Monday, May 16, 2011

Misconception Monday: All Vegans Love Veggie Burgers

Don't get me wrong - I know that there are plenty of vegans who enjoy veggie burgers. I just don't happen to be one of them.


In fact, I'm just not a fan of mock meat in general. My reason is based simply on the fact that they're usually (and quite ironically) geared towards carnivores. I find that more often than not, they're made to appeal to people as if they were in fact, meat - and this is what disturbs me. If I really wanted a burger, I'd eat one. But I don't want anything that looks, tastes and has the texture of meat because personally, it grosses me out.


I was at a (mostly) vegan restaurant recently and ordered what I thought was a stirfry-type dish. I noticed chunks of an unknown substance and assumed it was tofu. I took a bite and immediately panicked because I was convinced I just ate chicken. My friend started laughing at me and reminded me they don't even serve meat. I asked her to try it and she thought it was most likely seitan. After double-checking with our server, she was right. While I know exactly what seitan is, I had always been afraid to try it for fear that it would resemble meat a little too much for my taste. And I was right because it completely weirded me out!


I understand why mock meat products are popular, I do. I get that they appeal to carnivores looking for an occasional, healthier alternative or vegetarians/vegans who may miss eating meat. They can be great for those trying to transition into a meatless lifestyle. These companies have gotten so good over the years of replicating meat that I even couldn't even tell I wasn't eating actual flesh. Much like the time I tried Gardein's Boneless Buffalo Wings. And that's exactly why I won't eat it. Haha But that's just me, because I would never, ever knock someone for eating a veggie burger instead of an animal. In fact, I'd love it if more people did!

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