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!

@onionface that is sadly very true. Current rates of meat consumption are totally unsustainable. Whether by choice or necessity people will be eating a lot less meat in 20 years than they are now!

To become vegan, I'd have to be kidnapped, locked in a cell and forcefed

It's a whole ideology, or so I read. Not merely what you eat. So nothing. Nothing will ever make me embrace that whole belief system.

Re just eating like a vegan: I guess if I started feeling very sick every time I had milk products AND if no animal products were available at all. I quite like tofu, beans, most veg, all fruit, and eat a lot of them... I wonder how fast I'd become iron deficient (was borderline when vegetarian).

Those of you taken in by The Game Changers might want to read this article which shows just how misleading the whole thing was.

I have been vegetarian for almost 40 years. The only thing stopping me becoming vegan is that I love eggs.

I don't like milk (it badly affects my stomach) so use oat milk. I use dairy free yoghurt which I like. I am not keen on cheese so happy to not eat it or use vegan cheese.

Me and DH probably eat at least 10 eggs a week. We are lucky though that so many people near us keep chickens and you can see them running round their gardens so definitely free range. They are the only ones we will buy.

We don't really eat much fake meat, only sausages occasionally the the fake bacon. We eat lots of lentils, chickpeas, nuts and different beans. Oh and, of course, loads of veg.

I actually think vegan/vegetarian food is far more interesting and tasty than meat meals

I'm a veggie, I also use oat milk and vegan butter. I can't give up chocolate or eggs though!

Nothing. Grew up on a farm so killing and preparing my own food is not an issue. Really can't see how eating fake meat made from soya that has been grown half way round the world on the site of a cleared rainforest is better than meat from grass-fed cattle from a British hill farm (i.e. on land that is only suitable for growing grass). Meadow land is much more botanically diverse than arable land. If we stop eating all animal products then there will be lots of land that can no longer produce food and so the arable land we have will have to be farmed even more intensively.

Cheese.

I don't struggle with vegetarianism at all. Don't really miss meat and prefer some of the veggie alternatives.

I would miss cheese a LOT.

It would be very hard to make me turn vegan. I enjoy meat/fish/eggs and cheese too much!

But the thing I hate about veganism is the assertion (often very sanctimonious and holier than though!) that it's better for the environment. It's parroted out without real knowledge.

Never mind all the awful processing that's going into so many vegan foods/meat alternatives - take the growing of almonds for almond milk for example. It takes 1.1 gallons of water to grow ONE almond . And that's all happening in California where they are suffering from drought conditions.

@BIWI

Just for balance, I am providing the rebuttal to that article: medium.com/@drjamesloomis/my-beef-with-the-mens-health-review-of-the-game-changers-65826d389859

I’m not arguing with you, just giving people the opportunity to read both sides!

Doesn't James Loomis also have a business manufacturing vegan foods? So he isn't exactly whiter than white!

@Bastetcat , yes I appreciate that’s why producers state that, but it makes it very difficult to cater for truly vegan people who won’t accept that reason at all. I have a family member who is strictly vegan and unhelpful pseudo vegan labels aren’t acceptable for that person. Vegan must mean truly vegan.

@BIWI

I agree with you on almond milk - it’s the least sustainable plant milk and very bad for bees. I think vegans should be wary of it unless there is no other choice.

It is worth noting, though, that almond milk still has a much lower environmental impact that cow’s milk. Cow’s milk uses more water, requires more land, and creates greater emissions.

This is a good article on it: www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.bbc.com/news/amp/science-environment-46654042

I personally prefer oat milk, which is delicious and has a much lower impact.

I could easily go veggie, but I really can't imagine what would make me go vegan.

In particular I can't understand the moral objection to organic, ethically produced dairy and eggs, and things like honey.

vegan food is boring. Sorry, but it is. I know that there are lovely vegan meals, but there just isn't enough variety for me. For example, a delicious pasta tomato and basil dish - lovely. But there is not enough variety

and I really am not a fan of lentils and pulses.
love a good lentil soup - with bacon!

I think I'm a good cook. I have tried loads of vegan recipes, and they are just not amazing

cheese

If they could make decent vegan cheese.... Then maybe

But then again. Steak 😋

If the only remaining option were cannibalism. Even then I'm not sure.

I don't think I could. I could give up milk. eggs and meat, I eat very little of these anyway. I eat fish for goodness but I wouldnt miss it.. But not cheese. I could not give up cheese.
I eat vegan dishes such as curry, soup and pasta most days. But if I want a roast dinner I'll have it.
I would give up if I watched the truth of where my meat milk etc comes from I think.
If I buy meat i try to buy good quality but in a restaurant I dont know where it's from.

@steppemum

For me, it’s the animal cruelty aspect. I appreciate that organic, ethically produced options are better but I can’t move past the fact that the cows are artificially inseminated and then their calves removed within 24 hours of birth (and the males slaughtered for veal) and the male day old chicks being killed. Or layers being killed at 18mos because it’s cheaper to replace them than for their laying to diminish.

I appreciate these aren’t primary concerns for everyone, and that diet is a very personal decision. I’m not trying to make anyone’s decision for them. I’m just letting you know what my objections are.

And I’m still a bit puzzled as to why vegans would want to eat fake meat? Surely the point of being vegan is rejecting the whole idea of animal products?

Oh I'm really not keen on the amount of fake and processed food my vegan colleague eats. All wierd substitute stuff . It cant be healthy and she looks terrible since going vegan. I know shes picked up some nutritional yeast recently so hopefully that helps. Its completely her choice and non of my business really but I wouldnt want her lunches ha.

If human health was guaranteed by veganism then I'd do it. Fact is, a bit of steak goes far in regards to health.

Nothing. I eat a lot of vegan food but I love meat, fish and eggs too much. There’s nothing wrong with that

I am happy with a vegetarian diet, have tried vegan but didn't do well with it, problems with fake cheese especially and struggle a great deal with pulses. Much as I would like to do it, I need some quality of life.

I saw a video recently of a pig trying to rescue her friend who was on the chopping block, and will never forget one where a sweet little pig was trying to escape by running round in the wooden pen next to where her sister was being killed. I find it unbearable, love pigs.

Henharrier I kind of think this but my vegan friend said she misses meat and is vegan not because meat disgusts her, she just thinks it's better for the environment not to eat real meat.