bacon causes cancer! WHO!

[robvalue]

Research shows that in many ways a vegetarian diet is healthier than that of a typical meat eater. Compared with omnivorous diets a varied vegetarian diet contains less saturated fatty acids, cholesterol, and more folate, fibre, antioxidants, phytochemicals and carotenoids. Research studies have found that vegetarians have a lower incidence of obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure and type II diabetes.

https://www.vegsoc.org/health

[The Grand Nudger]

It's really hard to tell who's right in this debate. I still eat meat and everything but of late I've been feeling kind of guilty for doing it and also kind of thinking about going vegetarian for maintaining a good health - are you saying that's a myth somehow? Then how come so many reasonable people do it?

Well, if you're feeling guilty - it's probably time to put down the fork on account of your metal health, amiright?  Wouldn't really matter whether or not it was healthier. If it could be shown that eating 3rd world babies was a healthy diet...... considerations of conscience trump considerations of nutrition, in my book, lol.

[robvalue]

Agreed.

In my case, it's gone way beyond that. I physically can't even stomach meat substitutes which are too convincing! The link between the texture and the nature of what I'm eating is too strong.

Much to the annoyance of my poor wife trying to vary my diet.

[The Grand Nudger]

Take a break from beef, buddy.  Seems like a no-brainer. Hell, even if it didn't make you healthier it'd make you happier.

[Excited Penguin]

It's really hard to tell who's right in this debate. I still eat meat and everything but of late I've been feeling kind of guilty for doing it and also kind of thinking about going vegetarian for maintaining a good health - are you saying that's a myth somehow? Then how come so many reasonable people do it?

Well, if you're feeling guilty - it's probably time to put down the fork on account of your metal health, amiright?  Wouldn't really matter whether or not it was healthier.  If it could be shown that eating 3rd world babies was a healthy diet...... considerations of conscience trump considerations of nutrition, in my book, lol.

Did you actually mean mental health or metal health, because that would clarify your statement a lot to me.

If eating meat was the only healthy/most healthy way to eat I would do it because I take precedence over an animal, there's no question about that. But if that's not the case then I think I should consider stopping to eat meat, so as not to further encourage the sacrificing of animals for nutrition purposes.

[The Grand Nudger]

Yeah, good catch, missed an "n".  Subtle differences in the way we weight things lead to larger differences in our final conclusions.  If eating meat was healthiest, from the nutritional POV, but I had a problem with killing animals...I still wouldn't eat meat.   

Now, personally, there's meat I don't eat.  Veal, for example.  I have no interest in veal.  If veal were suddenly discovered to be -the- superfood...I guess I'd just have to go undernourished.  I don't have any general objections to killing animals for food, though I have many specific objections to particular production models and products.  Some of those objections are the very same ones I'd have to a great many vegetable products.  So, as before, even if veganism was shown to be the most nutritious diet....that wouldn't be enough for me to sign onboard.

Often enough, a "vegan diet" is more than just eating vegetables alone.  It's whole grains, balanced portions - and right off the bat who -couldn't- do with more veggies in their diet.  But why not enjoy all of that with a nice tilapia fillet?  Is that somehow less healthy than eating it with a brick of fermented soybeans - put a number on that?  This is why, btw, you might want to consider the "veganism is better for you" claim more seriously.  Whole grains are better for you.  Proper portions are better for you.  Gorging yourself on tofu isn't healthy just because it's tofu.....  

Compare a vegan diet and an intelligent omnivorous diet head to head.  If we're comparing veganism to eating burgers and fries it's nolo contendre. That 30oz porterhouse is an indulgence, not nutrition - but frankly most of the things we eat..even the veggies, are an indulgence, not nutrition.

[Excited Penguin]

It seems like you're not in the mood for having a conversation with me. I get the feeling you're having it with yourself.

Let me get a straight-forward answer from you. Are you vegan? What do you believe about eating meat? Is it wrong/necessary/healthy/unhealthy compared to veganism?

[The Grand Nudger]

Me, a vegan.......lol, no.  I didn't realize that you were asking.  

What do I believe about eating meat....and specifically in reference or comparison to veganism? 

I don't think that there is any measure of more right or more wrong in either omnivory or veganism.   As I've -explicitly- stated, my misgivings surround production methods, products - I have no misgivings regarding using animals as food.  None.  I have no objections to others choosing a vegan diet, none.

I think that while the necessity of omnivory is made plainly apparent in the case of those of us who are starving..there is no necessity whatsoever for veganism.

I'm certain that both omnivory and veganism can be healthy, and unhealthy.  I could eat nothing but refined beet sugar and that'd be pretty damned vegan, but not very healthy. You need to check off alot of boxes before you've reached the status of "healthy"...and if the diet you have checks off those boxes, while including meat........I'd be surprised to find a significant difference in health from one that checks all the same boxes...substituting soy (for example).

[Faith No More]

DGAF.

Ain't gonna stop me eating bacon.

Everything causes cancer anyway.

You could live your whole life actively avoiding "cancer causing" foods and drink, even avoiding smoking and taking drugs etc. You could aim to live the healthiest lifestyle imaginable. Yet even if you did so, by the age of 30 you could still randomly develop cancer anyway. And the guy who's been smoking 50 cigs a day for 40 years is still alive and kicking.

Or better yet, you could get ran over by a bus or have a heart attack or be chopped up by a machete wielding nutjob.

Is anyone actually going to look at a bacon sandwich and go "oh shit, better not eat that, might get cancer".

Fucking no.

So I say: YOLO.

We had a family friend when I was younger that was the healthiest guy you could meet. He used to jog something like four miles every morning, and really tried to take care of himself. One day when he was on his daily run, he dropped dead from an aneurism.

The message of that really sunk in that no matter what you do, you could go at any time. Might as well enjoy yourself some bacon, because the next day could be your last.

[The Grand Nudger]

OTOH, no sense in bringing that day closer by gorging ourselves on bacon, lol.  No sense, might be a -little- bit of satisfaction...but no sense.  Maybe a little sense.  An ounce of sense per pound of bacon.  Let see, if I ate x amounts of bacon I'd be x ounces more sensible........  

Moar bacon!