Growing up, I’ve never been a fan of salads. I was nicknamed “The Picky Eater.” One thing I hated was vegetables. I am my mom’s last child, so it was easy for me to get my wants. At first, she went easy on me, but soon enough, my last-born potion finished, and she realized that I wasn’t ready to change. Then, she made a strict rule specifically for her favorite last child: vegetables or nothing. She’d always tell my siblings and me that vegetables are good food and that they make you healthier. I started eating cooked vegetables when prepared in soup, but one thing I couldn’t even try swallowing, even if I wanted to, was salad. Everyone in my family, except me, loves salad. I am the black sheep.
In January, I read a post on Instagram about how your taste buds change as you grow older. I thought of salad and wondered if my taste buds would have changed towards it. So, I went out to the nearest restaurant and bought the smallest size. At first, I was skeptical about it, but in the end, my curiosity got the better of me. They packaged the salad in a small container. It wasn't until I paid for it that I realized that I would regret my actions. I got home, sat down and prepared for the moment of truth. Ta da ta ta da dannn! Immediately I took the first bite, I realized that nothing had changed. I still couldn’t eat it. At that moment, I wondered how vegans cope and how I’d be able to survive if I went vegan.
I am not a vegan. Whether you consume meat or not, it is all up to your life choices. We all have different tastes, and I respect that. One man’s food is another man’s poison. This means that what you like and treasure the most might be another person’s trash. One thing about vegans, especially vegan activists, is that they always try to force people to join them. What they do not understand is that you cannot promote something you love with hate. Just because you are a vegan doesn’t mean you must force others to do the same. It is like saying “Oh man, I love chocolate, and every other person who loves other flavors are monsters.
This morning, I came across a video on Facebook about a toxic vegan who has taken veganism to another level. That Vegan Teacher is all over the internet, calling people out, including celebrities like Gordon Ramsey, for their “bad eating habits.” She also says that she’d be happy if non-vegans died. Again, this is not how to promote something you love. You don’t force people, you encourage them. If you force them, you are only pushing them away.
In my country, I don’t think there are many vegans. If there are any, they are few in numbers and they don’t go around talking about it all day. I have never attempted to go vegan. I consume dairy products, and I enjoy them. However, that’s where I draw the line. I know some people eat cats, dogs, and other “uneatable” animals. Even though I am not a vegan, I understand that there are limits to these things.
In my opinion, I don’t think going vegan is a healthier way of living. One of the disadvantages of going vegan is that it denies your body the necessary nutrients. I understand that vegetables are also loaded with nutrients that are good for our bodies, but they are just not enough to keep us going. In the same vein, we cannot survive solely on eating dairy products. It is best to do both. That way, we get the necessary nutrients that our bodies need.
In conclusion, don’t be a toxic activist. Don’t be like ThatVeganTeacher. Just because someone does not support your ways of living doesn’t make them bad people. Just because some people are non-vegans doesn’t make them monsters.
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Thanks for reading.
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