Those who have read this blog for a while know that I am vegan for ethical and animal rights reasons. I also prefer to promote veganism for this reason as well, rather than for the health reasons of which there are many.
The main reason I prefer to promote veganism for ethical reasons is because it taps into the altruistic parts of us. The best parts. It is also not a defeatable position. That is to say, there are no holes that can be poked into the argument for being vegan for ethical reasons.
Folks will try. But most of those arguments are feeble and frankly bullshit. I.e. we’re mean to eat animals because the bible says so. Bullshit. It doesn’t demand us to eat them, it only allows us to. Once we’d left the Garden of Eden and become liars and cheats in the first place. But that’s only if you believe in the bible… or fairy tales, which I don’t, at least not literally.
Other reasons like we’re meant to be meat eaters are not aimed at dismantling the ethical argument, but rather to assuage the blood thirsty lustful meat eaters’ guilt. Additionally, that’s bullshit too. We might be able to eat omnivorously, but that doesn’t mean we’re designed as omnivores.
However, I’m writing this post because I’m getting tired of the vegan health argument being downplayed all over the place. I understand why some of us are not promoting veganism for health reasons. It has not been proven (yet) that a vegan diet is necessary for ultimate health. All that the science is showing at this point is that we need to eliminate processed meats, eat less meat and eat more plant foods especially green leafy vegetables. This is also true for dairy and eggs. Less is more health, and eliminating them altogether is best of all.
Additionally, there are enough fat and unhealthy vegans out there that aren’t representing us at our healthiest. I’m not blaming or shaming, just stating a fact. I too was 25 pounds overweight as a vegan. Because I ate shit food. And from my perspective, the failed vegans that I’ve heard and read about have generally been vegan for health reasons. It is easier to turn your back on a diet once your health has improved, or you’ve not found it helpful for your health.
However, being vegan is a healthy way to eat. And I believe that as time goes by and we become more capable as a society at exploring science and specifically cause and effect more accurately, I am of the opinion that in the decades to come science will incontrovertibly show that even small intakes of animal foods will be shown to have deleterious effects on health, if even only small ill effects.
This is to say that I believe eventually, if you were able to compare two diets that are both identical except for a small portion of animal food even if only monthly, the vegan one will be shown to be more healthy. In time, we might even be able to take someone on a vegan diet and show that eating even a small bite of meat or taking a sip of dairy will be shown to have harmful effects, however small.
What scratches my craw is all the broscience out there from the paleo and anti-carb regime trying to convince themselves and everyone else that eating meat and staying away from starch and gluten is somehow healthy. It’s not. Unless you’re celiac which occurs in less than 1% of us.
Even when you take a look at the so called blue zones where groups of people are living longer and healthier lives than normal. What you find is that their intake of animal foods is remarkably small. Perhaps 5% or less of their daily calories – less than 5 times per month. But the paleo gaggle will have you believe otherwise, and the pro meat group want to eat their precious meat at least 5 times a week or more.
And let’s stop pretending that meat is delicious. That’s just asinine. Meat is rotting flesh. Take a chicken breast right out of the plastic wrap and have a bite. Delicious my arse. Do the same with an apple, now that’s delicious.
Unlike most of the paleo neanderthals, at least hunters are honest. If you’re gonna eat meat, then kill your own and see how often you’ll want to or be able to eat meat. I bet it’s also not fun, especially those of us not psychopaths.
The less meat and other animal products we eat the better for ourselves, the environment, the health and the pocket book. Mark my words. Time will prove that eating no meat or animal products is best of all.