Are you vegan?

[Ame568]

I heard someone say that being vegan for a long time should be a symptom of autism (I couldn't tell if she was joking/partially joking or not) and it just made me feel uneasy and wanted to know how many autistic people on here are vegan. I probably shouldn't add this but I want to, I am not a vegan or vegetarian, I hate the feel, smell and taste of most veggies and fruits; I cannot make myself like it no matter how hard I try.

 

[Progster]

Not a vegan, but very often eat vegan food. I actually prefer it to meat. I don't like the texture of meat and won't eat it unless all the fat and gristle and other icky bits have been cut away.

 

[Ken]

I have been totally vegan since 1989.

No, it definitely has nothing to do with autism. I know lots of people who are vegan, many since birth, who are not autistic. I know of hundreds of NT vegans.

I originally became vegan for health reasons. Long story, but the switch saved my life. Now I can't imagine eating anything that came from or had anything to do with another animal. Just the thought is too gross for me.

 

[330]

I am vegetarian/ mostly.
on special occasions I may eat some fish .

 

[Sablerose]

I eat vegan and vegetarian most but not all the time because I feel in old age its harder to digest meats and I only will eat hamburger or chicken, maybe sausage (mild) and yes on the bad for you bacon but that's a rare treat, you can do fine with veggie proteins. But like Progster said all fat and gristle has to be gone on meats or just no, i can't help it

 

[NDR2]

I’ve been a vegan since I was 16. It’s mainly for ethical reasons.

 

[GrownupGirl]

No I'm an omnivore and have been one my whole life. If someone wants to be vegan, that's their business but the extremeness of some animal "rights" activists like That Vegan Teacher and PETA are terrible. I hate even seeing PETA on bottles of shampoo. I'm glad that animals weren't harmed to make it but why does PETA have to have their logo on the bottle? How do I even know animals weren't harmed, anyway, they could be completely lying.

 

[Slime_Punk]

I'm not a vegan, but I go on stints with the plant-based diet often enough to be confused as one. Sometimes I go months and months without consuming meat, although lately it has really impacted my workout recovery.

 

[Gerontius]

Not a vegan, but I do understand where they are coming from. I am trying to eat less chicken specifically because I think chickens should be treated better. The same applies to all other animals.

 

[Shevek]

I grew up on a beef farm, so I knew what was in the cheap packages after I left. Then, at 11:50 PM, Dec. 31, 1969, I remembered that I hadn't made any new year's resolutions. I'd met one vegetarian, and always wondered how he sat down to a plate with peas, potatoes, and a blank space. So, I resolved to find out. It turned out great.

 

[Darkkin]

No. I would starve. I'm way too texture sensitive. Things like dairy and fish are primary sources of protein. And yes, I know soybeans also provide complete amino acids, but I cannot get past the textures. (I can't have peanut butter or plain eggs because those are guaranteed to trigger my angina. It isn't worth the pain.) I prefer my fruits (all) and(most) vegetables raw.

I grew up around working dairy farms (both sets of grandparents). So I like milk, meat, and cheese. Zero tolerance issues (that handy northern European descent legacy).

I don't eat a lot of meat, (chicken, pork, beef), but I do occasionally like a good cheeseburger. Small portions on an infrequent basis...my big vice is carbohydrates.

 

[Shevek]

Meat was the health food of the stone age, before trade and preservation. Vegans are over-represented at the Olympics, and under-represented in hospitals and morgues. Now, that traditional diet is also causing the sixth great extinction event.

 

[Outdated]

I'm most definitely a meat eater. It's the way I was brought up, people used to grow and hunt a lot more of their own food than we do today. When I was a little kid we bred ducks, the next door neighbour bred chooks and the bloke over the back fence used to go out trapping rabbits and we all played swaps to vary our diet. That was also supplemented with fish and yabbies from the river.

So I grew up killing and cutting up my own food and I have no problem with that. I also do not accept and will stand up against anyone being cruel to animals, that's just sick. I think that's mostly people that have only ever seen meat in shops and grew up having no relationship with animals.

I like my vegetables too but I very rarely have a meal without meat. I'm not so keen on salads though.

 

[Luca]

I'm most definitely a meat eater. It's the way I was brought up, people used to grow and hunt a lot more of their own food than we do today. When I was a little kid we bred ducks, the next door neighbour bred chooks and the bloke over the back fence used to go out trapping rabbits and we all played swaps to vary our diet. That was also supplemented with fish and yabbies from the river.

So I grew up killing and cutting up my own food and I have no problem with that. I also do not accept and will stand up against anyone being cruel to animals, that's just sick. I think that's mostly people that have only ever seen meat in shops and grew up having no relationship with animals.

I like my vegetables too but I very rarely have a meal without meat. I'm not so keen on salads though.

Very well-said. Same for me.

Meat, dairy and seafood account for most of my diet although I do love fruits and vegetables too, and I’m not opposed to eating food that’s made for vegans and vegetarians. I especially love pizza made from cauliflower.

Don’t be fooled by PETA and the (US) Humane Society. They are doing terrible things for animals under wraps, ironically. Including contributing to animals being euthanized in shelters.
Some shelters kill dogs in gas chambers. I’m not making this up!

 

[Fino]

I was vegan for a year.

 

[kenaij]

I`m not vegan but I do eat significantly less animal based foods than the average Dutch person. I might consume some kind of meat 4/7 days a week. But when making a pasta, rice based meal or whatever I usually take what is considered a 1 person portion and put it in for a family of 4. I believe there are certain nutrients we need from animal based products that we don`t absorb from suppliments or plant based foods well enough.

The animal products (mostly beef and eggs) I buy are usually from animals of which they claim had a good life. I have for a very long time bought beef that came from cows who could roam freely and every ones in a while one was shot because there were no natural predators around.
FREE Nature | Foundation for Restoring European Ecosystems if any Dutch readers are interested.

Personally I do not mind an animal needs to be killed in order for us to eat it. What I do care about is them having a good life until they die.

 

[autism-and-autotune]

I'm not a vegan, but I've been a vegetarian for the better part of almost five years.

 

[ra49]

Vegetarian since 2005 for my faith and never regretted (altho I was raised to hunting, fishing, and killing).

Not quite vegan as I still have a couple of eggs a week and cheese occasionally - having read the packages, not sure vegan cheese is even "real food"

 

[lovely_darlingprettybaby]

I heard someone say that being vegan for a long time should be a symptom of autism (I couldn't tell if she was joking/partially joking or not) and it just made me feel uneasy and wanted to know how many autistic people on here are vegan. I probably shouldn't add this but I want to, I am not a vegan or vegetarian, I hate the feel, smell and taste of most veggies and fruits; I cannot make myself like it no matter how hard I try.

I always could not understand vegan how people made vegetables have flavour and what you were supposed to do eat a big plate of vegetables.
But I could never cook meat and I was like wow meat is really weird because that is supposed to be food and taste good? Like a big piece of meat and vegetables tho, that is supposed to be tasty and food each time?
I was like animals have feelings and plants do not isn't it cruel to eat animals and not very tasty either with blood, veins etc. I swear I used to eat chicken and find veins so disgusting. Like grizzle and veins and blood. I'm like undercook meat and you eat blood, overcook it and it dries out.
No I have found pasta and vegetables and all kinds of vegetarian dishes like veggie patties and I like tofu as well and you can make veggie stir fry with rice and noodles.
And I like vegan chocolate and cheese and milk better, less hormones than in dairy.

 

[330]

Vegetarian since 2005 for my faith and never regretted (altho I was raised to hunting, fishing, and killing).

Not quite vegan as I still have a couple of eggs a week and cheese occasionally - having read the packages, not sure vegan cheese is even "real food"

Same here I have archery hunted for many years . And have killed animals for my own food. I never hunted for sport .

Most people who go to store and buy packaged dead animals don’t understand the profound importance of looking in the eyes of the animal that you killed , while they are dying they look at you, I don’t like looking anything in the eyes but in this moment nature forces you to do this and come to terms with your actions , this is reality and not a burger commercial. It’s my opinion all meat eaters should do this a few times in their life.And most animal lovers have never experienced this . It’s a contradiction, in my opinion.

I have no problems with people eating meat . But to be calling oneself an animal lover is kind of odd. Should maybe be rephrased as “ I like certain animals”not all obviously. I came the realization for myself and evaluated my hypocrisy . why should I be prejudice towards certain animals and eat them and love other animals . I don’t accept prejudice from humans why should I be that way towards other creatures.

my family has a history of heart disease and a rare cancer gene that gets triggered by eating too much meat . So when I put my cat Alley to rest , her eyes were the same as the many deer I have killed and ate. It was in that moment , my stomach started feeling sick about meat .
plus the texture I never liked much .

Sorry if anyone is offended. But I am glad I know how to hunt , skin and butcher an animal if need be .

And glad I am vegetarian for my health, which is the other reason I did it. My arthritis has dissipated greatly, my knee and neck pain are gone . I don’t have to take blood pressure medication anymore , my cholesterol is normal now all from cutting out meat in my diet. I know everyone is different. But this my my experience unique to me