I want to ask this in the most respectful way I can, because I always try to appreciate different points of view: why would people need an "excuse" to consume animal products? That wording sounds like you think of it as a priori a bad thing. I get my beef and pork from a farm where the animals live in fields eating wild foliage until the day they are slaughtered. Would you argue that is unethical? I intend this question in the more respectful way possible, I just want to know if vegans are aware that their are (what I think of as) ethical ways to eat meat.
Other than ethical reasons, what's the issue here?
Not being snarky; just legitimately curious. I would love to see some hard science and longitudinal studies behind the ostensible benefits of a vegan diet, or the drawbacks of a diet high -- but not overly high -- in animal protein.
I realize cooked animal protein and preserved/processed animal protein contains carcinogens, and that too much protein (regardless of source) can cause a variety of problems ranging from kidney impairment to gout. But plant-based sources have their costs as well (phytoestrogens, antinutrients, oxalates, etc.).
I've never felt better in my life, and my various lab stats have never looked better, than when I went on a Paleo-esque high fat, low carb diet that was quite rich in animal sources, but which also contained a healthful amount of vegetables (and no fruit). I took the diet as far as ketosis, and after breaking through the ramp-up hurdles, I settled into it and got into fantastic shape.
Anecdotal, yes. But I've struggled with "skinny-fatness" for much of my life, and this particular combination made a remarkable improvement on my physique without any changes in my exercise routine. Maybe my caloric consumption shifted a bit, but if anything, it probably shifted north.
As long as you get enough protein and fat. It's a lot harder to get those sources of protein and fat when you exclude meat (do-able of course but you're a lot more restricted)
And that doesn't necessarily contradict what I've said at all. You just have less choice which is an undeniable truth. The more choice you have the easier it is to stick to a particular diet, because all dieting involves reduction of choice at some level.