Justin writes: "You should do a show about vegetarians, because my girlfriend is one, and I just don't get it."
Justin writes: “You should do a show about vegetarians, because my girlfriend is one, and I just don’t get it. Unfortunately, I have no research for that, because every time I try, I start thinking about delicious meat, and then I have to go get a hamburger.”
Anatomically speaking, people are omnivores. I mean, look at these teeth. There are reasons tigers don’t have flat molars. But some of us see the cute, pleading eyes of a wooly lamb, and instead of licking our lips, we push away the plate. I really don’t like lamb. Â But lamb mixed with beef, like you can get at the Mad Greek… Oooooh…
Vegetarianism has been around a long time. Â So it’s gotten a little bit confusing. Confusing? It just means you don’t eat meat. Yes, but the question we have to ask here is, “What is meat?” To different vegephiles, meat means different things. Pescetarianism is a diet that excludes all meat except fish, shellfish, and crustacea. Â Pollotarianism excludes all meat except poultry and fowl, lacto vegetarianism makes an exception for dairy, ovo vegetarianism says eggs are O-K, and lacto-ovo vegetarianism means you can eat both. Â Milk and eggs. But no meat.
Now I’m gonna throw in my own neologism here. Carni vegetarian, which means you can eat a little meat, except when you’re currently claiming to be a vegetarian, unless the aroma of a cooked animal smells so good you can’t resist.
We forgot something? Ah. Vegans. Let’s not forget the vegans. They’re the ones who not only don’t eat meat, but they avoid all animal byproducts, like honey, milk, eggs, butter. Â You know, all the good stuff. I should not have said that. Just to clarify here, you may think you’re a vegan, but you’re probably just a dietary vegan, ’cause those boots with the fur, and the leather in your ride – not vegan. See, there’s a little more to it than just what you eat. People are more violently opposed to fur than leather because it’s easier to harass rich women than it is motorcycle gangs.
So why be a vegetarian? For a lot of people, it stems from their religious beliefs, like Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, or Seventh Day Adventistism. But my guess is that most people in America who are vegetarians do it out of conscience. ‘Cause they can’t stand the sight of blood. [Laughs] So if you’re thinking of going green – but on the inside – here are a few things you should consider.
Before you decide to change your doctor– change your doctor? No, change your diet. Before you decide to change your diet, talk to a doctor or a nutritionist. Preferably a nutritionist, ’cause most doctors don’t know very much about this. You’re just gonna tell me to lose weight and exercise. I know you feel very strongly about those bouncy bunnies and cuddly cows, but you can do a substantial amount of damage to your body by eating incorrectly. So educate yourself.
Protein. It’s a necessary part of the human diet. And people that become vegetarians usually have an issue finding a good source of it. I know, some of you are screaming, “Soy beans have more protein than meat!” Well, not really. Dried soy beans seeds have more protein than meat per gram, but that’s like comparing apples to dried mangoes. But it’s not all about amounts, either. There’s the question of how well the human body can use the protein you’ve eaten. There’s an almost 100% transfer of egg white protein to usable protein in the body. For fresh, green soy beans, that transfer rate’s about 72%. For dried soy beans, it’s around 61%. More protein, but less transferrable. Weird, but true. Getting the right amount of protein-rich foods like beans and soy is essential to your new veggy lifestyle. So talk to a nutritionist.
Another one to watch out for is vitamin B12, which is exclusively synthesized by bacteria – a living thing, which is kind of a problem for the vegans out there. And it shows up in meat, eggs, and dairy products. Another problem for the vegans out there. A whole bunch of research has been done to see if there’s another safe source for vitamin B12 for vegans. I mean, it looked at everything from fermented soya to seaweed, but the B12 they found wasn’t usable by humans. Vitamin B12 is necessary for synthesizing red blood cells, maintaining the nervous system, and helps with growth development in children. That’s why it shows up as a supplement in a lot of vegan foods. Wait, doesn’t that make it nonvegan? Not getting enough can produce anemia, and over time, irreversible neurological damage.
Honestly, I’m fine if you order a tofu burger with me and Justin over at the steakhouse. But if you choose to go veggy, make sure you know what you’re eating, and why.
I know the real reason. You’re not a vegetarian because you love animals; you’re a vegetarian ’cause you hate plants!
Transcribed by: Justin G.
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39 Comments
curlyq88
I was wondering if you could do a video on Celiac disease and gluten intolerance. Me and my roommate are gluten intolerant. I have only had it six years she has had it for twenty years. We hear stuff, but I am wondering if it is true. Such as 1 out of 130 people have some sort of allergy to gluten. That you can get a tax break for the specialty foods you have to buy for your "condition" (I assume this applies to other allergies). When did they discover gluten and when did they figure out Celiac's disease. I ... lots moreTherev
Tinako is right, comparing a human's canines to a carnivorous animal's canines is absurd. Physiologically and anthropologically speaking, humans are frugivores. The human digestive tract digests fruit more completely and efficiently than any other food available. In fact, it's so efficient that when eaten on an empty stomach it actually doesn't digest in the stomach at all, it digests in the intestine. We CAN eat meat and starch, but it's supposed to be more of an emergency thing, and eating them together isn't a very good idea. "Why?" you ask. Because it takes an acidic stomach secretion to digest ... lots morenick
I'm confused on this B12 thing. Webster defines a vegan as a person who doesn't consume animal food or dairy products. You said B12 is synthesized by bacteria, and bacteria is in the kingdom Monera, not a animal, so I don't see the problem for the vegans with B12AngInAmerica
In his manifesto "In Defense of Food," Michael Pollan refers to "near vegetarians" as "Flexitarians": they don't exclude meat and animal products entirely, but will only eat a very small amount of it. ...just thought you should add that to your list :)Cullenlover
im sort of a veggie eateri dont know if i really want to make the switchAnonymi [22]
I guess bacon would be the candy of meat. Just like most candy, it should be eaten in moderation as they both are really unhealthy. Just think about what is in the bacon aside from pig.khoeber
Especially bacon! It's the candy of meat!Soul Sister [22]
I really liked this show! Hilarious yet informative. Anyway, thanks for clarifying that. My mom is a dietician and she always gets a little worried about people who choose these lifestyles but don't educate themselves while doing it. YAY for meat! :) (Especially bacon?)Dee
Guess I'm a carna-vegetarian, lol. I agree that Americans overall eat way too much meat, but I don't think cutting it out completely is the solution either. I try to stick to mostly veggies and a little meat for the easy access to protein. Besides, never gonna ... moreSnowmanincave [22]
I call for a "Hip Hip Hurray" on The Brothers Winn gaining over 1000 subscribers. http://www.whatyououghttoknow.com/show/2008/02/08/what-i-want-to-know/ The linked video no longer matters. Congrats.Mucky
Thanks for the show guys! My girlfriend has insisted that she just likes the produce section more! I still find it hard to believe, but as long as I don't have to eat tofu, I'm happy. Gurgle, I know I'm guilty of dispensing snide comments, although only to close friends of mine, and only in jest. Still, I can easily see how it could grow tiresome; if every time I admitted to liking burgers somebody asked, "How could *that* be your diet?" I'd probably get sick of it in short order... Another interesting thing you ... lots moreJohnb300m
Woah! a name drop there. Gettin' liberal in our identity secrecy huh? good show as always.Gurgle
Great post by tinako! Aside from some of the smarmy and ignorant jests made in the video I thought it was good. Veg folks get used to hearing the snide comments all the time. My wife, our children, and I are vegan. Most of the vegans that I know do so to reduce suffering. So, that is a handy metric for determining what is and is not acceptable. For example, the plight of bacteria does not really resonate with anyone that I know. For my family, we have made a choice to live an examined life. We ... lots moreAnonymi [22]
tinako: I actually agree with you partially. I do think that are other reasons why people are vegetarians and vegans other than the reasons you have mentioned (I've heard some weird ones before) but I completely agree that most people need to either see a nutritionist or at least ... moreAngInAmerica
Thanks, Deigo :) I guess it would take a bugge-vegetarian to be ok with eating bugs. I'm glad I'm not one of those. ...and I'm glad I'm not a chimp, either.tinako
I've been vegetarian (lacto-ovo) for 15 years and vegan for 8 months. I'm not a nutritionist, but then, neither is anyone else here. Great show, but a few things: 1. Human canines are pathetic. People point to them and say "Look, just like a lion." Have you seen lion's teeth? Look at your dog's teeth. Anyway, most vegetarians don't give up meat because they think we aren't meant to eat it. They give it up because it is unhealthy, cruel, and/or wasteful. Whether you agree or not, pointing to your canines is, ... lots moreDiego [22]
@AngInAmerica Don't insects count as meat? Sure, they have muscles, nerves, blood, the whole nine yards. I don't know anyone who eat insects, and also claims to be a vegan. Just to clarify, the chimps in my example, are not vegan.BasilsHumanFriend
I'm a strict animal lover...but meat...just tastes sooooo good....lol. I used to feel really strong about not eating horse meat, I mean, I still love em now, but at the same time, they are an meat animal, though they have other purposes, thank higher power, and yet it's illegal, ... moreJohnnyWhat
Ok here's a funny story: My sister used to be a meat eater until she had a bad dream involiving some fried chicken. Since that day she's been a pretty strict vegetarian. You know the kind who'll eat dairy products but not eggs. Always thought that kinda odd and amusing.steph {207}
I am a person that loves challenges and the ultimate challenge for me would be to become a vegetarian. I've thought about it, but not only would it be an ultimate challenge, I'm 100% positive I wouldn't be able to go more than a week with out fish, meat, or any diary products. It's in what I eat every single day and I'm not sure I could survive without a big juicy piece of steak or a salmon smoked on a plank. So I praise those who have become veggies because I know I would never, ever be able to ... lots morekjeracarroll
ha ha I loved this one! Goooo BEEF! now my friend and I want a nice juicy steak.Tae
I love this show! Random facts are my favorite. On that note, I was wondering: since it's winter time and all, why does your skin dry out when it's cold outside? I own like twelve bottles of lotion. Yikes.Nospinplease
I love meat. I can't go a day without. One of my friends is a vegetarian because of her religion and she asked me one day why I eat meat. I asked her if she had to find ways to get her portien. She said yes and I said see ... moreThe Brothers Winn
graceofbass, It was A. Whitney Brown. We also quoted Alexei Sayle with the comment about fur and rich women.graceofbass [22]
AnginAmerica: Lol, breaded bugs are the hot new item on vegan menus. I love the quote at the end. I heard it once as a child, and now I can't remember who said it...(time for a little web research)...ah, it was A. Whitney Brown. Good ol' Whitney. Very humorous.AngInAmerica
Diego, Don't insects count as meat? They have nerves of some kind, don't they? (...do they? Now that I'm writing this I'm second guessing myself...) Anyway, I'm wondering if vegans eat bugs. And, I'm wondering if "breading" single-cell organisms makes them tastier :)Diego [22]
As a vegan(both dietary and lifestyle) I submit that you don't need meat. Most of our primate relatives eat mostly plants and insects, whereas we have mastered the art of breading single celled organisms, and can get everything they get from picking bugs off each other, except companionship, through the consumption of vat-grown microbes. Most vegans don't use the scientific nomenclature that differentiates animals from plants, while yeasts are more closely related to what we generally refer to as animals, it's hard to argue that that relationship makes them "meat" in the conventional sense. We tend to think of animals as ... lots moreMeandering {207}
I eat meat, lots of it and I don't see how these ... ack! I'm having chest pains!! I'm back. Actually I do eat meat, not to excess, but I do love a nicely cooked piece of meat. I can understand not eating meat because a person might think its bad for them, but there are others who can't inflict pain to these animals. Well, aren't veggies alive? They grow, they eat the nutrients from the ground and they even breathe (they turn CO2 to Oxygen) so shouldn't that argument be moot? Just thinking out loud, ... lots moremarc
My girlfriend is also a veggie... well I guess she is technically a lacto-ovo-vegetarian. I keep trying to get her to a nutritionist, but she refuses... Yeah, another thing that you forgot to mention is a "complete protein." You need to eat proteins that have all the amino acids in them. Amino acids are the chemicals that make up the proteins. Our bodies can only synthesize 10 amino acids... Our diet must include the following amino acids: arginine (required for the young, but not for adults), histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and ... lots moreDrecon [22]
There's one hope left for veggies. You actually don't need much meat to live. Only like oner piece of meat in one or two weeks should be enough to live on. There's one big plus to vegetarians: they can often cook well (if they know what they're doing that is). ... moreAnonymi [22]
So I would be a pesco-pollo-vegetarian. I'm sorry, but I don't like any of those meats and I very rarely have the chance to get the only other meat that is out of that classification that is ham which I find delicious but don't get often enough to count.Lampworker
Another informative show... but don't forget the level-5 vegan: doesn't eat anything that casts a shadow :o)Jennifer McKenzie
Yeah!!! Those plant haters. LOL. I LOVED the ATkins diet.....until my blood pressure didn't. I think everything in moderation is a good way to do it. I wish I could maintain the weight loss that way. Eat less and exercise. Whatever.wolfman2525 [22]
vegetarian friends that is.wolfman2525 [22]
Very informative. I will have to let my vegetarians know about this show.pkw
Red Green Thought: Atleast as carnivores we are merciful. We kill the animal first before eating the steak. Raw fruits and vegetables are still alive, you just can't hear their screaming in pain...Curtis [22]
Thanks for the info. I've decided to only eat the meat of animals that are vegetarians. That should solve the problem.wx5aaa
Now I'm hungry for a big juicy steak. bbl....kd
Beef....It's whats for dinner...