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

Jerrypeoples

im a vegetarian but of a rare subset order, noncutsyhandwarming vegetarian

i still eat meat but wont eat it if its baby seal and been used to make my fur lined winter mittens

staplebug

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.

I agree with this. And a lot of vegetarians who aren't intelligent about nutrition replace meat calories with a lot of processed foods.

themommie

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, my sister who is a vegetarian lives off barbeque potatoe chip sandwiches andis extremely overweight and unhealthy
I agree with this. And a lot of vegetarians who aren't intelligent about nutrition replace meat calories with a lot of processed foods.

staystrong_314159

I'm vegan so I know that the meat thing is bull****. A lot of animal products have hormones and whatnot added to them. I am much healthier not eating that.

madtownjeremy

Whoever said "Protein is essential. Meat is not" hit it right on the head.

However you choose to get that protein is fine, and everything else can be found in other sources.

action_figure

I eat meat because I've NEVER found a plant that tastes like BACON.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
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Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

I did eat at Matthew Kenney's raw food restaurant once. I had eggplant bacon. It was uncannily like bacon. It kinda weirded me out.

Sarauk2sf

I eat meat because I've NEVER found a plant that tastes like BACON.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

I did eat at Matthew Kenney's raw food restaurant once. I had eggplant bacon. It was uncannily like bacon. It kinda weirded me out.

I just google-fu'd that - the recipe calls for a dehydrator. Nearly makes me want to buy one just for that. Some of the meat alternatives are not bad facsimiles of meat, but fake bacon just is not near the mark at all.

Lyadeia

I didn't realize that people did think meat was essential. Obviously it is the protein within the meat that is essential. Some of us just prefer to eat that meat instead of bowls of lentils and beans to get protein.

I am intrigued by this "eggplant bacon," though. I would try it, just for sh!ts and giggles. I tried that Morningstar Farms crud which is supposed to taste like meat but in reality is the most rancid form of "nearly meat" I've ever tasted.

glin23

tagging this thread for later reading.

patentguru

I didn't realize that people did think meat was essential. Obviously it is the protein within the meat that is essential. Some of us just prefer to eat that meat instead of bowls of lentils and beans to get protein.

I am intrigued by this "eggplant bacon," though. I would try it, just for sh!ts and giggles. I tried that Morningstar Farms crud which is supposed to taste like meat but in reality is the most rancid form of "nearly meat" I've ever tasted.

I think meat is essential for far more than just the protein. Meat also contains minerals, vitamins, and many more compounds. Furthermore, meat = muscle. If I want to maintain or gain muscle, the surest way is to eat muscle. Works every time.

Pearsquared

Vegans have to think a bit harder to make sure they're getting a complete protein - not much harder, mind you, because through generations of trying to eat right, common combinations like rice and beans provide a complete protein. Meat used to be a rarity, especially for the working class. If a vegetarian is consuming any type of animal product, including dairy, they are getting a complete protein.

Protein is made up of 20 amino acids, and I believe about 13 of those are essential. In this case "essential" means that in order for the protein to "work" properly, they need those 13 without exceptions. Animal products are the only foods that provide all 13 in one convenient package. As I mentioned before, common combinations of other foods also provide a complete protein.

We are spoiled in our society - we take for granted that we can choose to be one way or another and still receive proper nutrition.

Sarauk2sf

I didn't realize that people did think meat was essential. Obviously it is the protein within the meat that is essential. Some of us just prefer to eat that meat instead of bowls of lentils and beans to get protein.

I am intrigued by this "eggplant bacon," though. I would try it, just for sh!ts and giggles. I tried that Morningstar Farms crud which is supposed to taste like meat but in reality is the most rancid form of "nearly meat" I've ever tasted.

I think meat is essential for far more than just the protein. Meat also contains minerals, vitamins, and many more compounds. Furthermore, meat = muscle. If I want to maintain or gain muscle, the surest way is to eat muscle. Works every time.

Huh????

k8blujay2

Because I crave a steak (which isn't often) when my B12 and Iron are out of whack.

jofjltncb6

I didn't realize that people did think meat was essential. Obviously it is the protein within the meat that is essential. Some of us just prefer to eat that meat instead of bowls of lentils and beans to get protein.

I am intrigued by this "eggplant bacon," though. I would try it, just for sh!ts and giggles. I tried that Morningstar Farms crud which is supposed to taste like meat but in reality is the most rancid form of "nearly meat" I've ever tasted.

I think meat is essential for far more than just the protein. Meat also contains minerals, vitamins, and many more compounds. Furthermore, meat = muscle. If I want to maintain or gain muscle, the surest way is to eat muscle. Works every time.

Huh????

Put me down for a LOLwut +1...

...and I'm a meat-eater.

Michelle_dirtracer

I love meat!! My doctor even tells me to eat lots of red meat because I am severely anemic

extra_medium

Anyone who values animal life over human life is missing the point that humans ARE animals.

But we're way better animals because Jesus said so in like, Romans or something.

Zing!

Slrajr

Because I crave a steak (which isn't often) when my B12 and Iron are out of whack.

It takes some pretty amazing self-awareness to understand when your B12 and iron are out of whack! Especially since B12 can be stored for years!

Stage14

Because I crave a steak (which isn't often) when my B12 and Iron are out of whack.

It takes some pretty amazing self-awareness to understand when your B12 and iron are out of whack! Especially since B12 can be stored for years!

Um, actually, B12 is a water soluble vitamin, so you dont store much excess. The liver does absorb and store it, but only to a point and not much more than it needs. That means the liver can have traces of B vitamin in it from years ago, but you can still be deficient. And since plant-based B12 is much harder for the body to absorb, vegetarians and vegans have to be more careful about it since they are often getting less daily supply, depleting the stores supply much faster or not allowing any excess for storage at all.

Science is so much cooler when you have all the facts.

Carnivor0us

Some might think meat is essential because in many ways it's more efficient in context of certain nutrients. I'm not going to go into amino acids or B-12, because those can be obtained (at the cost of extra calories, as the majority of plant proteins have some amount of carbohydrate attached to them) for the vegan or vegetarian via food combining or supplementation. Or, in the case of the lacto-ovo or lacto- vegetarian, eggs and dairy can provide complete proteins in one dish.

I *could* eat a few tablespoons of chia seeds or flaxseed for some good omega-3s. However, plant omega-3s are ALA, and needs to be converted to the more bioavailable DHA and EPA. The human body converts this inefficiently. A tablespoon of fish oil is much easier and more readily absorbed. Not a vegan or vegetarian option.

Iron - I could eat a lot of spinach or other iron containing plants and call it a day. But, as it's been previously mentioned on this thread, heme iron found in meat is far more bioavailable and I wouldn't have to eat a lot of it to get my RDA.

I don't disagree that meat isn't essential. You can be healthy as a vegetarian, sure. But it seems like a lot of extra work, especially if you don't do it for 'ethical' reasons.