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Don’t get me wrong, I like my vegetarian and vegan friends just fine. But thankfully, my vegetarian and vegan friends aren’t didactic about their food philosophies – just like I’m not going around proselytizing to them about being a contented carnivore. Many of these friends are smart, young-ish, urban professionals and academics, and I completely respect that they don’t eat meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, or any animal-derived products for ethical, religious, environmental, or health reasons. I don’t want to preach to them about what they don’t eat. I want to preach to them about what they do eat.
Some (not all) of my vegetarian friends basically subsist on a steady diet that includes: Hard cheeses, French fries, pizza (meatless, of course), soft cheeses, breads, ice cream, vegetarian burgers, semi-soft cheeses, onion rings, mac-and-cheese from a box, cereals, pasta, microwaveable vegetarian meals, cookies, cake, anything vegetarian and pre-packaged, energy bars, wine, beer, hard liquor, and many, many vegetarian burritos. It’s a good thing they’re not preachy.
Some of my vegan friends aren’t much better: They consume basically the same diet I describe above, with necessary dietary substitutions including non-dairy ice cream, pretend eggs, and fake cheese.
Obviously, I know that not all vegetarians and vegans act or eat like my friends. Some eat healthy, clean diets to which I can only aspire, full of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. Well done, them.
But many of my vegetarian and vegan friends are unabashed processed food junkies. If all you ate every day of your life were the “foods” I rattled off above, I wouldn’t consider you to be healthy, and, more importantly, you shouldn’t, either. In fact, I would consider you to be woefully unhealthy, mostly because your diet is crap. I don’t care how much you work out or how thin you are. Those things don’t negate your terrifyingly over-processed diet. (And I know you’re still smoking, so don’t even get me started on that death-sentence habit.)
Sorry, am I proselytizing?
My advice to my processed-food-obsessed vegetarian and vegan friends is this: Either renounce your beliefs and convert to being a carnivore; start getting really preachy to people about the environmental and ethical hazards of a carnivorous diet; or – here’s a novel idea – just start eating healthier, minimally processed foods. That way, when you do preach to me about your vegetarian and vegan food philosophies, I might actually listen.
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Sounds like you have a distatste for preachy people. But you have become preachy yourself by judging others. You shouldn’t ciritcize anyones decisions and they shouldn’t criticize yours. Everyone has their own beliefs and the right thing to do is to respect that. And humans who eat meat are considered Carnists (humans who believe meat was made for consumption) not carnivores.
Dear Christine,
I’m surprised you aren’t familiar with the term “Standard American Diet” or SAD. Google it, and you’ll find it’s used frequently to refer to the kind of diet most Americans eat these days. And it is SAD – and it’s full of saturated fat, overly processed foods and way too much sodium.
I wish all omnivores could eat the way you claim you do, but even today, people just don’t have the access to humanely raised animal products. And while I appreciate your comment, I still believe that a well-planned plant-based diet far exceeds the health claims of a diet that includes cholesterol and anything more than very small amounts of saturated fat.
I guess “we” did cover it. (Why you felt the need to speak in third person there, I don’t know.)
You definitely didn’t change my mind, and I’m obviously not the only one who felt like I was being needlessly attacked and insulted. And to top it off, you don’t even care that people think you’re a nasty person. Good luck with that “Editor in Chief” position. Ha.
Hi Elizabeth L.
The “convert to being a carnivore” comment at the end of my post was actually a joke. (See my response to Herbivore’s comment.) But I don’t think I ever say that “the standard American diet is any better than a plant based diet from a health perspective.” I’m not actually sure what you mean by the “standard American diet” (being an omnivore? eating lots of processed foods? eating lots of meat?), but I agree with you about the health, ethical, and environmental risks and concerns that are involved with eating animals that come from factory farms. Which is why I don’t eat that kind of meat. I’m fortunate enough to be able to buy all of my meat directly from small, local, organic farmers (many of whom are friends of mine). Plus, I eat that meat in moderation. And, like Michael Pollan and Mark Bittman, I believe that this “less-meat-arian” kind of diet/lifestyle is the way to go for me. Thanks for your comment.
Best regards,
Christine (Editor-in-Chief)
Hi Dah.
I actually do mention in my post that many vegetarians and vegans make their food/lifestyle choices based on ethical, religious, and environmental concerns, not on health ones. Thanks for your comment.
Best regards,
Christine (Editor-in-Chief)
Hi Herbivore.
My “convert to being a carnivore” comment at the end of my post was actually meant as a joke. I would never seriously suggest that someone make such a radical diet/lifestyle change like eating only meat, especially considering the resulting environmental effects. That’s why my advice to my vegetarian/vegan friends at the end of the post is to simply eat healthier foods. And yes, I know that being a carnivore means to eat only meat. I took four years of Latin! Thanks for your comment.
Best regards,
Christine (Editor-in-Chief)
Hi JHaw.
My tone was actually meant to be lighthearted, not nasty at all. And I don’t think I judge my friends’ eating habits any more than the average person. But I just find it interesting when some (obviously not all, as I state in the post) vegetarians and vegans who make their food choices based on health reasons, end up eating a much less healthy and nutritious diet anyway. Thanks for commenting!
Best regards,
Christine (Editor-in-Chief)
Hi Valerie.
I think we covered our back-and-forth in the thread on Blisstree’s Facebook page, but feel free to continue our conversation here!
Thanks and best,
Christine (Editor-in-Chief, Blisstree)
My problem is that the article came across as vitriolic toward those who don’t eat meat, which was completely unwarranted. I don’t care what your friends do. And assuming that I smoke? Ridiculous.
Great article…
First let me just say there is no need to get defensive over opinion, dialogue leads to educating one another on specific lifestyles and why we make the choices we do. Many people, regardless of whether they are vegetarian/vegan or omnivore are addicted to GMO foods, gluten, processed agave and honey and processed fake meats/cheeses-once again made from TVP or soy which we know is not a healthy substitute in any way (due to estrogen concerns). I am in complete agreement for organic / non GMO, whole foods, for better health, to reduce unethical treatment of animals and to reduce the carbon footprint.
Lets be clear, whether you are an omnivore, vegetarian, or vegan, if your diet is comprised of GMO/processed foods, this is by no means a healthy or informed lifestyle choice.
My advice to those who want to change the minds of others; be mindful of everything you eat, no need to judge, lead through example and allow others to critically examine their lifestyle choices. This is when questions arise and change takes place.
wow, this is a nasty article. Maybe the author needs to step down off her high horse and be a little less judgmental. You just lost a subscriber and a facebook fan.
Wow, the author of this article has no idea what she is talking about, and apparently assumes that all vegans are as “preachy” as those she knows personally. I’m disappointed that blisstree allowed this open insult to vegans to be “published” to my facebook feed. You just lost a fan.
I completely agree. Only my vegetarian friends were preachy…and ate like mentioned above.
This article makes zero sense. She starts off saying that her junk-food vegetarian and vegan friends are not preachy, but in the end insists that they either have to change their diet (a personal choice, I don’t see why it matters to the author), or stop being preachy. … What?
It seems a bit of a leap to claim one knows the entire diet of one’s friends… I know I eat more processed foods around my friends simply because they’re easier to bring to bbqs and parties.
We should ALL strive to eat healthier, more ethical and environmentally friendly diets, cutting out animal products is a simple way to do all three, I don’t think anyone would deny that eating mostly fruits, vegetables and whole grains is a healthier way to do it.
Interesting article.
It’s a bit like the soy milk that folk think is healthy, it’s not, it is a fake health food.
I try to follow the Weston A Price way of eating, and have resolved many long standing health issues and lost weight.
To one of the commentators worried about Cholesterol, just remember Cholesterol is a necessary for health and long life, don’t believe everything you read about this supposed demon.
People classify themselves into categories: vegan, vegetarian, paleo, frugivore, carnivore, raw, macro etc. yet how much attention do they pay to what they ingest, the source and conditions of productions? Do they assume that because they eat within a particular label, they are healthy? Or are they making a ‘lifestyle statement’ regardless of any potential health consequences?
Eat what you enjoy. Be mindful of its impact on the environment. Listen to your body. If you feel great, always have lots of energy, sleep well, are slim and trim and happy: great. If not: change what/when/how you eat, and fine tune until you feel great. After a couple of decades of feeling/being great, then you can preach, because you will be a living example.
Perhaps you should understand your own diet before you start condemning other people’s. Unless you never eat anything except meat, you’re not a carnivore. Your advice, “convert to being a carnivore” is misinformed and would actually be incredibly unhealthy for a human being. Next time you want to condemn people’s dietary choices, at least get the facts right. That way, when you preach to me about your OMNIVOROUS food philosophies, I might actually listen.
there are healthy eaters and less healthy eaters, it has nothing to do with animal products- i mean you could say most americans eat this way. and? its not like being veg is just a health choice, its often an ethical one. this is the most irrlavant thing i have ever read.
I’m rarely disappointed by your articles, but I was with this one. Sure, processed microwaved vegetarian meals may not be super healthy, but to say that we should go back to being carnivores (I think you meant omnivores) won’t help. The vast majority of animals raised in the food industry are pumped full of hormones and unnecessary antibiotics. Cows, pigs and chickens are fed completely unnatural diets, and farm-raised seafood is simply filthy. How could it be good for you? Sure, it’s better for all of us to eat cleaner, organic foods, but to say that the standard American diet is any better than a plant based diet from a health perspective is simply not true. Most studies back this up. Vegetarians are slimmer, have lower BMIs and take fewer medicines than omnivores.
Agreed!
You are so right! I dont eat meat but I dont call myself a vegan or a vegetarian, although I follow both from time to time..and i had my cholesterol checked and it was high!! I workout regularly, I quit alcohol 3 months ago, I havent had a diet or a regular coke in 3 years, but I guess all that cheese eating and smoking had to be addressed to!..What I see is that for many people calling themselves vegan or vegetarians sounds cool and makes them part of a hip group that only includes cool people with insight, better information, and willpower: thats all BS!! Anyway, I cut down on cheese immediately and added some lean chicken or turkey (I hadnt had either for years), and today I had my last cigarette too..Which is a nightmare compared to being vegan!!
Anyway, your article was really good, glad u mention all issues :))