I’m a Vegetarian by Circumstance
What I learned from my trip to Africa
It’s important to experience other cultures because it may give you a different perspective on things. If you listen to the same sources, connect with the same people or never step out of your own world, you may miss some important lessons in life.
I’ve lived and visited many different countries around western Europe and my thinking was in line with the European way of life.
I had always been a meat eater. Even though I was a meat eater I understood why people were choosing a different option, the cruelty of the meat industry has been documented. I found it commendable but I still enjoyed my meat.
I’d read articles about the negative effects meat could have on your digestion, energy, mood, etc, but for me I never felt any issues because I had nothing to compare it to.
Plus I’m physically active and require high protein to improve my training and recover between sessions.
Meat in Zimbabwe
I recently went to Zimbabwe and my whole perspective on meat changed. The 1st night we had chicken and I couldn’t believe it was chicken, it tasted completely different. The taste was so much better but the thing that was throwing me off the most was the texture, it was rough. I’m used to the chicken here in Europe and it’s soft.
The 2nd night we had beef and it was the same it tasted so much better. It was rough as well, I’d never had beef like this before. The meat also had a different reaction in my stomach. I could finally feel the difference from the meat I was accustomed to having. This meat was light and easy. Whereas the meat I used to eating was heavy on the stomach and draining.
It got me wondering why is the meat here so different?
First we stayed in Harare the capital city then we moved to a farm in a rural part of Zimbabwe. I could actually observe how things were operating. The chickens are free roaming on the farm, running, flying for a few seconds and have some freedom. These chickens had massive legs, were strong, healthy and being feed properly.
We were in a mountainous region. The cows spent most of their time high up in the mountains consuming a diet full of grass. They have the freedom to wonder but instinctively they never get lost. These cows were 100% muscle, lean and not an ounce of fat on them. Their lifestyle and diet is why the meat tasted so different.
Meat in Europe
In the places I’ve been to the meat has all tasted the same. Whether it’s grass feed or feed on grains, free range or in a small cage, the meat quality is pretty much the same. That’s why I don’t trust the meat here or what it claims on the package. It may say free range but free range can just mean a slightly bigger cage or released for 5 minutes in the day. The regulations aren’t strict enough, there’s too many gaps and these colossal companies work around the parameters.
The animals are being pumped with steroids to increase the growth rate. They’re subjected to feedlots were they restrict their movements and continue to overfeed them so they get bigger and bigger. Big to the point were cows now need human assistance to do a natural such as mating. In Zimbabwe this was not an issue!
Final Thoughts
You don’t have to stop eating meat, I just wanted to share my story and what I’ve learnt.
I’m very glad I had this experience. I’ve now decide not to eat meat unless I’m in a place were I can trust the source and I know where the meat came from. That means as long as I’m living in the Amsterdam I wont be having meat, which I’m fine with. It’s actually been an easy decision to follow. It’s only when I think of the meat in Zimbabwe that I start to drool a little bit.
I need to get my protein so I’ve had to make compromises. I get most of my protein from fish, eggs and vegetarian meat substitutes. The fish available to me is farmed but it’s a better option from a poor selection. I limit my consumption with the vegetarian meat substitutes because of the vast amount of ingredients in them and they’re highly processed.
There’s nothing wrong with eating meat (if you have different views about that I understand) but the meat industry is failing us. We are being feed meat that has been caged it whole life, feed food it’s not meant to be eating and pumped with chemicals to speed up its growth process. The animals are sick and unhealthy and that’s what’s going into our bodies.
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