It’s
happened a hundred times before. I’m talking to someone, and the fact comes up
that I’m a vegan. This means that I don’t eat or use any animal products (meat,
dairy, eggs, fur, leather, etc), within the realm of possibility.
It’s not a common choice to make, so I’m naturally asked a lot of questions. For example…
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Why do you eat / live this way?
The way that animals are farmed in today’s society is far from humane. The animals live in small, cramped cages for most of their lives – chickens, for example, are each entitled to a space less than the size of a sheet of paper – and often never go outside. Dairy and egg farms are just as bad as the ones used for meat, and as soon as milk or egg production goes down, they are still slaughtered. Furthermore, the cow industry in specific is completely devastating to our environment.
Where do you get your protein?
Beans, nuts and seeds are all fantastic sources of protein, as are processed ‘fake meat’ items, soymilk, leafy greens and certain grains. Eating a varied combination of these will provide all 8 essential amino acids, as well.
Don’t you want just a little bit of steak?
The salad is fine, thanks.
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But the most common response I get is not one of curiosity or hostility, but simple rejection of the idea. After I’ve answered all of my token questions, I get the same frustrating comment almost every time.
“I agree, the way that animals are treated in farms today is awful… but I just can’t give up chicken.”
I really don’t blame people who respond this way. I said the exact same thing to my vegetarian friends, years ago. But it doesn’t make the implications less scary.
These kinds of comments insinuate to me that the speaker finds their animal product of choice – chicken, cheese, or whatever else – to be more important than the animals from which that food came. It implies that they take taste more seriously than they take their ethical values. And the idea that they ‘can’t’ give it up further implies a feeling of powerlessness.
In short, when I hear this line, I just want to grab the person and shake them. Why do some people have to feel victim to their food? Shouldn’t we find a way to eat and live that makes us feel happy and enriched, instead of guilty and unable to control ourselves? Aren’t we the ones in control here?
I feel frustrated even further when I remember that I used to be like this too. I don’t understand what in our society hoodwinks people into believing that their diet and their lifestyle is not their choice.
I mean, what’s stopping you? What’s the worst that could happen? Think about it…
---
It’s not a common choice to make, so I’m naturally asked a lot of questions. For example…
---
Why do you eat / live this way?
The way that animals are farmed in today’s society is far from humane. The animals live in small, cramped cages for most of their lives – chickens, for example, are each entitled to a space less than the size of a sheet of paper – and often never go outside. Dairy and egg farms are just as bad as the ones used for meat, and as soon as milk or egg production goes down, they are still slaughtered. Furthermore, the cow industry in specific is completely devastating to our environment.
Where do you get your protein?
Beans, nuts and seeds are all fantastic sources of protein, as are processed ‘fake meat’ items, soymilk, leafy greens and certain grains. Eating a varied combination of these will provide all 8 essential amino acids, as well.
Don’t you want just a little bit of steak?
The salad is fine, thanks.
---
But the most common response I get is not one of curiosity or hostility, but simple rejection of the idea. After I’ve answered all of my token questions, I get the same frustrating comment almost every time.
“I agree, the way that animals are treated in farms today is awful… but I just can’t give up chicken.”
I really don’t blame people who respond this way. I said the exact same thing to my vegetarian friends, years ago. But it doesn’t make the implications less scary.
These kinds of comments insinuate to me that the speaker finds their animal product of choice – chicken, cheese, or whatever else – to be more important than the animals from which that food came. It implies that they take taste more seriously than they take their ethical values. And the idea that they ‘can’t’ give it up further implies a feeling of powerlessness.
In short, when I hear this line, I just want to grab the person and shake them. Why do some people have to feel victim to their food? Shouldn’t we find a way to eat and live that makes us feel happy and enriched, instead of guilty and unable to control ourselves? Aren’t we the ones in control here?
I feel frustrated even further when I remember that I used to be like this too. I don’t understand what in our society hoodwinks people into believing that their diet and their lifestyle is not their choice.
I mean, what’s stopping you? What’s the worst that could happen? Think about it…
---
Possible Consequences of Not Doing What You Believe In:
1. Sadness.
2. Regret.
3. Missed opportunities.
4. Living in a way uncharacteristic of your ideals.
Possible Consequences of Trying Something You Believe In:
1. Trying it, not liking it, and going back to the way you used to be.
2. Sticking with it forever and feeling good about your decision.
3. Pretty much nothing else.
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People seem to think that becoming a vegan is much harder than it is. Realistically, it does come with some issues, and there are expected changes:
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1. You’re going to have to do a lot of research.
A lot of processed foods have unexpected filler ingredients. Your favorite canned vegetable soup, for example, may have chicken broth in it, or pre-packaged beans and rice may be flavored with bacon fat. Dairy and eggs also seem to sneak into nearly everything. I’ve found animal products in the most unlikely of places; I even discovered a brand of peanuts which was flavored with gelatin: basically, animal cartilage. Yuck! Becoming a vegan means becoming an avid label-reader (and knowing where all those unpronounceable ingredients come from). You might even need to e-mail a company to see if a shifty ingredient comes from plants or animals. And, of course, you need to research nutrient resources and adequately prepare your diet.
2. Be prepared to make mistakes.
I can’t count the amount of times that I’ve accidentally purchased or eaten something non-vegan. It still happens to me occasionally, even though I have two years of veg experience under my belt. Things will surprise you. You may incessantly grill the waitress at a restaurant to make sure your meal doesn’t have dairy or eggs, and then discover later that it was flavored with lard. The important thing is to learn from your mistakes and not feel defeated by them. Accidentally ingesting some trace ingredients does not make or break your diet, or your commitment to an ethical lifestyle.
3. The WAY you eat will change.
Because vegan foods are much lower in calories than omnivorous meals (though often more nutrient-dense), you will most likely have to eat a higher volume of food to feel full. You’ll probably discover that having three big meals a day like you used to doesn’t really work; your body doesn’t regulate plant-based food the same way it does meat. Eating small meals over the course of the day is much easier on your digestive system. This also largely depends on your lifestyle; if you're an athlete who burns 4000 calories a day, for example, you're going to have to plan things out quite a bit more than a couch potato like me.
4. Things can get socially awkward.
As you might’ve noticed, vegans aren’t terribly common. Some people don’t even know what a vegan is, and may think it’s an abbreviation for vegetarian (I did this the first time I heard the term). So, naturally, when you eat with people on a ‘standard’ diet, it’s possible that you’ll be mistakenly offered food that you can’t eat, or grilled with a ton of questions. It’s a lot to get used to, at first. You may feel at times defined by your dietary choices, or may even receive snide remarks from people who misunderstand or disagree with your viewpoints. And you’ll need to find a way to respectfully decline when given something you’d feel uncomfortable consuming.
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But the lifestyle has huge upsides as well, even beyond the ethical benefit of being able to live in a way that makes you feel most comfortable.
Most vegans lose weight, lower their cholesterol and feel more energized in general after taking the plunge. If you eat whole foods (unprocessed foods which you cook and prepare yourself) you may find that your supermarket bill is less daunting than it used to be (and the health benefits above may be more exaggerated). You’ll also most likely discover a number of foods you never would’ve tried if you hadn’t cut animal products out of your diet. Changing the way you eat does not just mean eliminating foods but adding them, creating new meals for yourself, and introducing things you wouldn’t have eaten before. It can actually be really exciting to try tofu for the first time, ‘veganize’ a recipe you love, or have your first Thanksgiving free of turkey.
I can’t help but feel like these ideas deserve a chance. For people who agree that factory farming is horrible, let’s do something about it, instead of saying we can’t before we’ve even tried. It may become one of the most important and enriching life changes you make.
