ghostoffuffle Devac ButterflyEffect lets step back here and ask a more fundamental question: Why do we eat food? 1) Because were hungry 2) Because we enjoy eating good food the process itself is pleasurable 3) Because we need nutrients/energy to do what we do You guys are all addressing problem #3 Need for nutrients. Generally in the western world we dont actually eat food to address #3 unless we are working out really hard. We eat food to address #1 and #2. That's why I end up eating a lot of meat because meat is very efficient at addressing hunger for a long duration and because I enjoy meat so that covers #2. Need for nutrients doesn't really fall into the equation. I could reduce my meat consumption but then I would have to find something equally as effective at addressing hunger and tasting good. I love starches I could eat a lot of rice and potatoes to cover that hunger deficiency that comes from eating less meat but that would mean that in order to keep my hunger at the same level I would end up consuming more calories and I would get fat. So I have a choice of either being more hungry or being fat. Both of which I would negatively impact my quality of life. I could theoretically replace all meat with Tofu but tofu has no flavor on its own and I am not very proficient at cooking with it. Also its a single flavor of protein where as there are lots of possible meat flavors and verities. In order for me to switch I would have to learn how to cook well with tofu and learn a bunch new recipes. The time and effort barrier to entry is just to high for it to be a good solution. Thats why in my mind synthetic meat is the only practical way to solve this problem.
Hm. Well, for starters, points 1) and 2) are effectively the same. We get hungry because we need nutrients. So you're down to two points. Beyond that, to imply that westerners don't eat food primarily to live is... an odd assertion. Everybody eats food to live. We in the West can AFFORD to eat what we like (excepting, of course, people in lower income brackets, and people living in food deserts, and people with certain dietary needs and..), but that comes secondary to eating food to live. Which again, primary reason to eat. So between the two points provided: 1) "we eat because we get hungry/need the energy" and 2) "We eat because we enjoy eating," point one is clearly more valid than point two. Following that, part of the implication of the supplied article is that if we continue on our current trend, not even we in the West will be able to afford to eat what we want. So in the spirit of preserving our freedom to choose, we should just choose less when we can. After that... I really don't know how to address your point. Not because it's unassailable, but because it's just really, really singleminded. If I'm reading you right, you're saying first and foremost, "I eat meat because I like meat, and I find it easy to eat meat." Which, yeah, fine. and then you jump to "because I like meat and find it easy, I shouldn't be called upon to change my eating habits." Which again, your choice, although it's a lazy choice in the context of this discussion. Then you seem to make a dubious leap in logic to "no other nutrient source would keep me from getting fat." Also: "the only protein I could substitute for meat is tofu." And then straight to "ergo, synthetic meat is the only way to go." Hey look, if your point is "I love meat," well fine. In the context of another discussion, that's a great place to land. I love meat, too! Let's have a meat party. But in the context of this discussion, which to reiterate is about balancing meat consumption against environmental impact, "but I love meat" isn't really a valid or constructive argument. It's in fact the exact viewpoint that the article hopes to undermine. And the reasons you've supplied for eating more meat are arbitrary and based on no evidence that I know of.
...so...instead of taking a look at the link I provided which references a study that contradicts your fat claim, you end up writing four more paragraphs on the same topic? (And start by saying we're focusing on nutrients, and then spend a lot of time talking about that?) It's possible to have a very balanced, varietal, and tasty diet while eating little to no meat. Why do you think the barrier is too high? Have you attempted this before? Do you primarily cook your own meals using food that isn't heavily processed?
Quick read here http://annals.org/article.aspx?articleid=1900694. Basically high crabs are bad for weight loss and heart disease. I think there have been a number of recent studies that say the same thing. And long read here http://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/apr/07/the-sugar-conspiracy-robert-lustig-john-yudkin basically saying that fat is not as bad as we thing sugar is a problem though. How does this all come back to our meat discussion? Well what is high in fat low in sugar and is a large portion of a meal. If you eliminate it you need to replace it with something else. For most people that something else would be a carb and carbs are high in starches that quickly break down into sugars. Now you say just dont eat the carb vegetables eat more beans and Legumes but its not very easy to pull off. For one you have to spend more time cooking and 2 you have to learn new recipes and change your taste pallet. Right now I cook by walking the outside of the grocery store, buying meat and raw ingredients and then cooking a meat and a vegetable for most meals. I might supplement with occasional starches like bread but I do my best to avoid them. All the bones an extra bits that are getting old get turned into stock and reincorporated into next weeks meal. When I try to change that to go all veterinarian I really struggle. I either need to use some sort of weird processed shit like tofurky, or I need to crate a rather complex stew like meals. I cant just cook a Chunk of meat and steam some broccoli and be done in about 15min.
Take a cooking course, consult friends who don't eat much meat, utilize the countless number of online resources for nutritious and delicious meatless meals, while avoiding the "weird shit". Honestly, your entire argument comes across as being born out of laziness and saying this is harder than it actually is. It's not easy, don't get me wrong, but it's not insurmountably difficult.