we are mostly non-meat, not vegetarian per se. my daughter is a committed vegetarian on revulsion and compassion grounds. that caused the other family members to adapt. I used butter milk, chicken stock, but we never buy meat. I dont refuse meat when invited to dinner or at restaurants but we eat over 95% less than we did a few years ago.
Ask HN: What prompted you to convert from non-vegetarian to vegetarian?
11–20 of 39 posts
Re: Ask HN: What prompted you to convert from non-vegetarian to vegetarian?
#12The Gamechangers
I'm not even joking. I recongise most of the documentary is heavily biased, i.e. erections. However, all four of my biological grandparents had heart issues. I'm in my 30's and have a "hefty" build. Being vegan on a whole food type diet would drastically reduce the odds of me dying from heart disease.
Re: Ask HN: What prompted you to convert from non-vegetarian to vegetarian?
#13Not a vegetarian, but recently (a couple of months) I had to eat much more vegetables and fruits than I usually do, due to digestion and other related issues. No more pure meat/steak for me, only a little of bird, for at least half a year, and then the prospect is still unclear. The journey included sleeping with an open window for a week or so, then I had to adjust my gut biome using antibiotics (non-systemic). Now…
> I had to adjust my gut biome using antibiotics (non-systemic).
Overuse of antibiotics is not a good thing. If you want to gradually reduce antibiotics then I would recommend adding curd, natural yogurt, buttermilk and home made butter(a by-product of making buttermilk) to your diet. Curd and buttermilk can be made at home so that also reduces cost. I would recommend home made, because the ones available in the market are mostly made with milk powder instead of fresh milk.
Also try to eat nuts like almond, cashew, groundnuts, wet dates and raisin soaked in water. Keep a handful of these mixed in a bowl of water at night and eat it the next morning.
Also increase the portion of non-leafy vegetables(compared to leafy vegetables) in the diet and stop eating bakery products.
And don't eat uncooked vegetables in the name of salad.
And, during excretion prefer squatting instead of default commode style.
And finally, do pranayam(yoga) every morning; helps a lot with both mental and gut well-being.
Re: Ask HN: What prompted you to convert from non-vegetarian to vegetarian?
#14It was a gradual thing. I never liked the taste of red meat, but enjoyed fish and chicken. So I cut red meat out pretty early (as soon as my parents stopped making me sit at the table to finish the meal). Later, as I learned more about factory farming and the treatment of chickens in factory farms, I stopped eating chicken and was just left with fish. And finally I learned more about fish farming and overfishing and…
> having found a great alternative that I enjoy.
Please would you mind sharing what the great alternative is?
Re: Ask HN: What prompted you to convert from non-vegetarian to vegetarian?
#15Went to apply for an animal college later in life. We went for lunch in the canteen, I was looking at what to grab and he side-spoke words "I couldn't justify eating an animal of an animal that you just saved".
Since then I've not eaten meat. My family and upbringing never had red meat. But always have had fish and chicken.
Re: Ask HN: What prompted you to convert from non-vegetarian to vegetarian?
#16Global warming, to be honest.
I don't understand the question of how long it took; one day, we decided with my SO to stop buying meat and cook vegetarian dishes only. We searched for recipes, and that was that. We still eat the occasional sausage, but it's more as a spice rather than a full meat portion.
We have been vegetarian since 2018, so admittedly not that long, but the switch was really not difficult at all.
Re: Ask HN: What prompted you to convert from non-vegetarian to vegetarian?
#17Not vegetarian, but recently started reducing my meat intake:
1. For better health.
2. To help preserve the climate (I see it as a collective duty, and therefore I should fulfil my share of it).
What convinced me were two books:
- The Real Story of Money, Health, and Religion by Loren Howe.
- Le monde sans fin (French) by Jean-Marc Jancovici.
Re: Ask HN: What prompted you to convert from non-vegetarian to vegetarian?
#18On the transition - It’s much easier than you might think. Especially if the focus is vegetarian not vegan. There are so many cheaper protein alternatives: beans, dairy, nuts, eggs, etc. And good subs like veggie burgers, non dairy milks, etc. Instead of a meal with a meat protein and veg, you can easily sub beans or something with eggs. You also tend to load up more on veggies (like on pizza) In fact I find it’s kin…
I did not try to go vegetarian, but out of interest I tried to expand my eating habits and I find it very hard to replace meat with an adequate source of protein.
* Beans and lentils give me digestive problems, so I can have them maybe twice a month at most.
* Dairy is fine, but it is not better than consuming meat at all in any respect, so what's the point? Chicken and pork are better than diary if you care about ecological impact.
* Nuts are very expensive, I have them anyway, but I could not see them as a reliable source of protein due to cost.
* Eggs are fine, but I can only have so much in a week before I get fed up.
* Veggie alternatives taste and smell terrible in my experience.
* I liked tofu, nothing to write home about in terms of taste, but I can see myself having it once a week.
* I also eat canned herring and wild caught salmon. Haven't checked on their ecological impact but it is a good source of protein for once a week.
Re: Ask HN: What prompted you to convert from non-vegetarian to vegetarian?
#19I find the ethics of farming to be very difficult to live with.
I've been vegetarian now for long enough that I don't have any desire to eat meat and I am fairly grossed out by it. I am working towards vegan (again, the ethics), but it is proving to be more difficult. Perhaps my convictions aren't as strong?
My journey had several stops and starts. The best "trick" I have is to not stop eating meat, just start removing it from more and more meals. You just wake up one day and realize you haven't had meat in a year.
In my day to day, I don't really think about it anymore. I am always caught off guard when I realize other people are eating meat. It just isn't something that I consider now.
Re: Ask HN: What prompted you to convert from non-vegetarian to vegetarian?
#20It depends.Sometimes i convert because i want to take a meat break. Sometimes there is no meat in the fridge.