Why abstain from meat?

Anecdotal evidence is anecdotes. As in, stories from your personal life, where maybe you heard that a friend tried veganism, or maybe you did. Entire populations of fellow humans surviving on fat and protein is a far cry from anecdotal.

 

The other points still hold true, since there's no evidence to back up the longterm effects. But I agree, fat itself isn't an issue, the amount of saturated/trans fat is.

 

Trans fats I'm on board with, but how do you think people survive on diets high in saturated (animal) fat for so long?

The sugar industry influenced the scientific community to blame dietary fat - better known as lipids - for poor health: 50 Years Ago, Sugar Industry Quietly Paid Scientists To Point Blame At Fat

Humans have been eating saturated fat for a few million years, and refined sugar for a few thousand. Sugar (indirectly) clogs your arteries. Sugar shortens your life.

 

Paid 50 years ago? The heart disease stuff was debunked recently too. Sugar itself is bad. Anyhow, meat-related products do contain different types of fat.

 

From the end of the article:

"Is it really true that food companies deliberately set out to manipulate research in their favor? Yes, it is, and the practice continues. In 2015, the New York Times obtained emails revealing Coca-Cola's cozy relationships with sponsored researchers who were conducting studies aimed at minimizing the effects of sugary drinks on obesity. Even more recently, the Associated Press obtained emails showing how a candy trade association funded and influenced studies to show that children who eat sweets have healthier body weights than those who do not."

Here's the NYT link:

How the Sugar Industry Shifted Blame to Fat

Sorry, which heart disease stuff?

I definitely agree that sugar is bad, and that meat products contain different types of fat, I just don't agree that the research supports that meat-fat is bad for the heart/arteries.

 

Most of the research does conclude lower caloric intake through saturated is better (also harvard article heart disease). Replacing it with processed carbs, however, ends up causing more damage.

 

That's sort of my point, though. In conditions with the same caloric intake, a higher percentage of fat is better than a higher percentage of carbs.

 

I eat meat because i like it, never had the urge to be a vegetarian

 

What do people think of eating animals that cannot feel pain such as mussels, clams, and oysters? Does veganism advocate for not eating animals or to minimize suffering? If you argue no, what’s the difference in suffering between a mussel and a plant?

 

Ex-vegan here. I personally avoided all animal products for health reasons, but you're right, ethical veganism would allow for eating those kinds of animals.

 

Out of curiousity, why did you quit veganism? I am considering trying it out.

 

I feel very guilty for saying this, but I stopped caring about animal suffering. I don't know why, nothing triggered it, I just realized that I'm not an animal lover.

 

The meat industry has a HUGE impact on our environment. It's also proven to be carcinogenic. There's no reason to eat red meat when there are so many alternatives.