You have framed this as though there are only two options available: vegan or carnivore society and nothing in between.

What about good old moderation, not eating meat every day or turning (predominantly) vegetarian? That would be sustainable. We simply don't have resources on this planet for billions of people eating meat every day, with constantly increasing number of those who do it more than once a day.

The problem with soil could be solved, as the land used to grow animal feed occupies more than two thirds of total agricultural area. Plant food requires much less land (and water, fertilisers, chemicals, energy, and other resources) for the comparable nutritional value.

Northern areas are sparsely populated, with minimal impact on the global climate. Those people know how to live in harmony with nature.

People in the global south used to grow all kinds of cultures, for centuries, until after the WW2, when the World Bank forced them to kill domestic food production and only grow "very few selected" plantation crops for the U.S. market, creating multi-layered dependence. That climate and soil may be unsuitable for wheat and other cereals, but those people weren't dependent on wheat and were able to satisfy their carbohydrate needs growing cassava/manioca and other cultures.

Also, in many parts of the Sub-Saharan Africa, just one example, widespread availability of cheap tinned tomatoes imported from the EU decimated traditional domestic production of fresh tomatoes. One can't compete with the EU subsidies, which enable the EU producers to sell their surplus agricultural products for next to nothing. It has nothing to do with the climate and soil.

So, vegan diet is not great per se, it's just one of the available options, and it's not suitable for everyone. But it is one of the solutions to the problem of the finite resources. I have never told anyone what to eat and I'm not telling you now, because it's none of my business. But if you ask me what I think, I'll tell you that we'll have to find a compromise with nature because it's plain to see that we won't be able to go on like this for long.

 

Last edited: Aug 14, 2023

Nah, just simplified

From a health perspective, I agree with you. Globally, per capita meat consumption has increased, but this is mainly due to the financial development of the respective countries.

That is a widely held view, but unfortunately it is often wrong in many cases. There is a reason why farmers grow what they grow and why they grow it where they grow it. Since farmers need to make money, they grow what yields the highest returns on their land. And just because a farmer grows feed corn on a field does not mean that he can also grow sweet corn there. The soil is crucial. Climate is crucial. And no, plant-based foods do not necessarily require "less land (and water, fertilizer, chemicals, energy and other resources)". There is also a rumor that plant-based fertilizer is better (or at least as good) as manure. The truth is, neither is better. And many farmers need both to achieve optimal results. Regarding CO2 emissions, when grasslands decay, they emit CO2. However, the same amount of CO2 is emitted when cows eat and digest the grass. The difference is that in the latter case, cows have been fed. The carbon cycle is super complex and there are many factors that contribute to the overall emissions of CO2 from agriculture. IMHO it doesn't really matter. Seriously, ask 2 experts and you will hear 3 opinions. And everyone calculates their data as they need it.

Since I live in the global north I consider it to be a rumor

You are correct, and I do not dispute that. The fact is, a vegan diet is not completely possible there, even when it comes to growing local plants under optimal regional conditions. But that is not what I meant. Let me explain: In some countries, a diet rich in cabbage or beans may provide many essential nutrients that can relatively well compensate for the lack of meat. If the sun also shines frequently, great! In other countries, it may look quite different, as although beans and cabbage are native and also grown there, those essential nutrients are only available in small quantities in the soil. If the sun also shines less frequently, you have two people from different countries with the same diet, one with good blood values and one with nutrient deficiencies. Meat can be an important part of a balanced diet for many people. It is a good source of protein, iron, zinc, vitamin Bs and Ds, and other essential nutrients.

I completely understand your point of view. In my opinion, there is no “better” diet because nutrition is a very individual matter and even in the age of globalization, it still depends heavily on regional conditions. And yes, our world has a shitload of problems. And even if I consider much of what has been named as a big problem in the last 30 years to be a constructed problem for collective distraction, that does not change the fact that humanity must deal with its real problems. That is why I asked these questions. And the questions are not directed exclusively at you. Actually, they are directed at those vegans and vegetarians who walk around the world with their noses in the air and proclaim veganism/vegetarianism as the only right way of eating with missionary zeal. Because environment, because climate, because animal welfare… I think that these people have not thought through any of their thoughts. Because I have never received an answer to these questions. Nowhere. Never. Always just the same dumb phrases. But not a single practical solution to the problems that the lifestyle they propagate brings with it, if more and more people follow this lifestyle.

 

Last edited: Aug 15, 2023

you have to understand the following

sugar = cocaine
starch = sugar

you are most likely not feeling hungry but sugar addicted

the food pyramid, as well the believe that saturated fats and cholesterol are bad is a lie by the sugar industry

seed oils are bad for you

Mr. Kelloggs who was a very prude individual invented Cornflakes because the usual breakfast consisting of bacon and egg's was beneficial to mens testosterone levels and led to more sexual activity.

 

Last edited: Aug 15, 2023

i could not disagree more. i was ~110kg in february last year and got down to 79kg until december by doing exactly that (only eating meat and dairy). i added back fruit then because i didn't want to loose more (i am 1,85m tall) and i'm staying at that weight ever since eating mostly meat and occasionally fruit.

 

Try eating rice with nothing else in it just rice and drink a booze everyday ......u will still be healthier than some people around you .....
great job @mk_96 the legacy of simplicity

 

Rice with chicken and spicy saus
I had a sri-lanka friend he cooked every other day rice with chicken

 

you had to do it now im hungry lol

 

This is nothing.
The best tasting meal in the world is rice with onion, egg and green pea!

 

i eat my self at 6.66 am and at 9.99 pm

 

I can eat you at night and at day. I can eat you every morning. I can eat you at 6:09 am and 9:06 pm.
I can eat you the whole at once or bite by bite. You can be my desert or lunch.
Just give me your number and we can start.

 

the pyramid food scheme is for the slaves that must eat grain.

 

Suddenly 500 000 Americans have weird allergy and can't eat meat.
Just weeks after approving Artificial Meat from Lab for sale.
WHAT A COINCIDENCE!
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/27/health/alpha-gal-ticks-meat-allergy.html