Eat less meat but.......

I used to get terrible heartburn and acid reflux, swigging antacid medicine out of the bottle. Was on the cusp of a visit to the doctors. Changed to the Keto way of eating a month ago, no more heartburn etc. I feel better and love my meat, I enjoy cream - I couldn't stand it before!. I couldn't give meat up. I say eat what suits you.

Monica

oops sorry I mean I had an allergy to cows dairy . So I understand that
Definitely time i went to sleep.

yes Monica

I have had a cows dairy all my life and when I was a veggie it was a nightmare because almost all veggie alternatives were dairy.

Anyway all extremes are unhealthy and dangerous to the planet. it is big business that is killing the planet......

Most pulses, beans and vegetables like cauliflower seem to cause me problems. HOWEVER, as I happen to love all pulses and vegetables I just ignore the ensuing problems. I’m eating more of them now as we’ve cut back on meat a lot.

Poor DDiL has developed all these food allergies in the last two years and they are severe enough for her to need to carry an epipen with her at all times.

When the zealots are saying we should all go vegetarian or vegan, they do not consider those with food allergies and how constrained their diets would be if they had to exclude from their diet all animal based products as well as all their allergens.

Bijou- Respect!

MOnica, autoimmune diseases area nightmare. When I was diagnosed with several I had so many people telling me I could cure it all by diet, eg. give up citrus, dairy, etc. I did try but in the end, I eat a varied diet. I know I can't go to a Chinese Restaurant or use any of those Thai/CHinese type ready made sauces, I cook using just fresh ingredients if I'm stir fry or curry making.
I agree with you, if you have food issues, going vegan is probably unwise.
None of the specialists I see go with the huge allergy/drop various demons from your diet. They all say, we all react differently to different things, so go with what suits you. I trust them

The problem arrives when, like my DDiL her auto-immune disease has made her allergic to nuts, soya and fresh fruit. If she became a vegetarian (or worse, a vegan) her food choices would be very limited.

another one here who loves broccoli and cabbage.
But they don’t like me. Having said that, I’m not giving up eating them, I’m just cutting the amount eaten at each serving.

I also have an intolerance to just about everything edible.
It’s an age thing.
Always on the loo.

At my age, ninety six I done not intend to change my diet.
For twelve years when I was living on the Continent I was on a Mediterranean diet. I got bowel cancer. Fortunately cured by operation.
I now eat a varied diet of good plain food including red meat. No fried food or bacon or sausages. I do have a glass of Guinness and red wine daily.
The only medication I am on is a small blood pressure tablet

I just stopped meat mainly because I ate so little I spent 8 years complete vegetarian then started eating turkey and chicken (Ive not been interested in any red meat for about 23 years) now this year I cut it all out again I m not strict I don’t read every label for any flavourings etc etc but I just don’t really feel the need for meat but if someone cooked my a chicken dish I d eat it I eat eggs cheese milk I m not vegan
I love pulses, lentils veggies and beans but you can eat a perfectly good meat free diet without beans in it just up your veggies and fruit ...beans don’t suit everyone

Eglantine, can you eat peanuts? I understand these are not actually nuts.

Cows produce methane, the same way as we do, by f**ting.

Carbon is not the only greenhouse gas, methane is another one. According to the EDF site www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=affects+of+methane+on+the+climate While methane doesn't linger as long in the atmosphere as carbon dioxide, it is initially far more devastating to the climate because of how effectively it absorbs heat. In the first two decades after its release, methane is 84 times more potent than carbon dioxide.

What we do about the methane produced by bogs and marshes, not to mention volcanoes, is a bit problematic and probably a bigger problem than cows, whose methane production can be limited by the diet they are fed, then there is human methane...........

(I'll have some of what they're eating)

I have heard (on tv the other night) they are producing low methane cows.

What a pity! I have been vegetarian for 50 years and have no problems with eating any kind of pulse. Love garlic too.

Quorn is weird. It is a fungus that used to be grown on egg white....so if that was true it would not be vegan.
I can't go near it as am highly allergic and have been very ill form eating it back before I knew better and I was a veggie.
it is totally manufactured.

Many people are allergic to dairy. I have been allergic to cows dairy all my life. Luckily I find Goats dairy cheese tasty and am happy with that.

I will have to research and add later but I am told that cows are producing methane which is not carbon?

Does anyone on here know more about this?

???

Eating less meat doesn't have to all be about plant-based diets, although if you're aiming for veganism it probably does. I don't eat meat but I do eat cheese and a lot of quorn, which doesn't seem to have the same effect as beans do! I would try and keep the bean intake down for a while and introduce them gradually so that your body can adjust.

When I said earlier that saving the planet is about more than reducing meat I had NOT thought to include this and am upset. I eat good chocolate, usually dark and eco aware but really are we going to kill an entire forest for money?

see link
www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/oct/16/ivory-coast-law-could-see-chocolate-industry-wipe-out-protected-forests

I think the problem is Big Business. Not eating meat.
All things in moderation and as an ex-veggie my meat consumption remains low

beans and pulses turn me out too. i just stick to vegetables....peas/carrots the usual stuff.....i cant eat lentils/rice/pulses/. i have IBS. dont put milk/cream in casseroles either. stock cubes is fine.. every thing these days has ONIONS/GARLIC AND PALM OIL. SO I JUST STICK TO FRESH VEG. and no beans .though i did have beans on toast sunday lunch.omg next day beans in the loo......

There are many ways to make your own impact on climate change. Why not try to reduce single use plastics, the ubiquitous anti-bacterial wipes, chemical cleaning sprays, walk more or use public transport (some hopes where I live ?) etc. and go back to a diet that your body can cope with?

Thanks for the tips. I’ll definitely try rinsing the beans. I’ve bean putting the liquid in. Also the sugar to see if that helps.
Red lentils are ok-ish, chick peas the worst!

Unfortunately Alexa, I have a nut allergy which is why I’ve probably been overdoing the beans ?

I agree red lentils as soup or as a thick sauce cooked with carrots and onions plus veg oxo cube is not too windy or loosening.

Nuts are a good veg protein source. Peanut butter on best sourdough bread is quite delicious. Not windy or loosening at all.

Generally, the sweeter the bean, the easier it is to digest. I've always found canned beans easier to digest than those I've cooked from dried. Start with smaller quantities e.g. in soups, and experiment with dishes that combine both meat and beans (e.g. chilli con carne; cassoulet; chicken casserole & chickpeas - you can do this with any meat casserole dish - just add in some beans) BUT if you're doing this for the planet, bear in mind that it's not meat per se that's the problem, it's the INTENSIVE rearing of animals that is doing the damage - too many animals; too many antibiotics (needed because they're reared in such intensive spaces); slurry (fouling water courses); methane. We've switched to higher welfare, higher price meat and just eat less of it (and have 4 meat-free days every week when we have beans, lentils, tofu, quorn, etc. We're experimenting with dishes. Last night it was roasted vegetables with feta cheese melted over the top; this morning for breakfast, instead of bacon we had fried slices of halloumi - delicious. It doesn't have to be beans ...