Okay, I need to rant. I went shopping on Saturday (that's not enough to irritate me, although some days, it comes close). I still buy meat-based foods for the family when I shop. I don't like it, but I can't force them to eat the way I want. I'm leading by example and I can at least be happy that, when I cook and they eat it, it's vegan!
Anyway, one of the things on my list was pot pies. I grabbed the pot pies they asked for and brought them home. Yesterday, the pies got cooked, and when I looked more closely at the box, I thought, "Oh, that's nice." I'm not going to name the company here, but suffice it to say, it's a big one. Anyway, the box said that, by buying the box of food, money would be donated to a particular (also nameless) homeless charity. That's why I thought that was nice. By buying the pot pie, the company was going to contribute money to people in need.
Ah, if it were only that simple. But, no. When I read the fine print, I realized that we needed to type in a code online. Only then would the company contribute money to feed the homeless people.
So what's wrong with this picture? Plenty of things. First of all, the company (and they make plenty of money) really isn't doing anything out of the kindness of their heart. They want us, the consumer, to take the time to read the fine print and then do what they've asked us to do. Otherwise, no money will be donated to this cause. So some people, I'm sure, will buy these pot pies, feeling all warm and fuzzy that their purchase is feeding not only their family but also other hungry people across the country. Some of these people think that and don't bother reading the fine print. Other people will read the fine print and take their precious time to type in the codes. Still others (like myself) will get really angry and then type in the codes anyway, knowing that--if they don't--they will suffer horrible guilt.
But that's not right.
If the company were truly charitable, they would contribute money directly to the organization. But, instead, they have to make a big show of it and also force their customers to buy their food in order to feed other people. I don't buy their show. Until they decide to simply give money to this organization without the games they feel the need to play, I don't buy it. And I won't buy their crappy products ever again.
Showing posts with label eating meat. Show all posts
Showing posts with label eating meat. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Monday, January 17, 2011
The Truth about Becoming a Vegetarian: Myths About Making the Switch from Eating Meat to Mainly Plants
This article was originally published on Suite101.com. To see the article in its entirety and its original state (along with original embedded sources), click on this link: The Truth about Becoming a Vegetarian.
Some people have considered changing to a vegetarian diet but hesitate because of the myths they've been told. Here are some myths debunked.
Myth 1: People must have large amounts of protein to survive and thrive.
Fact: Protein - particularly protein from animal sources - is overrated. Yes, it is necessary to survival but vegetarians do just fine on vegetable protein alone. Vegetable protein is complete and is truly all vegetarians (any human beings, for that matter) need to survive. It is difficult, if not impossible, to not get all the protein needed in a vegetarian, vegan, or any other type of plant-based diet.
Myth 2: Vegetarian diets are severely lacking in necessary vitamins and minerals.
Fact: Most necessary nutrients are available through a vegetarian diet. Even Vitamin D can be obtained just by spending a few minutes in the sun every day. There was a time when people believed that strict vegans could become deficient in Vitamin B12, but health professionals tell vegans that B12 deficiencies have been disproved.*
Just like meat-based diets, vegetarians should rely on variety - in this case, different types of fruits, vegetables, and grains. They will get all the nutrients they need through their plant-based diet.
Myth 3: Vegetarian diets are boring.
Fact: Simply not true! While it does take time to adjust one's diet from being meat-centric to based solely around vegetables, once a person rethinks his diet, he is amazed at the variety! Vegetarians (even vegans) need never be bored, there is such variety in the plant world. New vegetarians would do well do check out vegetarian websites, buy vegetarian cookbooks, and find recipes online. People can also rethink some of their favorite recipes that are already vegetarian - can they now perhaps become a main, rather than side, dish? And what about adapting old recipes? For example, products using TVP (textured vegetable protein) such as Boca Crumbles and Morningstar Farms Grillers Recipe Crumbles can be substituted for ground beef in dishes. The texture and taste are similar to ground beef in these products but so much healthier and less fatty.
New vegetarians also discover the beauty of simplicity. A few steamed vegetables, a salad, and some rice with a few spices and herbs can become a tasty, satisfying meal. Really, for most people it just takes a little imagination and rethinking the way they were raised to prepare meals.
Fact: Vegetarian Diets Can Be Healthy, Satisfying, and Delicious
People who have shied away from vegetarian diets simply because they believed they lacked variety or were unhealthy or tasteless can discover that none of these things are true. While some people convert to vegetarianism because of ethical or environmental reasons, plenty of people stop eating meat for their health. And they discover that it is, in fact, a delicious way to dine!
(Original article publication date: January 14, 2010.)
* I have since changed my stance on this issue somewhat. A good many vegan foods (such as soy milk) are fortified with Vitamin B12, and because our food is super-clean today, this vitamin is difficult to get in a vegan diet. Supplementing is recommended by nutritionists, doctors, and vegan experts.
Some people have considered changing to a vegetarian diet but hesitate because of the myths they've been told. Here are some myths debunked.
Myth 1: People must have large amounts of protein to survive and thrive.
Fact: Protein - particularly protein from animal sources - is overrated. Yes, it is necessary to survival but vegetarians do just fine on vegetable protein alone. Vegetable protein is complete and is truly all vegetarians (any human beings, for that matter) need to survive. It is difficult, if not impossible, to not get all the protein needed in a vegetarian, vegan, or any other type of plant-based diet.
Myth 2: Vegetarian diets are severely lacking in necessary vitamins and minerals.
Fact: Most necessary nutrients are available through a vegetarian diet. Even Vitamin D can be obtained just by spending a few minutes in the sun every day. There was a time when people believed that strict vegans could become deficient in Vitamin B12, but health professionals tell vegans that B12 deficiencies have been disproved.*
Just like meat-based diets, vegetarians should rely on variety - in this case, different types of fruits, vegetables, and grains. They will get all the nutrients they need through their plant-based diet.
Myth 3: Vegetarian diets are boring.
Fact: Simply not true! While it does take time to adjust one's diet from being meat-centric to based solely around vegetables, once a person rethinks his diet, he is amazed at the variety! Vegetarians (even vegans) need never be bored, there is such variety in the plant world. New vegetarians would do well do check out vegetarian websites, buy vegetarian cookbooks, and find recipes online. People can also rethink some of their favorite recipes that are already vegetarian - can they now perhaps become a main, rather than side, dish? And what about adapting old recipes? For example, products using TVP (textured vegetable protein) such as Boca Crumbles and Morningstar Farms Grillers Recipe Crumbles can be substituted for ground beef in dishes. The texture and taste are similar to ground beef in these products but so much healthier and less fatty.
New vegetarians also discover the beauty of simplicity. A few steamed vegetables, a salad, and some rice with a few spices and herbs can become a tasty, satisfying meal. Really, for most people it just takes a little imagination and rethinking the way they were raised to prepare meals.
Fact: Vegetarian Diets Can Be Healthy, Satisfying, and Delicious
People who have shied away from vegetarian diets simply because they believed they lacked variety or were unhealthy or tasteless can discover that none of these things are true. While some people convert to vegetarianism because of ethical or environmental reasons, plenty of people stop eating meat for their health. And they discover that it is, in fact, a delicious way to dine!
(Original article publication date: January 14, 2010.)
* I have since changed my stance on this issue somewhat. A good many vegan foods (such as soy milk) are fortified with Vitamin B12, and because our food is super-clean today, this vitamin is difficult to get in a vegan diet. Supplementing is recommended by nutritionists, doctors, and vegan experts.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Beware of Hidden Animal Ingredients in Food
This article was originally published on Natural News.com. To see the article in its entirety (along with sources cited) and its original state, click on this link: Beware of Hidden Animal Ingredients in Food.
Vegetarians and vegans are usually known for making wise food choices, seeking healthy foods. They, along with other consumers, might be surprised to find out that some seemingly harmless foods actually contain hidden animal ingredients.
Some newer nutrition labeling has helped vegans. For example, if a person looks at the ingredients list of a product, at the end of the list is a summary of sorts that warns people of some of the basic ingredients found in the product, whether or not they are obvious. One such label might read this way: "Contains Wheat, Peanuts, Milk." These labels will alert a vegan immediately that the product contains non-vegan ingredients such as fish, milk, or egg products; consumers will then know to avoid the product. However, this type of labeling is created only to address food allergies, meaning other animal products (such as ingredients derived from beef) and other foods avoided by vegans (such as honey) will not be listed there.
So how do vegetarians and vegans avoid hidden animal products? Fortunately, some companies will label their products as "vegan" when they are, but many companies are not as forthcoming. For example, some store brand cake mixes use beef by-products, and a consumer simply has to read through the list of ingredients. However, there are other hidden animal ingredients found in food that some consumers might not be aware of. Following are just a few.
Gelatin: Some consumers are surprised to discover that gelatin comes from animals and is usually made from various beef and cow parts. That innocent-looking, fruity-tasting dessert is actually mostly animal protein. In addition to gelatin desserts, it is often used in marshmallows, so be sure to read the list of ingredients.
Carmine extract: This seemingly innocent-sounding ingredient is actually made from insects called cochineals. The extract usually adds a reddish color to the food it is in; because it comes from a living creature, vegans will choose not to eat it.
Sugar: Not all sucrose is avoided by vegans, but vegans will make the effort to purchase vegan sugar. Some refined sugars are not vegan, and it's not because they come from an animal product. It's because of the way they are processed. Many sugars are processed through filters made of bone char (that often comes from beef bones). So what's vegan sugar? Vegan sugar is simply a type of sugar that has not passed through a bone char filter. It is not always easy to distinguish vegan sugar from other sugar, but Vegetarian Journal suggests that products labeled "100% Pure Beet Sugar" are definitely vegan and products labeled "100% Pure Cane Sugar" are probably vegan.
This list is by no means complete, but it just goes to show that truth in labeling applies only when a consumer knows what the labeling means. Most products will not tell consumers that gelatin is derived from beef, that carmine extract is derived from insects, or that sugar passes through a beef product. Vegetarians and vegans must be careful consumers, and sometimes that means buying products specifically labeled "vegetarian" or "vegan." More often, though, it means becoming familiar with hidden animal products in foods, and these three are simply a few to be aware of.
(Original article publication date: October 22, 2010.)
Monday, October 11, 2010
Environmental Reasons to Become Vegan
This article was originally published on Suite101.com. To see the article in its entirety and its original state, click on this link: Environmental Reasons to Become Vegetarian.
There are many reasons people become vegetarian--most often, people stop eating meat because of their health or for ethical reasons. But sometimes people become vegetarian for environmental reasons.
The term "sustainable agriculture" is often used when vegetarians speak of their choice to be meatless to save the environment. The idea is that farming should be self-sustaining (sustainable farming can include raising cattle). Because a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle requires less water and pollutes less, it is considered to be more sustainable.
Go Vegetarian to Save Water
Ed Ayres, in the Time Magazine article “Will We Still Eat Meat?” lays out the facts in no uncertain terms. He says, "To produce 1 lb. of feedlot beef requires 7 lbs. of feed grain, which takes 7,000 lbs. of water to grow." Note that he equates 7,000 pounds of water to raising just one pound of beef to maturity. Considering many feedlot cows can end up weighing well over 1,000 pounds, it's not hard to see how much water is used to simply fatten up cows for slaughter.
Global Warming Concerns
Most people have heard that global warming is caused by an increase in the number of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, and carbon-specifically carbon dioxide (CO2)-is usually identified as a culprit. Some people don't know that methane is also a large contributor to global warming. The Vegetarian Times Complete Cookbook cites John Robbins's arguments that cattle on the planet "produce nearly 100 million tons of methane." Robbins's organization, the EarthSave Foundation, also mentions that cattle are just one of many other animals that are consumed by human beings.
Deforestation
The Vegetarian Society claims that meat eating causes deforestation in two ways. The first is that land (such as rainforest) is cleared to grow grain to feed cattle; the second is that land is also cleared to raise cattle. They mention that one "third of the world’s land suitable for growing crops is used to produce feed for farmed animals." It is "inefficient" to use land to feed animals that become food for human beings when using the land to directly feed people would result in more food and less land use.
Environmentalism Can Start With One's Diet
It really is possible to save more water and contribute less to global warming by going vegetarian or--at the very least--reducing one's consumption of meat than by doing many other things that help lessen one's carbon footprint.
(Original article publication date: September 20, 2009.)
Friday, October 8, 2010
Being a Vegan in a Meat-eating Family
No, it's not easy. My teenage daughter pokes fun at me (it's all in fun, yes, but she's so darned picky and she hates veggies. I suppose if that's her extent of rebellion, I should be happy!). My husband misses the days when I cooked with meat (although he does like some of my new dishes and is quite supportive, even when he does feel a little deprived). My boys are a little more supportive than my daughter, but the entire family (except for yours truly!) enjoys the occasional (shudder) White Castle burger. And when we go to grandma's (my mother)? They bemoan to her about how I've abused them with tomatoes and cauliflower, bell peppers and wild rice...
All joking aside, it's easier now than it was when I first converted. My carnivorous family eats meat a few days/nights a week (I teach at our local community college two nights a week, so they can cook animal flesh to their hearts' delight without a look or word from me); when I cook, they know there won't be any animal protein at all. And seriously...there's a lot less complaining now than there was at the beginning. In fact, the family's beginning to like a few of the dishes I make. When I made "Chipotle-clone" burritos, for example, they chowed down! (We don't have a Chipotle in our town, or we'd probably eat there A LOT! We hunt them down whenever we have to head to the big city.) As I perfect my new versions of my old favorites, they're beginning to enjoy as I learn from my mistakes. For example, I've made and re-made spaghetti sauce and chili, experimenting with herbs and spices and different veggies, figuring out how to make the perfect meatless version. The last time I made chili, there wasn't a drop left. All I had to do was add fresh jalapenos (not many), and voila! (Is that proper chef etiquette to use three languages in the same sentence?)
So if any of you are lonely vegans like I was, take heart. If you can get clever, you can keep them eating with you. I'm not a huge tofu fan (but I will eat it on occasion), so it's not like the food I make for my meat-eating family is "strange" or "yucky." They like tortillas. They like pasta. They like lettuce, tomatoes, and watermelon. I just have to show them that I don't need meat or dairy to make a delicious, hearty meal. And I get better and more versatile every day.
One last thing...I was never a huge mushroom fan (I liked the flavor but hated actually chewing on them). Now I can't get them enough. Isn't that crazy? And now eating a piece of steak grosses me out. Funny how things change!
All joking aside, it's easier now than it was when I first converted. My carnivorous family eats meat a few days/nights a week (I teach at our local community college two nights a week, so they can cook animal flesh to their hearts' delight without a look or word from me); when I cook, they know there won't be any animal protein at all. And seriously...there's a lot less complaining now than there was at the beginning. In fact, the family's beginning to like a few of the dishes I make. When I made "Chipotle-clone" burritos, for example, they chowed down! (We don't have a Chipotle in our town, or we'd probably eat there A LOT! We hunt them down whenever we have to head to the big city.) As I perfect my new versions of my old favorites, they're beginning to enjoy as I learn from my mistakes. For example, I've made and re-made spaghetti sauce and chili, experimenting with herbs and spices and different veggies, figuring out how to make the perfect meatless version. The last time I made chili, there wasn't a drop left. All I had to do was add fresh jalapenos (not many), and voila! (Is that proper chef etiquette to use three languages in the same sentence?)
So if any of you are lonely vegans like I was, take heart. If you can get clever, you can keep them eating with you. I'm not a huge tofu fan (but I will eat it on occasion), so it's not like the food I make for my meat-eating family is "strange" or "yucky." They like tortillas. They like pasta. They like lettuce, tomatoes, and watermelon. I just have to show them that I don't need meat or dairy to make a delicious, hearty meal. And I get better and more versatile every day.
One last thing...I was never a huge mushroom fan (I liked the flavor but hated actually chewing on them). Now I can't get them enough. Isn't that crazy? And now eating a piece of steak grosses me out. Funny how things change!
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
The Toxic Standard American Diet
We're poisoning ourselves everyday. I'm not talking about smoking or pollution, drinking, illicit drugs, or exposure to the sun or radiation. I'm talking about our food, the food we eat everyday.
Yes, our food. Dare I say we all have food poisoning?
If there are any carnivores out there reading this, you might consider stopping, but you should keep reading for your health's sake. Americans eat meat and other animal products, for starters. Hundreds of years ago, it used to be that the rich died of the diseases we all do now. Why? Because they ate the foods that all Americans eat now, things like meat and dairy products. Rich and poor can afford to eat these foods now, because the price of meat and dairy products are artificially deflated (along with certain crops) because they are subsidized by the U.S. government. Don't believe me? Find an independent farmer out there. Ask how much a steak or fryer costs from them wholesale. You'll probably be surprised. It's not just due to the savings of mass production (and I promise not to get on my soapbox about CAFOs here).
More than meat, look at all the refined sugars and other products in our diets, along with chemicals, and so many additives and preservatives, it's not even funny. And today we also have to deal with genetic modification of our foods. It's a wonder we live to be 50!!!
Here's a short list of junk you can find in most "safe" foods:
For more information, you can find all kinds of articles online. I have written a few articles on what is in our processed food (one such article, for example, talks about the "Common Hidden Ingredients" in microwaveable burritos). Some people purchase foods like this at the store every day. There are so many other horrible things we eat, sometimes things we think are healthy (like many salad dressings!). Frozen dinners and pizzas, soda, chips--yes. We know those things are bad. But even the items labeled "healthy" usually aren't.
Can we go too far? I'm not sure. Depends on how long you want to live but more than, how well you want to live while you're here. Many of these ailments/diseases are caused (directly and indirectly) by the food we eat and the personal care products we use (whether the mainstream media will admit it or not--I recommend checking out the website Natural News for more info). Some of these you'll know, but others you won't, and if you don't believe me, do a little digging. It'll shock you:
Yes, our food. Dare I say we all have food poisoning?
If there are any carnivores out there reading this, you might consider stopping, but you should keep reading for your health's sake. Americans eat meat and other animal products, for starters. Hundreds of years ago, it used to be that the rich died of the diseases we all do now. Why? Because they ate the foods that all Americans eat now, things like meat and dairy products. Rich and poor can afford to eat these foods now, because the price of meat and dairy products are artificially deflated (along with certain crops) because they are subsidized by the U.S. government. Don't believe me? Find an independent farmer out there. Ask how much a steak or fryer costs from them wholesale. You'll probably be surprised. It's not just due to the savings of mass production (and I promise not to get on my soapbox about CAFOs here).
More than meat, look at all the refined sugars and other products in our diets, along with chemicals, and so many additives and preservatives, it's not even funny. And today we also have to deal with genetic modification of our foods. It's a wonder we live to be 50!!!
Here's a short list of junk you can find in most "safe" foods:
- Animal fats and proteins (many of them hidden)
- Sugars, and sucrose is no longer the most common
- High fructose corn syrup
- Genetic modification (one of the most common is soy)
- Flavorings (just because it's natural, don't assume it's healthy or safe)
- Colorings (why do we have to add more color our food, for heaven's sake?)
- MSG
- Crazy amounts of additives, many of which are unnecessary and very likely unsafe
- Saturated fats
- Trans fats
For more information, you can find all kinds of articles online. I have written a few articles on what is in our processed food (one such article, for example, talks about the "Common Hidden Ingredients" in microwaveable burritos). Some people purchase foods like this at the store every day. There are so many other horrible things we eat, sometimes things we think are healthy (like many salad dressings!). Frozen dinners and pizzas, soda, chips--yes. We know those things are bad. But even the items labeled "healthy" usually aren't.
Can we go too far? I'm not sure. Depends on how long you want to live but more than, how well you want to live while you're here. Many of these ailments/diseases are caused (directly and indirectly) by the food we eat and the personal care products we use (whether the mainstream media will admit it or not--I recommend checking out the website Natural News for more info). Some of these you'll know, but others you won't, and if you don't believe me, do a little digging. It'll shock you:
- Heart disease
- Cancer
- Alzheimer's
- Osteoporosis
- Diabetes
- Hypertension
- Stroke
- Depression
Monday, October 4, 2010
Why Veganism?
I was raised in a meat-eating family. In fact, my dad hunted for food--deer, elk, antelope, and occasionally other animals like rabbits or quail. And it was viewed as acceptable on all levels--the USDA, for example, recommended so many servings of meat/meat protein daily; the Bible says that God had given us animals for food (Genesis 9:3); and my father had come from a very meat-and-potatoes background. Don't get me wrong--they ate lots of vegetables too, but a meal without meat just wasn't considered a meal.
So I was never taught--on any level--that there was anything wrong with eating animals. And understand this as well: I don't judge people who eat meat, but anyone who gets in my face about being vegetarian will get it back from me!
One of my first memories of eating meat is of chewing on a piece of steak. I don't know if it was gristly or not, but I remember chewing and chewing on the stupid thing and it wouldn't break down enough to go down my throat. And I came from an "eat-everything-on-your-plate" family, so I didn't dare spit it out. So I chewed and chewed and chewed some more. I think I might have finally given up. I don't really remember. But even at a young age, I was a vegetable fan. I didn't like green salads too much, but I loved just about any kind of vegetable I could get my mouth wrapped around, even the ones most other kids hated, like spinach, broccoli, and asparagus. Sure, I had my dislikes, but overall, I loved 'em.
When I left the nest to attend college, I found myself eating very little meat. Sure, I ate some. I had more at the cafeteria when I lived on campus (and it was usually in a dish, like Turkey Tetrazzini), but when I moved off campus, my meat eating really dropped. I worked for a pizza restaurant and had the occasional slice of pepperoni or ham and cheese sandwich, but I ate a lot of salads, pasta, and breadsticks. It was at the age of 20 that I realized I wasn't a huge fan of eating meat. I didn't usually admit it out loud, but I knew it in my heart even then.
When I married and had children (again, remember I was taught to cook the meat-and-potatoes way!), I found that ground beef was one of the cheapest meats out there (I didn't know at the time that meat is subsidized by the government so that its price is artifically deflated). So I became a master chef with hamburger, inventing dishes like Meatball Stew and perfecting old favorites like Spaghetti. I bought chicken once in a while and inherited fish and game meat from my parents. After cooking and eating this way for years and years, I began not feeling as healthy as I used to, particularly in the gastro-intestinal sense. My stomach bothered me a lot. I often felt uncomfortable and bloated after eating. And even after I stopped smoking (YAY!), I still had a lot of stuffy nose-type problems.
My husband asked me to put him on Atkins a few years ago. Ugh. It sounded too good to be true and it was. I lived with eating meat for my entire life, but eating this much meat, cheese, and eggs pushed me over the edge. Eggs quickly dropped off my list as did ham. I decided just a month into Atkins that I never wanted to eat those two things again! I didn't lose any weight (my husband lost a lot, though), and I felt miserable and totally unsatisfied. After a year of "doing Atkins" fairly faithfully, I decided it was definitely not for me.
Then, one day about a year and a half ago, my husband had been researching healthy eating again, and he came across a PETA challenge to eat vegan for thirty days. I jumped on the chance, as I had been considering vegetarianism anyway. So I prepared. I tried to cook all the meat in our freezer before we started. I bought a vegetarian cookbook. I stocked up on dried beans and frozen veggies. And I planned a thirty-day menu.
Well, a lot of the recipes were lacking flavor, but I was starting to feel better by the end of the month. The rest of my family, though, was feeling deprived. At the beginning of the next month, they resumed eating meat and I did not.
I feel lots better. But I didn't stop there. It was just the beginning of a long journey for me. I started researching the effects of a vegetarian and vegan diet. I now understand the health and environmental implications of a carnivorous diet. I have become a vocal advocate for healthier eating. I do try not to push my views on others (although my kids and husband will argue otherwise and, in their case, it's true), but I'm always happy to discuss it, and I write articles about vegetarianism regularly. And, let's face it--cheese comes from milk, and milk is taken from cows. Bottom line? It's exploiting cows.
And finally I have made it to being vegan. I said for a long time that I didn't think I could give up cheese (things like milk and eggs were easy), but--in my research--I've discovered that a lot of cheeses are not vegetarian (most cheeses use a product called rennet to culture them; rennet comes from cow and calf stomachs). In addition to that, cheese just really isn't healthy on many levels, from all the animal protein we ingest to its addictive qualities. In addition to that, though, cheese comes from milk, and milk comes from cows. Bottom line (and why many vegans are vegans): eating cheese exploits an animal, whether it's a cow or a goat. I breastfed all four of my children, and when I think of cows being milked their entire lives, it's very easy for me to say no to milk products. I felt that it was important that my children be breastfed, but I wouldn't want to breastfeed hundreds of people for the rest of my life! It's not natural!
So now you know. Am I radical? Maybe. I didn't used to be. But I'm glad I've become vegan. There's just too much stuff out there that we have to dig to find out...about eating meat, drinking milk, how our food is raised, grown, treated. Reading Eric Schlosser's Fast Food Nation started opening my eyes (I read that a few months before the PETA vegan experiment, so I was primed!), and I keep reading. I urge you to as well! And if you're becoming vegan and are still somewhat new to it (like I am) or are still considering it, good luck! It's not too hard once you get started. And now? I'll never go back!
So I was never taught--on any level--that there was anything wrong with eating animals. And understand this as well: I don't judge people who eat meat, but anyone who gets in my face about being vegetarian will get it back from me!
One of my first memories of eating meat is of chewing on a piece of steak. I don't know if it was gristly or not, but I remember chewing and chewing on the stupid thing and it wouldn't break down enough to go down my throat. And I came from an "eat-everything-on-your-plate" family, so I didn't dare spit it out. So I chewed and chewed and chewed some more. I think I might have finally given up. I don't really remember. But even at a young age, I was a vegetable fan. I didn't like green salads too much, but I loved just about any kind of vegetable I could get my mouth wrapped around, even the ones most other kids hated, like spinach, broccoli, and asparagus. Sure, I had my dislikes, but overall, I loved 'em.
When I left the nest to attend college, I found myself eating very little meat. Sure, I ate some. I had more at the cafeteria when I lived on campus (and it was usually in a dish, like Turkey Tetrazzini), but when I moved off campus, my meat eating really dropped. I worked for a pizza restaurant and had the occasional slice of pepperoni or ham and cheese sandwich, but I ate a lot of salads, pasta, and breadsticks. It was at the age of 20 that I realized I wasn't a huge fan of eating meat. I didn't usually admit it out loud, but I knew it in my heart even then.
When I married and had children (again, remember I was taught to cook the meat-and-potatoes way!), I found that ground beef was one of the cheapest meats out there (I didn't know at the time that meat is subsidized by the government so that its price is artifically deflated). So I became a master chef with hamburger, inventing dishes like Meatball Stew and perfecting old favorites like Spaghetti. I bought chicken once in a while and inherited fish and game meat from my parents. After cooking and eating this way for years and years, I began not feeling as healthy as I used to, particularly in the gastro-intestinal sense. My stomach bothered me a lot. I often felt uncomfortable and bloated after eating. And even after I stopped smoking (YAY!), I still had a lot of stuffy nose-type problems.
My husband asked me to put him on Atkins a few years ago. Ugh. It sounded too good to be true and it was. I lived with eating meat for my entire life, but eating this much meat, cheese, and eggs pushed me over the edge. Eggs quickly dropped off my list as did ham. I decided just a month into Atkins that I never wanted to eat those two things again! I didn't lose any weight (my husband lost a lot, though), and I felt miserable and totally unsatisfied. After a year of "doing Atkins" fairly faithfully, I decided it was definitely not for me.
Then, one day about a year and a half ago, my husband had been researching healthy eating again, and he came across a PETA challenge to eat vegan for thirty days. I jumped on the chance, as I had been considering vegetarianism anyway. So I prepared. I tried to cook all the meat in our freezer before we started. I bought a vegetarian cookbook. I stocked up on dried beans and frozen veggies. And I planned a thirty-day menu.
Well, a lot of the recipes were lacking flavor, but I was starting to feel better by the end of the month. The rest of my family, though, was feeling deprived. At the beginning of the next month, they resumed eating meat and I did not.
I feel lots better. But I didn't stop there. It was just the beginning of a long journey for me. I started researching the effects of a vegetarian and vegan diet. I now understand the health and environmental implications of a carnivorous diet. I have become a vocal advocate for healthier eating. I do try not to push my views on others (although my kids and husband will argue otherwise and, in their case, it's true), but I'm always happy to discuss it, and I write articles about vegetarianism regularly. And, let's face it--cheese comes from milk, and milk is taken from cows. Bottom line? It's exploiting cows.
And finally I have made it to being vegan. I said for a long time that I didn't think I could give up cheese (things like milk and eggs were easy), but--in my research--I've discovered that a lot of cheeses are not vegetarian (most cheeses use a product called rennet to culture them; rennet comes from cow and calf stomachs). In addition to that, cheese just really isn't healthy on many levels, from all the animal protein we ingest to its addictive qualities. In addition to that, though, cheese comes from milk, and milk comes from cows. Bottom line (and why many vegans are vegans): eating cheese exploits an animal, whether it's a cow or a goat. I breastfed all four of my children, and when I think of cows being milked their entire lives, it's very easy for me to say no to milk products. I felt that it was important that my children be breastfed, but I wouldn't want to breastfeed hundreds of people for the rest of my life! It's not natural!
So now you know. Am I radical? Maybe. I didn't used to be. But I'm glad I've become vegan. There's just too much stuff out there that we have to dig to find out...about eating meat, drinking milk, how our food is raised, grown, treated. Reading Eric Schlosser's Fast Food Nation started opening my eyes (I read that a few months before the PETA vegan experiment, so I was primed!), and I keep reading. I urge you to as well! And if you're becoming vegan and are still somewhat new to it (like I am) or are still considering it, good luck! It's not too hard once you get started. And now? I'll never go back!
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