“Go Fruit Yourself,” Says the Vegan

In addition to spending my time researching new and trending places to dine, I also waste a lot of time exploring the inter-webs. As an avid Youtube viewer, I stumbled upon the vegan and the “fully-raw” community maybe a year or two ago. To my bewilderment, these toned and fit people avidly encouraged nearly a whole fruit stand for breakfast. As fullyraw enthusiast, these Youtubers broadcasted their high-carb and amazingly colorful diets, but most importantly animal-product free meals. And after each video I watched, I would be completely convinced that I could do the same for the next whole five minutes.

Another alternative that might not uproot a meat-reliant diet, like mine, is something current scientist like to call “In-vitro meat” (IVM). As futuristic as this laboratory meat may sound, its debut dates back to 2013 when it was first served in the all American form of a burger. Made of “something that is more or less identical to regular meat at a cellular level, unlike meat substitutes made from tofu, beans, or mushrooms,” the mass production of IVM can reduce the harmful consequences of livestock farms. (Schaefer, Savulescu) Nonetheless like other meatless meat, a large shortcoming of this possible solution is taste. Although it would allow for environmental and public health benefits, a study done across seven US online new sources found that Americans perceive the idea to be “unnatural and unappealing.”(Laestadius, Caldwell)

If or until IVM becomes a part of common American diets or when I fall into a healthy routine of plant-based meals, its hard to invision a meat-less future for me and its even harder to imagine a meat-less America. Nonetheless, awareness can help solve our perplexing food identity crsis.

Although I haven’t fully transformed my diet with this information, I hope I have inspired you to reconsider something as trival but habitual as your handedness.