AIBU to ask ‘what would make you go vegan’?

[Bastetcat]

Tangentially inspired by another thread, I wonder if there are specific obstacles standing in the way of people choosing to go vegan, and if so what they are?

I tend to presume that if perfect, indistinguishable replicas for meat / dairy / eggs etc could be created then virtually everyone would go vegan, but I would be interested in finding out if that’s actually the case!

@Beketaten I’d say oatly barista. It’s expensive but will last a while if you only use a splash- it seems to keep for about 2 weeks.

I've seen research that indicates the most environmentally friendly source of protein isn't vegan at all - it's eating insects.
If the environment protection is all that matters this should be looked into. The insects are ground into a protein powder that is used in food.

But possibly a difficult sell.

Nothing would make me go vegan ( assuming it's possible to buy meat and dairy), but I would be happy with 90% vegan. I just find the lack of variety a bit hard. I'm not keen on fake meat, and don't have more than 45 mins to cook dinner most nights. I have a vegan DD and cook vegan for her 3-4 days a week, but like some cheese, eggs and occasionally meat on the other days. I actually think I'd miss eggs more than meat and cheese.

@TwitcherOfCurtains believe it or not to artificially inseminate a cow farmers do go elbow deep into her rectum to push her cervix down to the right position to inseminate (not envy). I was shocked too when I found this out.

I tried it a couple of years ago for Lent.
I won't be doing it permanently for a large number of reasons.
I like actual meat, that looks like meat. We are having a duck for dinner today.
We get our meat locally, and our milk, from land that won't grow vegan alternatives.
The cashew, jack fruit etc farmers need their land for food.
My stomach won't take it.
There's nothing to replace several of the DCs favourite meals. Yet to find any acceptable vegan or even veggie sausages!
Ditto cheese
I can get most of our omnivorous diet plastic free.

I accidentally read how not to die by dr Gregor, I wasn't looking to go plant based but after reading that it's hard not too. Everything he says is evidence based and I have no doubt in my mind that I will live a longer, healthier life by cutting out meat and dairy.

It's been 9 months now, I feel different, somehow I'm more alert, switched on, my tummy is flatter, my eczema as all but disappeared, and my digestive system is amazing (long term IBS sufferer now GONE, just gone within a matter of weeks). knowing what I know I couldn't eat meat again. Can't say I don't miss chicken in a curry, or a proper spaghetti bol, but I just couldn't eat it. It's like as an ex smoker when I've had a drink I sometimes get a pang for a cigarette but I wouldn't do it. Couldn't because I know what it does to me and I have children that need my around.

Dr Gregor talks about "vegans" and the name itself refers to what you have to cut out therefore you can be very very unhealthy. Whereas branding it whole food plant based let's you know what you can eat and it's vast. So that's where I aim to be 90% of the time. Other 10% I guess is some processed stuff like tofu, some soya mince, bean burgers, vegan choc but I tend not to bother, oh and I had some baileys and abit of cheese over Christmas.

Eating does takes a lot more consideration and thought but I've honestly enjoyed it. I do lots of prep now and the freezer is full of Tupperware filled lunches and teas.

So that's my reasons

@TheMotherofAllDilemmas this can be a good place to sign up if you need any help- you get mentors, access to registered dieticians for any health queries, recipes, all free and a totally non judgemental environment, no slip ups are criticised and no question is too silly to ask.
challenge22.com/

I don't think I could go vegan, but I think DH, DS and I could easily be pescatarian. There isn't much of a compromise at all in that, and who knows, maybe that would be a step towards further modifications to our diets.

Nothing less than a gun to my head.

Vegan substitutes are woeful compared to the real thing. The texture in particular is never right.

And don't get me started on vegan alternatives to butter, eggs and cheese. I'm also not convinced by either the ethical arguments or arguments based on sustainability. I think having a more diverse range of food sources which can be produced in different geographical areas, is also better from a food security point of view.

I haven’t eaten meat since I was 12 so living without meat is no skin off my back. Living without cheese is a totally different story, I greatly struggle with it. If they ever create a vegan cheese that’s actually similar to the real thing then I’m all for it.

I was vegan for a few years but I quit mostly due to missing cheese. I also used to go to restaurants with non-vegans and sit salivating over their meals because the one vegan option I had was boring as shit.

Another thing I will say is that veganism is pretty expensive. I know vegans will ALWAYS say it isn’t because pulses and veggies are so cheap but really, who the hell wants to live purely on lentils and vegetables? There isn’t a famine on, this isn’t a choice most people want to make. Plant based milks that actually taste semi decent and work in coffee are expensive, particularly when you have a family.

An environmentally friendly way to dispose of animal carcasses. Animals will die of natural causes but there will still need to be some animal control eg deer herds need to be managed, rabbits will need to be culled.

Obviously some animals will need to be killed to feed other animals that can't love on a plant based diet, conservation sometimes includes captivity for endangered species.

Investment in industries to provide employment for farmers and others currently involved in farming animals. And no they can't just grow crops, head into the pennines and look at the land the sheep are on.

Plastics that are better for the environment than we currently have, leather is a by product of the meat industry, if it's replaced with a fake what impact does that have on the planet?

Finally I would have to know that me eating vegan did not impact on those who have traditionally eaten certain veg, I'm thinking Quinoa, it arrived in Europe and suddenly people who had eaten it as a staple for generations could not afford it.

@FET2020 honestly read through all the thread and your posts are just so bloody ignorant and one sided... where's your evidence?

I haven't meat or meat products for over 20 years, I eat fish occassionally so I'm a pescatarian.
I rely on eggs and cheese as a main part of my diet, though I do eat beans and pulses as well. So I would need to have acceptable vegan substitutes for eggs and cheese, at the same price, because budget is an important factor for me.

It’s always cheese. I’d rather have cheese than any other foodstuff.

Nothing would convince me.
I have IBS and a lot of the vegan “staples” make me unwell. I eat meat once a day, dairy in small amounts and eggs a few times a week. I can’t imagine I’d get all the nutrients that I need from a limited vegan diet, especially with the fake cheese (which I’ve tried, it was vile).

A cure for my nut allergy, and the ability to digest processed vegan protein stuff. I tried going vegan once, and virtually all the nice unprocessed treat foods had nuts in, and all the processed ones left me with crippling stomach pains. It took around 6 months after I'd reintroduced meat and dairy for my digestive system to recover.

Nothing would unless they made it law and then I'd probably still have some black market contraband meat & dairy somewhere. I'm about 75% veggie anyway as I married one and I can't be arsed fannying about making separate meals for him, me and our son so I'm veggie at home and just eat meat when I'm out and about. However, I am a turophile I cannot and would not ever give up cheese. I have tried vegan cheese it was the worst thing I've ever eaten.

Everything he [Dr Greger] says is evidence based and I have no doubt in my mind that I will live a longer, healthier life by cutting out meat and dairy

As with many advocates of a particular point of view, he’s cherry picked his evidence and made some interesting extrapolations.

I couldn't kill and prepare an animal but I can't seem to maintain my vitamin and mineral levels without meat and I'm already so ill I have to take care of me so if someone could an all in one supplement that actually worked for me then I'd succeed a lot more without animal products.
I'd struggle without cheese though. Cheese is my favourite food.

A chef to make all of my meals and for every restaurant to have more than a few crappy options (although it's getting better). It's a lot of effort with a small baby and more all the other products that always contain something.

I was quite surprised to find that 'eating local' makes really very little difference, if the local produce you eat is meat.
ourworldindata.org/food-choice-vs-eating-local

I started following a plant based diet five months ago, I can't call myself a vegan because I still wear leather shoes and have toiletries that aren't vegan so that's a badge I can't wear.

I changed the way I eat for a combination of environmental and health reasons, I don't include fake meat, cheese or vegan convenience foods in my diet. I haven't found eating out an issue but have probably chosen to eat in places with interesting vegan choices. In the time that I've been eating this way I have been on a foreign holiday, visited family and stayed in a city centre hotel. I've found it much easier than I thought it was going to be, feeding the family hasn't been an issue they eat what I cook and sometimes choose to cook meat or dairy.

Nothing really.
I like my meat, eggs, and other non veggie or vegan food.
I've tried the odd vegan dish with a friend who is vegan, but there's not much other than veggies and you have no idea whats in many of the pre packed stuff, the labels just read chemicals in exchange for meat products.

Better food and widely available in shops and restaurants

My concern is that many people think that being vegan is as simple as vegetarian diet without eggs and dairy.No thought of nutrition and no thought behond the food.
Real veganism becoming popular would mean no leather or wool as a basic,no use of anything tested on animals etc.