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Dunno why this is controversial. If you need to be taking supplements to get proper nutrition, then you're not eating correctly. Simple as that. EDIT: I guess

by Zarath 8y ago

Dunno why this is controversial. If you need to be taking supplements to get proper nutrition, then you're not eating correctly. Simple as that. EDIT: I guess this only applies to Veganism.

jamesgagan 8y ago
How about adding iodine to table salt? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iodised_salt https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iodised_salt Or pregnant women taking folic acid to prevent birth defects? https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/pregnancy/folic-acid.html https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/pregnancy/fo... Or giving vitamin d to newborns? https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/breastfeeding-special-circumstances/diet-and-micronutrients/vitamin-d.html https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/breastfeeding-special-circ... Should these practices be stopped because they aren't "natural"? Are breast fed babies not "eating correctly"?
PerfectElement 8y ago
The only required supplement for vegans is B12, and that's not because of lack of meat. B12 is produced by bacteria and most of us live in sanitized environments, so there is no reliable sources of B12 any longer. It's possible that even the animals you eat are low in B12 due to cobalt deficiency in the soil[1], so I encourage you to check your levels and supplement if necessary. Also, your argument is a classic example of an appeal to nature[2]. 1: https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/livestock-biosecurity/cobalt-deficiency-sheep-and-cattle https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/livestock-biosecurity/cobalt-def... 2: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appeal_to_nature https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appeal_to_nature
- shafyy 8y ago
  Exactly. And a lot of foods you buy at grocery stores already include extra B-12 (e.g. soy/flax/oat milks, tofu, etc.)
toomanybeersies 8y ago
There's a perfectly valid argument to be made that as we are able to get full nutrition from non-animal sources, even if that requires supplementation, that it's unethical and immoral to use animals as a source of nutrition. To say "no, being a vegan is wrong because you can't get full nutrition from eating plants" is an invalid argument, because most vegans aren't arguing only on a health basis.
sridca 8y ago
A lot of things are controversial here. HN is not exactly an unbiased group. They say be nice in guidelines, and yet won't do anything about people outright accusing others in comments.

by Zarath 8y ago

Dunno why this is controversial. If you need to be taking supplements to get proper nutrition, then you're not eating correctly. Simple as that. EDIT: I guess this only applies to Veganism.

jamesgagan 8y ago

How about adding iodine to table salt? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iodised_salt https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iodised_salt Or pregnant women taking folic acid to prevent birth defects? https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/pregnancy/folic-acid.html https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/pregnancy/fo... Or giving vitamin d to newborns? https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/breastfeeding-special-circumstances/diet-and-micronutrients/vitamin-d.html https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/breastfeeding-special-circ... Should these practices be stopped because they aren't "natural"? Are breast fed babies not "eating correctly"?

PerfectElement 8y ago

The only required supplement for vegans is B12, and that's not because of lack of meat. B12 is produced by bacteria and most of us live in sanitized environments, so there is no reliable sources of B12 any longer. It's possible that even the animals you eat are low in B12 due to cobalt deficiency in the soil[1], so I encourage you to check your levels and supplement if necessary. Also, your argument is a classic example of an appeal to nature[2]. 1: https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/livestock-biosecurity/cobalt-deficiency-sheep-and-cattle https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/livestock-biosecurity/cobalt-def... 2: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appeal_to_nature https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appeal_to_nature

shafyy 8y ago
Exactly. And a lot of foods you buy at grocery stores already include extra B-12 (e.g. soy/flax/oat milks, tofu, etc.)

toomanybeersies 8y ago

There's a perfectly valid argument to be made that as we are able to get full nutrition from non-animal sources, even if that requires supplementation, that it's unethical and immoral to use animals as a source of nutrition. To say "no, being a vegan is wrong because you can't get full nutrition from eating plants" is an invalid argument, because most vegans aren't arguing only on a health basis.

sridca 8y ago

A lot of things are controversial here. HN is not exactly an unbiased group. They say be nice in guidelines, and yet won't do anything about people outright accusing others in comments.