Veganism vs. Vegetarianism: What's wrong with dairy / eggs?

[Winston]

I was wondering about something. Why do vegans refuse to eat eggs and dairy products? What is their rationale and argument behind it? Are eggs and dairy really that bad for you? Or are their claims exaggerated? Is this about health or ethics? If dairy and eggs were bad for you, why do many eat them without health repercussions? Why doesn't the FDA have warnings about them?

Is it better to be a vegan or vegetarian? What do you think?

I've drank milk my whole life and it helped me to grow faster and feel healthier. Eggs give you protein too right? What is so bad about them?

[Winston]

Here is what a vegan friend told me about my question.

Hi Winston,

Remember, Google is your friend! Just Google "Why Vegan" or something like that. There are 3 main reasons why people become vegan:

- Ethical (they don't like to cause cruelty/suffering just to eat)
- Health (they believe it is healthier)
- Religious (their religion mandates it)

I'm an ethical vegan, so the health arguments are not important to me... just a pleasant side benefit.

If you are worried about calcium, ask yourself this: Where do cows get all the calcium they need in order to grow huge bones quickly, AND provide gallons of milk every day for humans to get their calcium???

The fact is, all animal products (including milk, eggs and honey) cause suffering, cruelty and deprivation to animals somewhere down the line. Sure, have a chicken in your back yard and take the unfertilized eggs... but 99% of eggs are from battery hens. Honey belongs to bees, milk belongs to baby cows, and eggs make new chickens.

[AmericanInMexico]

I was wondering about something. Why do vegans refuse to eat eggs and dairy products? What is their rationale and argument behind it? Are eggs and dairy really that bad for you? Or are their claims exaggerated? Is this about health or ethics? If dairy and eggs were bad for you, why do many eat them without health repercussions? Why doesn't the FDA have warnings about them?

Is it better to be a vegan or vegetarian? What do you think?

I've drank milk my whole life and it helped me to grow faster and feel healthier. Eggs give you protein too right? What is so bad about them?

It is better to be a meat-eater! Vegans have the most backwards logic ever to justify their completely artificial lifestyle that does nothing but cause health problems.

Eggs are a perfect food for humans and I myself eat several every single day. There is no downside at all to egg consumption except for possible salmonella contamination, but that's why you cook them. As for the cholesterol, all I know is that despite eating several eggs a day, my cholesterol levels are so good that the doctors thought I was lying about eating as many eggs as I do. I actually tried telling my doctor "tell your patients to eat more eggs and animal fat and eat less carbohydrates and their numbers will be as good as mine" but the doctor insisted I was an idiot who had no proof. MY RESULTS WERE THE PROOF!

As for dairy, if you're lactose-intolerant then yes milk can be a problem, but then you could still always eat cheese, cream, etc. Cottage cheese in particular is a favorite food of mine. Even if not lactose-intolerant, you still want to drink no more than about half a liter of milk a day since the carb grams really do add up quickly.

As for your friend who talks about "animal cruelty", that's just the way things are. Humans are a carnivorous species and the reason we have such intelligent brains is because of our hunting origins.

[MrPeabody]

I’m a meat eater, but two months ago I went on a 10 day meditation retreat that only served vegetarian food. According to the precepts of the retreat, we were not allowed to eat anything after 12 noon. Despite that, I literally was never hungry, had more energy, needed less sleep, and it felt much better on my stomach. I would like to become vegetarian just for the health benefits, but have put it off because I don’t know how to cook.

[carlo]

It's an ethical issue. I was a vegetarian for more than 10 years, it all started after watching a news about the same slaughter house I've visited that same year (it was in 1997, I was studying agronomy). Basically I stopped eating meat as a protest, but I kept fish and eggs in my diet, so it was decently balanced. However, I'm telling you: the best diet is that one that includes everything in balanced proportions, those who say that vegetarian diets are healthier are just being cocky. It's all a question of quantities.

I've been eating meat moderately since 2010, but I just buy it to small farmers (I still refuse to give money to those sadistic big corporations).