I have been an omnivore for the first four decades of my life. My immigrant parents raised my siblings and me to view meat as a luxury item, especially steak. I recall how once a week, my mom would grill two slabs of 12oz ribeye steak to feed the five of us. My dad would encourage us to eat the marbled pieces of fat (“it’s the best part!”) and would often highlight the fact that we were so lucky to enjoy something that he could rarely eat back in Vietnam. As a child, I formed this belief that eating meat meant being wealthy. Wealthy people eat meat, because they can afford it.
Fast forward a few decades, and now I am in my 40s, wealthier than I have ever been, living in a country where I can live a life of luxury. So why did I decide to, among all things, become a vegetarian? Why give up meat?
This post lays out the beliefs that I now have around my vegetarian diet. I did not write this to encourage others to become plant-based too, but rather to affirm for myself why I choose this diet and why it works for me.
Reason #1: Health
Vegetarian diet is healthier for me
I know how I am going to die. After age 40, the most likely cause of death among American males is heart disease, followed by stroke. On top of this, I have family history of heart disease and stroke. Among my seven uncles on my Dad’s side, five of them have had a heart attack or stroke, few of them having more than one occurrence. Sure, a big part of this chronic health conditions were caused by the high stress, over-drinking, and smoking habits among my uncles – but I am certain that their heavy-meat-based diets didn’t help.
I have seen my cholesterol levels been abnormally high in my 30s. Despite my best efforts of reducing red meat, bacon, fried foods, shrimp, etc. my LDL levels (the “bad” cholesterol) remained >100. That’s why for the past few years, I have been taking medication to reduce these levels – and tolerating the muscle soreness as a side effect.
Not to glorify the plant-based or vegan diet, but so many studies have shown that all other things being equal (e.g., hereditary, exercise), a plant-based diet leads to lower cholesterol, lower saturated fat, etc. — thereby reducing my risk of heart disease or stroke. My diet’s higher levels of fiber, anti-oxidants, and naturally-embedded vitamins and minerals certainly don’t hurt too.
One concern that I have had around adopting a vegetarian diet: weight and muscle loss. I have a long history of being skinny; for almost all of my adult life, I have weighed around 155-165 pounds. Vegetables have definitely less calories than meat, so would I lose even more weight? How I overcame this myth is 1) eating more often, usually eating five meals a day to offset this caloric difference in diets, and 2) focusing my diet on high-protein portions, such as beans, tofu, and the daily soy or pea protein shakes in order to promote muscle growth and retention.
Disclaimer: I’m not a vegan. I still eat eggs and cheese. And I’m not a 100% vegetarian either. I have my occasional cheat days, when I indulge in a shrimp maki roll or eat some fresh oysters at a Michelin-star restaurant. The older that I am, the more I believe in direction, not absolutes. For me, it’s about making healthy choices – and almost all of the time now, I choose to eat vegetables or I buy only vegetables for myself from the supermarket. But I’m still human, and I may slip and eat a little meat when the options are limited.
Reason #2: Ethics
Vegetarian diet protects animals and the environment
For the better part of my life, I admittedly turned a blind eye to what happened behind the scenes to serve that ribeye steak for dinner, or that double double I ordered from In N Out, or that half-off bucket of Popeye’s chicken on Tuesdays. And I’m not just talking about the slaughterhouse. I’m talking about the sheer scale of operations to feed the U.S. demand for beef, pork, and chicken. Acres and acres of commercial facilities for raising livestock. And it’s only until recently (watching You Are What You Eat on Netflix) when I saw the horrid conditions of how cattle, pigs, and chicken are raised. Yes, I believe these animals can experience cruelty. Yes, I believe that almost all of the current living conditions that these animals are forced into (e.g., small spaces, no freedom to roam, high caloric meals) are a form of cruelty. And yes, I believe that by eating meat, I am supporting the demand for this industry’s product, and thereby financially funding its ongoing viability.
By reducing my animal intake, sure it’s a drop in the bucket to global consumption (or more like a water molecule on that drop). But if you count up all the meat I otherwise would have eaten, and if I think about all of the cows, pigs, and chicken that may amount to, and that my decision to be a vegetarian spared these animals from a life of cruelty – then I think that’s enough. That’s meaningful for me. I am making a difference.
The environmental benefits to a plant-based diet are quite clear. Forgoing meat translates to reduction in carbon emissions (driven significantly by cattle’s methane production), water pollution, and deforestation. For more, read this article.
Reason #3: Delicious
Vegetarian diet is as delicious and diverse as it has ever been
It’s truly a remarkable time to eat plant-based dishes – like a renaissance full of innovation, creativity, and joy. Just a trip down the supermarket aisle (now, it doesn’t even need to be at a Whole Foods) would reveal an ever-evolving plant-based palette of dishes to savor – Impossible and Beyond burgers, Bratwursts, Meatballs, Pork belly, etc – on top of the vegetarian staples from so many different cultures: Japanese miso ramen and vegetable gyoza, Italian margherita pizza and penne arrabiata, Mediterranean falafel and hummus, Vietnamese spring rolls and lemongrass stir fry, etc. List goes on and on.
Thailand is a culinary epicenter of delicious vegetarian food. With its Buddhist roots (monks eating only vegan dishes) and its broad spectrum of ingredients (e.g., sour from lime, tamarind, etc; sweet from palm and coconut; salty from pastes and soy; spicy from chilis and pepper), the vegetarian dishes I have found here are complex and flavorful. To give you a sample of some of these dishes: Pineapple fried rice, sizzling platter of tofu and peppers, green curry with roti, and of course – mango sticky rice. And it’s not like I have to be in a hipster corner of Bangkok to find these plates; they’re pretty much offered at any Thai restaurant and night market.
Reason #4: Affordable
Vegetarian diet is lighter on my wallet
This is best shown with some price comparisons at some of my favorite omnivore-menu restaurants here in Chiang Mai (converted to USD):
- Why Not Pizza: Ricotta e Speck $10.43 vs. Margherita $6.59
- Healthy Junk: Mexican Chicken with Mango Salsa $6.28 vs Chickpea Curry Rice $3.80
- Food 4 Thought: Chicken and Brie Sandwich $6.83 vs. Avocado Egg Sandwich $5.46
- Shabugu: Short Rib slices $3.81 vs. Tofu $0.50
And the starkest difference is with restaurants that offer pretty much just beef:
- Arno’s Steakhouse: Sirloin, 6 oz, $15.65
- Gyusen Premium Yakiniku: Karubi or Harami, 5 pieces, $15.09
More affordable meals is definitely not my main reason to eat vegetarian, but it certainly helps my wallet!
Summary
As mentioned above, I didn’t write this post to try and convince others to become vegetarian. I spent the first half of my life eating plenty of steaks, burgers, and pork ribs – and enjoyed every bite. I had a net negative carbon impact with my executive role at an energy company, flying around the U.S. on commercial, and driving my gasoline-consuming cars with the A/C blasting. Given my track record, I’m an un-convincing advocate for health, animal rights and environmentalism.
But I am honest about my needs. And what I currently need right now is: to have better health; to sleep more soundly; to preserve my family’s strong financial position; and to enjoy this life I worked so hard for. And right now, being vegetarian meets these needs.
Ok, time for lunch, guys. I’m going to enjoy my stir fry tofu with holy basil 😉
~Lester T