Any Vegetarians/Vegans here?

[Tripwire]

I am 16 and cannot afford a vegan diet, so I eat anything I can get as of now. When I turn 18 I hope to become one.

Hi Tripwire, That's great. My advice would be that when you do decide to become vegan that you should remember that a healthy vegan stays vegan. Just remember to eat enough calories (ie cook food with a healthy amount of olive oil for example), eat foods with fortified vitamins (like soya milk or breakfast cereals) and take a multivitamin (a cheap one from a supermarket is just as good as an expensive one). And of course plenty of fruit, vegetables, whole grains and beans

Eating vegan diet with lots of pre-prepared processed food can indeed be very expensive. Here are some ideas to eating vegan on a budget.

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No, she said that your tactics draconian, and they are.

what tactics have I been using that are draconian?

Firstly, there's hunting pest species that require culling for the good of biodiversity - in Australia that'd be kangaroo. Although only a small portion of roo is fit for human consumption, the remainder can and is used in pet food, and the skin can be used for fur/leather products. In Canada it's seals. This culls are taken place for the good of biodiversity and not at all primarily as a food source for humans.


Killing for biodiversity is certainly more justified than the murder of animals just to eat them, however the fact remains there are better ways to achieve this end. e.g. supporting the return of predators, reducing the rate reproduction in those animals

Next we have farming, now I've argued already with you that wool is an absolutely essential product. And let's not pretend that it's not economically important too - meat and animal products like wool and other animal hairs etc are a very significant portion of our exports. But back on track we have products that are dependant on wool. Let me ask you - are your car seats wool? Did you - an ethical vegan - remove the wool and replace it with uncomfortable Vinyl??

No, I don't own a car. But if I did yes a synthetic fibre like vinyl would be fine.


[quote]Dairy is one of the most important things that we have. Especially if you are in a situation where you may not be able to eat meat.

I drink low-fat milk. Yes I enjoy full-cream milk, but I very rarely indulge. I almost always use low fat cheese on anything. As I mentioned in my diet thread, I've switched to unadulterated black coffee now, which I'm loving.

You've had your opportunity to produce evidence against dairy - and you've failed. Health professionals say dairy is very healthy, you and your vegan pals say it isn't. But your claims are frivolous and can't be backed up by contemporary medical wisdom - or by science.

One of the interesting things that strikes me in this thread is your use of outdated and bad information - this I know is used for other things like batty hens, etc, where videos recorded in the 80's in far off countries are attempted to be passed off as representative of the culture I live in - but you're doing the same thing with your claims of science.

Some of the benefits you claim of vegetarianism are long since disproved and forgotten, but you cling on to them unable/unwilling to look at objective evidence.

I have already provided evidence that a vegan diet is healthier than vegetarianism. They are both however significantly healthier than an omnivorous diet. Eating lots of dairy instead of meat is certainly going to improve health, however veganism is healthier still.



Now, as I said before, let alone all the evidence I have quoted, why would the why would the biggest professional body of nutritionists (the American Dietetic Association, although now called the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics) in the US, and indeed the world, agree that a vegan and vegetarian diet is healthy and protective against a number of diseases? The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is not just a few crazies, they are recognized by the United States Department of Education as the only professional body that can accredit professional dietetic education programs! Are they all lying too? If all the evidence I, and they, have quoted is outdated, then provide some links to this updated evidence.

Thank you!