Vegetarians, would you eat meat made in a lab?

[Anjaa]

I just saw on the news that they have been able to make meat using cow stem cells by turning them into muscle cells.

Vegetarians, if this technique becomes mainstream and affordable, would you eat this meat?

It is the same as the meat you can buy today but animal and ecologically friendly.

Updates

+1 y

If you say no, then why? The reason most vegetarians say they are vegetarians is because of animal rights and the environment. So why not if it is grown in a lab?

[TimeAndTimeAgain]

I am surprised at the stupidity from some of the replies over here. I have nothing against vegetarians, but unless you were brought up as a vegetarian and never had meat, you have to have a REASON that explains why you choose not to eat meat. If you fail to explain that reason properly, you WILL get classified as a pompous DUMBASS by me, because it's what you will be.

Now, my guess is that a lot of people become vegetarians because of how meat is processed nowadays. The cruelty that many of the animals get subjected to, the things that get done to the meat, etc. They become horrified by it and feel sorry for the animals, and thus they feel guilty whenever they eat meat, because they think of how that meat got to them and they don't approve of it. As a form of protest, or sometimes even due to disgust, they stop eating meat.

These kinds of vegetarians have nothing against the TASTE of meat. In fact, some even like it - perhaps even miss it. But still, they don't eat it. This question proposes a way for them to eat meat, WITHOUT putting any hardship on animals. There would be no more animal cruelty. No animals would have to DIE in order for this meat to be obtained. Therefore, if your reason for not eating meat was because you were against the process from which meat was obtained, your reason to not eat meat would no longer be valid. You would have to find a DIFFERENT reason to not eat meat. Or you'll just be stupid. What's stupid, you ask? This is stupid:

"Why don't you eat meat?"

"Because I just don't."

That's stupid. You don't want to be that. If you say you are OK with being like that, then not only are you stupid, but you're also arrogant. I actually don't know which is worse.

Now, some people become vegetarians because (according to them) they don't like the taste of meat. That may well be the case, but honestly I think they're just full of sh*t. Especially when they start preaching about how we don't really NEED meat. Yeah, bears don't eat meat either. They eat other things that don't come from animals. Try removing meat from a bear's diet and see what f***ing happens to it.

Also, newsflash for all you vegetarians out there who say we don't eat meat - the only reason we don't really need meat, is because THANKS TO SCIENCE, and a bunch of other processed sh*t, we are capable of replacing meat with other things. If you tried going back in time, and saying you don't really need meat, I regret to inform you that you would become SERIOUSLY ILL in a few weeks and possibly DIE! But of course, don't take my word for it. Think what you want.

I'm fine with vegetarians. What I'm not fine is when they start saying stupid sh*t, trying to defend their differential eating habit, as though it defines who they are as an individual. Sorry, but no.

[ElijahCynicism]

Some people do genuinely dislike meat, and yes, thanks to science they don't have to. I don't see many people that refute that, they might just not know, and if you tell them in a way where you're not being an a**hole - ie., in the heat of an argument, they'd be inclined to believe you and be thankful for that. I don't see anything wrong with that. I do agree with you, though.

[ElijahCynicism]

I suspect a lot of the argument comes from 'leave the animals ALONE'. The kind of people who won't wear woollen jumpers won't eat synthetic meat because they both come from animals in some way. That makes sense to me, that's a decent argument.

If it was up to me, I'd switch to lab meat totally, I'm not a vegetarian and I always make the joke 'I won't eat a chicken that didn't come out of a cage', ahaha, and I actually want to work in a slaughterhouse, LOLOL, so for all intents this would scour that little dream of mine. Buuuut, in the end, it's so much f***ing cooler, and it's better for everybody. As someone said below, one cell will make like a billion burgers, which amazing. A handful of cows could feed a whole country, right? That's astounding.

The people who aren't hardcore vegetarian, and are vegetarian purely because they don't like animal slaughter, who refuse to eat synthesised meat will have the same reasons as the meat-eaters who won't eat synthesised meat, who make up the VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE. I haven't paid much attention to their argument, but it mostly boils down to 'it's wrong and weird', and that genetic engineering goes against nature. Which, in my opinion, is because it's novel. Anything totally new instantly gets that abhorrent reaction, that it isn't natural, it isn't moral, and it isn't good. Essentially, 'It's got Satan in it'. I think that's silly, personally, but you have to expect that - we're xenophobes by nature. Anything strange to us, we fear. Much as the tiger gets it's heckles up when it sees a human, something unfamiliar to us is terrifying. That's why we're scared of ghosts, right? 'Waaah'. You don't see ghosts every day - if at all, depending on who you ask, right? Hahaha. So, if theoretically you do see a ghost, HOOOLLLY F*** IT'S A GHOST.

So, that's what's happening to Synthetic meat. It'll be passed around rumour and conspiracy for a while and then we'll all be cool with it, and the cows can roam free, accepting they have needles put into their ass every now and again, and then everybody eats. =]

[Strays from topic slightly...]

[gemglam]

I think the choice of not eating meat is different for ever vegetarian. Some people become vegetarians not because they think its inhumane to kill animals, some don't like the texture, some do it because of religious reasons and some have never had meat. I am not vegetarian yet but I don't eat pork of beef. And for me it was the taste of the meat turned me off of it until it started to make me sick to my stomach. I am now beginning to have that feeling for chicken. Besides they have already started cloning meat and selling it. The problem is, it is not FDA regulated and they don't have to put a special label on it to let people know which is a clone and which is from the animal itself. If you ask me food that is genetically altered or copied is a scary thought.

[Anonymous]

After looking over the responses, I gather two things from the general group of vegetarian answerers here:

1. Most don't know what the f*** a stem cell is, and

2. Most have stupid reasons for not eating meat (i.e., "it's bad for you!")

My two cents?: Meat grown in a lab that still tastes like meat but is more economically and ethically sound? Cool.

Now excuse me while I go pound down a burger... : )

[Kain6th]

Seriously anything that can produce more food for hungry people is a GOOD thing not a bad thing. These people that reject this stuff can out of luxury. When they are starving, they know they will eat this stuff.

[Opinion Owner]

Right? There are population issues as it is...why not find alternative ways to create food?

[miramiraonthewall]

i don't think you read very well or maybe I missed something. the asker was asking if we personally would eat it. nothing youve said convinces me that I personally should eat something I don't want to. lmao.

[Anonymous]

eh probably not but I may support it as an alternative for people who feel that they need some kind of meat. and yes animal and ecologically friendly are my main concerns so that would be great. :)

its not vegan if you're using animal parts to create more animal parts. so even if I chose to eat meat, unless its completely synthetic, and not derived from animal cells, then I would no longer be a vegan. lol

[dudeman]

its just as much an animal as the yeast in your vagina

[lukelearbomb]

I am no longer a vegetarian, but I was a vegetarian for a while. The reason I chose not to eat meat was because of the inhumane ways they kill animals, added to the fact that they are taking the lives of a living organism. While I still hate all of those things, I am back to eating meat because of health concerns, the fact that it won't change that animals are killed, and I just simply like the taste of meat lol.

And to answer your question... Absolutely not. No way would I have eaten that meat when I was a vegetarian. Those cells that were made in a lab were still alive, and they had to get the stem cells from a cow. So no. Even now that I am eating meat again, I probably wouldn't either because I bet it doesn't even taste good.

[Mortalgod21hfzelvqr]

I don't eat meat because I deem those animals pretty intelligent and knowing enough of what pain they go through with lotsa things.

Well, sure I'd eat this meat, because meat does taste good to me, but yes... is it really healthy?

I'd want that answered first ;).

[Anonymous]

Get used to it in the future. With the way the human population is going it is obvious that we can't farm enough food for everyone let alone the amount of land that it would require. This planet has room for 15 billion more apparently but how could you sustain that population with limited resources?

[Konnour]

Get used to the future. There will be massive famine and war which will cut down the population to the level it can be satisfied with the current resources of the planet.

Lab won't do sh*t.

[Opinion Owner]

lulz they won't be a massive famine or war. People are too scared to go to war with each other because of nukes. I doubt your interested in science or engineering hence your outlook of the future otherwise you would see the potential.

[Anonymous]

No. That's even worse to me because who knows what kind of bad effects it might have on our health. The meat today is sh*t already being full of hormones, antibiotics, fed grains and all kinds of sh*t. I've spent the last month researching both paleo and vegan diets and still don't know which is healthier, but I have no bias for either, I just want to know the healthiest. The fact is todays meat is not healthy (or at least a little bad), but I think when it was very natural it probably was ok.

I don't care for meat but I eat it like once a week. It's not much to do with animal rights for me although I'm against how most of them are treated now. I just never liked the idea of eating something that was pretty conscious and a little intelligent, something similar to me from a biological view. And then the fact that it can rot and make you sick if you don't eat it within a few hours (still applies to lab meat). My mom told me I'd spit it out when I was a kid lol.

[SlickRicky]

Vegetarians eat plants, plants are living biological organisms... so what's with all the talk of "no way if it's alive, that's wrong"? It is stupid for you to differentiate what you want to eat by whether it is living or not- EVERYTHING ON THE PLANET EARTH IS LIVING OR HAS LIVING ORGANISMS ON IT. Hell people ingest bacteria that lives in their saliva every minute of every day, but let's just make a big deal about the ones that go moo and oink

[djvtech]

It's noting to do with them being living organisms, it's the level of consciousness they have and how much they are aware of being killed. I don't think very many of them are worried about killing germs.

[SlickRicky]

SO if it's the level of consciousness then what's the problem with meat from stem cells? point proven

[ElijahCynicism]

POINT PROVEN

[wishes2remainameless]

The reason I began a vegetarian was for the health benefits. It really has an impact on blood cholesterol, blood pressure, and general cardiovascular health. So probably, it wouldn't matter (at least not to the majority of vegetarians and vegans) whether the meat was grown in a lab or harvested naturally.

[Anonymous]

Not a vegetarian but I loves me some meat. Nomnomnomnom I could go for a nice steak dinner hmm actually veal sounds good or maybe some chicken. Alas, choices choices choices. I'd eat lab meat if it was safe, you never know what things will be like in the future.

[Blubb]

No, I wouldn't. Why would I? I chose to become vegetarian for a reason.

[Anjaa]

What reason was that?

[Blubb]

Ethical, ecological, and economical consciousness.

[Anjaa]

So if this method was made with synthetic muscle cells and was cheap to buy you would eat it?

[Blubb]

No, why would I? Nobody actually NEEDS meat. We only need the proteins and the iron and such that we find in meat, and there's plenty of that stuff in all sorts of vegetables. And if it's all about the taste...I personally don't care for the taste of meat in general. Though there are many soy products that are prepared or produced in a way that makes them taste shockingly similar to meat. I myself have been told to be an excellent soy cook by the way... :)

[joshuadwa]

You're not very bright are you? If it's made from the stem cells there is no ethical concern. Since the produced meat doesn't require all the grazing and such that normal meats do, the ecological concern isn't there. Pricing remains to be seen. Yes we DO need meat. Vitamin b-12... Your body needs it right? Find me a plant that has b-12 in it.

[joshuadwa]

Vegetarians claim that eating meat is unhealthy, but what about all these chemically altered soy products and derivatives that you use to supplement your diet? That's all man made and artificial, and I prefer natural products. Look at your teeth, you have canines. You are designed to eat meat. End of story.

[TimeAndTimeAgain]

Don't waste your time with this guy. He's that kind of person who thinks he's "better" than other people, just because he doesn't eat meat. So he'll look down on everyone that does, and make up excuses just so that he can be different. You can tell he's like this by looking at his reply: "Why would I? Nobody actually NEEDS meat".

[joshuadwa]

Oh, he is one of those guys that was cool before being cool was cool?

[ElijahCynicism]

Leave the guy alone, jesus.

[gemglam]

What does it matter whether or not people choose to be vegetarian. I do agree that some vegetarians act as if they are better because they don't eat meat. But who gives a sh*t. We are all gonna die at some point so it doesn't really matter, does it. Leave the vegetarian alone and let him say what every the hell he wants

[SlickRicky]

They are criticizing him because of his ignorant statements, he tried to look smart but actually proved how stupid he was.

[Blubb]

You people are hilarious. I never said I'd have ethical concerns abou meat that comes from stem cells. I just said I don't CARE for eating meat anyway, so why would I eat it, even if it's from stem cells? I never said vegeatrians should not eat meat from stem cells. To each their own. But I don't see the point in it. At leats for me personally. And so what is your problem, guys?

[bubble_gumblonde]

I wouldn't eat it just because meat is so unhealthy for you. I've been without red meat for 9 years and it has made such a huge difference in my life. Originally I became a vegetarian for the animals, but it morphed into health reasons as well.

[SlickRicky]

It is ignorant to say "meat is so unhealthy for you" because it is simply not true. Clear example is most professional athletes in every sport ever, they are most likely in much better physical shape than most of the worlds populace and are they all vegetarians? point proven

[bubble_gumblonde]

There is no ignorance behind what I said. No need to pick a fight over it. It is a personal choice for me, and since I became a vegetarian my health has been awesome. And yes, people can eat meat, but there ARE athletes who do not eat any meat what so ever.

link

So please, keep your opinions to yourself.

[SlickRicky]

Just to clarify:

I am not picking a fight, I am just informing you that meat is not "so unhealthy for you", if it is your personal choice to believe all meat is bad for your body well that's just plain ignorance.

The athlete link you posted is pretty cool, I had no idea that some of those people were vegan and vegetarian, but I never said that all athletes eat meat, what I said and I quote is "are they all vegetarians?" .

[bubble_gumblonde]

No, I believe that fish and animals not pumped with hormones do have benefits to a human diet. Unfortunately, FDA regulation is not very strict on what hormones are put into the animals which we eat. Today's world is over processed and in another time, if I couldn't get protein in other ways, I would eat meat. I don't judge anyone who does, as I am the only one in my immediate group of family and friends who chooses not to eat it. I'm not ignorant; I hope you understand my thoughts on this.

[sooooconfused]

I used to be a vegetarian and in those days I may have but now I am trying to stay away from as much processed and engineered food as I can so even though I eat meat now, I don't think I would.

[bobbyjean]

I 'm not a vegetarian by any means but NO I wouldn't eat this meat, as for vegetarians this would defeat the purpose of becoming one in the first place, its still meat!

I think its gross! (new and exciting...test tube meat! )

[Kain6th]

Test tube meat? you need to get over that. this could potentially help feed many people who don't have much food to begin with.

[bobbyjean]

ok if you insist, there are other meat alternatives; emu, kangaroo, ostrich, alligator, moose, elk, deer, raccoon, opossum, there's really no need for this type of meat.

[ElijahCynicism]

> Ostrich farms for the English

[Kain6th]

Tell that to the starving kids in Africa. Didn't think of them did you?

[rachiee]

So the food would still come from dead animals if they're using cow stem cells...?

[Josht]

with one cow you could make a billion burgers

[rachiee]

Its still an animal. I can't take any vegetarian who would eat this serious since they're eating an animal regardless.

[Anjaa]

you can get stemcells from a cow without killing it, kind of like getting wool from a sheep, and then those cells multiply and can potentially give rise to I don't know how much meat. It sounds like a really good idea to me for future food industry.

[dudeman]

you can get stem cells from the under layer of the skin and even bone marrow add a few chemicals and they turn form plurly potent cells to totypotent

[rachiee]

Its still meat of an animal though.

[Lupianwolf]

I'll still eat normal meat, hopefully the synthetic meat can go to poorer areas

[HannahC]

eh no. I became a vegetarian to not eat that crazy weird and wrong factory farmed meat. lab meat is just as weird.

[HannahC]

damn omnivores thumbs'd me down

[Anonymous]

I would rather eat real animals that were killed the normal way.

[HannahC]

they're never killed the normal way these days

[Alpha_1]

@HannahC, What do you think Traditional Jewish Kosher meat and Islamic Halal meat is...it's animals being fed and killed in humane ways...

[Anonymous]

NOOOO, My eyes are tearing up just thinking of those poor cow stemcells.

[Opinion Owner]

:( :( :(

[LuigiisBetter]

Um, the point of being a vegetarian is not eating meat products...so no. lol

[Jo_n64]

watch this 'meat' cause cancer trolololol

[pawan_jasoria]

No, I won't, because it will still a meat,

[Anonymous]

I prefer to kill the cow and eat it.