Forks Over Knives

[reanbean]

Has anyone seen the movie, Forks Over Knives? It's on Netflix.

It's based on scientific research of the health risks of eating animal products.

A lot of it seems scientifically sound, but I honestly think they make a lot of general correlations that don't make any sense. Humans ARE Omnivores, are we not???

While I see a lot of benefits to being a Vegan, I also see a lot of risks. These people act like becoming a Vegan is like going for a walk in the park. WAY HARDER THAN THAT!!

PLUS, I looove meat! It's my favorite part of the meal!

What does everyone else think?

[Beth123]

no, I haven't seen this but now I'm intrigued! I'll have to check this out. cool.

[BeachKitty]

I'm not a big fan of red meat and hate pork but I can't live without my chicken and turkey. It's seriously hard to do just a vegetarian diet which is miles from being vegan lol.

[Zofia]

I was born omnivore and I shall stay omnivore. Personnally I respect vegans and vegetarians but wouldnt become one myself.

I dont care how healthy one another is, I always believed that in life, balance is the key. So to completly throw out meat or animal products is just the same for me as to eat JUST that.

Tis all about balancing for me.

[reanbean]

The movie was so interesting that I had to do a little bit of research, and the case studies in the movie were actually following a vegan diet, even though the movie isn't that specific.

It's very interesting. Once prestigious professors have become outcasts by professing that meat is bad for you. Shame on them!

On another note, Fat Head is also on Netflix, which is an AMAZING follow up to SUPER SIZE ME, and reveals a lot of falsified statements in Super Size Me. It essentially strengthens Meg's case (from the exercise forom on 3fc) that a calorie deficit is more important than anything else if you want to lose fat.

[Daimere]

I watched Fat Head a few months ago and loved it. I just watched Forks over Knives and I've now watching Food Matters. Both are interesting and really proves how important veggies are. Now I can go very low on protein but I at least need a little fish every day, maybe chicken. Actually my favorite keep me full during the rush at work snack now is a side salad with some bits of chicken on top. Keeps me full! ^_^ The only diary that I really consume is yogurt or cottage cheese base. I try to stay away from real milk and prefer almond. I was never a milk drinker beforehand and now I can get something that tastes vanilla-y!

[Unna]

I have found that eating too much meat and dairy can leave leave me feeling a bit down. Soy products, such as tofu, stabilizes my moods. That being said, too much soy is also bad and sometimes I just want a bratwurst.

Cooking mainly with veggies, whole grains, and beans always makes me feel the best, of course. But I sometimes enhance the flavors with a bit of dairy or meat.

I think the main point is that humans eat too many animal products, period. In the western world we don't have much variety - severely hurting our health and environment. We are also not treating animals ethically.

What is the answer? Are animal products toxic? How do we define toxic and unhealthy?

I was just reading a short piece from Parmenides (antiquity scientist/philosopher). Him and his followers would never eat anything that they had to kill - that included many plants. Everything had a soul. They believed to feel the best from eating a diet of some veggies and fruit (the ones that always naturally replenished themselves, I believe they wouldn't eat anything they had to kill, what would need to be replanted), but that was mostly made up of honey and milk products.

That was an extreme diet- makes eating vegan seem easy-peasy.

[Michi702]

This isn't a very scientific statement, but I notice that my friends who are on vegetarian/vegan diets always seem to be ill. Whether it's a cold or something more serious, I just feel like they're always fighting off something.

The way I see it, we are designed to be omnivores, so why fight it?

[Daimere]

What is the answer? Are animal products toxic? How do we define toxic and unhealthy?

I think more of the issue is the amount of meat people are consuming and how the meat is being raised. Grass fed beef has leaner cuts than corn fed. And then you got to think of the sort of filth the beef/etc is being raised/killed in.

Most people in our culture thinks that a proper dinner is a huge steak. But lately I found out if I eat a small chicken tenderloin and a salad with almonds, I'm full for hours and feel good. Whereas after a huge steak plus whatever else it came with, I feel weighed down.

This isn't a very scientific statement, but I notice that my friends who are on vegetarian/vegan diets always seem to be ill. Whether it's a cold or something more serious, I just feel like they're always fighting off something.

And there are a lot of vegetarians that eat mainly potato chips and don't eat a balance diet.

[souvenirdarling]

I think most farming does produce toxic meats - we really should make a real effort to buy ethical, free range, organic meats that have been fed food from their natural diet (ie. not corn) and aren't pumped full of antibiotics.

Food Inc. was the doc. that really changed my mind.

I think we should experiment to find that best diet that suits us energy wise (vegan, vegetarian, omnivore, grain-free) and live that lifestyle responsibly.

In some ways I feel like buying more ethical meat is the best option because you're investing in a solution, rewarding good work. Downside is the expense, so you do end up limiting your meat intake.

[milmin2043]

I am vegan and I am NOT sickly. As a matter of fact, a vegan diet helps to keep me running marathons, WITH Parkinson's Disease. Eating a vegan diet is not difficult. You eat a plant based diet. What is difficult about that? We have been taught to believe that we are omnivores, when that simply isn't true. Our intestines are very long in order to process plant material. Carnivores, on the other hand, have very short intestines. I do not mean to be disrespectful, but it is beyond me why anyone would eat meat produced from U.S. Factory Farms. The conditions are deplorable. If you claim to love animals, you would never stand for what goes on. It's not just a few farms, but many of them. If you really want an eye-opener, watch "Earthlings". It will change your life. Of course, many people I know say that they already know what goes on. Well, then, your soul must be missing, because you should be appalled and do something to help change it.

[jeminijad]

Originally Posted by milmin2043

You eat a plant based diet. What is difficult about that? We have been taught to believe that we are omnivores, when that simply isn't true. Our intestines are very long in order to process plant material. Carnivores, on the other hand, have very short intestines.

Our gut is longer than a simple carnivore- to be expected for an omnivore!- but shorter than animals that must extract nutrition from grass.

There has never been a premodern vegan culture. It is only technology and global food transportation that allows vegan diets to be healthy and sustainable- humans most assuredly evolved eating both plant and animal calories, as is borne out by biology and paleontology.

Omnivorousness is one of our greatest strengths as a species.

You can choose to eat a vegan diet, and I'll never claim that its unhealthy. But you have the option because of that giant brain that could never have evolved without the abundant energy obtained by our progenitors cracking open bones for marrow, and taming fire to cook meat.

[ErBear]

Originally Posted by Michi702

This isn't a very scientific statement, but I notice that my friends who are on vegetarian/vegan diets always seem to be ill.

Now that I think about it... most of my friends are vegetarians... and one is sick pretty much constantly and the others seem to be sluggish. I'm sure it's all about doing whatever diet you're on correctly so that you keep all of your nutrients, etc. in balance!