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.

Why do you think we do, though? Most veggie cultures around the world don't eats stuff shaped like meat. For millions of years. They eat vegetables.

Because I like it. Because we’re not meant to not eat meat. Humans are omnivorous.

And vegan diets are no more healthy than meat based ones.

A bit extreme to call someone a hypocrite in this situation. The environment would be better off if everyone did something environmentally friendly as opposed to a few people being perfect.

I’m surprised the smell alone doesn’t put people off, more so women. Not exactly pleasant on its return journey. 🤢

Your shit doesn't stink and Women should be more offended by the smell??????

Seriously??????????

As someone on the carnivore diet….

I’ve seen my Vitiligo decrease
constant indigestion decrease
my gut health is far improved
my energy levels are more constant
i get no sugar cravings
snacking is a thing of the past
my partner who is also on same diet has seen improvements in auto immune conditions

we also eat berries.

so that’s the health benefits summarized.

we buy from local butchers or Costco…

its cheaper
we have virtually no packaging waste
we have zero food waste

as far as envrionment is concerned for vegetarians.. the so called benefits..

thousands of miles of land, turned over to rapeseed, wheat, yeah that’s great for many species…. As for the importation of a great many fruits and veg at all times of the year. jet fuel or ship diesel, you choose accordingly.

I can’t believe people fall for sales and marketing wrapped up in ‘saving the envrionment’.

You okay hun?

Because I like it. Because it is an excellent source of protein, iron and b12. Because we are designed to eat both meat and plants (see b12...).

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

Nope, omfg most definitely not and surprisingly debatable.

One, the only "evidence" that shows meat and dairy farming to be terrible for the environment is comes from massively inaccurate data. It's a deeply, deeply flawed argument that doesn't stand up to 15 minutes of scrutiny.

Two, that's just out and out bullshit. Meat is about as nutritionally dense bioavailable food as you can get, especially organ meat like liver. And as long as it's not highly processed there is no particular downside to eating it. Eliminating meat from your diet, especially if you also eliminate dairy and eggs, requires very significant amounts of supplementing as there is no such thing as a naturally nutritionally complete vegan diet. And I don't just mean B12 and calcium, nor even BCAAs which most vegans know they need. But things like creatine and choline just can not be sufficient in vegans and very few know they need these things.

Three, the animal welfare argument is the only one with merit but only if you ignore the enormous, enormous rate of animal mortality in all forms of mass vegetable and grain production. It really is incredibly significant and there are estimates that put it above meat production in terms of nutrients farmed for human consumption. I'm not sure I'd believe those estimates, but only due to my own feelings, not any evidence or lack there of. The fact is there is no way to feed billions of people without a lot of other animals dying.

You mention animal welfare... you do know that if we all stopped eating meat there would be no cows, sheep, pigs etc? Do you think farmers would keep them as pets? Or would it be alright to kill them to feed dogs and cats? Or would they become extinct too?

@NewCracker

I would imagine the 100 mile diet is far better for the planet than veganism.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The100-MileDiet

I live in Northern Scotland which makes it fairly simple in comparison to the couple who pioneered the movement. It is vastly more expensive than eating from supermarkets which makes it rather inaccessible with regard to meat.

The ideal surely has to be Knepp. https://www.kneppwildrangemeat.co.uk But, they are not in my 100 mile zone.

Further up the thread i said i couldn't give up venison. My Husband shoots ours and the rabbits. His MH is just fine thanks.

😂“stuff shaped like meat “??? What the hell.

@Eupemiaroses 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 that's the best one yet. Fucking hell. ROFL

Nasty junk food exists plus and minus meat.
I am a meat eater but can quite easily cook tasty vegan meals without fake meat.

How very upper class @MrsMarzetti

You’re flat out wrong about this. Eating meat -even without packaging - is vastly worse for the environment than growing veg or crops. Most land given over to monoculture is farmed for animal feed not vegetarians 😆

This pretty much nails it.

Another person popping up with an intolerance to soy, chickpeas, peas, beans, lentils etc.

It really frustrates me when I see places going 100% plant based. It's presented as this only good thing, and I'm really happy for anyone for whom that suits them to have a plant based diet. But I cannot eat a balanced plant only diet.

(One of the universities near me has recently been really proud of their switch to 100% plant based food - all it would mean for me is a totally inability to eat anything provided by them.)

😂😂😂

@Alyso You go around smelling vegetarians poo? 😉 haha! Knew someone would fall for it.

Moves away from batshit thread!!!!!

Because I want to eat healthily and there is room for meat and fish in a balanced diet.

Because although I eat a lot of meat free meals, I have stopped eating UPF foods and most vegetarian/vegan foods contain UPFs and have dreadful environmental credentials.

Because I'm a country girl at heart. I like seeing cows in the meadow and lambs in the fields.

we know it's better for the environment,
no we know that less meat is better, but no meat is worse for the environment.

we know it's better for our health,
no we know less meat is better, but no meat is worse for our health.

we know it's better for animal welfare
no meat would lead to near extinction of many species to make room for plant based crops. it is arguable that it is worse for animal welfare to be reduced to only a few thousand living in zoos.

and it's actually quite expensive.
well, it should be given at least in the U.K. animal welfare is a priority. cheap meat means inhumane conditions.

Those saying meat is tasty..:
is it really though? Or is it more herbs/spices/oil/sauces it’s cooked in? If you cooked a quorn fillet in the same way it would probably taste just as good

I eat meat because out of all the things I've tried it is what suits me most in terms of health and how I feel.

I don't often eat crappy meat or crappy food generally but it's not unknown.

I like things that aren't meat as well, and eat a lot of them and my OHs family are religious vegetarians so eating vegetarian meals is normal to me. I once lived on a vegan commune for a bit though and found that extended periods of never eating meat didn't really work out for me. And my hunger actually became whilst I stayed there, I've never eaten so much food in my life and I felt like I just had this pit that I couldn't fill. Went off site after a few weeks and walked past a pub and went in for a steak and I swear I could actually feel it coursing through my veins

health-wise I'm excellent I reckon, I've made other poorer lifestyle choices that will impact me more in the long run I'm sure

The environment is a concern obviously and the best argument in favour of going vegan but I think people should just eat drastically less and that it should be much higher welfare

Because if this comes up at all, it's quite likely you would be preaching about it.