Switching to Vegetarianism (Finally)

[The Hammer]

I don't know the availabilty in @Debater Slayer 's country, but these days plant milks are pretty well stuffed with vitamins and essential minerals. For example iodine is mostly found in seafood, but it's in the milks that I have.

Yeah, lots of foods are fortified these days. I've always preferred to just get it from my food sources when possible as opposed to being an additive to a food. (which is almost impossible these days. )

 

[Secret Chief]

Yeah, lots of foods are fortified these days. I've always preferred to just get it from my food sources when possible as opposed to being an additive to a food. (which is almost impossible these days. )

Yes me too in theory but I have to weigh that against my other concerns. And the other ones win out!

 

[JustGeorge]

Nice. Do you return the considerate favour?

Kind of. I bring stuff to these events that I know no one will like so I'll actually have something to eat.

An uncle couldn't figure out why I intentionally brought stuff that wasn't liked until I pointed that out. He understands now.

 

[Shaul]

This is great news. There will be less competition for the meat for the rest of us. Good luck!

 

[1137]

After years of considering the idea, I have started my attempt to transition to vegetarianism. I haven't found any argument that managed to alleviate my concerns about the abuses in industrial animal farming, slaughterhouses, and even many smaller farms.

I have nothing against meat eaters, though, and I believe there are ways to produce meat in a more sustainable and ethical manner than the ways commonly found in industrial farms. Still, this is the decision that aligns the most with my own conscience, so I'm going to attempt the transition.

I love meat and have eaten it my whole life, so I know this is going to be difficult. Thankfully, I have a few vegan, vegetarian, and pescatarian friends, and they said they would give me recipes (including easy and affordable ones) to help me transition.

Here comes the Devil's advocate:

What about the way we treat plants? They react to threats, they strive for survival, they may even like X but not Y (such as growing plants to classical vs metal music).

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

After years of considering the idea, I have started my attempt to transition to vegetarianism. I haven't found any argument that managed to alleviate my concerns about the abuses in industrial animal farming, slaughterhouses, and even many smaller farms.

I have nothing against meat eaters, though, and I believe there are ways to produce meat in a more sustainable and ethical manner than the ways commonly found in industrial farms. Still, this is the decision that aligns the most with my own conscience, so I'm going to attempt the transition.

I love meat and have eaten it my whole life, so I know this is going to be difficult. Thankfully, I have a few vegan, vegetarian, and pescatarian friends, and they said they would give me recipes (including easy and affordable ones) to help me transition.

Frankly, I think @Revoltingest should convert to vegeterianism. He won't eat meat that's intelligently cooked!

 

[Revoltingest]

Frankly, I think @Revoltingest should convert to vegeterianism. He won't eat meat that's intelligently cooked!

Meat should be cooked.
Tastes better.
Kills any parasites within.

 

[SalixIncendium]

Here comes the Devil's advocate:

What about the way we treat plants? They react to threats, they strive for survival, they may even like X but not Y (such as growing plants to classical vs metal music).

How many animals can you eat without killing them?

 

[Shaul]

How many animals can you eat without killing them?

All of them actually. You just have to wait until they die from something else killing them.

 

[SalixIncendium]

All of them actually. You just have to wait until they die from something else killing them.

Cute.

Most plants you can harvest from them without killing them.

 

[1137]

How many animals can you eat without killing them?

Now this is an interesting point I truly haven't seen before. Let me respond with another question: if we were just chopping off limbs of cows then setting them free would that be more moral? Equally? Possibly far worse than just killing them? This image you create makes me want to be a carnivore, poor plants!

 

[SalixIncendium]

Now this is an interesting point I truly haven't seen before. Let me respond with another question: if we were just chopping off limbs of cows then setting them free would that be more moral? Equally? Possibly far worse than just killing them? This image you create makes me want to be a carnivore, poor plants!

This is fascinating and certainly something I hadn't considered. I'll see your one question and raise you two more: How many cows have you seen that can regenerate limbs? How long do you think they would survive with three or less limbs?

 

[Debater Slayer]

Another option is to buy healthy grass fed meat from a humane, sustainable local farmer. Nothing wrong with choosing to be vegetarian, though. Just make sure your diet provides needed essential amino acids and other nutrients like B12 and others which are harder to get with a meatless diet.

Vegans May Lack Essential Nutrient Intake - Mayo Clinic News Network

PHOENIX — The health benefits of a plant-based diet is well-known, but the question remains: Could vegans be at risk for deficiency of essential nutrients? A retrospective review by Mayo Clinic physicians recently published in the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association indicated that...

newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org

As I said in the OP, I think there are more humane ways to produce meat than industrial farming, and I do believe that a sustainable local farm would be one of those. However, I would still have issues with the idea that the animal shoud be killed so that I could have meat despite my having other options, and I also wouldn't be able to guarantee that the slaughter method would be entirely painless for the animal.

Thanks for the link. I agree that it's important to ensure one's diet provides certain nutrients, and I'll be reading more about transitioning to vegetarianism to see how I can consistently obtain them.

 

[Debater Slayer]

A reason why I am trying to get into homesteading. I'd prefer to raise my own animals and other foods. Beef will probably leave my diet as a staple protein, minus special occasions. But I'd raise my own chickens, goats and pigs for that. I'm a big advocate against factory farming.

I even buy beef when I can from the local farms near me (they are small scale, and have pretty sound practices).

I hope it works out well! Good luck with it. I think it's admirable to make the effort of getting into homesteading to move away from buying industrially produced meat.

And good luck with your new diet plan. Make sure to keep your iron up!

Thank you! That's certainly on the agenda.

 

[Debater Slayer]

I don't know the availabilty in @Debater Slayer 's country, but these days plant milks are pretty well stuffed with vitamins and essential minerals. For example iodine is mostly found in seafood, but it's in the milks that I have.

The plant milks that I've seen here tend to be expensive. Coconut milk is sold in many big supermarkets, and it seems to be more widely available than the rest.

 

[We Never Know]

After years of considering the idea, I have started my attempt to transition to vegetarianism. I haven't found any argument that managed to alleviate my concerns about the abuses in industrial animal farming, slaughterhouses, and even many smaller farms.

I have nothing against meat eaters, though, and I believe there are ways to produce meat in a more sustainable and ethical manner than the ways commonly found in industrial farms. Still, this is the decision that aligns the most with my own conscience, so I'm going to attempt the transition.

I love meat and have eaten it my whole life, so I know this is going to be difficult. Thankfully, I have a few vegan, vegetarian, and pescatarian friends, and they said they would give me recipes (including easy and affordable ones) to help me transition.

"I believe there are ways to produce meat in a more sustainable and ethical manner than the ways commonly found in industrial farms. Still, this is the decision that aligns the most with my own conscience, so I'm going to attempt the transition.


When/if lab grown meats becomes a common product, will you eat them?

 

[Debater Slayer]

This is great news. There will be less competition for the meat for the rest of us.

I don't think I was eating enough meat to compete with anyone, although the idea that I could compete is kinda flattering.

Good luck!

Thanks!

 

[Debater Slayer]

Here comes the Devil's advocate:

What about the way we treat plants? They react to threats, they strive for survival, they may even like X but not Y (such as growing plants to classical vs metal music).

If plants suffered and felt as much pain as animals do when the latter are industrially raised and slaughtered for food, I would consider vegetarianism no different from eating meat. However, plants don't have extensive nervous systems like many commonly eaten animals do, nor is there any evidence that they experience suffering, let alone to a similar extent as said animals.

 

[Debater Slayer]

"I believe there are ways to produce meat in a more sustainable and ethical manner than the ways commonly found in industrial farms. Still, this is the decision that aligns the most with my own conscience, so I'm going to attempt the transition.


When/if lab grown meats becomes a common product, will you eat them?

If it's produced without the need to kill or industrially raise any animals and is healthy, affordable, and tasty, then absolutely! I don't see why not.

 

[Secret Chief]

As I said in the OP, I think there are more humane ways to produce meat than industrial farming, and I do believe that a sustainable local farm would be one of those. However, I would still have issues with the idea that the animal shoud be killed so that I could have meat despite my having other options, and I also wouldn't be able to guarantee that the slaughter method would be entirely painless for the animal.

Thanks for the link. I agree that it's important to ensure one's diet provides certain nutrients, and I'll be reading more about transitioning to vegetarianism to see how I can consistently obtain them.

Perhaps you might want to check out Plant-Based Nutrition, in the Idiot's Guide range.
Here's the sales pitch: It's written by:

Julieanna Hever, a registered dietitian
&
Raymond Cronise, former NASA scientist (!) and now researcher in nutrition.