To feel guilted into being vegan??? AIBU?

[CradleMable]

I saw quite a traumatic animal welfare video a few days ago, which had the purpose of trying to encourage viewers to become vegan.

I am not a huge meat lover, but love the occasional beef burger, steak or nice roast dinner. I am a bit of a dairy fiend though, so not sure how I would cope.

However the video pointed towards the awful treatment of farm animals, being separated from their babies after mere hours together, and being slaughtered themselves at a relatively young age, after a life of being exploited.

I haven’t really considered the welfare of farm animals much in my life, if I’m honest, and I feel quite bad for admitting that. Now I’m wondering if what we do to these animals is fair, and I thought posting on here might help me consider both sides to the argument.

AIBU to now feel compelled to drastically change my diet in support of animal welfare?

But far more animals are killed in the production of animals who will be killed to eat meat.
So whichever way you look at it, eating plants kills fewer animals.

i think it would be more from the farm gate and not in super markets but it does exist

One of the interesting points in the study is the link between taste and metabolism, meaning that your cravings and likes / dislikes will mirror what your body thinks it needs.

So even if, and that is a massive even if, in your view, the cons of foregoing those needed dietary components were an acceptable compromise, they would still be a massive difference in the life experience of someone to whom a vegetarian diet tastes and feels good and someone who feels constantly horrendous and lacking because of it.

I recall reading about cravings and how, as the gut biome adjusts, they stop, but again i'm not disputing the study you've shared, I've justvread an alternative explanation, which I guess I'm more apt to accept.
I also read that 30% humans can't digest milk.
It's not my view that consuming animals is a huge cause of digestive illnesses, it's well documented.

Similarly, animals are killed if you walk through a park (insects and alike that are stood on). Humans exist in the world, and have an impact on it.

But just because some consequences are unavoidable does not make unavoidable consequences (whether you avoid them or fully embrace them) a wash.

With the tofu example, its the difference between:

(a) having one field of soy, or

(b) having 20 fields in order to produce soy for animal feed, which is then in-turn used to feed animals, which are slaughtered.

Both yield the same end result in terms of protein.

Its a bit like looking at the "trolley problem", where the trolley isn't going to stop and can only be steered in one of two directions. One direction would result in the trolley striking and killing 1 person, the other direction 20+. By your rationale, both are equally good and valid choices.

Hey @CradleMable

Self righteous vegan here ... 😉

Please don't beat yourself up about not knowing just how bad things are for farmed animals. I was a veggie for many years before my blinkers came off, blissfully thinking I was doing no harm eating eggs and dairy. Went vegan immediately. I suspect a lot more would if they saw the harsh reality first hand. It's all presented in shiny plastic wrapped forms that bear no resemblance to how it started off ... Little wonder we are so detached ...

It's totally your call, but please ignore posters who say that it means you will be forced to eat processed foods. Vegan processed food is just as unhealthy as meat and dairy based processed food and there's no need to eat either.

It may not be your diet which is causing anaemia. Do you have heavy periods? I was anaemic when I went vegan and didn't get on with iron tablets either. Ironically it actually improved from going vegan as my diet improved - more pulses, dark leafy greens etc. so do sympathise as it was horrible xx

If you do decide to could I suggest you log what you are eating for the first few weeks on cronometer to make sure you are getting enough calories (you tend to feel fuller eating whole foods so new vegans often under eat then blame being vegan for going weak) and vitamins and minerals etc and you can tweak your diet accordingly.

If you have a look at Forks over Knives website they have lots of healthy vegan recipes and there are plenty on internet. If you Google iron rich vegan recipes, I'm sure something will come up. The Game changers movie might provide some ,uplifting inspiration for how it might change your health. More carrot than stick :)

I'd be lying if I said I didn't secretly wish an end to animal farming but I don't think the sanctimonious approach inspires anyone.

Perhaps start with experimenting with some yummy vegan recipes. Once you've got a few you genuinely enjoy it's really not hard, and at worst you'll have added a few nice meals to your repertoire ☺️

Here you go:

https://www.forksoverknives.com/recipes/

:)

As I said in one example, I am aware that there are people who abuse animals- and should not be working with them.

However, those videos are a bit like the media. You only see the bad and most offensive parts. You'll never see the good bits, because that isn't the angle that the videos are going for.

Most of the worst videos I have seen have been footage where people have gone undercover in slaughterhouses. It's unbearable to watch. There was a video a few years ago of a horse that was badly abused in a slaughterhouse before it's death

There are no good bits about animals being slaughtered in my view -but. We are talking about people being paid to do a job abusing animals in their last moments. When they are already suffering -and I personally applaud anyone that has the courage to go undercover and record footage like that

I remember seeing a photo on Facebook of a slaughterhouse worker grinning with a pigs ear hanging off his hat. I personally don't think all people who work with animals are abusers -but some are and animals do not have protection in their final moments. There are no CCTV cameras in UK slaughterhouses.