Do you love them more than their taste?

We all love animals...but how far does that actually go? Why is it, that if we love them, so many of us continue to eat them? This article is going to break down the top 3 reasons I've heard for eating meat, AKA, the reasons why we continue to eat those that we say we love. Let's begin.

Reason #1

"We have to eat them for our health. If you don't eat meat, you are unhealthy."

This one has been disproven so many times. Allow me to link you to our nutrition resources page, if you still believe in this. To summarize: casein - the main protein found in milk - is highly carcinogenic (and yes, eating dairy contributes to the slaughter industry), red meat increases the overall risk of mortality, and this article from the American Heart Association completely outlines all of the benefits of a vegan diet. Oh, and then there's the fact that processed meat is a carcinogen, but I'm sure you couldn't forget that one once it hit the news.
Basically, this is a total myth. Plain and simple.

Reason #2

"That's what they're for. Animals are here for us to have dominion over."

This one has always baffled me, personally. How can you not see that animals are thinking, feeling creatures, with the capability to do just about everything that we can? They eat, they play, they suffer... Chickens experience the torture of being dipped into boiling water to remove their feathers, dairy cows experience the pain of having their babies ripped away from them, pigs have the capacity to learn & play like dogs, and just like dogs (and us) they can develop self-harming habits... We're really not all that different. So what this comes down to is the age old saying of "If you wouldn't eat your dog - if you can understand that your dog feels pain, and is a living, breathing being - why would you eat any other animal?"

Reason #3

"It's too hard to go vegan. I don't have the time or the money to eat vegan."

But it's so easy and affordable. Yeah, sure, you might spend a little bit more time on food prep, and you'll probably have to pack your kid's lunch in the morning...but isn't it worth it? I mean, let's face it...carnism is killing the animals, killing the planet, and killing you. And if you're using pre-mades like Gardein, Tofurky, and Yves, it's even easier. If you're missing cheese, you can even use Daiya! Don't want to spend time milking almonds or soybeans? Don't worry, Silk's got your back! Now, of course, don't expect these things to taste exactly like what you're used to, of course, but I can promise that they will taste good, and that should be what matters! I like to use the term meat replacer instead of meat substitute - because it's not substituting meat, it's taking the place of it in your diet. It allows you to eat familiar foods, sure, but it's certainly not the same. That's never been the goal.

At the end of the day...

Ultimately, we all have a choice; we can continue supporting torture, murder, unhealthy lifestyle, the destruction of our planet, and the loss of compassion in our society... or we can refuse to buy into it. We can boycott. Everyone has the power to do that, and trust me, the industry of animal agriculture is getting nervous.

So, are you going to keep saying you love animals, but continue to eat their blood, sweat, tears, and fear, in favor of your taste-buds? Or are you going to say that you're done supporting a harmful industry & systematic complex, for the good of all beings?

It's up to you.