Why do so many people think meat is essential? (NOT DEBATE)

karmahunger

Hiya,

I get a lot from friends, and no so close friends, that I should eat meat and a strict vegetarian diet is unhealthy, and meat is essential in a healthy diet blah blah.

Why is this such a common predicament? What are your thoughts (WITHOUT BEING RUDE OR DEBATING) on a no-meat lifestyle? If you are vegetarian/vegan, do you find yourself to be healthy?

Sincere24

just probably ignorant folks that are unaware of the awesome protein power of lentils and beans and other veggies lol.

You can either educate them or let them hate, lol. I love my veggies and the occasional chicken

pamwhite712

To each their own. I try to limit my consumption of red meat. I certainly would never tell a vegetarian/vegan that they needed to eat red meat.

Alatariel75

I think part of it is because for every 1 educated vegetarian/vegan who is intelligent about nutrition, there are 3 "OMZ yayz I'ma gunna be a vegetarian for the animalz!!" and cut out meat and maybe dairy without substituting and end up malnourished. At least in my experience.

AllonsYtotheTardis

I couldn't go veg or vegan, because I love meat.

But there are plenty of people who do, and who are very healthy. I think it takes a little more planning or learning, to do it in a healthy way. Some people don't put the thought into it that is required - this might be what your friends are the most concerned about.

Sarah_Hipwell

I have some friends and a number of people I work with who are vegetarian. I'm not prepared to give up meat but I am trying to cut down my meat intake to once a day instead of twice. I'm learning so much more about food and cooking with legumes and mushrooms!

As to why people think it's essential, it comes down to meat as a high source of protein and conflicting scientific research. It's a lot harder to get your protein without meat and whenever someone cites a study that says people are omnivores, vegans can cite one that claims we are herbivores.

Eating less meat definitely has benefits, both health and environmental, but cutting it out completely isn't going to be for everyone. Starting by cutting down how much meat we eat is a good start though.

hatethegame

I think most people who argue against meat-less diets do so because they think there is no other way to get adequate quality lean protein in your diet without it. I think you should do whatever you want and not worry about what anyone else says. They really should worry about themselves. I personally like red meat (lean streak, hamburgers, etc...) and eat it. I also eat chicken, fish and a lot of beans which are a good source of protein as well.

GoTeamMeaghan

I've been vegetarian for almost 3 years and have never been healthier. I don't know that it's necessarily because I don't eat meat, but because I'm more conscious of macros, and things like that. I also have Crohn's disease, which has definitely made me take my health very seriously. Every day I make a conscios effort to eat 120-160g of protein, plenty of healthy carbs & fats (I have to go kinda easy on the fats because of Crohn's) & 100% of my iron for the day. My husband is also vegetarian, but none of my friends are. They all thought I was crazy for not eating meat, but see how healthy I am and can't argue with results I think it's also important to not be a vege-nazi about it-just because it works for me, doesn't mean it will work for everyone.

BrieJJ

My opinion? many people think meat is essential because American food culture is very meat-centric, your raised to think its essential... kids are told it'll make em grow up nice and strong, boys are told its man food, the thought of a life without meat is just to much for most people.

neanderthin

People eat meat because it tastes good adds variety and is highly prized in just about every society around the world ....it's easy to thrive on as societies go as well. Not every country around the world saw vegetarianism as a diet option in the same light as the USA did in the 60's.

KenosFeoh

I did go vegetarian very carefully, using Diet for a Small Planet as a guide to balancing my nutrition, getting enough protein, etc. Then when I got pregnant, my naturopath did a full lab panel on me which revealed me to be severely deficient in B12 and folic acid. He told me that if I were not morally opposed, adding some red meat to my diet would help me a lot.

That's why I think meat is essential FOR ME. I don't make these judgements about anybody else.

benol1

Hiya,

I get a lot from friends, and no so close friends, that I should eat meat and a strict vegetarian diet is unhealthy, and meat is essential in a healthy diet blah blah.

Why is this such a common predicament? What are your thoughts (WITHOUT BEING RUDE OR DEBATING) on a no-meat lifestyle? If you are vegetarian/vegan, do you find yourself to be healthy?

I think its mainly ignorance. You don't need meat or diary to get all your protein needs. And this has been confirmed by thousands of years of practice in traditional vegetarian societies and scientific research recently published in the Medical Journal of Australia.
kind regards,

Ben

symonspatrick

People who are vegan or vegetarian can be healthy. People who are meat eaters can be healthy. It sounds like your friends are just trying to tell you what they think is true. If your friends were vegan or vegetarians then obviously they would have a different belief. It is best to just do what is right for you. No matter what you do there will always be opposition.

chrisdavey

protein is essential, meat is not.

onezeronine

A common astigmatism? What?

I was a vegetarian for almost 8 years. During that time I did some time as a vegan also, up to a year at a time. And I was good at it, too - whole foods, lots of lentils/beans/nuts/leafy greens. And it was okay, I guess. And then I started eating meat again and realized I had been hungry for eight years! Now I still eat lots of veggies and beans and nuts, but I also eat meat, and my life is much happier because of it. So for me, meat is fairly essential (I could live without it, obviously, but I sort of like having enough hemoglobin to stand up without getting dizzy) based on trial and error.

Sarauk2sf

That attitude either comes from ignorance or shear annoyance and a knee jerk reaction to being preached at by veg*ns.

Of course you can be healthy as a vegetarian.

karmahunger

protein is essential, meat is not.

^this

I have been a vegetarian for close to eight years now, and the reason I am so bothered now is because someone I met through a friend is being quite rude about it. He admits to having a "personal bias" to vegetarian lifestyles =/

I know it's all dependent on the person, I just wanted to get some thoughts on it. Thanks y'all!

neanderthin

protein is essential, meat is not.

^this

I have been a vegetarian for close to eight years now, and the reason I am so bothered now is because someone I met through a friend is being quite rude about it. He admits to having a "personal bias" to vegetarian lifestyles =/

I know it's all dependent on the person, I just wanted to get some thoughts on it. Thanks y'all!

Yeah, don't take it personally, he obviously has other issues.

DontStopB_Leakin

I think part of it is because for every 1 educated vegetarian/vegan who is intelligent about nutrition, there are 3 "OMZ yayz I'ma gunna be a vegetarian for the animalz!!" and cut out meat and maybe dairy without substituting and end up malnourished. At least in my experience.

This is my experience as well.

I have a number of educated veg*n friends, whose diets are the pinnacle of vegetarian perfection. But for everyone one of them, I've encountered countless people who adopt a vegetarian lifestyle to save the animals (not that there's ANYTHING wrong with that), and then the proceed to eat nothing but french fries and Oreos (there IS something wrong with that).

That being said, what you eat is your business and yours alone. I choose to eat meat because I enjoy it, but I would never tell a veg*n that they *need* to eat meat in order to have a healthy diet. That's just crap and it's completely untrue.

matt0401

^ What he said.

Furthermore, dairy is really not essential. Calcium and Vitamin D are of course, but they are much easier for your body to process when consumed from vegetables and legumes rather than dairy, especially with what we do to dairy products these days during preparation.

I cut out dairy ages ago and my body has shifted back to its natural state of not wanting it anymore, even rejecting it when I have for example cream in my coffee. Amazing what our bodies can do! I was given the idea by a doctor when I went in for fatigue and low energy levels in general. He suggested it, I tried it, and my energy levels increased. And by cutting out dairy, my daily calorie intake is a few hundred calories lower, which has helped me maintain my weight since dropping it, and is now helping me with my calorie deficit during my diet.

Energizer06

I was was a veggie for 2 years and my wife a vegan. Wife did it for health reasons, suffered from extreme migraines and since I am a huge supporter of hers...gave it a shot. To tell you the truth it was the best I had ever felt in my life. Slept well and our skin became flawless. We didn't do it because of animals being killed or because we are some pita fanatic, so no point, except for the migraines. Her headaches subsided immediately and began to occur again after the 1st year. We started falling off of making our own meals and seemed to order out a lot more.....this in turn made being a veggie less healthy and started taken a toll on our bodies. Not enough A,B,and D vitamins and ultimately started feeling like dog doo. We are back to eating meat again, but don't regret giving it a go....I have a new found love for all the vegatables I never knew about as a kid.

To answer your comment, meat is not essential, if you know how to stick with a good veggie lifestyle. Although meat packs in some protein a lot easier than veggies and tofu. Any nutrition plan is possible, given the right info and the personality to go all the way. It's all personal preference.