My answers to annoying questions asked by non-vegans

Rory17

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My answers to one of the annoying questions asked by non-vegans

Hello All,

I send lots of love and virtual hugs your way. I hope you’re all doing as well as possible…
“If you’re vegan, and you’re so against meat, why do you eat all this stuff that imitates meat?”
We’re not necessarily against the actually items of meat (hotdogs, burgers, bacon, roast meat, ham, sausages, etc) - we’re just against the cruelty and slaughter of the animals that is done to get the meat. We’re against the cruelty, the violence, the exploitation and the murder of the animals - why shouldn’t we be able to enjoy hotdogs, steak, bacon, ham, sausages, roast meat (etc) without the cruelty, the violence, the exploitation and the murder of animals? If we loved meat before going vegan, and we can enjoy things that are similar to the meat products that we used to enjoy, why wouldn’t we?
We’re not necessarily against the flavours, the tastes and the textures of meat - we’re just against the animal cruelty and the environmental devastation of meat!
Meat substitutes help people go vegan - that’s great! Some people don’t want to just live off fruits, vegetables, salad, seeds, nuts and grains. People who used to really enjoy real meat hotdogs, bacon, ham, steak (etc) are more likely to go vegan if they can have those things than if they would otherwise have to forgo anything remotely like them! That’s great! If someone would go vegan, but only if they can have meat substitutes, that’s a win for the animals and the planet, especially if they buy eco-friendly, organic vegan meat substitutes!
Meat substitutes can also be high in protein. They can be used to replicate meat in recipes that would otherwise require meat, including recipes that are some people’s favourite recipes! Actual tofu, especially organic tofu, is probably better for you than some of the other faux meat alternatives.
Also, how are you? How are you feeling? How are you doing? Are you well?
P.S Have you heard that cholesterol can only be found in animal-derived “foods” (it’s not food, it’s violence)? Is this true?
P.P.S Is it true that, if the whole world went vegan, we could solve world hunger? Does one person going vegan help the hungry?
Thanks.
 
“If you’re vegan, and you’re so against meat, why do you eat all this stuff that imitates meat?”
All good answers
Also, how are you? How are you feeling? How are you doing? Are you well?
Pretty good. thanks for asking.
P.S Have you heard that cholesterol can only be found in animal-derived “foods”

Yes, that is true.
Also a related factoid: although cholesterol is an important nutrient. our body is capable of producing it all by itself. there is some stuff I've heard* that by eating foods that contain cholesterol your body won't make as much. but I think the concern is with people who eat more cholesterol than the body actually needs

* I never researched this or bothered to remember the actual claims. Being that it doesn't concern me at all.
P.P.S Is it true that, if the whole world went vegan, we could solve world hunger?
Debatable. Some people have claimed that and have even provided stats and such to back it up . without getting into any number crunching it seems like a reasonable claim. animals are not 100% efficient in converting plant food to meat. I've seen some claim that its less than 33% efficient. So by taking out the animal middleman you should have more food available for humans. It does get a little complicated when you factor in that animal feed is of a lower quality than human feed. that cows can digest plants that we can't. and that some land used for grazing is not arable. I'm under the opinion that the "efficiency thing" trumps all the other concerns. I've often thought of trying to actually figure it out but some of the inputs are just either not available or hotly contested.

Anyway, it does make for some interesting discussions. Just google "if the whole world went vegan, we could solve world hunger? " and you will see some interesting articles by people a lot smarter than me.

like this one
Does one person going vegan help the hungry?

Well maybe in a an abstract way. Just like turning off the lights in a room that you are not using helps climate change.
There are so many good reasons to go (and stay) vegan. you can add "end hunger" to your list.
 
“If you’re vegan, and you’re so against meat, why do you eat all this stuff that imitates meat?”
That is the single most stupid question I ever hear. Sounds even worse when asked by other vegans
Who's to say which is imitation? I first wanted to become vegetarian when my elementary school started serving soy burgers. Loved them!
Morningstar products-loved them! These are about as "imitation" as it gets! Why would I eat animals when these burgers, sausage, bacon, are so much better.
Why would you kill someone when you have so many alternatives? You have unlimited choices in what to eat, you don't need animals, and you don't need processed food either. You have choice.
Processed vegan foods are mostly healthier options than their flesh based products. They're also largely better for the environment

Whole soy products, as well as seitan, have been around for centuries. There is as much correlation between these and flesh as there is between eggs and kala namak. Just because they taste alike does not mean one is copying the other 🙄🙄

Yes, cholesterol is only found in animal products. Eating plant based for most will reduce their own cholesterol levels, or least improve the ratio. Our bodies make cholesterol, and it is dependent on what we eat- oils and saturated fats will increase our level.

Every meal change to be free from animal products is a win. If you won't go veg, just eat more that's veg.
 
Hello All,

P.P.S Is it true that, if the whole world went vegan, we could solve world hunger? Does one person going vegan help the hungry?
Thanks.

Debatable. Some people have claimed that and have even provided stats and such to back it up . without getting into any number crunching it seems like a reasonable claim. animals are not 100% efficient in converting plant food to meat. I've seen some claim that its less than 33% efficient. So by taking out the animal middleman you should have more food available for humans. It does get a little complicated when you factor in that animal feed is of a lower quality than human feed. that cows can digest plants that we can't. and that some land used for grazing is not arable. I'm under the opinion that the "efficiency thing" trumps all the other concerns. I've often thought of trying to actually figure it out but some of the inputs are just either not available or hotly contested.
(bold/italic emphasis mine) I imagine that we could develop new methods of agriculture which would be able to produce food suitable for humans. If the reasons conventional agriculture won't work on these lands is that they're too steep-rugged, or too arid, maybe we could investigate plants which are adapted to arid areas, or try (an admittedly labor-intensive) way of farming uneven terrain. I'm thinking that food-bearing trees might be an option.

On the other hand, maybe these non-arable lands are quite suitable for animal habitat, and we could leave it for them.

OH- I forgot.... @Rory17 Yes, I would still enjoy the taste of meat, etc , but my concern for animals is more important to me. And I do enjoy the vegan meat substitutes, like the Impossible Foods burger I had for dinner an hour ago. I've eaten and enjoyed dairy, fish, and meat substitutes, but I don't go overboard on them because they're quite processed and high in sodium. Okay- I haven't yet found a convincing vegan version of a juicy, rare-cooked burger, but some meat-eaters find that gross anyway, preferring their meat well-done. (Which makes me think: "Huh?... I don't know if I could tell the difference between a beef burger cooked until it's gray-brown inside and a veggie burger... okay, maybe it's a LITTLE different?...")
 
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(bold/italic emphasis mine) I imagine that we could develop new methods of agriculture which would be able to produce food suitable for humans. If the reasons conventional agriculture won't work on these lands is that they're too steep-rugged, or too arid, maybe we could investigate plants which are adapted to arid areas, or try (an admittedly labor-intensive) way of farming uneven terrain. I'm thinking that food-bearing trees might be an option.

On the other hand, maybe these non-arable lands are quite suitable for animal habitat, and we could leave it for them.
Yes and yes.

Non arable lands come in many different kinds. I think the kind that gets sited in this kind of discussion is grazing land. It doesn't even have to be that steep or dry to make it more suitable for cattle than cultivation. And there are various techniques already available from terracing. irrigation, alternate crops and shading.

However your second point might be the focal point. If we can increase the food supply enough without livestock, then maybe we can transform pastures and rangeland to something else. As you suggest, wildlife habitat/refuges would be great. Parks might be nice.

If you ever drive down Calfifornaia Hwy 1, when you get past Hearst castle, you can see zebras and giraffes grazing. That would be cool. or in colder climates you could have woolly mammoths and caribou.
 
“You can eat bread?” 😳
“Come out to dinner with us. You can have the chicken Caesar salad.” 🤨
Ugh! Yes!!
Ever since the paleo craze, I guess! I had a friend who just kept going back to thinking I didn't eat bread--or rice! She even brought in some homemade rolls for our table and skipped me. I asked did you use egg or milk, she said no--I'm like.....well I'd like one :rofl:

And the 'organic' thing. Like vegans eat chicken if it's organic :fp:

I hadn't been asked about protein in a long time at least
 
“Come out to dinner with us. You can have the chicken Caesar salad.” 🤨
This might be because some folks eliminate red (*mammal?) meat from their diet (to cut down on the saturated fat content, I think, which IS an admittedly good reason to do that). I thought by now everyone was familiar with the terms "pescatarian" and "low fat" and used these terms instead.
 
This might be because some folks eliminate red (*mammal?) meat from their diet (to cut down on the saturated fat content, I think, which IS an admittedly good reason to do that). I thought by now everyone was familiar with the terms "pescatarian" and "low fat" and used these terms instead.
Agreed. But sometimes it was the word “salad” that threw them off lol. I would say, chicken? And then they would realize that chicken was meat.
 
Hello All,

“If you’re vegan, and you’re so against meat, why do you eat all this stuff that imitates meat?”
...
We’re not necessarily against the flavours, the tastes and the textures of meat - we’re just against the animal cruelty and the environmental devastation of meat!
(bold emphasis mine). This is how I answer that question, which I have gotten on many occasions. Also, people seem to think cheese is OK if you're a vegan. <sigh>. So I get a lot of, "you can have a veggie pizza, right? We'll get half pepperoni, half cheese." Um, no. :D
 
Yes it is a rather naive cpmment for an omnivore to make, but they do.
Of course eliminating animal pain and suffering is the main reason to seek a "substitute: versus the real thing...
Here is a good comeback.......Humans who want to stop smoking or drinking used many methods
to adjust away from their habits. Smokers turn to plastic cigarettes, vaping, nicotine patches,
chewing gum, eating more, or even hypnosis to quit. Alcoholics turn to group therapy, drinking
soda's, avoiding their old drinking buddies, hypnotherapy, psychiatry, rehab centers and so on.
They all want to quit their former addiction and sometimes seek something "familiar" that gives
them some pleasure. It does not mean they want to drink or smoke again. Peace.
 
(bold emphasis mine). This is how I answer that question, which I have gotten on many occasions. Also, people seem to think cheese is OK if you're a vegan. <sigh>. So I get a lot of, "you can have a veggie pizza, right? We'll get half pepperoni, half cheese." Um, no. :D

That's exactly what someone said to me the other day when I declined to have a slice of King's cake. ''Surely, there's nothing
wrong in milking a cow''? She went on to say that she rarely ate meat but that cheese and dairy was on her menu, as there was no
cruelty involved.
When I told her what a dairy cow's life was she seemed to be in total shock and disbelief. The majority of people
believe what the dairy industrials ads portray ; cows in a field with someone holding up a glass of milk!!
 
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