Vegan Food Revolution – Why Food System Transformation Is Closer Than You Think | Hacker News Reader

Vegan Food Revolution – Why Food System Transformation Is Closer Than You Think

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2 pointsmyshpa8 comments

I see stories with predictions like this periodically, but I think they miss the depth of the motivation of us meat eaters. I was a vegetarian for years and a raw vegan for half a year. Serious health problems brought me back to meat, which has resolved most of them.

If meat becomes too expensive to buy, I will grow my own. If a crackdown on meat grows, my responses would become correspondingly extreme. Meat is not optional to me for good health, and I'm unwilling to sacrifice good health for more efficient global food production. I think that's true of many people.

Sorry, but raw veganism or fruitarianism isn't veganism, those are fad diets, almost approaching stupidity.

You should make your research before drastically changing your diet. There's plenty of information how to do that safely now.

It is as unreal for most people to turn to veganism as it is for cats to become vegetarians. You are asking for genetic changes, it could happen if there is a major genetic bottleneck and all people who cannot subsist on a plant based diet die off and only the survivors carry on, but it would involve billions dying and is likely going to be unpleasant.

Cats are obligate carnivores, we are not. We're already getting 82% of calories and 63% of proteins from plants.

https://ourworldindata.org/land-use-diets

"It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. Well-planned vegetarian diets are appropriate for individuals during all stages of the life cycle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, and adolescence, and for athletes." - American Dietetic Association

"A vegetarian or vegan diet can be suitable for everyone, regardless of their age." - NHS UK

"[I]t is possible to follow a well-planned, plant-based, vegan friendly diet that supports healthy living in people of all ages, and during pregnancy and breastfeeding." - British Dietetic Association.

"For adults, protein from two or more plant groups daily is like to be adequate. " - World Health Organisation

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35719615/

Plant-based diets were protective against cancers of the digestive system, with no significant differences between different types of cancer, a meta-analysis based on 3,059,009 subjects

https://www.dutchnews.nl/2023/04/meat-tax-would-boost-health...

Meat tax would boost health and cut healthcare spending: research

https://www.foodingredientsfirst.com/news/over-17000-doctors...

Over 17,000 doctors call on White House to shape nutrition policy on plant-based diets

"A vegetarian or vegan diet can be suitable for everyone, regardless of their age." - NHS UK

This is definitely false. Newborns not given mother's milk are worse off than those that receive maternal milk. Newborns given milk that is non-dairy substitutes not incorporating dairy are unlikely to living a long time. People in predominantly vegetarian countries like India and those that eat far less animal protein live significantly shorter lives than those in countries that eat more meat.

> Newborns not given mother's milk are worse off than those that receive maternal milk

Breast milk is perfectly vegan

https://www.healthline.com/health/breastfeeding/is-breast-mi...

> those that eat far less animal protein live significantly shorter lives than those in countries that eat more meat

You've got it backwards :)

https://www.zmescience.com/science/diet-animal-protein-09423...

Eating a lot of animal protein probably means you’ll have a shorter life

https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/vegetar...

Vegetarian Diets Linked to Lower Mortality

https://www.snexplores.org/article/low-protein-longer-life-f...

Consuming a diet low in meat, eggs and dairy products may extend one’s life, according to two new studies. While one study was conducted in mice and the other on people, both reached the same conclusion. And both appear in the same March 4 issue of Cell Metabolism

You don't have to eat a lot, but you have to eat some. India is a major counterexapmle to your thesis, it has one of the lowest consumptions of animal protein and yet low life expectancy. Breast milk is animal protein, or you'd have to include dairy too. You can justify it for animal cruelty reasons, but not for health reasons.

> India ... has one of the lowest consumptions of animal protein and yet low life expectancy

False cause fallacy.

> You don't have to eat a lot, but you have to eat some

Because you say so? Or do you have a source for your claims?

> Breast milk is animal protein, or you'd have to include dairy too

Vegans have a saying: "not your mother, not your milk".

It's one fallacy after another. You really should read the article I've linked, it's all there. Read it. At least skim it. It's not that hard.

> You can justify it for animal cruelty reasons, but not for health reasons

You think that adult humans have to drink cow milk to be healthy, do I understand you correctly? Not dog milk, not lion, giraffe, rat, pig milk, but cow milk specifically?

You don't read, so let's try youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcN7SGGoCNI

Dairy is scary

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfpNzJ5HrdU

Milk: The White Lie We've All Been Sold

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRCj8LVTRyA

How big government helps big dairy sell milk

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