You could be a pescatarian. Dairy - eggs - fish.
My new meatless experience
- Thread starter BlunderWoman
- Start date
You could be a pescatarian. Dairy - eggs - fish.
RadishRose
SF VIP
- Location
- Connecticut, USA
I have heard vegetarians won't eat anything with a face.
Capt Lightning
Well-known Member
- Location
- Historic Buchan, Scotland
Fureverywhere, I help to raise traditional breed pigs which are slaughtered at year end to provide us with pork, sausages etc...
I think you must draw a distinction between small scale production and intensive rearing of animals to satisfy the greed of supermarkets. For a start, the breed of pig is important, and if it wasn't for enthusiasts and small scale producers, many traditional breeds would have become extinct. This is a world away from large, fast maturing commercial breeds. We try to give our animals a good (if short) life before they are humanely dispatched.
Beef is another matter. We do not have the facilities or expertise to handle cattle. However, we buy beef from butchers where we know and are satisfied with the provenance of the produce.
It is very easy to 'cherry pick' emotional stories of what they do to "these poor pigs and cows", but from what I see, farmers and producers care greatly about the welfare of their livestock. I blame the supermakets for dictating unrealistic prices to producers and forcing the need for intensive and sometimes cruel practices.
I'm an unapologetic omnivore. I enjoy eating meat, fish, vegetables etc.. but I'm prepared to pay more to ensure that it is 'ethically' produced.
I think you must draw a distinction between small scale production and intensive rearing of animals to satisfy the greed of supermarkets. For a start, the breed of pig is important, and if it wasn't for enthusiasts and small scale producers, many traditional breeds would have become extinct. This is a world away from large, fast maturing commercial breeds. We try to give our animals a good (if short) life before they are humanely dispatched.
Beef is another matter. We do not have the facilities or expertise to handle cattle. However, we buy beef from butchers where we know and are satisfied with the provenance of the produce.
It is very easy to 'cherry pick' emotional stories of what they do to "these poor pigs and cows", but from what I see, farmers and producers care greatly about the welfare of their livestock. I blame the supermakets for dictating unrealistic prices to producers and forcing the need for intensive and sometimes cruel practices.
I'm an unapologetic omnivore. I enjoy eating meat, fish, vegetables etc.. but I'm prepared to pay more to ensure that it is 'ethically' produced.
It's a misconception to think all vegetarians or vegans gave up meat because of concern for the animals. Most have given it up for better health. Some are only for health, some for ethical reasons, some for both. Among other things people who don't eat meat, especially beef and pork are much less likely to get colon cancer.
I've been a vegan, then a vegetarian, then a pescatarian. Now I'm an omnivore again but I don't eat a lot of meat, and rarely eat meat at home unless we have guests.
Capt Lightning
Well-known Member
- Location
- Historic Buchan, Scotland
We eat a bit less meat now. This is not primarily to do with health, but economics. We prefer to eat less food of a better quality than cheaper low quality produce. Interestingly the NHS is very vague about the increase in risk of cancer from eating red meat.
The NHS loves to give statistics on how eating a certain amount of bacon will shorten your life by so many years. I don't eat a lot of it but I will never, ever give up bacon rolls!
Son_of_Perdition
Senior Member
I quietly respect anyone who wants to be vegan, vegetarian or peta member, what I take issue with is having to hear about it while they are criticising my meal choices. I like meat, but since my 2 health issues have avoided anything processed. Organic is a fad, you can't avoid the acid rain from all the polution producing businesses. I believe the biggest thread to human health is letting the chemists or advertisers take too much control of our food supply.
I always wonder about the organic label being a con. You can use certain chemicals on them. The only time I buy organic is when the organic mushrooms look better than the others.
Son_of_Perdition
Senior Member
My SIL has allergies to meat & meat byproducts. I think it was from his drug days (something he'll never admit) a former co-worker was allergic to bananas he admitted that it stems from his drug days. Anyway last weekend we had a Bar-b-q for the SIL's birthday. His wife warned me to keep his veggie burger clear of any grease & avoid using the spatula I turned the burgers with. My suggestion to her was take the veggie's back in the house & fry them in a clean pan on the stove. Problem solved!
My daughter waits tables & tends bar at a very posh fish house. She relates how they have customers who come in & go into this long speil about being allergic to shell fish. The resturant finally posted a sign at the entrance about their inability to gaurantee that your meal will be free of any contamination from shell fish. They are a seafood establishment & if you have shell fish allergies they suggest dining at another place. They assume no responsibitly for your safety.
My daughter waits tables & tends bar at a very posh fish house. She relates how they have customers who come in & go into this long speil about being allergic to shell fish. The resturant finally posted a sign at the entrance about their inability to gaurantee that your meal will be free of any contamination from shell fish. They are a seafood establishment & if you have shell fish allergies they suggest dining at another place. They assume no responsibitly for your safety.
Organic food is grown without the use of chemical pesticides. I prefer to buy organic food if I can, especially when the price difference is very minimal. It has now been established that processed meats are carcinogenic as well as red meat, especially barbeque, so its up to the individual to decide for themselves as its their body and their risk.
Son_of_Perdition
Senior Member
The last 100 years are 'carcinogenic'. Don't believe me watch warnings associated with the ads for new medications.
Not one ounce of red meat contributed to my diabetes. But you can bet your bottom dollar that GMO's, artificial sweetners, processed additives in prepared frozen meals have been involved. My mother along with every mother in the US served mayo on white bleached bread for our baloney sandwiches. I could only get 2% fortified milk on my sugary cereal. Catch-22 meals. Eggs were a luxury because someone in charge said they were bad. Koolaid was our staple drink. Now many years later I can't eat anything that tastes good from my youth. Eggs, meat (unprocessed) are recommended by my doctors to combat my BS spikes.
Whatever you want to do is your choice and no one has ever said red meat causes diabetes, but it is known to cause cancer. White flour is different now than it was when we were kids it is highly processed and bleached and KoolAid is nothing but chemicals. Like I said, your choice, your risk.
My own mother never made us eat baloney sandwiches, we were fed good quality healthy food from the garden and deli meats in those days didn't have the sulphites that they do now nor were we ever given white wonder bread, we ate whole wheat or rye. I never developed a taste for junk food and don't have a sugar addiction. There's no use being nostalgic about all the bad stuff. There are a lot of good food choices out there but it does require making some positive changes.
My own mother never made us eat baloney sandwiches, we were fed good quality healthy food from the garden and deli meats in those days didn't have the sulphites that they do now nor were we ever given white wonder bread, we ate whole wheat or rye. I never developed a taste for junk food and don't have a sugar addiction. There's no use being nostalgic about all the bad stuff. There are a lot of good food choices out there but it does require making some positive changes.
Son_of_Perdition
Senior Member
The damage is done to my body because of what was the 'norm' in the 50' & 60's. I am making the right choices now I hope! I can only place the blame on what my parents were force fed via government experts & the media. I now turn a deaf ear to all advice & will continue to choose things that are working for me, whether it's a rare steak or not, nothing processed or pre-packaged. This discussion is like a political or religious debate that has no correct answer. Have a nice day!