Yesterday I had a story on my Instagram about my opinion on eating meat vs not eating meat and some of the frustrations I have about this topic. Here’s a recap of what I said and some of the resources I mentioned:

I have a friend who posted a Ted Talk on their Facebook about this guy who was suggesting to not eating meat throughout the week in order to cut back on your carbon footprint, and mentions that conventional farming is known to be super cruel to animals (among other things). Everything he’s talking about I can 100% agree with! Honestly, who wouldn’t?

The ONE thing that always sits wrong with me in regards to strong-opinionated vegan/vegetarian folk is that they only focus on shaming conventional farming methods. They typically do not talk about the way certain animals are properly raised + humanely slaughtered on small, sustainable, organic farms.  I do not think that conventional farming + the way our country mass reproduces + kills animals is okay, its not, BUT- I do support grass-fed start + finished, properly raised animals that are slaughtered humanely in a small farm setting- the way things largely used to be and how some farmers still work today. These small farms have a saying-  their animals only ever have one bad day in their lives.

I really wish the vegan/vegetarian community would speak to these kinds of farms instead of throwing the baby out with the bath water and calling all meat the same. I’m pretty sure every human can agree that conventional meat production is not okay and is not good for our health- its been scientifically proven. Keep in mind also that essentially all of these studies that shame the consumption of meat and instill fear mongering about meat consumption (that the vegan/vegetarian community LOVES to throw at the world) have been completed on conventional meat + packaged meats that are full of nitrates, antibiotics, etc. NO SHIT the science is going to prove these meats are bad for our health- it doesn’t take a scientist to understand that sick, antibiotic filled meat will make us sick. But where the hell are the studies about properly raised, grass-fed, healthy meats? Of course we don’t see those anywhere. It’s kind of a bunch of bullshit if you ask me. But who am I?….

If you want to eat animal products- great! If you don’t want to eat animal products, thats great too! I personally choose to consume animal products because that’s what I’ve deemed best for me and my own health at this moment in time. I experience great energy + vitality while consuming animal protein in my diet. I will also say I definitely stand in the line of thinking that we are made to eat meat. If you look back ancestrally, humans always consumed animal meats at some capacity for health.

If you want more research on that ↑ Weston A. Price has a book- Nutrition + Physical Degeneration– that outlines his research while he traveled to multiple different countries, looking at traditional diets and the way that people eat- not one single traditional community was vegan or vegetarian. Not one. Other books you may be interested in regarding this topic with a balanced approach: Michael Pollan’s Omnivore’s Dilemma and Cooked. 

We can definitely survive in todays world with a vegan/vegetarian diet, and I think these diets are good for therapeutic use (short periods of time for various reasons) but I do not believe they’re ideal for long-term use. What I see with a lot of vegan/vegetarian clients is that it can be detrimental to your overall health (especially the blood sugar regulation systems, hormones, and mental/emotional health) if you’re not extremely careful and intent on supplementing your vegan or vegetarian diet because you’re not getting essential vitamins, nutrients and minerals that come from animal sources. This point in and of itself- if you need to supplement your diet with nutrients that are coming from animal products- but still think that we’re created NOT to eat animal proteins, I mean come on…

Do I think it’s necessary to process the enormous amount of meat that we are in todays developed world? Absolutely not. Is the average person extremely disconnected from the meat thats nicely wrapped with no blood in the supermarket? Absolutely were disconnected! I will go as far to say I 100% believe that if you’re going to consume meat, you need to participate or at least watch the slaughter of at least one animal so that you understand the sacrifice of what is giving you life and the food that you’re consuming. I grew up surrounded by small family-owned farms, worked on some of these farms, had plenty of pig roasts throughout my childhood, bought turkeys from local farms down the street for every major holiday, and had plenty of friends who were raised on farms. I get it. I’ve seen it. I respect the process.

Just to wrap this up- the things that are important to me personally and that I would suggest you try to practice and get involved in is:

1. If you’re going to eat meat, make sure its super high quality and from a source that you respect + can support.
2. Be a part of the slaughter process at least once.
3. Pay the extra money for quality meats- your health is worth it, the animals lives are worth it, and our environment is worth it. Where your money is spent as a consumer MATTERS.

Resources:

If you’re in DENVER and looking for a meat-share: Corner Post Meats is an incredible farm that has meat shares available + has multiple drop-off locations throughout the city + surrounding areas.

For LOCAL farmers and resources for pasture-raised meats, poultry, and eggs near you:

• Eat Wild

For nationwide SHIPPING of healthy animal products, including bison, beef, poultry, pork, eggs & seafood:

• US Wellness Meats
• Tropical Traditions
• Vital Choice Seafood
• Arrowhead Beef

For recommendations for sustainably fished, wild-caught seafood based on your location:

• Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch

For more information on raw milk:

• Real Milk Resource Site

For local & organic produce, including fruits, veggies, CSAs, and farmer’s markets in your area:

• Local Harvest
• Eat Well Guide

I may be compensated through my affiliate links in this post, but all opinions are my own. This compensation helps with expenses to keep this blog up and running! Thank you for your support with What Cait Ate!