A Little Meat · 28 December 2012
I do not worry about a bit of eggs, dairy, and even a little meat getting into my diet every now and then. In reality, it is the definition of “almost vegan” I have adopted.
It is funny actually. The book that has influenced my eating most is a book about running – Born to Run. That book helped me ask my doctor about running and eating. He then led me to Forks Over Knives which ultimately led me to veganism. Then came The China Study and its detractors. Now, I am back pretty close to full circle where Born to Run led me, almost vegan.
My wife was pretty excited when I told her that I am probably going to go back to having a bit of fish and seafood now and then. And as I think about food more, I realize that a bit of beef, pork, chicken, or other meat will not kill me. The biggest thing is that I do not crave those foods anymore. And I certainly do not want them as the centerpiece of any of my meals.
Another factor that has led to this conclusion about a little meat in my diet is that there are dishes where meat is a minor part. We had pizza a few days ago and my wife put a few bits of pepperoni and Canadian bacon on our vegetarian (no cheese) pizza. There were a couple small pieces of each on the last piece, which I finally ate as breakfast. I actually picked off a piece of pepperoni, but then decided to try it. Neither it nor any of those few tiny pieces of Canadian bacon really changed the pizza and with so little meat in my current diet, I find I do not crave or even desire the meat anymore. The bits of meat were just part of the pizza.
Perhaps the biggest reason I am not too worried about a bit of meat or fish in my diet is vitamin B12. All of the vegan books say that most vegans need to take supplements to get enough of this vital nutrient. Personally, I would much rather eat fish and eggs and a little meat to get this vitamin than take supplements. It is the part of me that says taking pills is bad. I would rather suffer a headache than take an aspirin and I would rather eat something with a necessary nutrient than take a pill. I would much rather eat a bit of meat than take vitamin B12 supplements.
It is interesting that I have come full circle to where Born to Run brought me a few months ago. I have decided I will have a bit of all the non-vegan foods from time to time as I go on my journey. They will just not have top billing. And while I still consider myself pretty much vegan, I am not one of those people who worry about keeping every animal product out of my food. I will not worry about having a bit of eggs, dairy, or meat in my diet. After all, that is what being almost vegan is in the first place.
© 2012 Michael T. Miyoshi
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