brown thomas goes fur free (1 Viewer)

[broken arm]

Farming Mink for the purposes of producing luxury goods was ill-advised. They are nasty little creatures, harmful to our ecosystem. Whether they escaped or were set free by 'well-meaning' activists they caused a lot of damage and most of them had to die anyway, but without being put to any use. Our dog bashed one to a bloody pulp against a tree trunk after catching it killing our chickens.

i noticed an article on UK indymedia about some activists released 20, 000 mink from a farm in Northern Spain. Some people replied and pointed out that they are likely to be american mink which are a threat to european mink which are on the endangered list.


Guide to vegan proteins

Here's a quick run-down of foods that are high in protein, as well as a few suggestions on how to make the most of them.
Grains, cereals, rice and wheat protein

Grains: Wheat (whole, cracked, bulgar, flakes, bran, germ, semolina, couscous, faro, spelt), amaranth, buckwheat, barley, corn (or maize - sweetcorn, popcorn, polenta), millet, sorghum, oats, rye, quinoa, wild rice
Find out more about grains and cereals.
Non-dairy 'dairy' products

Non-dairy soya milks, almond milks and oat or rice milks can be used in place of animal milk on cereal and in baked goods, shakes and sauces. Many varieties are fortified with calcium and other nutrients and some are low-fat. There are many soy-based cheeses, including the latest ranges which melt in a similar way to cheese made from animal milk.
Nuts and seeds

Nuts: almonds, brazil nuts, cashew nuts, coconuts, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, peanuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, sweet chestnuts, walnuts
Seeds: poppy, pumpkin, sesame, sunflower, linseeds (flax seeds)
Linseeds are a particularly good source of an essential fatty acid (called a-linolenic acid) that is important to proper nerve function and can help reduce the symptoms of arthritis and heart disease. Find out more about nuts and seeds.
Pulses

Peas, beans, lentils
Use super-nutritious pulses - fresh, dried or canned - as the basis for a host of satisfying dishes. Find out more about pulses.
Tempeh

Tempeh is a fermented soya bean paste with a chewy texture and distinctive flavour, and can be used as a meat substitute in recipes. It may be deep-fried, shallow-fried, baked or steamed. It is normally sold frozen. In no circumstances should it be re-frozen if previously defrosted.
Textured vegetable protein

Textured vegetable protein (TVP) is soya flour that's been processed and dried. A substance with a sponge-like texture, TVP is available either cut into small chunks or ground into granules which resemble minced beef, and can be flavoured to resemble meat. It's prepared simply by mixing with water or vegetable stock and leaving to stand for a few minutes, after which it may be incorporated into recipes as a meat substitute. Soya protein is also available incorporated into vegetarian burgers, sausages, and canned foods. As well as being a good source of fibre and high-quality protein, TVP is fortified with vitamin B12.
Tofu

Tofu (or soybean curd) is a culinary marvel. Although on its own it tastes rather bland, it easily picks up flavours from other ingredients used in cooking. Tofu is also available ready-flavoured - smoked, spiced or marinated. It is available in firm, soft or 'silken' textures. Tofu is high in protein, vitamins, calcium and other minerals, and is cholesterol-free. Firm tofu is best used as a meat substitute and the softer tofu can be used to make salad dressings, dips and pâtés, puddings, pie fillings, etc. For an extra-chewy, meaty texture, freeze it first, defrost and cook.
Wheat protein

A useful ingredient for vegans is wheat protein, sometimes called seitan, which is derived from wheat gluten (the protein part of the flour). The gluten is extracted from wheat and then processed to resemble meat. It is more similar to meat in texture than textured vegetable protein and is used as a meat substitute in a range of foods. It is naturally low in fat and can be roasted, baked, stir-fried, stewed or used in sandwiches. For 'die-hards', add lettuce and tomato for an 'SLT'. Look out for wheat protein in health food stores.
Baking without eggs

Egg 'replacers' are available mainly from health food shops and some larger supermarkets. If you cannot locate any, make a homemade substitute by mixing 1 heaped tbsp of soya flour or cornstarch plus 2 tbsp water for each egg in your normal recipe. If a recipe calls for an egg to 'bind' the ingredients, try using 25g of mashed tofu instead.
To find recipes based on these ingredients and others, search our recipe database.




http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/vegetarian_and_vegan/veganproteins.shtml

 

[Squiggle]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/vegetarian_and_vegan/veganproteins.shtml

Nuts and seeds as a protein source, great. Soy, not for me thanks, ironically:

Soybeans also contain potent enzyme-inhibitors. These inhibitors block uptake of trypsin and other enzymes which the body needs for protein digestion. Normal cooking does not de-activate these harmful antinutrients, which can cause serious gastric distress, reduced protein digestion and can lead to chronic deficiencies in amino acid uptake.

http://www.healingdaily.com/detoxification-diet/soy.htm


For a while soy was tested as a food source for cattle, perhaps some farmers still use it, we stopped because the cattle did much better on just grass.

 

[MDR]

Mink to make the boys wink

 

[broken arm]

http://www.healingdaily.com/detoxification-diet/soy.htm

there are many issues with soy - who knows wha!

Soy protein products can be good substitutes for animal products because, unlike some other beans, soy offers a "complete" protein profile. Soybeans contain all the amino acids essential to human nutrition, which must be supplied in the diet because they cannot be synthesized by the human body. Soy protein products can replace animal-based foods--which also have complete proteins but tend to contain more fat, especially saturated fat--without requiring major adjustments elsewhere in the diet.

http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2000/300_soy.html

Countries that have a high intake of soy in their diet tend to have much lower rates of prostate cancer and other types of cancers, compared with countries where soy intake is fairly low.

The protection against cancer may come from phyto-oestrogens in soy. Phyto-oestrogens are chemicals found in plant foods (phyto means 'plant'). They are similar to the female sex hormone oestrogen. There are different types of phyto-oestrogens. Some are found in soya bean products. Others are found in the fibre of whole grains, fruit, vegetables and flax seed. Milk may also contain phyto-oestrogens, but this depends on what the cows have been eating!

http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/help/default.asp?page=5702#soy

 

[Lolo]

I was talking about the furry-leathery can of worms with another veggie the other night, it's a weird one...

I have a strict veggie diet, and I don't buy new leather products (which believe me is a big sacrifice, seeing as my fella gets staff discount in Office), but I don't mind wearing shoes made out of a cow that died in 1978. Especially if I buy them in a charity shop and the money goes to a worthy cause rather than the leather industry.

But I can't bring myself to wear 2nd-hand fur. Why not? Is it the fact that it still resembles the animal it used to be, a lot more than a leather shoe resembles a cow? I don't know why I discriminate between the 2, but I do.

The other veggie won't wear leather at all, but then she will eat yoghurt with gelatine in it, which I could never do. But is there a difference, or am I completely deluding myself?

 

[JohnnyRaz]

Here was me hoping that this thread was about the dollybirds working in bt shaving off their minges for charity or something.
but no, more serious debate.
bah. im going back to the kathy french thread

 

[subbuteo !]

[

It started off as a fairly poverty stricken last resort during harsh Chinese winters to eat your dog, but people do it for the laugh now.

its not the fact its dogs its just the treatment they get it was in response to someone saying we should look to china i don't think thats what we should aspire to.from an animal rights point of view.from a recipe point of view yes! (and don't post one of dog soup to easy)

[

Animal rights there are like potato rights here. Pick 'em, peel 'em and 'boil em.

my point


[

I was in a dog restaurant once. It smells like mutton. Couldn't bring myself to eat it though. I had pork instead which tastes like human. The smell of cooked dog made me yak a little.

so pork taste like chicken now because humans taste like chicken well the small ones anyway.

[

Seriously though.
That's a deadly trailer.
Any idea when it hits the cinemas?

its out for christmas market i think its going to be rte's new willie wonka.picture it christmas day people full of every type of food/choclates etc and "oh whats on the tv."

 

[CitySickness]

Being concerned about animal welfare is very much a first world luxury though. Not that it's a bad thing that it happens here, but (to wildly generalise) the poorer the country, the less of a fuck they give about casually brutalising animals, because they have other more human-based priorities to focus on.

Again, just to stress I DO think it's cool that our furry frères get proper consideration, but our sentimental priorities can be shamefully out of whack sometimes - cf. the 700 hours of debate on the fox hunting issue in the British parliament vs. the 7 hours spent on debating the Iraq war.

 

[magicbastarder]

cf. the 700 hours of debate on the fox hunting issue in the British parliament vs. the 7 hours spent on debating the Iraq war.

but level of controversy does not equate with level of support. the more support for a bill, the less debate there is likely to be.

 

[broken arm]

Being concerned about animal welfare is very much a first world luxury though.

not true.

 

[CitySickness]

but level of controversy does not equate with level of support. the more support for a bill, the less debate there is likely to be.

My point: it was unnecessary to spend that long debating such a marginal issue.

 

[subbuteo !]

Being concerned about animal welfare is very much a first world luxury though. Not that it's a bad thing that it happens here, but (to wildly generalise) the poorer the country, the less of a fuck they give about casually brutalising animals, because they have other more human-based priorities to focus on.

not sure how to put this ...i don't think its that easy.i think in some ways people in richer countries are less likely to give a shit because of the way they get their 30 second sausages from tesco. where johnny poor lad who depends on his few cows or what ever has a much closer/different relationship with the animals.there so many more factors than just a countries/persons wealth.

 

[CitySickness]

I'd argue that if you're scrabbling for a living, animal welfare generally takes a firm back seat to immediate-family welfare. How could it not?

 

[broken arm]

I'd argue that if you're scrabbling for a living, animal welfare generally takes a firm back seat to immediate-family welfare. How could it not?

what about those rich pricks lashing foxes out of it?

money doesn't dictate cruelty.

 

[Buzzo]

That's cool that Brown Thomas aren't selling fur anymore.

'Marks & Spencers goes Meat Free'......

 

[Squiggle]

I'd argue that if you're scrabbling for a living, animal welfare generally takes a firm back seat to immediate-family welfare. How could it not?

Spoken like a true city boy. We had pretty bad years on the farm. The cattle had warmer beds than we had many winters, and more food to eat. If your livelihood depends on those animals you treat them better than you do your family if you have any sense. A dead animal has little value.

 

[CitySickness]

what about those rich pricks lashing foxes out of it?

money doesn't dictate cruelty.

Those rich pricks are in a minority. As are vegans in Sao Paolo, I'd guess.

 

[CitySickness]

Spoken like a true city boy. We had pretty bad years on the farm. The cattle had warmer beds than we had many winters, and more food to eat. If your livelihood depends on those animals you treat them better than you do your family if you have any sense. A dead animal has little value.

Spoken like a true country girl. My family are farmers, by the way, and not the fragrant rich sort either. So what you've just argued is that yizzers only looked after the animals because you needed them to survive. That's animal welfare by neccessity. Which doesn't translate terribly well to the urban poor, or to beef farmers.

 

[broken arm]

Those rich pricks are in a minority. As are vegans in Sao Paolo, I'd guess.

Sao Paolo and Everywhere else.

is Ahimsa a first world concept?

 

[CitySickness]

Isn't Ahimsa a religious stipulation, and besides, one that originates from a time when there wasn't really such a thing as a first/developing world?

Anyway, you think people's attitude to animals is strictly cultural then, and nothing to do with poverty or affluence?