Veganism

[bluebell]

What we do and don't eat is all down to personal choices we make.

I don't eat meat, I am not a vegetarian as I eat fish, I was brought up on a farm and I never had a problem with the taste of meat, it was seeing where meat came from and the fact that another creature lost its life to allow me to eat it that I struggled with.

I don't see a problem, personally, with the fact that quorn sausages are sausage shape or that meat-free bacon comes in slices which resembles piggy bacon.

[wolfe]

I take my hat off to anyone who can be a vegan. My concern is animal welfare, as saint spoon has already said, we have evolved to be omnivorous. I wonder what the long term affects on health are on a vegan diet Would one have to take vitamin supliments? I compelted a survival course years ago, and it has always learned me the need for a varied diet. If only the farmers could go more for quality rather than quantity, maybe everyone would benifit. With are increaseing population, and the pressure to feed them, it looks like we have a major problem

[lancashire lass]

fruit & veg, including mushrooms are the main source of vitamins wolfe, so there would be none lacking in that area. Even a lot of minerals such as calcium and iron are derived from green leafed vegetables like cabbage but obviously you'd have to eat a diet rich in these to obtain the same level as you would eating a small portion of meat. Usually it is the protein source that is more important in a vegetarian diet - protein is essential for tissue repair and growth. As already commented, humans have evolved to be omnivores and it has been suggested that early hominds turning from a vegetarian existence to eating meat might have been responsible for the development of the brain in humans, otherwise we'd probably all still be at lemur level of intelligence and chimps would be ruling the world now!

As for soya, it has to be processed because in its raw form it is actually toxic and can make you very ill. Interestingly soya was meant to be a means of ending world famine (I think in the 50s/60s) but took off as a vegetarian alternate to meat protein BTW as soya is rich in protein, it probably is not that unusual to be "allergic" to it and forcing yourself to eat it if you are is the last thing you should be doing!

When I was studying for my degree, I had to do a project about alternate protein sources and interestingly about various yeast and bacteria. It's something people don't really think about as an alternate. Alas, my project was on a particular animal feed so I couldn't give you brand names to look at LOL What was discovered is that you need to ensure the protein source has ALL the essential amino acids (building blocks of protein - essential amino acids are precursors for other amino acids that the body can manufacture for itself) and not surprisingly meat does have them but not all vegetable sources (including yeast & bacterial)

Before anyone embarked on being vegetarian or especially vegan, they really should do a lot of searching and learn about nutritional requirements and ensure they are eating a diet which has all the right balance of protein, fat and carbohydrates from a variety of sources. I haven't got a problem with people who go vegetarian or even vegan, but I do when they have not done enough research. Perhaps look up various organisations such as The Vegan Society which should have a lot more information about nutrients etc.

As for killing animals humanely or even if welfare is the main issue rather than the thought of eating meat or using dairy products at all, again, please do a lot more research - out there are people who sincerely care about their animals rather than go for the mass production. It's just a case of finding them and being prepared to pay the true price of how much it costs to rear the animals in a suitably stress free environment. Beware of thinking of moving over to fish - the wild fish stocks world wide are in serious danger of collapse from pollution or over-fishing if it is not managed properly but like a lot of resources on this planet, mankind seems oblivious to the problem until it is too late.

... okay, I'll get off my soap box now

[Steve the Gas]

I could never do veggie or vegan, but each to their own

Never seen a fat one with rosy cheeks though They always seem pasty to me. I welcome pics of healthy looking ones to prove me wrong.......... you won't I doubt though

[kate egg]

LL that was a really interesting and informative post, thanks for taking the time to do it. Diet is a very emotive subject in all ways - whether meat v vegetarian / vegan right through to healthy / junkfood and all the different slimming plans. Everyone seems to have a different perspective and overall no one way is the right way for everyone. Education is the best way forwards for ensuring that the next generation knows how to look after itself

[wendy]

As Bluebell says we each have different ways of eating.
We eat mainly vegetarian and fish, certainly at home. But if we eat out at friends I will eat meat but only beef and lamb. As I think it isn't so easy to factory farm them {i Would like it organic as well, but that is asking a lot from friends LOL} I do not eat chicken at all, simply because I abhor how they slaughter them. If I knew someone who free ranged and then wrung their necks I would eat it. So as I say we all have our own idiosyncracies. I also cannot understand why you would want soya made to taste like meat....each to their own
I have know an extremely fat vegetarian. But she pigged out on biscuits and cakes I am afraid.
Wendy

[roddelmae]

A question I would ask of all vegetarians is - do you drink milk? If the answer is yes, the question then arises, where do you think the milk comes from if not animals producing offspring and milk for them to drink? And then, what happens to those offspring?
If the answer is no, I drink soya milk or whatever, then they are true vegetarians and have my admiration.

[wendy]

Yep soya milk, but only the unsweetened, the other is YUK. So I suppose I am having soya tasting like the 'real' thing .
Wendy

[pugmum]

Well i am a veggie and i do eat eggs (sourced locally though never from the supermarket as i dont believe that their 'free range' eggs are really free range) but i dont drink milk as i dont like the way milk is produced.
I drink soya milk and have done for years but i have to have the sweetened version-i dont like the unsweetened one at all. Maybe its because i only have it on cereal or as a drink on its own-i take coffee and tea black. My friend only likes the unsweetened but she takes it in tea.
As for veggies/vegans being weedy or pale or whatever-i am certainly not pale or weedy but i do have a friend who is veggie and she is a bit thin and very pale-she never looks very well, bless her. However, she hardly eats at all so i think that is the reason she looks a bit 'unwell' rather than the fact that she is a veggie.
I do think its all a matter of personal choice, but i think its great when an individual just thinks about where their meat came from and tries to eat meat that is locally reared and slaughtered etc. Factory farming is just evil.
Julie x