I've been vegetarian since fifth grade (I'm currently a sophomore in high school), and I want to become vegan. The problem is that I'm an extremely picky eater, and that my mom is very against my becoming vegan. Therefore, becoming vegan would be a big decision. I have some questions: 1. Are animals always (or almost always) treated cruelly in the production of dairy? 2. Isn't it true that cows and such need to be milked for their own health? I'd be becoming vegan in protest of their cruel treatment, but not to stop them from getting the care they need... 3. What are some facts about the treatment of animals that are absolutely true, that I can use to convince my mother to let me go vegan? 4. What would I do for protein? Being vegetarian, I generally get protein from dairy, but that would be out of the question if I was vegan.
Help? Thank you in advance.
the_vagabond2009-05-31T17:33:19Z
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First, its awesome that you are still in high school and are already considering veganism. I wasn't even open to the possibility until I was in my mid-20s.
Everyone else has posted great responses, but I wanted to specifically address your mom's resistance.
Unfortunately, most people are raised under the assumption that we need to eat meat/dairy in order to be healthy. This doesn't make it true - in fact, vegans are at far lower risk for most degenerative diseases (heart disease, type 2 diabetes, some cancers) - but do understand that your mom is only trying to look out for your best interests. Her main concern probably lies in the quality of your diet, and whether you will be getting the correct amount of nutrients. To this end, I would strongly recommend that both of you read John Robbin's book "The Food Revolution" - it addresses both the ethical AND health reasons for going vegan. There is also a great book by Brenda Davis called "Becoming Vegan" which specifically addresses the nutritional aspect of veganism - if your mom is still not convinced, point her toward this book (written by two nutritionists).
Also, I notice you said you're a "picky eater" - this may have to change in order for you to be a healthy vegan. You don't need to change everything you eat overnight, but do try your best to sample new veggies and whole grains and legumes that you haven't tried. You can't be a healthy and successful vegan eating nothing but gardenburgers and peanut butter & jelly sandwiches... I cannot emphasize this enough. Perhaps your best option may be to go vegan gradually, cutting out the eggs one week and then cheese the next until you're eating a totally plant-based diet.
Finally, there is always the chance that you may have to wait until you move out/go to college to do this the right way. If your family isn't open to cooking vegan-friendly meals and having vegan foods around the house, it can be pretty difficult to get by. But again, this is the worst case scenario - hopefully it won't come down to this.
Why's she against veganism?! That's terrible! Adults shouldn't be so heartless. Every vegetarian I know has parents that hate the fact that there is people out there that protest against animal cruelty. I don't get it. Grown ups are always saying, "Grow up". Yeah okay? Don't you think it's a little immature that they are throwing a fit because their kid cares about animals?
Yes animals are usually always treated terribly when it comes to big companies. They don't care about a "stupid" cow.
They do need to be milked but if you think about it, naturally their babies would be "milking" them. The people that are milking them don't simply do it to make the cows feel better. The people milking them push them around, keep them in dirty places their whole lives and all kinds of other stuff that I don't want to get into.
You can get protein from other things. You can get protein from nuts, (I use peanut butter on like everything), beans, wheat bread, lentils, peas, potatoes, brussels sprouts, tofu, tempeh, soy, spinach, corn, rice, pasta. There's lots of things that have those in them. Hope that helps. =]
1. Unfortunately, yes. Dairy cows are forcibly impregnated and shot full of hormones so that they give much more milk than they would naturally. Also, dairy supports the meat industry. Since only female cows give milk, the males usually become veal. D:
2. Uh, no. Think about it. Cows lactate for the same reason women do- to feed their babies. If left alone, the cow will give birth and feed her child until they are grown. Then she will stop giving milk. I'm not sure why so many people believe that cows need to be milked by humans.
3. Watch the film Earthlings, if you can find it. It's got actual footage and it has nothing to do with PETA (I know a lot of people are skeptical about how accurate their sources are). I think you can find some clips on Youtube.
4. Beans! Nuts! Lentils! Pulses! Leafy green veggies! But don't get too worried, the average person eats way more protein than they actually need.
Well for protein, there are still a lot of healthy sources.
Grains, beans, and legumes specifically.
Beans and Legumes with the Most Protein: http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/beans-legumes-highest-protein.php
Another issue to be concerned about is getting enough vitamin B12 diet. Vitamin B12 is a vitamin only found in animal products and is important to your neural functioning.
Vegan Sources of vitamin B12: http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/vegan-food-sources-vitamin-b-12.php
Good luck with your Mom. Often, adopting a respectful view of her beliefs is best. In the end, I think all vegans and vegetarians have to get good at breaking the news to someone who just spent 4 hours cooking a roast. Just be respectful and cheerful, let them know you appreciate their efforts and that they care, but this is your choice. Say it with a smile, and it will help smooth things over.
1.) Yes. Always. Mothers are forcefully/artificially impregnated and the milk is taken away from the calf (the rightful drinker). The calf is usually killed from there.
2.)Not at all. Milk is meant to be fed to the baby calf who it rightfully belongs to but if it is not milked, it will simply dry up and go away. I personally find it gross to think of me drinking the milk from a cow's nipple/body, I would much rather drink soy milk, which is healthier, tastier, and not so gross.
3.)Cows are often hung up by their hooves on the ceiling and then have each cartoid artery slit (often without anesthesia and painkiller) until they bleed to death and then eventually die.
4.)Not even a worry. The meat industry will convince you that you need dairy and meat to get your protein but there are actually much healthier, easier, and even tastier ways to get it. Meat and dairy substitutes have protein, legumes (nuts and beans) hare full of it, peanut butter, wheats and grains, dark green leafy vegetables, tofu and tempeh are FULL of protein, etc.
Dairy has 10 times more saturated fat than white meat http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XixaTp9lfM&feature=related