As if Bolivia wasn’t troubled enough as one of South America’s only two landlocked countries, now it has a whole new problem with the onset of veganism. If you know a vegan or vegetarian, the odds are that you have heard of a strange little plant called quinoa.

Quinoa is a plant often mistaken as a grain, but it is nothing of the sort. Related to the beet, it has been hailed as a superfood because it is so rich in protein. All this is good and well because we know how nutrient-deficient vegans are. And in fact, this should also be good and well for the Bolivians because this superfood is only found in the Andes. In theory, exports of this crop should bring a new source of income to the poor Bolivian economy.

Unfortunately, these bloodthirsty (not animal blood) vegans can’t be sated by just supplementing their food with quinoa. Their demand of this superfood has driven the price of quinoa so high that the poor Bolivian people who rely upon this food can’t even afford it. Keep in mind, these are people who would eat meat if they had the choice. Vegans, on the other hand, do have a choice. They could eat meat, but choose instead to eat quinoa. And that choice has lead to malnourishment for the Bolivians. When the prices of quinoa are too high, they turn to rice and white bread, which are quite lacking in nutrients. Sure, some of this has to do with taste, but the cost of quinoa these days certainly doesn’t help.

So, vegans, is it worth giving up meat at the expense of the health of people in Bolivia? I don’t know about you, but the exploitation of people in a third world South American country just doesn’t seem worth it to me.

(via New York Times and DCo1)

Apparently in South America, there is no need for Viagra. According to Argentinian President Cristina Fernandez, all it takes is some porking…err…pork. The Cleveland Reader reports that, “…she spent a satisfying weekend with her husband after eating barbecued pork.”

She thinks it tastes a lot nicer than a Viagra pill and I’ve never heard of anyone having a 10-hour hard-on after chowing on some pig.

Argentina is much better known for their beef and lamb, but pork could gain some headway with the huge endorsement from Fernandez.

So for trying her best to help the pork industry and having some great time with her husband after eating pig, Cristina Fernandez, you are a true Unvegan Hero!

(via The Cleveland Leader)

If you live in Argentina, Bife de Lomo isn’t exactly a strange meat, but anyone traveling there from the US is bound to find this cut of beef strange. No, it isn’t from some strange part of the cow, and is in fact essentially the same as a Filet Mignon, but this Argentinian beef should never be confused with the typical Filet Mignon. Weighing in at at least 12 ounces, this beef simply melts in your mouth, saving you all the annoying time associated with chewing and allows you to get more meat in your mouth faster.

Perhaps even more impressive than the size is the fact that they are able to cook this meat so perfectly. roksa. Considering this beef is 1 1/2 – 2 inches, thick, you might expect this to be completely raw inside. Thankfully the Argentinians have figured out how to cook it just right.

This particular Bife de Lomo comes from a restaurant called Happening in Puerto Madera, Buenos Aires, which has a great view of the Rio de la Plata.

Costing about 13 bucks, this beefy feast was a steal and could be found even cheaper in other parts of Buenos Aires. Not only was it a great price on its own, but since it was so big, it provided the meat for steak sandwiches the following day.

Stranger meats can certainly be found in Argentina, but Bife de Lomo is one worth eating again and again.