Should We Eat Animals?

When I was about 6, I asked my parents where meat came from. When they told me it was from animals that had been killed, I immediately decided to stop eating meat. I mainly stuck with that resolution through my childhood and teen years, with occasional transgressions, usually involving hot dogs at ball games or cookouts. Presently, my diet is probably 99% vegetarian (though not vegan), the other 1% mainly fish and organic turkey or chicken. Yet, over the years I have gone back and forth and in circles considering the ethical and nutritional implications of being a vegetarian.

There are many ways to view this issue. One of the main arguments in favor of a carnivorous, or omnivorous diet is that hunting and meat eating are a basic part of the natural order. The opposing argument is that humans have the power to rise to a higher ethical standard. To this, the meat eater often responds that we have to kill even to eat vegetables, to which the vegetarian will usually say that plants are of a lower order and do not have the same capacity to feel pain (though some even argue this point).

The nutritional side of the debate is no less convoluted. Vegetarian activists insist that meat eaters do not live as long, and have higher incidences of diseases such as cancer and heart disease. These are highly disputed points. Some meat eaters have taken the organic route, believing that many health problems associated with meat are actually the result of the conditions found at factory farms and all the questionable additives used, such as hormones and antibiotics.

To cloud the issue even more, the vegetarian camp is deeply divided on the issue of consuming animal products such as eggs, milk and other dairy products. Vegans, taking the basic vegetarian position one step further, believe that consuming any animal products is unhealthy. Many also take an ethical stand, pointing out the conditions suffered by animals who supply humans with their milk and eggs. This, we must note, is not an argument against animal products per se, only against the mainstream model that is currently used. Organic and free range alternatives are now widely available. It is, however, often questionable whether some of these alternatives are really as benign as they would have us believe. A certain portion of vegans actually take the hard line stance that it is wrong in principle to “exploit” animals for their food products, even if they are not harmed in the process. While I sometimes waffle on the bigger questions, I can say that I do not agree with this position, so long as the animals are well cared for.

One argument that I find fairly persuasive, coming from the carnivore side, is that when we look at eating habits historically, vegetarianism is quite rare and veganism almost unknown. I am talking now about what can be verified; some hypothesize an idyllic remote past when humans were vegetarians. Many traditional cultures did not consume large quantities of meat or animal products, but it is difficult to find a strictly vegetarian society, apart from certain religious subcultures in places like India. And in these cases, animal products were not taboo. In India, the sacredness of cows is not considered an injunction against milk products.

The ethical implications of a meat vs. vegetable diet is something everyone simply (or perhaps not so simply) has to work out for themselves. To some extent, this is also true of the health aspect. In both instances, however, I think we can safely conclude that the current model of treating and eating animals is highly unsatisfactory and inhumane. There are also many questionable implications to our health in consuming animals and animal products that originate in modern mass-production facilities or factory farms. My own conclusion, from the nutritional standpoint, is that if you choose to consume animals and/or animal products, is best to stick to high quality (usually meaning organic) products and in smaller quantities than is typical for modern American or Western diets. I think this decision alone, while not resolving the more complex moral questions, is a marked improvement over the status quo of the modern diet.


- Larry Christopher

High Protein Vegetarian Lifestyle?

Copyright (c) 2008 Ainsley Laing

Forty years ago, when I was a kid (and a vegetarian newbie), vegetarianism was not common. The statement “I am a vegetarian” was met with a simple “Oh”. Then came the 1980s when it became fashionable to be vegetarian for health reasons. With this fashion came confusion…

If you are a long term vegetarian like me, you will no doubt have been asked “do you eat chicken and fish?” Answer: polite yet emphatic “No, I am a vegetarian”. This question is usually followed by “how do you get enough protein?” Answer: polite yet emphatic “Easy!”

For those that are confused, here’s a brief description of the types of vegetarianism. Basically, there are those who either eat dairy (lacto vegetarian), eggs (ovo vegetarian) or both (ovo-lacto vegetarian). Vegans are vegetarians that consume no animal products at all. Among us vegetarians, if we say we are vegetarian it is taken to mean we eat dairy and or eggs. Vegans usually use the word vegan, which sounds to me like terminology invented by the producers of the original Star Trek episodes ?. A feeble attempt at humor, I know.

This article is about vegetarian and vegan eating, either as a lifestyle or the occasional meal. This article is about eating for muscle development. Is it possible to do both? Yes it is… with simple foods and a bit of knowledge about the composition of proteins.

Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. To build or maintain muscle (and most other body functions), the human body requires some amino acids that it must take from food. These are called the Essential Amino Acids. There are other amino acids that the body manufactures on its own ‘ called Non-essential Amino Acids. However, it requires the essential ones to manufacture the non-essential ones.

A protein is referred to as “complete” or “useable” when it contains all of the essential amino acids. Animal protein is complete. Vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts and seeds all contain protein, but they usually are not complete and therefore need to be “complemented” with foods that have the missing amino acids. The exception to this is soybeans. The protein in soybeans is complete and needs no complement.

In a nutshell: for vegetarians, getting enough protein is simple as eggs, dairy products and soybean products (except soy sauce) are good sources of high quality “useable” protein. For vegans, dried beans and soy are the main source of protein. Dried beans need to be complemented with nuts, grains, corn, eggs, dairy or soy (except eggs and dairy for vegans). For Non-vegetarians, a small amount of meat, fish or chicken in a meal will also complete the protein in beans or nuts for an extra protein punch that’s also packed with phytochemicals and anti-oxidants!

Live long and prosper.


- Ainsley Laing

Afraid to come out of the ‘vegan’ closet?

I have been ‘vegetarian’ before and failed, but this time it is something totally different and spiritual for me. Not only do I want to save over 100 animals a year by not eating meat or dairy, but I would love to be healthier and help Mother Nature out. I know Christmas and Thanksgiving is coming up (just RIGHT around the corner) and you know how the typical family eats….. turkey, ham, and all kinds of dairy (mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, cream of mushrooms on the green beans). I don’t want to force my beliefs on others by asking them to set aside for me a plain plate of veggies, but I don’t want to offend by not eating ANYTHING at all… I also don’t want to try anthing that MIGHT have animal products in them. So what should I do? Should I make my own meal and bring it or what? I know everyone is going to look at me like I’m trying to get attention, which I’m not. I’m 24 and married, so I really don’t need any attention. Haha. Thank you all for your replies! Can’t wait to hear!
Mel, I see your point with hunting, but we don’t hunt, we cage animals and force feed them hundreds of chemicals. If we grew at the rate a chicken in a slaughterhouse did, we’d be 389lbs by the time we were 2. Then the egg laying chickens have their beaks and talons seared of so they won’t fight each other given their living conditions with NO pain killers. Then their throats are slit while still conscious and they are dipped in feather remover and boiled alive. This isn’t hunting, where we have to sneak up on our prey to kill it and eat it, using ALL of it’s parts, its mass murder where the poor souls don’t even have a chance.
Harry D, saving over 100 animals a year doesn’t necessarily mean we eat them. Their products are used in broth, marshmallows, make-up, milk… and so on and so on. So we don’t have to consume a 100 chickens, all we have to do is eat a candy bar that contains milk.
- Y!A P0int5 Wh0r3

Vegan bath sets?

Toying around with Christmas gift ideas for my sister, who is a vegan. I’m swaying towards getting her some smellies - however loads of websites just say they are ‘organic’ and not vegan. She wont use anything with animal products in… help!
Urgh. Elite veganism is not what i’m after. She doesn’t eat/touch anything from an animal. To someone like myself who takes great pleasure in tucking in to a good old carcass over a salad any day this is the meaning i have of the word ‘vegan’. Poor reply!
Bath and body works looks fantastic! Unfortunatly i forgot to mention i was in England I actually have a friend who works in Lush so i will look into that idea - i just wasn’t overly keen as Lush is everywhere here and i’m looking for something a little unique. Any ideas anyone?
Yes i do have the problem where she wont have anything thats tested on animals! (Even our cats have to have special cat food thats not tested on cats!!!) You vegans have NO idea how hard you guys make Christmas and Birthdays!!
- pixiegurl2k2

What are the non-vegan ingredients in gummy bears and marshmallows?

I am trying to go vegan, but until today I did not know gummy bears and marshmallows had animal products in them. What are the ingredients exactly?
- Luci D

Vitamin B12 In A Vegan Diet: The Dreaded Debate

When you follow a vegan lifestyle, there are many questions that you probably dread. Where do you get your protein? Why don’t you eat dairy or eggs? How do you get your calcium if you don’t drink milk? If you are well-informed on vegan nutrition you can easily answer these questions with pride.

But, there is one question that delves a bit deeper, that is a much more difficult to answer, and threatens the view of many vegans that their lifestyle is a more natural way for humans to eat: Why aren’t there any plant-based sources of B12?

Every vitamin, mineral, or nutrient can be found in a modern-day plant-based diet, except for one. Vitamin B12 (or cobalamin) can not be found in any plant-based sources and is only found in animal products. This strikes a sore-spot for many vegans.

In practically every book or article that you read on vegan nutrition there are lengthy paragraphs on how and where you can find nutrients such as calcium and protein in a plant-based diet. These discussions are usually followed by a sentence such as this, “Vitamin B12 is vital for your health. Since you can only get B12 from meat or dairy products, if you follow a vegan diet, make sure to take a vitamin B12 supplement daily.”

After reading a statement like this, you may be wondering, but why? The answer to this question is difficult to find, but if you search the scientific literature long enough, you can find it.

To really understand why we can’t get vitamin B12 from a plant-based diet in modern-day society, we have to take a look at nature and a look back into our human history.

B12 is produced by “good” bacteria which are found in the soil and on plants. Every herbivore in nature gets its supply of B12 from consuming these bacteria on the plants they eat. These bacteria then make homes in the gut of the herbivores that eat them. Carnivores get their B12 by consuming the organs and thus the bacteria from their herbivore prey.

Our ancestors, whether you’re looking at several thousand years or just a few hundred years back into our past, didn’t wash the food they pulled from the ground. They ate the bacteria which produce B12 on the plant-foods they consumed and got an adequate supply of B12 daily.

In our modern-day society, bacteria isn’t found on our plant-foods for two reasons. First, the large number of pesticides, herbicides, and other chemicals used to treat our food doesn’t allow a large amount of this bacteria to grow in our soils. Second, we wash our food very well. So, in our modern-day diet, there is not enough of this good bacteria on our plant foods so we have to find other sources.

People who eat meat or vegetarians that eat dairy and eggs, can easily get their B12 from animal products. This is mainly because of contamination of the animal foods by the bacteria normally found in the gut of these animals.

Unfortunately for vegans, the only source of B12 is through a supplement. So when you pop that B12 pill, hopefully you’ll feel better knowing that you have to take it only because of our clean, modern-day culture and not because a vegan diet is fundamentally deficient!


- Gina Buss

Am i a vegan hypocrite?

Would it be weird or hypocritical if i’m a vegan and i bake a lot of cupcakes and cake and cookies that have animal products in them, but i don’t eat them?

The reason is because i’m going to be a club president and i figured that i’d do a lot of bake sales for fund raising. So would you say that i’m a hypocrite?
- lefisheye

I am a vegan and am getting married. Your opinion is needed?

My finance and have both been vegan for almost two years now (I’ve been vegetarian for several years). We would like to serve health vegan treats at our reception. We will have veggie trays, hummus, fruit trays, breads with assorted spreads a few things to be decided and of course some sort of vegan cake (either fancy cupcakes on a tiered tray or a traditional looking wedding cake). So I was visiting my mom today and she said this I know its your wedding, and you can do what ever you want, but I think that you should have normal cake in addition to your vagen (as she like to say it) cake. She thinks I’m being unreasonable and inhospitable in not offering cake that is made with dairy and eggs. I don’t see it that way. I am not going to be offering gross food. My local coop makes wonderful cakes. Beautiful and taste and I’m not compromising my beliefs by buying foods that are made with animal products. My finance and I are paying for this all by ourselves by the way.
- StormyLady

Would this menu be ok with your 6/7 year old?

my daughters 7th bday party is a week from friday. we are all vegans, so it can be a bit difficult to plan party menus, esp. for picky eaters (which many kids this age are) we have checked w/ parents, no allergies on any of these items, and this is the finalized menu:

make our own pasta with a simple recipe, which my daughter and some of her other friends loved doing.

veg marinara sauce

magarine

veg pesto

apple fries w/ caramel dipping sauce

pb and js cut into fun shapes via cookie cutters

chips

various drinks

decorate your own vegan cupcake

and for breakfast (it’s a sleepover)

vegan waffles (taste normal)

margarine

various jams/fruit spreads

peanut butter

syrup

various drinks

does this seem like a good menu?

**** please no flak about the vegan lifestyle. my kids are healthy and fine and we will not serve animal products.

we always have fruit avaliable, and i forgot to mention we’ll have sorbet for dessert. and of course we’ll do all the typical bday party stuff.
- phan

What is a good recipe for vegan cupcakes?

I have a friend that is a vegan and she is celebrating her birthday in a month or two. I need to find a recipe that does not contain any animal products so, no milk, eggs, etc. It would also be helpful if there was a recipe for frosting as well. If you have personally tried it then tell me how good they are because I want to make the best ones!
- Hannah 3