To ask why people are so against giving up meat?

[NewCracker]

Just that really, why are people so against giving up meat?
Without a doubt we know it's better for the environment, we know it's better for our health, we know it's better for animal welfare and it's actually quite expensive. But still as soon as you mention to the greater public about cutting their meat consumption, they get defensive and almost offended.
Would you ever consider giving it up, if you do consume it now? If not, why not?
I'm expecting some hate, this is MN after all, but I am genuinely just curious. Not trying to rattle feathers.

@JazbayGrapes , birds and mice

Because there’s a relationship between humans and agriculture.
I love animals, but I’m pragmatically aware that without eating these animals (on a population level) they simply won’t exist, and their lack of existence would have disastrous effects on the rest of agriculture and wildlife.

There’s a balance to be had. Industrial farming is off balance, no animal farming is off balance.

Humans won’t know they’re screwed until it’s too late.
Allowing chemical companies and big pharma to dictate that animals are bad for the environment isn’t a sensible move.

I could easily cut down massively on meat. I love veggies although I can't stand fake meat products. The only reason I don't is that DH feels like he hasn't been fed unless he's had meat, and doesn't even like many veg so cooking would be a trial.

I hope those making disparaging comments (e.g. you can't eat meat and call yourself an animal lover) don't have cats or dogs. It would be cruel to feed them a vegan or vegetarian diet, and hypocritical to feed them meat.

I've never found a single vegetarian dish that tastes anywhere as good as a meat based one. And I love vegetarian dishes. But when I make them, I use meat stock as it's so bloody delicious and adds a depth of flavour and a silkiness that's just amazing. Plus bacon. Sausages. Chicken wings..... all amazing!

I don't have one, but why is feeding them small amounts of meat while not eating meat yourself hypocritical? That's like saying someone who walks to the office 3 days a week is hypocritical for not walking all days a week. Everyone does what they can. Why is perfect purity only demanded of vegetarians? I wear leather shoes and occasionally silk.

@AccidentallySuckedTheStrippersDick , I love vegetarian dishes. But when I make them, I use meat stock
They're not vegetarian then are they.

Meat doesn’t taste delicious, it tastes like dead animal flesh. Which makes sense cos that’s exactly what it is.

@itsapalaver

Could your DH not just sort himself out if he is one of those people who feel a meal isn’t a meal without meat?

Without a doubt we know it's better for the environment
Sure cutting out meat will reduce your carbon footprint. But how many vegans still use a car? Fly in a plane? Etc. Nope that's not a persuasive argument to stop eating meat

it's better for our health
Meat is a fantastic source of protein, essential amino acids, iron... Nope that's not a persuasive argument to stop eating meat

we know it's better for animal welfare
The animals are only given birth because will will eat them. Without people eating them farmers would stop raising cows, chickens, sheep, pigs. Breeds of the animals would be lost...Nope that's not a persuasive argument to stop eating meat

actually quite expensive
So are a lot of things. What business of it of yours how I spend my money? ...Nope that's not a persuasive argument to stop eating meat

they get defensive and almost offended.
Because you'll telling another adult how to live! You're criticizing their choices? Did they ask for your opinion? Just stop

Maybe because it contains amino acids which a vegetarian diet doesn’t. (6 of the essential ones child needs).

Is a better source of iron than other sources - in the sense that it’s more bio available.

Tastes good/interesting/adds texture we eat a veggie meal twice a week in the evening, but they can be quite samey.

We don’t eat processed meat substitutes for health reasons.

We are omnivores, so we should be naturally eating a range of produce including meat. Being a vegetarian is unnatural for humans.

As pps I usually avoid these threads because they are just an excuse to bash the vegans, but for anyone who actually wants some peer reviewed data I recommend 'Food and Climate Change' by SL Bridle. "This book doesn't promote a particular diet or set of food choices. Instead, it sets out clearly the scientific consensus on how individual foods contribute to climate change...". Having a scientific background, this appealed to me and I did go vegan pretty much overnight having read it actually.

I eat very few 'fake' meats btw and my carnivore DDs eat more avocados than I do.

I also have a chronic health condition and disability and my consultant had no concerns over me changing to a plant based diet.

Also, to all those saying that vegans are all unhealthy and look old before their time - tell that to Novak Djokovic 😁.

@NewCracker Are you including fish in this discussion? What are your views on that?

I would not be happy if told I could not eat fish any longer (considering I already don't eat red meat at all). I would simply no longer get enough protein. I wonder if those who think meat just tastes of 'dead animal' think the same of fish? Every fish I have eaten tastes different (and delicious, although I can't abide scallops).

Meat is not necessarily worse for your health, it can taste good and it's culturally central to many people's lives.

Perhaps more significantly, the potential benefits of not eating meat are not visible immediately or close by. You can't see climate change not happening when you select a Quorn burger insterad of a beef burger in the supermarket freezer.

@Foxesandsquirrels@Foxesandsquirrels

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@JazbayGrapes cats don't profess to care for any animals

This and it's got protein too.

Why do people find it so difficult to understand the (very basic) concept of reduction? If you have three bars of chocolate, and choose to eat only two, you have reduced the amount of chocolate you've eaten. It's not necessary to decline all three to achieve that reduction.
Unless you spend the time you'd previously spent eating burgers driving up and down in your car, or take a transatlantic flight instead of a trip to Miller and Carter, your flying and driving which you'd have presumably done alongside your meat eating, is not going to wipe out the reduction arising from your veganism.

I like (some) meat and I'm quite funny about food, so when I've tried to go veggie or vegan for a while I've found it a real struggle. So mostly convenience, for me.

I do think about it a lot though - I would happily be veggie if I could do so in a way that was easy for me/my stupid food aversions would tolerate. And I find new meat substitutes occasionally that move me in that direction.

I'm not scaremongering. I'm just giving my experience. No underlying health issues. And I think I'll take my doctor and my nutritionists word over yours. Nothing personal, but they have my medical records.

I like meat
Eating food of any description that comes from outside the UK isn't reducing the carbon footprint.
Many areas of the UK are totally unsuitable for anything apart from raising sheep.
We would have no rare breeds of pigs, sheep, cattle etc if people didn't eat them. No farmer could keep a herd of rare breeds if it wasn't economically viable.They wouldn't keep ornamental cattle etc for tourists to view.
There are people who need to not eat carbs, protein fills up the stomach so is better for them.

Don’t like the taste of fake substitutes.
Son is allergic to all nuts and legumes and tomatoes and is fussy because. Literally only eats plain meat and some carbs. He needs the vitamins it gives him.
I am veggy a few times a week by default as i love salads and pasta.

I eat vegetarian at least 2 days a week. Dh can't tolerate quorn/soy. The kids are fairly picky eaters who currently dislike lentils, beans and chickpeas. Everyone bar me in our house hates mushrooms. I'm only willing to cook once per meal and overprocessed fake meat is not an option. The meat we do eat is farmed locally and sold from the farmshop and I try and bulk out dishes with vegetables and salad, the majority of which are also grown locally.

I used to eat a lot more vegetarian food especially when eating out but since a lot of places have swapped vegetarian for vegan or plant based meats, I've stopped. My favourite takeaway used to do a fantastic beetroot burger made on the premises and you could pick between vegan cheese and cheese. Now it's a plant based burger with a slice of beetroot on top and vegan cheese. I no longer order it.

Maybe because it contains amino acids which a vegetarian diet doesn’t. (6 of the essential ones child needs).

A vegetarian diet does contain amino acids actually, and can contain everything you need IF It is balanced. The NHS and various other dietary bodies have said so. Admittedly, the diet of most people in the UK is not balanced. But that's not the fault of vegetarianism. The diet of most meat eaters is not balanced, either!

This thread is reminding me of my HV, who years ago when vegetarianism was not understood, told me I was mistreating my DC by not giving them meat. I sent her packing soon enough and found my own veggie friendly doctor.