Veg*n-ism.

[Guest Vitamin X]

It's a hippie thing to do, I'd figure.

[Guest Tzar Lysergic]

Didn't someone here once point out the fallacy of going vegetarian for "health reasons" while ingesting highly modified and unnaturally occurring soy products? I don't really do the soy thing.

 

Sounds like something I said. To further that, doesn't it seem kind of shifty how a vegan will eat tofu-meat, which is meant to taste like real meat? That just sounds like a complex of guilt and denial. Like they want to eat meat, but are too big of a pussy to off a hog.

[Your Paragon of Virtue 0]

I hate tofu. Really fatty from what I remember as well. The texture is like fucking sponge.

[Slayer 0]

Plain tofu, prepared the right way, is pretty good imo

 

Tofu dogs, however, are complete shit

[Giuseppe Zangara 0]

Didn't someone here once point out the fallacy of going vegetarian for "health reasons" while ingesting highly modified and unnaturally occurring soy products? I don't really do the soy thing.

 

Sounds like something I said. To further that, doesn't it seem kind of shifty how a vegan will eat tofu-meat, which is meant to taste like real meat? That just sounds like a complex of guilt and denial. Like they want to eat meat, but are too big of a pussy to off a hog.

And, as it has been alluded to, most tofu/soy-fake meat is loaded with so many chemicals that you're better off eating real meat, as far as health reasons go. I'll be the first to admit that Morningstar's Chik'n Buffalo Nuggets are tasty, but they're basically edible WMDs.

[spman 0]

Guess what, Animals suffer out in the wild too. Ever have a cat and watch it catch a mouse in the back yard and throw it up in the air over and over and "play" with the thing until it's mutilated? You think a wild cow, if such a thing were to exist (does it?) would think twice about eating you?

[World's Worst Man 0]

How many animals are killed as a by-product of harvesting vegetables and grain, protecting crops, etc? Not to mention insects, which is life all the same. I'd say veganism for ethical reasons is pretty laughable knowing that. Although if people want to subscribe to those beliefs and not be a prick about it, c'est la vie.

[Your Paragon of Virtue 0]

Guess what, Animals suffer out in the wild too. Ever have a cat and watch it catch a mouse in the back yard and throw it up in the air over and over and "play" with the thing until it's mutilated? You think a wild cow, if such a thing were to exist (does it?) would think twice about eating you?

 

Yeah! They're gonna suffer, might as well make them suffer some more. Next time I see a stray animal, I'm gonna torture then kill it. It's okay, he probably would have suffered anyway! Watch out for those wild cows too, not because they're gonna eat us but because they're gonna go buy Blink 182 records and have babies at 12, ruining the fabric of our society.

 

To WWM; while it's true that animals get killed by grain and harvesting combines and whatnot, there's a logical gap in there when you assume that makes it okay to just eat meat. By not eating meat you're still preventing more animals dying, and if there's a problem with the process in harvesting then that should be fixed, rather than just assuming the only viable option is to ignore it and eat meat.

[MrRant 0]

Usually cows for slaughter (not veal) are killed pretty damn quick.

[World's Worst Man 0]

To WWM; while it's true that animals get killed by grain and harvesting combines and whatnot, there's a logical gap in there when you assume that makes it okay to just eat meat. By not eating meat you're still preventing more animals dying, and if there's a problem with the process in harvesting then that should be fixed, rather than just assuming the only viable option is to ignore it and eat meat.

 

I wasn't using that as justification to eat meat. Some of these people refuse to eat meat because they think animal life is precious and shouldn't be killed for food. If vegetables have the same problem, even if the motives behind the killings are different, there's a contradiction there. Any way you slice it, the animals die to get the food to the table. Unless the ethical vegans/vegetarians personally make sure all of the food they eat is produced in such a way that no life is being harmed in the process. And well, good luck.

[Guest Vitamin X]

I hate tofu. Really fatty from what I remember as well. The texture is like fucking sponge.

Tofu is a hell of a lot healthier than most meats. Looking at the package of tofu I have in the fridge, it only has about 120 calories for a full box of it, and no saturated fat.. plenty of protein as well.

 

Didn't someone here once point out the fallacy of going vegetarian for "health reasons" while ingesting highly modified and unnaturally occurring soy products? I don't really do the soy thing.

 

Sounds like something I said. To further that, doesn't it seem kind of shifty how a vegan will eat tofu-meat, which is meant to taste like real meat? That just sounds like a complex of guilt and denial. Like they want to eat meat, but are too big of a pussy to off a hog.

And, as it has been alluded to, most tofu/soy-fake meat is loaded with so many chemicals that you're better off eating real meat, as far as health reasons go. I'll be the first to admit that Morningstar's Chik'n Buffalo Nuggets are tasty, but they're basically edible WMDs.

 

I don't know where you get that idea so much- I can see your point about eating whole foods; yes, soy/tofu products meant to taste like real meat will be composed of many more ingredients, however most of the ingredients, just judging from the ingredient list on the back of these Tofurkey chipotle franks I have, are compromised of spices, soy, and tofu. Health-wise, they are a lot better for you in terms of nutritional content, but you could make the argument that the food has been processed more than if you ate the meat equivalent (although really, who knows with hot dogs in general..)

 

Plus, I'll eat the tofu-meat because it's better nutritionally speaking and still allows me to enjoy the things I ate when I wasn't doing the whole pescatarian thing. For example, today I had scrambled eggs with soy-rizo, which is the soy version of chorizo. Not only is it cheaper, but it tastes great, and has over half the fat that regular chorizo has. Ingredients? Water, Soy, Canola Oil, White Vinegar, (various spices), and Salt.

 

I suppose it's also important to emphasize eating organic as well, but I've already been trying to buy organic/local as much as possible anyways, with the only conventional product being most meats.

[Guest Tzar Lysergic]

Were everyone to suddenly become vegan, what do you figure we'd do with all the cattle and chickens in the world? Turn 'em lose?

[Giuseppe Zangara 0]

I was way hammered when I wrote that, so I got a way from my basic point that there are many fake-meat products which are actually worse for you than the real thing.

 

Also, I hate the spelling of "veganism" in the title.

[Guest George's Box]

Watch out for those wild cows too, not because they're gonna eat us but because they're gonna go buy Blink 182 records and have babies at 12, ruining the fabric of our society.

hahaha. spman really determined his fate that one day, didn't he.

[Jingus 0]

Were everyone to suddenly become vegan, what do you figure we'd do with all the cattle and chickens in the world? Turn 'em lose?

Shhh! Don't mention real-world problems that would destroy hippy-utopia fantasies! Practical logic isn't allowed in these sort of debates, didn't you know that?

[Guest Vitamin X]

Not everyone is going to go vegan or vegetarian, and I think other vegans are cognizant of that fact despite their beliefs, it's more about doing their part to counter overconsumption of meat products which have been proven to be environmentally damaging (the overconsumption, not necessarily the meat products themselves).

 

Again, I'll state, I don't think being vegan or even vegetarian is at all a really practical diet- humans are omnivores for a reason. But people don't eat enough vegetables and non-meat products.. I've been learning that a lot recently, particularly when I've gone, or rather attempted to, eat at fast food places since I started this whole deal. Obesity is also a huge problem in this country, and I'm not sacrificing my boyish good looks or health, and contribute to that, so I'll be healthy about it. I don't care what people eat or don't eat- eating at least some kind of meat is good since it ensures your body is receiving complete proteins, and fish in particular has less if any saturated fat.

 

In short, the meat industry isn't going to go away, and I don't think it ever should (and thus, turning all the cows and chickens loose, as you put it) because I didn't start doing this much for ethical reasons anyways- however, even if I was, cutting down consumption would help out a lot. People in this country live on a diet of excess and it's just something I'm not cool with.

 

And Jingus, please feel free to add to the conversation at any time with, you know, a point rather than an idiotic stereotypical fallacy. Thanks.

[Jingus 0]

And Jingus, please feel free to add to the conversation at any time with, you know, a point rather than an idiotic stereotypical fallacy. Thanks.

Whenever I stop meeting stereotypical idiotic fallacious vegans, will do.

[Guest Vitamin X]

Fair enough, considering I'm not vegan and all. And I've met a lot of the "I'm not going to shower or wash my hair!" vegans here as well. I mean, doing the vegan thing is fine, but take a fucking shower.

[Jingus 0]

Yeah, I'm talking about the types who'll only eat food that

 

1. Grew in the ground

2. Was organically grown, no chemicals

3. Was hand-picked, not harvested by a giant combine or something

4. Is still relatively fresh

 

At least, that's what they claim they only eat. In reality, unless you run your own farm, it's damn near impossible.

[MFer 0]

Isn't it true that vegans have a distinct, pugnent smell to them?

[Guest Vitamin X]

No, unless they just don't bathe, which would apply to a lot of the hippie vegan crowd.

 

Their skin, however, does turn a distinct shade of yellow from not eating meat, though.

[Guest cobainwasmurdered]

If you bleed 'em out, they don't die right away. Regular slaughtering is supposed to be instant. I always thought that this was why kosher tastes so good, because it saturates the meat with delicious adrenaline, while the cow slowly bleeds out.

 

I've slaughtered cows before. We used a sort of hammer that punches through the skull. It's definitely quicker then letting the animal bled out.

 

I've also slaughtered pigs and turkeys. Turkeys are the most fun. You electrocute them and then chop the head off so they don't run around.

[Guest Tzar Lysergic]

cobainwasafarmer

[Darthtiki 0]

I tried soy jerky yesterday, the spice mix was good...the jerky itself not so much

[Guest George's Box]

Their skin, however, does turn a distinct shade of yellow from not eating meat, though.

Is this true? My vegan friend has a yellow tint.

[Guest Vitamin X]

Yes, sir.. it's called carotenemia.

 

Link: http://www.emedicine.com/derm/topic789.htm

 

It's a benign condition, but in short, it basically occurs from an excessive intake of carotenoid-rich vegetables (mainly green and yellow) and fruits.

[Giuseppe Zangara 0]

I ate a medium rare cheeseburger today!

[Guest Vitamin X]

Awesome, dude.

[dubq 0]

I remember when PETA told us that drinking beer instead of milk was much healthier. So I decided to compromise and have a cold one with my steak.

 

As much as I hate to agree with PETA (their cause is worthy but their tactics are not) the milk thing is true. It's not natural for any species to drink the milk of another regardless of if they're carnivores, herbivores or omnivores. Cows have four stomachs in order to fully digest what they consume.. we have one. That's why there are so many lactose intolerant (myself included) people out there. The calcium argument holds no ground either.. you can get it from so many other sources. Plus I think our problem here in North America is TOO MUCH calcium, which can actually cause osteoperosis in the end.

 

Vegetarianism and Vegans are, out of all the things I never understood, the things that I understand the least. Every time I see a vegatarian, I ask myself "why?" It just seems so boring and lifeless. There just seems to be no point to it. In other words, someone offers me a steak or a rack of ribs, I will eat it. It would be stupid not to.

 

As for the whole topic of this thread - I was a strict vegetarian for 10 years. Health reasons.. I was overweight and "converted" in order to lose the weight. I stuck with it for many years after but about a year and a half ago I slowly weened myself back onto meat. I eat organic meat now. Steak, fish, chicken, etc. (I would never touch pork to begin with just because it grosses me out.. don't really like the taste.) But I have to say that there is a place for vegetarian meals and whatnot in my meal plan, that's for sure. Anyone who says that a vegetarian meal is boring and lifeless is probably just being ignorant and has never really had something vegetarian other than a Garden Salad.

 

Finally, as for the tofu thing. I think it's hit or miss. Usually when it tries to mimic a meat substance it's not too great.. but when cooked in a traditional sense.. ie: in most Asian cooking, it's VERY tasty. I don't see how anyone could not like Mushu Tofu (shredded tofu, mushrooms and hoisin sauce wrapped in Chinese pancakes) ...so good!

[Jingus 0]

Anyone who says that a vegetarian meal is boring and lifeless is probably just being ignorant and has never really had something vegetarian other than a Garden Salad.

I tried the veggie lyfestyle... briefly. Salads, tofu, fruit baskets, veggieburgers, homemade carrot juice, all that crap. I think it took me about a week before I ran screaming into a Mcdonalds.