Why are you a vegetarian?

glovepuppet

I used to hunt. I stopped killing for sport because it didn't seem that sporting. Then I stopped eating veal because it was cruel. Eventually, I realized that I couldn't justify killing something else because I like the way it tastes. Since I can live in perfect health without meat,that was what I needed to do. I limit my dairy because it's not terribly good for me (both based on studies I've seen and my own personal experiments with how I feel with and without dairy). I don't eat eggs often, but I make sure to get vegetarian-fed, free range eggs with good reviews from independent watchdog groups so as to not cause any needless suffering. I also try to make sure that the human workers are treated humanely (with vegetables and fruits as well), but data on that can be harder to come by.

Short version: it's better for me and I don't feel guilty about eating vegetables.

You kill all the time when you eat food, there's no way around it. I'd never eat eggs from a vegetarian raised hen. Chickens aren't vegetarian.

People die in the production of food as well. Does that mean that I should kill and eat them? Yes, animals are going to day daily. But I do not have to make the conscious choice to raise creatures, pump them full of antibiotics so that they can handle fattening diets they were never intended to consume, and kill them painfully because some local fauna might accidentally die during the cultivation of vegetables. It's a reductio ad absurdum argument that holds no merit. Just because something may happen by accident does not mean you should seek to do it on a massive scale.

it's a crying shame that farming has sunk so low. It doesn't have to be that way! I could walk 15 minutes from my house and be in a field with healthy, contented, playful bullocks that have never known cruelty. That beef is a little more expensive but it's well worth it.

yourenotmine

I never said that vegetarians suffer from neurological conditions due to lack of B12. Most vegetarians consume animal products in some form or fashion, be it from dairy or eggs. VEGANS always have a problem with B12, supplemented or not.

I did not, when I was vegan.

How long were you a vegan? It take several years for your body's B12 stores to run out and manifest symptoms.

I was a well supplemented vegan, as are many these days. I also never had a protein or iron deficiency... My b12 stores never "ran out", because they were consistently added to. The only people I know with b12 problems are NOT vegans. I know of one who used to, but no longer does, despite being a vegan for greater than 30 years.

atxmaria

I knew a few vegetarians, and decided that I will try it for two months, just to know what it feels like - avoiding meat, selecting food... sort of "walk in their shoes". Well, a month later I decided to try a sandwich with meat (they didn't have vegetarian options), and I didn't like the taste of meat. It was roastbeef i think. I tried chicken, and it seem to taste good, but red meat - no. And I just ended up quitting meat, and only eating seafood. That works fine, and I defenitely started eating much healthier

SteveJWatson

"If all the grain currently fed to livestock in the United States were consumed directly by people, the number of people who could be fed would be nearly 800 million," David Pimentel, professor of ecology in Cornell University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, reported at the July 24-26 meeting of the Canadian Society of Animal Science in Montreal. Or, if those grains were exported, it would boost the U.S. trade balance by $80 billion a year, Pimentel estimated.

With only grass-fed livestock, individual Americans would still get more than the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of meat and dairy protein, according to Pimentel's report, "Livestock Production: Energy Inputs and the Environment."

...Which just goes to show intelligence does int equal common sense.

A lot of grain produced, especially in the UK lacks the protein content to be useful for milling etc, and therefore is only saleable as animal feed....

hmm.... the word of David Pimentel, professor of ecology in Cornell University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences or... wait who are you?

I'm a farmer. Although I am a livestock farmer, I rent my land elsewhere and the farm I actually live on is a 3000ac arable farm. Last year, for example (2012 harvest being of particular poor quality), my landlord harvested no wheat suitable for milling (some of it was not really good for much at all). Until fairly recently, the majority of the UKs milling wheat came from Canada.

VeganLexi

I'm vegan because that's how I choose to live my life...simple really

fannyfrost

I never said that vegetarians suffer from neurological conditions due to lack of B12. Most vegetarians consume animal products in some form or fashion, be it from dairy or eggs. VEGANS always have a problem with B12, supplemented or not.

I did not, when I was vegan.

How long were you a vegan? It take several years for your body's B12 stores to run out and manifest symptoms.

I was a well supplemented vegan, as are many these days. I also never had a protein or iron deficiency... My b12 stores never "ran out", because they were consistently added to. The only people I know with b12 problems are NOT vegans. I know of one who used to, but no longer does, despite being a vegan for greater than 30 years.

My daughter just went vegan and this is my biggest concern. She is actually eating better and looks healthier, gaining weight too, which she needs. We bought a vitamin for vegans, but I am still concerned about the B12. Its good to hear you didn't have a problem, but I would love to hear your thoughts.

VeganLexi

My daughter just went vegan and this is my biggest concern. She is actually eating better and looks healthier, gaining weight too, which she needs. We bought a vitamin for vegans, but I am still concerned about the B12. Its good to hear you didn't have a problem, but I would love to hear your thoughts.

http://www.vegansociety.com/lifestyle/nutrition/b12.aspx

This might help

Softrbreeze

My Vegan friend is also crazy. Coincidence?

Not really. Lack of B12 found only in animal products will eventually progress to neurological issues.

---Actually, you can't find B12 in animal products either except for the fact that the animals eat plants (unwashed) and pick up the B12 from dirt. Before humans started washing their produce, we got our B12 the same way. As a vegan, I'd rather take a supplement than eat dirt.

To the OP, in answer to your question, watch Earthlings on youtube or Forks Over Knives (for starters). There are lots of reasons to go veg, not the least of which is your health and the health of Planet Earth. It takes 13 lbs of grain to raise 1 lb of beef- imagine how many people we could feed if the elite (meateaters) let that grain go to the hungry? The single greatest cause of global warming is the methane gas produced by cattle. The runoff from meat and dairy farms is polluting the water supply. I could go on and on, but seriously, watch those documentaries and more to get you started.

To add to what you are saying, as I mentioned I was raised in a vegetarian community. I am an Indian and my family, extended family, husband's family - and many more such families within India have been vegetarians for generations. I am likely to conclude - forever. So far, there haven't been ANY neurological issues. We do not have any sort of health issues due to vegetarianism. Yes, I will admit, that many vegetarians eat lot of carbs. But thats because they are habituated to it and not because there aren't proteins within this diet. Nevertheless, I must say that even though my family's diet has been revolving around carbs - something that I am in the process of changing - there haven't been major issues so far. Older generations didnt even know about these essential micronutrients and vitamins.... what our generation knows...I don't claim to be a knowledgeable person in the area of nutrition, but I am just stating the facts..
I believe these vitamin deficiencies etc probably are happening mostly because of inadequate research on the subject before converting into a vegetarian... or probably because their body was conditioned to non-vegetarian way of living and functioned expecting that lifestyle to continue...

I never said that vegetarians suffer from neurological conditions due to lack of B12. Most vegetarians consume animal products in some form or fashion, be it from dairy or eggs. VEGANS always have a problem with B12, supplemented or not.
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Funny- I know a lot of vegans and not one of them has a problem....

hungrypotato

Because one night I was having a steak dinner and then all the sudden it started mooing at me.
I was like wtf, I Never ate meat again


Lol joking aside, I can't be a vegetarian, it's impossible for me.

DatMurse

My Vegan friend is also crazy. Coincidence?

Not really. Lack of B12 found only in animal products will eventually progress to neurological issues.

---Actually, you can't find B12 in animal products either except for the fact that the animals eat plants (unwashed) and pick up the B12 from dirt. Before humans started washing their produce, we got our B12 the same way. As a vegan, I'd rather take a supplement than eat dirt.

To the OP, in answer to your question, watch Earthlings on youtube or Forks Over Knives (for starters). There are lots of reasons to go veg, not the least of which is your health and the health of Planet Earth. It takes 13 lbs of grain to raise 1 lb of beef- imagine how many people we could feed if the elite (meateaters) let that grain go to the hungry? The single greatest cause of global warming is the methane gas produced by cattle. The runoff from meat and dairy farms is polluting the water supply. I could go on and on, but seriously, watch those documentaries and more to get you started.

To add to what you are saying, as I mentioned I was raised in a vegetarian community. I am an Indian and my family, extended family, husband's family - and many more such families within India have been vegetarians for generations. I am likely to conclude - forever. So far, there haven't been ANY neurological issues. We do not have any sort of health issues due to vegetarianism. Yes, I will admit, that many vegetarians eat lot of carbs. But thats because they are habituated to it and not because there aren't proteins within this diet. Nevertheless, I must say that even though my family's diet has been revolving around carbs - something that I am in the process of changing - there haven't been major issues so far. Older generations didnt even know about these essential micronutrients and vitamins.... what our generation knows...I don't claim to be a knowledgeable person in the area of nutrition, but I am just stating the facts..
I believe these vitamin deficiencies etc probably are happening mostly because of inadequate research on the subject before converting into a vegetarian... or probably because their body was conditioned to non-vegetarian way of living and functioned expecting that lifestyle to continue...

I never said that vegetarians suffer from neurological conditions due to lack of B12. Most vegetarians consume animal products in some form or fashion, be it from dairy or eggs. VEGANS always have a problem with B12, supplemented or not.

Funny- I know a lot of vegans and not one of them has a problem....
[/quote]

their food is fortified with it.

Softrbreeze

READ My Page! Also, I am in this for HEALTH, not some philosophical reason like saving animals. Hey, when you are raised on meat, as MOST Humans are...YES, you will crave it. The GREAT thing about Humans is that WE have the ability NOT to give in to BASER Instincts, If we CHOOSE. So da Heyall with what I crave, it's about what I give into!

The more important question is, "Why are YOU a pus and mucus eater, YES, meat turns into pus in the human body and starch turns into mucus in the body if it is not a clean burning carb! This mucus and pus turns the body acidic and is the cause of ALL disease! If you did not know, NOW you know!!!

^^^Correct and I'll add a bit more- Hypoxanthine is a stimulant found in meat which is why people who are used to consuming it sometimes feel fatigued when they give it up. They usually attribute that feeling to lack of protein (why, of course!) and go back to their old diet habits. Likewise, casomorphone is a component of dairy which makes people feel good and is slightly addictive (why dairy is usually the hardest thing to give up- mmmm cheese). Once those addictions are broken, people usually do feel better unless they just continue to eat a bunch of junk phood.

DatMurse

READ My Page! Also, I am in this for HEALTH, not some philosophical reason like saving animals. Hey, when you are raised on meat, as MOST Humans are...YES, you will crave it. The GREAT thing about Humans is that WE have the ability NOT to give in to BASER Instincts, If we CHOOSE. So da Heyall with what I crave, it's about what I give into!

The more important question is, "Why are YOU a pus and mucus eater, YES, meat turns into pus in the human body and starch turns into mucus in the body if it is not a clean burning carb! This mucus and pus turns the body acidic and is the cause of ALL disease! If you did not know, NOW you know!!!

^^^Correct and I'll add a bit more- Hypoxanthine is a stimulant found in meat which is why people who are used to consuming it sometimes feel fatigued when they give it up. They usually attribute that feeling to lack of protein (why, of course!) and go back to their old diet habits. Likewise, casomorphone is a component of dairy which makes people feel good and is slightly addictive (why dairy is usually the hardest thing to give up- mmmm cheese). Once those addictions are broken, people usually do feel better unless they just continue to eat a bunch of junk phood.

lol wat. I cant believe this is coming from a nurse

lizal76t

I became a vegetarian about a year ago, before then I only ate poultry b/c I never really liked red meat. I watched a documentary about how animals are treated and slaughtered for food and decided I wanted no part in that (my dog whining in my lap during the documentary helped drive that decision). I ate fish for about another month (pescatarian) but then decided not to eat anything with a face. I don't think we need all of those animal proteins and hormones in our bodies, there are plenty of other ways to get protein, iron, and other vitamins (yogurt, quinoa, veggies, tofu, etc.) , although I do have some small issues with iron I need to figure out. Did you know that it takes 6lbs of corn to fee a 3 lb chicken....I am thinking we could feed more people with the corn. Also for people who only eat chicken or turkey, it isn't really doing much good humane-wise. If you think about the meat you would eat in a year you might be helping to kill about half of 1 cow but you are definitely helping to kill like 30 chickens lol. There are 3 MAIN reasons to be a vegetarian and I like to think that I support each reason. I would be a vegan except I need my protein from cheese and yogurts - however I only buy "HUMANE CERTIFIED" (the green label) eggs from local farms or Pete and Gerrys.

Reasons to be a vegetarian:
1 - Humanity to Animals
2 - Personal Health - unneccesarry animal by-products
3 - Environment - factory farms cause more pollution in a year then all of the cars in America


P.S. I can't stand it when you are out with people or at someone's house and they ask you "why" you are a vegetarian and then get mad when you explain why (don't ask unless you want my opinions, I am not asking you to change your lifestyle).

CassieReannan

Reason 1:
because I never got into the habit as a kid of eating it... therefore starting to eat it repulsed me.

Reason 2:
I love animals.