body) stated: "Muscle conditioning in athletes does not need to be compromised when adopting a plant-based diet as long as sufficient protein is consumed from a large variety of different plant-based protein sources." The AND position paper explicitly includes athletes among populations for whom plant-based diets are appropriate.

Search 3 — Bioavailability / DIAAS argument (narrow interpretation of "effectively"): Considered whether "effectively" could be read to mean animal protein is required for efficient amino acid absorption. Animal proteins do score higher on the Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score (DIAAS). However, the AND clarifies this is not a barrier: "Protein from a variety of plant foods, eaten during the course of a day, supplies enough of all indispensable (essential) amino acids when caloric requirements are met." The PMC6893534 review found actual lysine intakes in vegetarians were 43–58 mg/kg — far above the 30 mg/kg estimated average requirement. Higher total intake compensates for lower bioavailability in practice, so the efficiency gap does not make plant protein "ineffective."


Sources

SourceIDTypeVerified
Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Melina et al. 2016 (PMID 27886704) B1 Government Yes
Nutrients 2019: Dietary Protein and Amino Acids in Vegetarian Diets — A Review (PMC6893534) B2 Government Yes
Cleveland Clinic Health Essentials: Complete Proteins B3 Reference Yes
Count of authoritative sources confirmed by citation verification A1 Computed

detailed evidence

Detailed Evidence

Evidence Summary

ID Fact Verified
B1 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics 2016 Position Paper on Vegetarian Diets (PubMed PMID 27886704) Yes
B2 Peer-reviewed review: Dietary Protein and Amino Acids in Vegetarian Diets (PMC6893534, Nutrients 2019) Yes
B3 Cleveland Clinic: Do I Need to Worry About Eating Complete Proteins? Yes
A1 Count of authoritative sources confirmed by citation verification Computed: 3 of 3 sources confirmed

Proof Logic

The claim "you must eat animal protein" is an absolute necessity claim. Disproving it requires showing that protein needs can be met without animal protein, established by authoritative scientific consensus.

B1 — Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics position: The AND is the largest organization of registered dietitians and nutritionists in the world. Their 2016 position paper states that appropriately planned vegetarian and vegan diets are "nutritionally adequate" across all life stages including for athletes (B1). "Nutritionally adequate" explicitly includes protein — this is the body of dietetics professionals formally rejecting the claim that animal protein is required.

B2 — Peer-reviewed literature review: A 2019 systematic review published in Nutrients and indexed on PubMed Central (a U.S. National Library of Medicine database) reviewed the full body of literature on protein in vegetarian and vegan diets. Its direct finding: "there is no evidence of protein deficiency in vegetarian populations in western countries" (B2). This empirical finding — zero population-level evidence of protein deficiency in people not consuming animal protein — directly contradicts the claim.

B3 — Cleveland Clinic: A major academic medical center confirms the practical mechanism: plant protein sources can be combined throughout the day to provide all essential amino acids, meaning "mixing and matching those protein sources can get you all the amino acids your body needs" (B3).

Source count: All 3 sources independently confirm the same conclusion. 3 ≥ 3 (threshold), so the disproof threshold is met (A1).


Conclusion

Verdict: DISPROVED

The claim that you "must" eat animal protein to meet daily protein needs is disproved by scientific consensus. Three independent authoritative sources — the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, a peer-reviewed systematic review in Nutrients, and Cleveland Clinic — all confirm that well-planned plant-based diets can fully meet daily protein and amino acid requirements.

All three citations were fully verified on their respective live pages at the time of proof generation. The disproof does not depend on any unverified sources.

Important nuance: Animal protein does have genuine advantages — higher DIAAS scores, higher leucine density, and potentially a modest edge in lean mass gains for younger adults. Plant-based protein adequacy typically requires greater dietary variety and may need slightly higher total protein intake to compensate for lower bioavailability. However, none of these advantages constitute a physiological requirement. The claim's "must" framing is false.

audit trail

Citation Verification 3/3 verified

All 3 citations verified.

Original audit log

B1 — Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (PubMed)

  • Status: verified
  • Method: full_quote
  • Fetch mode: live
  • Credibility: Tier 5 (government — nih.gov)

B2 — PMC6893534 Systematic Review

  • Status: verified
  • Method: full_quote
  • Fetch mode: live
  • Credibility: Tier 5 (government — nih.gov)

B3 — Cleveland Clinic

  • Status: verified
  • Method: full_quote
  • Fetch mode: live
  • Credibility: Tier 3 (reference — clevelandclinic.org)

Claim Specification
Field Value
Subject Animal protein
Property Necessity for meeting daily protein needs
Operator >=
Threshold 3 (minimum confirmed independent sources)
Proof direction disprove
Operator note The claim asserts an absolute requirement ('must'): that animal protein is necessary and cannot be substituted to meet daily protein needs. Interpretation: no well-planned plant-based diet can adequately provide all protein needs without animal sources. Proof direction: DISPROVE. We show that >= 3 independent authoritative sources confirm plant-based diets CAN meet daily protein needs without animal protein, which directly negates the absolute 'must' claim. A single verified exception (a well-planned plant-based diet meeting protein needs) is logically sufficient to disprove any 'must' claim — the source threshold of 3 establishes consensus, not merely a single outlier observation.

Claim Interpretation

Natural language claim: "You must eat animal protein to meet daily protein needs effectively."

Formal interpretation: The claim asserts an absolute necessity — that animal protein is required and cannot be substituted in order to meet daily protein needs. The word "must" is interpreted as a universal requirement: it claims that no well-planned plant-based diet can adequately provide all protein needs without animal sources.

Proof direction: Disproof. The claim is an absolute universal statement ("must"). A single verified counterexample — a well-planned plant-based diet that meets protein needs — is logically sufficient to disprove it. The source threshold of 3 establishes consensus, not merely a single outlier.

Operator choice: >= (confirmed sources ≥ 3 threshold). The threshold of 3 independent authoritative sources reflects a minimum for scientific consensus, per proof-engine guidance for qualitative claims.


Source Credibility Assessment
Source Domain Tier Type Notes
B1 — PubMed/PMID 27886704 nih.gov 5 Government U.S. National Institutes of Health database; publishes peer-reviewed journal abstracts
B2 — PMC6893534 nih.gov 5 Government PubMed Central — NIH full-text archive of peer-reviewed biomedical literature
B3 — Cleveland Clinic clevelandclinic.org 3 Reference Major U.S. academic medical center; clinically reviewed health content

No citations come from unclassified or low-credibility (tier ≤ 2) sources.

Computation Traces
Verifying citations...
  [✓] source_and: Full quote verified for source_and (source: tier 5/government)
  [✓] source_pmc_review: Full quote verified for source_pmc_review (source: tier 5/government)
  [✓] source_cleveland: Full quote verified for source_cleveland (source: tier 3/reference)
  Confirmed sources: 3 / 3
  verified source count vs threshold (proof_direction=disprove): 3 >= 3 = True

Independent Source Agreement
Description Sources Consulted Sources Verified Agreement
Multiple independent authoritative sources consulted 3 3 Yes — all 3 confirm plant-based protein adequacy

Independence note: Sources are from three independent institutions: 1. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (professional dietetics body — Melina et al. 2016 position paper, published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics) 2. An independent peer-reviewed journal review (Nutrients/PMC — Mariotti & Gardner 2019, a systematic literature review) 3. Cleveland Clinic (major academic medical center — clinical guidance authored by a registered dietitian)

These represent independent research and expert consensus. They are not a single institution cited multiple times, and they draw on different bodies of literature.


Adversarial Checks

Check 1

  • Question: Does any meta-analysis or systematic review conclude that plant protein CANNOT meet protein needs, or that animal protein is physiologically required?
  • Search performed: Searched PubMed and Google Scholar for 'animal protein required necessary protein deficiency vegan vegetarian meta-analysis systematic review'. Reviewed PMC7926405 (meta-analysis on animal vs plant protein for lean mass, 2021) and Nutrition Reviews 2025 (plant protein and muscle). No study concludes that protein needs cannot be met on plant-based diets. PMC7926405 found animal protein has a modest lean mass advantage in younger adults but states the result 'does not significantly impact gains in lean mass or muscle strength following resistance type exercise training' overall.
  • Finding: No peer-reviewed meta-analysis or systematic review claims plant-based diets cannot meet protein needs. Studies note animal protein has higher bioavailability and leucine content, but none conclude plant protein is insufficient if adequate variety and quantity is consumed.
  • Breaks proof: No

Check 2

  • Question: Is there scientific evidence that athletes or specific populations CANNOT meet protein needs on plant-only diets?
  • Search performed: Searched for 'vegan athlete protein deficiency impossible' and 'plant-based diet protein inadequacy athletes systematic review'. The Gatorade Sports Science Institute review found: 'Muscle conditioning in athletes does not need to be compromised when adopting a plant-based diet as long as sufficient protein is consumed from a large variety of different plant-based protein sources.' The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics explicitly states plant-based diets are appropriate 'for athletes'.
  • Finding: Athletes can meet protein needs on plant-based diets. Sports science literature confirms adequacy with sufficient quantity and variety, negating any claim that animal protein is required even for high-demand populations.
  • Breaks proof: No

Check 3

  • Question: Does the claim have merit if interpreted narrowly — e.g., does animal protein have bioavailability or amino acid score (DIAAS) advantages that make plant protein 'ineffective' for meeting needs?
  • Search performed: Searched for 'DIAAS plant protein inadequate protein needs'. Animal proteins do generally score higher on the Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score (DIAAS). However, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics notes: 'Protein from a variety of plant foods, eaten during the course of a day, supplies enough of all indispensable (essential) amino acids when caloric requirements are met.' The terms 'complete' and 'incomplete' protein are described as 'misleading' in this context. The PMC6893534 review found lysine intakes in vegetarians were '58 and 43 mg/kg, respectively, largely higher than the 30 mg/kg estimated average requirement.'
  • Finding: Animal protein has higher DIAAS scores, but plant proteins consumed in adequate variety and quantity meet all amino acid requirements in practice. Bioavailability differences do not render plant protein 'ineffective' for meeting daily protein needs — they may require slightly larger total intake. The 'must' framing remains false: plant protein can effectively meet protein needs.
  • Breaks proof: No

Cite this proof
Proof Engine. (2026). Claim Verification: “You must eat animal protein to meet daily protein needs effectively.” — Disproved. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19489808
Proof Engine. "Claim Verification: “You must eat animal protein to meet daily protein needs effectively.” — Disproved." 2026. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19489808.
@misc{proofengine_you_must_eat_animal_protein_to_meet_daily_protein,
  title   = {Claim Verification: “You must eat animal protein to meet daily protein needs effectively.” — Disproved},
  author  = {{Proof Engine}},
  year    = {2026},
  url     = {https://proofengine.info/proofs/you-must-eat-animal-protein-to-meet-daily-protein/},
  note    = {Verdict: DISPROVED. Generated by proof-engine v1.0.0},
  doi     = {10.5281/zenodo.19489808},
}
TY  - DATA
TI  - Claim Verification: “You must eat animal protein to meet daily protein needs effectively.” — Disproved
AU  - Proof Engine
PY  - 2026
UR  - https://proofengine.info/proofs/you-must-eat-animal-protein-to-meet-daily-protein/
N1  - Verdict: DISPROVED. Generated by proof-engine v1.0.0
DO  - 10.5281/zenodo.19489808
ER  -
View proof source 285 lines · 12.9 KB

This is the exact proof.py that was deposited to Zenodo and runs when you re-execute via Binder. Every fact in the verdict above traces to code below.

"""
Proof: You must eat animal protein to meet daily protein needs effectively.
Generated: 2026-03-28

Proof direction: DISPROVE
The claim asserts an absolute necessity ("must") for animal protein to meet
daily protein needs. This proof shows that authoritative sources confirm
plant-based diets can adequately meet all protein requirements, negating the
absolute "must" assertion.
"""
import json
import os
import sys
from datetime import date

PROOF_ENGINE_ROOT = os.environ.get("PROOF_ENGINE_ROOT")
if not PROOF_ENGINE_ROOT:
    _d = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
    while _d != os.path.dirname(_d):
        if os.path.isdir(os.path.join(_d, "proof-engine", "skills", "proof-engine", "scripts")):
            PROOF_ENGINE_ROOT = os.path.join(_d, "proof-engine", "skills", "proof-engine")
            break
        _d = os.path.dirname(_d)
    if not PROOF_ENGINE_ROOT:
        raise RuntimeError("PROOF_ENGINE_ROOT not set and skill dir not found via walk-up from proof.py")
sys.path.insert(0, PROOF_ENGINE_ROOT)

from scripts.verify_citations import verify_all_citations, build_citation_detail
from scripts.computations import compare

# 1. CLAIM INTERPRETATION (Rule 4)
CLAIM_NATURAL = "You must eat animal protein to meet daily protein needs effectively."
CLAIM_FORMAL = {
    "subject": "Animal protein",
    "property": "necessity for meeting daily protein needs",
    "operator": ">=",
    "operator_note": (
        "The claim asserts an absolute requirement ('must'): that animal protein is "
        "necessary and cannot be substituted to meet daily protein needs. "
        "Interpretation: no well-planned plant-based diet can adequately provide all "
        "protein needs without animal sources. "
        "Proof direction: DISPROVE. We show that >= 3 independent authoritative sources "
        "confirm plant-based diets CAN meet daily protein needs without animal protein, "
        "which directly negates the absolute 'must' claim. "
        "A single verified exception (a well-planned plant-based diet meeting protein needs) "
        "is logically sufficient to disprove any 'must' claim — the source threshold of 3 "
        "establishes consensus, not merely a single outlier observation."
    ),
    "threshold": 3,
    "proof_direction": "disprove",
}

# 2. FACT REGISTRY
FACT_REGISTRY = {
    "B1": {
        "key": "source_and",
        "label": "Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics 2016 Position Paper on Vegetarian Diets (PubMed PMID 27886704)",
    },
    "B2": {
        "key": "source_pmc_review",
        "label": "Peer-reviewed review: Dietary Protein and Amino Acids in Vegetarian Diets (PMC6893534, Nutrients 2019)",
    },
    "B3": {
        "key": "source_cleveland",
        "label": "Cleveland Clinic: Do I Need to Worry About Eating Complete Proteins?",
    },
    "A1": {"label": "Count of authoritative sources confirmed by citation verification", "method": None, "result": None},
}

# 3. EMPIRICAL FACTS
# These are sources that REJECT the claim (confirm plant protein is sufficient),
# as required by proof_direction="disprove".
empirical_facts = {
    "source_and": {
        "quote": (
            "It is the position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics that "
            "appropriately planned vegetarian, including vegan, diets are healthful, "
            "nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits for the prevention "
            "and treatment of certain diseases. These diets are appropriate for all "
            "stages of the life cycle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, "
            "childhood, adolescence, older adulthood, and for athletes."
        ),
        "url": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27886704/",
        "source_name": "Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Melina et al. 2016 (PMID 27886704)",
    },
    "source_pmc_review": {
        "quote": (
            "there is no evidence of protein deficiency in vegetarian populations in western countries"
        ),
        "url": "https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6893534/",
        "source_name": "Nutrients 2019: Dietary Protein and Amino Acids in Vegetarian Diets — A Review (PMC6893534)",
    },
    "source_cleveland": {
        "quote": (
            "mixing and matching those protein sources can get you all the amino acids your body needs"
        ),
        "url": "https://health.clevelandclinic.org/do-i-need-to-worry-about-eating-complete-proteins",
        "source_name": "Cleveland Clinic Health Essentials: Complete Proteins",
    },
}

# 4. CITATION VERIFICATION (Rule 2)
print("Verifying citations...")
citation_results = verify_all_citations(empirical_facts, wayback_fallback=True)

# 5. COUNT SOURCES WITH VERIFIED CITATIONS
COUNTABLE_STATUSES = ("verified", "partial")
n_confirmed = sum(
    1 for key in empirical_facts
    if citation_results[key]["status"] in COUNTABLE_STATUSES
)
print(f"  Confirmed sources: {n_confirmed} / {len(empirical_facts)}")

# 6. CLAIM EVALUATION (Rule 4 / Rule 7: must use compare(), never hardcode)
claim_holds = compare(
    n_confirmed,
    CLAIM_FORMAL["operator"],
    CLAIM_FORMAL["threshold"],
    label="verified source count vs threshold (proof_direction=disprove)",
)

# 7. ADVERSARIAL CHECKS (Rule 5)
# For a disproof, adversarial checks look for evidence SUPPORTING the original claim
# (i.e., sources arguing animal protein is genuinely necessary).
adversarial_checks = [
    {
        "question": (
            "Does any meta-analysis or systematic review conclude that plant protein "
            "CANNOT meet protein needs, or that animal protein is physiologically required?"
        ),
        "verification_performed": (
            "Searched PubMed and Google Scholar for 'animal protein required necessary "
            "protein deficiency vegan vegetarian meta-analysis systematic review'. "
            "Reviewed PMC7926405 (meta-analysis on animal vs plant protein for lean mass, 2021) "
            "and Nutrition Reviews 2025 (plant protein and muscle). "
            "No study concludes that protein needs cannot be met on plant-based diets. "
            "PMC7926405 found animal protein has a modest lean mass advantage in younger adults "
            "but states the result 'does not significantly impact gains in lean mass or muscle "
            "strength following resistance type exercise training' overall."
        ),
        "finding": (
            "No peer-reviewed meta-analysis or systematic review claims plant-based diets "
            "cannot meet protein needs. Studies note animal protein has higher bioavailability "
            "and leucine content, but none conclude plant protein is insufficient if adequate "
            "variety and quantity is consumed."
        ),
        "breaks_proof": False,
    },
    {
        "question": (
            "Is there scientific evidence that athletes or specific populations CANNOT meet "
            "protein needs on plant-only diets?"
        ),
        "verification_performed": (
            "Searched for 'vegan athlete protein deficiency impossible' and 'plant-based "
            "diet protein inadequacy athletes systematic review'. "
            "The Gatorade Sports Science Institute review found: 'Muscle conditioning in "
            "athletes does not need to be compromised when adopting a plant-based diet as "
            "long as sufficient protein is consumed from a large variety of different "
            "plant-based protein sources.' "
            "The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics explicitly states plant-based diets are "
            "appropriate 'for athletes'."
        ),
        "finding": (
            "Athletes can meet protein needs on plant-based diets. Sports science literature "
            "confirms adequacy with sufficient quantity and variety, negating any claim that "
            "animal protein is required even for high-demand populations."
        ),
        "breaks_proof": False,
    },
    {
        "question": (
            "Does the claim have merit if interpreted narrowly — e.g., does animal protein "
            "have bioavailability or amino acid score (DIAAS) advantages that make plant "
            "protein 'ineffective' for meeting needs?"
        ),
        "verification_performed": (
            "Searched for 'DIAAS plant protein inadequate protein needs'. "
            "Animal proteins do generally score higher on the Digestible Indispensable Amino "
            "Acid Score (DIAAS). However, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics notes: "
            "'Protein from a variety of plant foods, eaten during the course of a day, "
            "supplies enough of all indispensable (essential) amino acids when caloric "
            "requirements are met.' The terms 'complete' and 'incomplete' protein are "
            "described as 'misleading' in this context. "
            "The PMC6893534 review found lysine intakes in vegetarians were '58 and 43 mg/kg, "
            "respectively, largely higher than the 30 mg/kg estimated average requirement.'"
        ),
        "finding": (
            "Animal protein has higher DIAAS scores, but plant proteins consumed in adequate "
            "variety and quantity meet all amino acid requirements in practice. Bioavailability "
            "differences do not render plant protein 'ineffective' for meeting daily protein "
            "needs — they may require slightly larger total intake. The 'must' framing remains "
            "false: plant protein can effectively meet protein needs."
        ),
        "breaks_proof": False,
    },
]

# 8. VERDICT AND STRUCTURED OUTPUT
if __name__ == "__main__":
    # "partial" counts toward threshold but triggers "with unverified citations" variant
    any_unverified = any(
        cr["status"] != "verified" for cr in citation_results.values()
    )
    is_disproof = CLAIM_FORMAL.get("proof_direction") == "disprove"
    any_breaks = any(ac.get("breaks_proof") for ac in adversarial_checks)

    if any_breaks:
        verdict = "UNDETERMINED"
    elif claim_holds and not any_unverified:
        verdict = "DISPROVED" if is_disproof else "PROVED"
    elif claim_holds and any_unverified:
        verdict = (
            "DISPROVED (with unverified citations)"
            if is_disproof
            else "PROVED (with unverified citations)"
        )
    elif not claim_holds:
        verdict = "UNDETERMINED"
    else:
        verdict = "UNDETERMINED"

    FACT_REGISTRY["A1"]["method"] = f"count(citation_results[key]['status'] in {COUNTABLE_STATUSES})"
    FACT_REGISTRY["A1"]["result"] = f"{n_confirmed} of {len(empirical_facts)} sources confirmed"

    citation_detail = build_citation_detail(FACT_REGISTRY, citation_results, empirical_facts)

    # Qualitative proof: extractions record citation status per B-type fact
    extractions = {}
    for fid, info in FACT_REGISTRY.items():
        if not fid.startswith("B"):
            continue
        ef_key = info["key"]
        cr = citation_results.get(ef_key, {})
        extractions[fid] = {
            "value": cr.get("status", "unknown"),
            "value_in_quote": cr.get("status") in COUNTABLE_STATUSES,
            "quote_snippet": empirical_facts[ef_key]["quote"][:80],
        }

    summary = {
        "fact_registry": {
            fid: {k: v for k, v in info.items()}
            for fid, info in FACT_REGISTRY.items()
        },
        "claim_formal": CLAIM_FORMAL,
        "claim_natural": CLAIM_NATURAL,
        "citations": citation_detail,
        "extractions": extractions,
        "cross_checks": [
            {
                "description": "Multiple independent authoritative sources consulted",
                "n_sources_consulted": len(empirical_facts),
                "n_sources_verified": n_confirmed,
                "sources": {k: citation_results[k]["status"] for k in empirical_facts},
                "independence_note": (
                    "Sources are from three independent institutions: "
                    "(1) Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (professional dietetics body), "
                    "(2) an independent peer-reviewed journal review (Nutrients/PMC), "
                    "(3) Cleveland Clinic (major academic medical center). "
                    "These sources represent independent research and expert consensus, "
                    "not a single institution cited multiple times."
                ),
            }
        ],
        "adversarial_checks": adversarial_checks,
        "verdict": verdict,
        "key_results": {
            "n_confirmed": n_confirmed,
            "threshold": CLAIM_FORMAL["threshold"],
            "operator": CLAIM_FORMAL["operator"],
            "proof_direction": CLAIM_FORMAL["proof_direction"],
            "claim_holds": claim_holds,
        },
        "generator": {
            "name": "proof-engine",
            "version": open(os.path.join(PROOF_ENGINE_ROOT, "VERSION")).read().strip(),
            "repo": "https://github.com/yaniv-golan/proof-engine",
            "generated_at": date.today().isoformat(),
        },
    }

    print("\n=== PROOF SUMMARY (JSON) ===")
    print(json.dumps(summary, indent=2, default=str))

↓ download proof.py · view on Zenodo (immutable)

Re-execute this proof

The verdict above is cached from when this proof was minted. To re-run the exact proof.py shown in "View proof source" and see the verdict recomputed live, launch it in your browser — no install required.

Re-execute the exact bytes deposited at Zenodo.

Re-execute in Binder runs in your browser · ~60s · no install

First run takes longer while Binder builds the container image; subsequent runs are cached.

machine-readable formats

Jupyter Notebook interactive re-verification W3C PROV-JSON provenance trace RO-Crate 1.1 research object package
Downloads & raw data

found this useful? ★ star on github