In part 2 of our series on The Joe Rogan Experience episode 2578 with Calley Means, we said your oats may have been sprayed with weed killer on purpose. Here is the data behind that line, including the parts that cut the other way.
Why glyphosate ends up on grains and legumes
Glyphosate is the active ingredient in Roundup. It is used to kill weeds, and it can also be sprayed shortly before harvest to dry down grains and legumes. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) describes both uses in its testing report.
Source: CFIA, Safeguarding with Science: Glyphosate Testing in 2015-2016
The US uses a fifth of the world's glyphosate
Benbrook's 2016 analysis found the United States accounted for about 19% of global glyphosate use from 1974 to 2014, while holding roughly 4% of the world's population. Calley Means said about 20% on the podcast. That number holds.
Source: Benbrook, Environmental Sciences Europe 2016
What Canada found when it tested 3,188 foods
In 2015 and 2016 the CFIA tested 3,188 domestic and imported food samples. Glyphosate was detected in 29.7% of them. Bean, pea and lentil products had the highest detection rate at 47.4%, followed by grain products at 36.6%.
The other side of the same report: only 1.3% of all samples were above Canada's maximum residue limits, and Health Canada reviewed the data and identified no human health concern. Detection is not the same as exceeding a legal limit, and we think you should see both numbers.
| All foods tested | 29.7% detected, 1.3% above limits |
|---|---|
| Bean, pea and lentil products | 47.4% detected, 0.6% above limits |
| Grain products | 36.6% detected, 3.9% above limits |
| Infant cereal | 31.7% detected, 0% above limits |
Source: CFIA, Safeguarding with Science: Glyphosate Testing in 2015-2016
An organic diet cut urinary glyphosate about 71% in six days
Fagan and colleagues followed four US families (16 people) for five days on a conventional diet and then on a fully organic diet. Mean urinary glyphosate fell 70.93% within six days, and its main metabolite AMPA fell 76.71%. The authors concluded diet is a primary source of glyphosate exposure.
It is a small study, so treat the exact percentage with care. The direction is consistent with other diet-intervention research.
Source: Fagan et al., Environmental Research 2020
Full organic or the smart swap?
Going fully organic is expensive. The targeted version covers the foods most likely to carry residues: oats, wheat, chickpeas, lentils, beans and peas. Buy those organic first, and keep the rest of your shopping the same.
What about cancer?
The World Health Organization's cancer agency, IARC, classified glyphosate as probably carcinogenic in 2015. The US EPA says it is not likely to be carcinogenic. Both positions still stand. In June 2026 the Supreme Court ruled on who writes the warning label, not on whether glyphosate causes cancer.
Sources: IARC Monograph 112; US EPA; Monsanto Co. v. Durnell (2026)
The bottom line
The numbers support being deliberate, not panicked. Glyphosate shows up in a large share of grains and legumes, most samples are within legal limits, and a short organic switch lowered measured levels in one small study. The targeted swap is a reasonable middle path. Not medical advice.
The full JRE 2578 series
- Calley Means on Joe Rogan: 8 Numbers, Fact-Checked (JRE 2578)
- Glyphosate in Oats, Chickpeas and Lentils: What the Testing Shows and the Organic Swap That Works (you are here)
- How Glyphosate Got Legal Immunity in 4 Moves: Roundup Lawsuits After Monsanto v. Durnell
- A US School Day by the Numbers: Sugar, Protein and the USDA School Meal Rules
- The Kids' Metabolic Emergency: Childhood Obesity, Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes Statistics
- Follow the Money: What Public Lobbying Filings Show About 2025's Record Year
- What Needs to Happen: 3 System Fixes From Calley Means and 3 Levers You Control
Follow @ninjathletes on Instagram for the full carousel and reels, and find more evidence-based athlete optimization tips at ninjathlete.com.
Sources
- Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Safeguarding with Science: Glyphosate Testing in 2015-2016. inspection.canada.ca/en/food-safety-industry/food-chemistry-and-microbiology/food-safety-testing-reports-and-journal-articles/executive-summary/glyphosate-testing
- Benbrook CM. Trends in glyphosate herbicide use in the United States and globally. Environmental Sciences Europe, 2016. doi.org/10.1186/s12302-016-0070-0
- Fagan J, et al. Organic diet intervention significantly reduces urinary glyphosate levels in U.S. children and adults. Environmental Research, 2020. doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2020.109898
- IARC Monographs Volume 112, 2015; US EPA glyphosate review.
- Monsanto Co. v. Durnell, US Supreme Court, decided June 25, 2026.
- Calley Means on The Joe Rogan Experience episode 2578.
Source episode: The Joe Rogan Experience, episode 2578, with Calley Means. Claims attributed to Calley Means are his and are labeled as such. Photos inside the slides are AI-generated illustrations; the numbers are from the sources listed. This article is educational and is not medical or legal advice.
