Some “Food for Thought”

I have been in Hanoi 5 weeks today. It is pretty crazy how fast the time goes when you are constantly busy writing your thesis and working on the project with your host organisation. I decided the day that I left Ireland that I would set myself the challenge of eating as little meat as possible while in Vietnam. I done it for three reasons.

1. Because I am not going to lie, I was a little apprehensive as I had heard horror stories from friends who had travelled in these regions. However, in my time spent here the meat seems to be grand, it is cooked well and the people eating it are thoroughly enjoying it.

2. For health reasons. I have been reading up about how lowering/eliminating your meat intake can significantly reduce your cholesterol levels and problems relating to heart disease later on in life. There is whole world of articles/books/studies about the benefits of lowering/eliminating meat out of your diet that are just waiting to be read. Some I agree with, some I don’t, but I am not a nutritionist all I know is how the change in diet has affected me- and it is good to be honest!

3. For environmental health reasons. We are reading everyday about the countless damaging effects that agriculture and intensification of farming systems are having on the environment. This is especially true in respect of the resources used (water, land, deforestation etc.) for livestock production. However, there are so many articles/books/studies out there with interesting controversial topics such as “Why the debate between vegan and meat-eaters is pointless.” Link: https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/health-and-wellness/why-the-debate-between-vegans-and-meat-eaters-is-pointless-20190312-p513hm.html or “If you want to save the world, veganism isn’t the answer.” Link: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/aug/25/veganism-intensively-farmed-meat-dairy-soya-maize

Not eating meat has influenced me to choose veggie or vegan restaurants to eat in while I have been here which has resulted in me trying a whole myriad of new foods that I would not have chosen before. Will I stay vegetarian when I get back to Ireland? I doubt it, but I will definitely be more inclined to eat less meat. I have found that in reality I am not missing anything on my plate without meat and that you can have delicious meals while also providing benefits for your body and your environment.