About Author

Ian

London. Formerly known as New Media. Vegan since 1992.
Comments (2)
  1. Tanya&Dawn (@ProgressKitch) (reply)

    August 10, 2013 at 04:56

    I am really looking forward to this episode! … so far, here’s my take on it: I don’t dis palm oil to newbs. On balance, I feel like if that’s what it takes to convince you to ditch dairy, do it! Buy the Earth Balance (or whatever), and let’s revisit the issue later (once you’re happily navigating the world as a vegan creature). BUT THEN — let’s talk! Because like meat or dairy or high fructose corn syrup, it seems to cause problems and we have no nutritional need for it… I make some really easy vegan butter that I like as well as EB, and cutting palm oil automatically cuts processed food that I don’t need to eat anyway — I don’t think it’s technically ‘not vegan,’ but it seems to do a lot of harm in the world; and I don’t need it… so I don’t eat it.

    Some time ago I wrote this article, and it still sums up my approach to the palm oil issue: http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2012/04/03/palm-oil-orangutan-extinction-and-vegan-butter-recipes-that-contribute-to-neither/ … but I’m open. My opinion is certainly subject to (evidence based) change; but so far, I see no reason to support the palm oil industry and many reasons not to do so…

    So I’ll be listening eagerly to this episode, and thank you for organizing my improved access to expanded information on this topic! 🙂

    Oh, also, if anyone wants the easy vegan butter recipe: http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2013/05/13/reader-recipe-vegan-butter/

    Thanks, & I look forward to listening!
    –Tanya/ progressivekitch.com

  2. Tanya&Dawn (@ProgressKitch) (reply)

    August 10, 2013 at 05:01

    Oh, also, I forgot to say: I think ‘dairy vs palm oil’ is a red herring — we don’t need either! So I don’t care which does relatively more or less harm… yes, I agree dairy probably does more harm than palm oil, overall; but… so what?! why would that mean I’d want to eat palm oil? It’s not an either/ or situation, since we don’t need to consume either one.

    Any cheap monocropped thing probably deserves suspicion, in terms of environmental degradation and crap-food ingredient-ness, imo, and if I don’t need it + it does significant harm + it’s easy to avoid… I’ll prolly pass.

    Ok, thanks, that’s all I’ve got!*

    *(for now) 😉

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