Live data from Hacker News

Animal meat and milk sales drop in Europe as vegan versions hit record highs

plantbasednews.org

281–282 of 282 posts

Re: Animal meat and milk sales drop in Europe as vegan versions hit record highs

#281

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Almost everything can be reduced to "the task is simplified to a simple sounding thing". How? Recycling for example is very complicated, takes time and effort sourcing recyclable things and shipping them for recycling later. Buying things manufactured sustainably is very complicated, because that stuff is not listed on labels in sufficient detail so you need to do actual research. Etc etc. But here you have two pro…

> How? But recycling is easy! Just put the right thing in the right bin! You have totally been sidestepping the part where I talk about this small inconvenience in relation to the existing complexity of life. I take it that you don't have small kids, since the thing is that when you do, you in general want to simplify whatever you can. If one product takes 30 seconds to check and find a replacement (might not always…

> But recycling is easy! Just put the right thing in the right bin!

Maybe if you live in very specific locations like Taiwan. Then yes you shall put right things in right bins, rinse your recycling first, etc. Not because it's easy or quick, it isn't, but because you will be financially penalized if you don't. In many other places recycling does nothing besides make you feel good and get off the case of the manufacturers who save money on plastic packaging and shift the blame around

> that's a good 20 minutes

Only once and only if you don't already skim the labels, which I bet you do if you try to avoid animal stuff in your diet occasionally. The small print ingredients take much longer to parse than an obvious Nestle logo.

I don't have a problem with not caring at all as much as saying that you care but it's too difficult, because in this case it really isnt.

Re: Animal meat and milk sales drop in Europe as vegan versions hit record highs

#282
post #155

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The only things lacking in a plant-based diet that is essential are vitamin B12 and D. B12 is also lacking in animal-based diets nowadays, but is supplemented in animal feed. D is also lacking in animal-based diet, so this is not specific to plant-based diets. Vitamins A, B6, F can be found in many plant-based foods. The rest of the stuff you listed are not essential for human health.

> B12 is also lacking in animal-based diets nowadays, but is supplemented in animal feed. D is also lacking in animal-based diet, so this is not specific to plant-based diets. B12 is naturally present in fish, meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products. D is naturally present in oily fish, including salmon, mackerel, and sardines; as well as egg yolks, red meat, and liver. > Vitamins A, B6, F can be found in many plant-…

While you're correct that some animal-based foods contain B12 and vitamin D naturally, many people who eat meat and fish need to supplement it because it's just not enough. For vitamin D, this is especially true for people living in higher latitudes because there's not enough sun light.

I think you're not clear what the definition of "essential" in biology is. Essential means that it cannot be synthesized by the organism, but needs to be taken in externally. The studies you have linked do not talk about synthesis in the human body. A quick lookup on Wikepedia explains clearly that all other mentioned items are synthesized by humans.

Post reply on HN