by Michael Smith (Veshengro)
A great many vegetarians and vegans who were once omnivores, as humans are designed to be, seem to have never gotten over the fact that they have no meat in their diet and need to have fake meat in the form of this or that soya product.
Soya, unless fermented soya, as consumed in Japan, for instance, is actually not healthy for humans at all (and please don't shout at me, I do know what I am talking about in comparison to others) and thus should be avoided in the first place. There are other ways of creating fake meat, if you have to.
On the other hand man cannot live on vegetable protein alone and needs certain vitamins and trace elements that can only be found in animal products, as well as animal protein. That does not mean you have to kill an animal though. Hens' eggs, for instance, are not robbed from a mother hen. They are produced regardless and thus would be a waste product. Milk, whether from cow, goat, or whatever animal, and thus cheese, may be a little different a story.
The majority of vegans, if not indeed all, have to take so-called supplements to make up for the deficiencies in vitamins, such as certain members of the B Vitamin group, and other trace elements which, in general, man gets from animals. The word supplement should give us an idea here already and the need for them that, alas, we were not designed to just live off plants.
However, a predominately plant-based diet is what we should be aiming for and that for several reasons. Fake meat, though, made from soya, for instance, is not the answer as, first of all, unless fermented, soya is actually harmful to the human body. Many people though are totally unaware of this and should ask themselves why it is that in countries where soy products are used, such as in Japan, the tofu is from fermented soy curds and that in most places no fresh soy is ever used.
I do not wish to attack any vegetarians and vegans and, in fact, I digressed somewhat, and for that I apologize but not for saying what I did.
The fact is that many vegetarians and vegans who became vegetarians and vegans from being omnivores previously still want meat, even though not from animals and thus the fake meat market was born, for few make their own from gluten.
Aside from the fact, as far as I am concerned, most of this fake meat not only tastes fake but is also rather expensive, if you have to have it, and can tolerate gluten, then make your own, or make the lentil and bean loaves, which are very very good indeed.
But, pray, what is wrong with actually eating vegetables? Why would you have something on your plate that looks like meat when you refuse to eat meat? But please don't get me wrong I love a good beanburger or felafel, but then they do not try to pretend to be bacon, or sausage, or some other meat.
When I went the vegetarian route it was not for reasons of not wishing to eat meat but for the fact that I would like to know, for sure, that what is supposed to be beef did not whinny prior to its death. And as even butchers could not guarantee me that what they were getting from the slaughterhouses was not going to be horse dressed up as beef I chose to forgo meat, period, and I am also not very keen on taking antibiotics and other medication unless necessary and not through eating meat.
Eating horse is an anathema among the People from which I stem and I do not wish to do so knowing or unknowingly even though, more than likely, seeing our food system, this has already happened. But I had and have no intention to continue this and thus I have chose the route that I have taken.
However, I have decided to eat vegetables, together with eggs, for the animal protein, from my own hens, and am not prepared to pay for fake meat as I do not need it and, to be honest, no one does. Fake meat is a substitute for those that still have not gotten over the fact that they gave up meat, at least that is how I see it. I may be wrong but I believe that, in the main, that this is the case.
There is nothing wrong with vegetables. You don't need fake meat, but the manufacturers want your money. As they say, if it comes from a plant, eat it; if it was made in a plant (and fake meat is made in a plant, a factory) don't.
© 2014
