Why are you a vegetarian?

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  • richied26
    richied26 Posts: 948 Member
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    1. Animal cruelty
    2. Health
    3. Something like 9 vegetarians can be fed off the land needed to feed 1 meat eater.
  • Saraisdifferent
    Saraisdifferent Posts: 10
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    I am a vegetarian for 2 reasons:
    1. How animals are treated in the farms and killed afterwards, without any regard to their well-being. They have feelings and can most definitely feel pain. I believe I should treat them the way I would like others to treat me.
    2. Eating meat is not ecologically sustainable. Farmed animals consume loads of water, crops, antibiotics, etc. There is food for everyone on the planet, we just consume 5 times more by eating meat than by eating the crops directly.
    I do not like preaching and would never complain if you chose to eat meat, but I'm happy to explain why I chose to do this when people ask. I just try to do my part, and maybe millions of other people will try to do theirs, and then maybe one day we will change the way we all eat and create a better world. :)
  • rachelelizabeth88
    rachelelizabeth88 Posts: 73 Member
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    Definitely my ethics... I've been vegetarian for 6 years now, best decision I've ever made for myself... I like feeling that I'm making a little bit of a difference :)
  • Contrarian
    Contrarian Posts: 8,138 Member
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    I like animals better when they are alive. They are much nicer to pet, that way.
  • elenathegreat
    elenathegreat Posts: 3,988 Member
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    I was raised vegetarian and have been for my entire life. Personally I find the idea of eating flesh pretty gross, and I don't want to kill animals unnecessarily, so I don't. I also happen to believe it's healthier to not eat meat. I'm not a militant vegetarian; if you want to eat meat that's your business, and I'm not going to bug you or judge you about it, and I appreciate the same courtesy from others. Sometimes meat-eaters are just as bad about telling me what I should or shouldn't be eating as the hard-core vegans/vegetarians are.

    Extreme carnivore here and a rancher to boot...*bowing to your choice and respecting you too*...live long and prosper:)
  • Rhonda21km
    Rhonda21km Posts: 90 Member
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    Eating meat just grosses me out on many levels. Going vegan was just a natural next step. I really don't care what others eat (not my business) but I definitely could do without people uneducated regarding nutrition insisting I do not get enough protein just because I don't eat meat. They have no idea what I DO eat - so just as I mind my own business about what they choose to eat, I'd like them to do the same.
    I get plenty of protein ! lol
  • richied26
    richied26 Posts: 948 Member
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    My Vegan friend is also crazy. Coincidence?

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

    Neurological issues =/= crazy.

    I'm a vegetarian because I'm a vet tech and it seems to me to be a conflict of interest. I also never really liked much meat, and had to be forced to eat most of it when I was a kid. So, I guess I should amend that to say primarily, it's because it's natural for me, but it's not the only reason.

    I understand that neurological issues doesn't equate to crazy. When the body uses all of it's B12 stores the nervous system starts to not function properly which leads to behaviors that aren't normal or logical. I'm not saying all vegans are like this.

    B12 is present in marmite(yeast extract) and fortified cereals and available in supplements so it shouldnt be a problem for vegetarians/vegans
  • Carnivor0us
    Carnivor0us Posts: 1,752 Member
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    My Vegan friend is also crazy. Coincidence?

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

    Neurological issues =/= crazy.

    I'm a vegetarian because I'm a vet tech and it seems to me to be a conflict of interest. I also never really liked much meat, and had to be forced to eat most of it when I was a kid. So, I guess I should amend that to say primarily, it's because it's natural for me, but it's not the only reason.

    I understand that neurological issues doesn't equate to crazy. When the body uses all of it's B12 stores the nervous system starts to not function properly which leads to behaviors that aren't normal or logical. I'm not saying all vegans are like this.

    B12 is present in marmite(yeast extract) and fortified cereals and available in supplements so it shouldnt be a problem for vegetarians/vegans

    Yes, one must supplement an essential vitamin. There is no B12 in yeast unless it's been fortified.

    Edit: I also want to make it clear that I am not interested in arguing against a vegetarian diet. To each their own. Unfortunately, a few vegans/vegetarians do not properly supplement their diet and develop nutritional deficiencies.
  • EmiBun
    EmiBun Posts: 84 Member
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    I've never liked red meat so I was basically just eating poultry and pig. . .
    After developiong an eating disorder I gave up meat for calorie puposes. I got into almond milk because it was low cal and basically lived off of plain fat free greek yogurt. Now I'm in the better part of recovery I've gone completely vegan. Eat sufficientlym and avoid all animal products.
    After watching documentaries like food inc., forks over knifes, and all the ones that fall into this category I've seen what is in most commercial meat and its gross.

    I don't personally believe eating meat is wrong. We as humans have been doing it for thousands of years. BUT I hate how we treat them in the big companies.
    I don't have anything against an omnivore. Whatever floats ur boat.
    I actually don't like vegans who think they're better then everyone else :( it makes me sad
  • GormanGhaste
    GormanGhaste Posts: 430 Member
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    my spiritual health
    my physical health
    the planet's health

    I'm not an ethical vegan, I don't think it's wrong to eat animals, but I must say I'm glad I don't contribute to the animal cruelty of agribusiness.

    I've been vegetarian about half my life. I never did really care for meat or eggs, they were easy for me to give up. Cheese, on the other hand, I really miss the taste. I physically feel so much better when I don't eat dairy, though.

    I don't tell people that I'm vegetarian unless they ask. I certainly would not try to convince someone else how to eat. We all have to walk our own road through this life.
  • nikilis
    nikilis Posts: 2,305 Member
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    Actually, I consider myself to be mostly vegetarian... What I mean is that I still eat chicken, turkey, fish and seafood in addition to fruits, grains, and vegetables... Basically, I avoid red meat, fried battered food, and fast food...

    My favorite type of food is either turkey burgers, Indian style vegetarian food such as vegetable samosas, and lobster curry... In addition, I love anything and everything that is spicy as long as it does not have any red meat in it...

    sorry but that is ridiculous. you are not vegetarian at all. you just don't eat red meat.
  • bregalad5
    bregalad5 Posts: 3,965 Member
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    < carnivore.

    I have to ask... do you not eat any plants at all?
    2. Eating meat is not ecologically sustainable. Farmed animals consume loads of water, crops, antibiotics, etc. There is food for everyone on the planet, we just consume 5 times more by eating meat than by eating the crops directly.

    What about those who hunt and eat wild game? Just curious :)
  • nikilis
    nikilis Posts: 2,305 Member
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    < carnivore.

    I have to ask... do you not eat any plants at all?
    2. Eating meat is not ecologically sustainable. Farmed animals consume loads of water, crops, antibiotics, etc. There is food for everyone on the planet, we just consume 5 times more by eating meat than by eating the crops directly.

    What about those who hunt and eat wild game? Just curious :)

    thats all a bit frivolous don't you think?

    what percentage do you think wild game hunters would make up of the world consumption of meat products?

    but its ok, I know your just trying to be annoying right? yah.

    "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."

    http://news.cornell.edu/stories/1997/08/us-could-feed-800-million-people-grain-livestock-eat

    theres a lot of starving people in the world. 800 million less would be nice.
  • Cait_Sidhe
    Cait_Sidhe Posts: 3,150 Member
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    Ethical. Although I am a pescetarian not a vegetarian. I've always loved cows, they are cute and have adorable faces. Pigs are highly intelligent and a piglet once fell asleep in my lap. I once helped splint a chicken's broken leg, the owner really loved that chicken. I used to think birds were personality free, but a conure proved me wrong. I cannot and will not contribute to the animal abuse that goes on in factory farms, it is unthinkable what those animals go through leading up to their inevitable slaughter.

    And although I've been eating like this for 20 years, I've never once craved meat. This has come up before, many times. And I don't feel the need to defend my morals.

    ETA: my career is helping animals. I am working in a very low pay and low respect field because of my love for animals. I work 3 jobs just to survive.
  • usmc01462
    usmc01462 Posts: 1,944 Member
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    all I can say is look at the science behind it all. Look at the cancer in this country! as far as meat eaters unless your eating it almost raw you really are not getting all the so called nutrients from it. People who eat it well done what are you really getting from it. I gave up meat not to long ago after really researching into it and have learned alot.

    My old diet: breakfast 12 eggs
    snack: half a chicken
    Lunch 1-2lbs of steak
    snack:other half of chicken
    Dinner 2-3 cans of tuna
    and pasta added in to each meal...THEN CAME DIABETES with that came 4-5 shots of insulin per day as well as pills

    Now:
    Breakfast: honeydew melon/couple apples
    snack: apples or oranges
    Lunch:mixed greens with frozen berries and almond milk blended or bolthouse green goodness16oz
    snack:2-3 banana's
    dinner: bolthouse green goodnes16oz

    diabetes is now 1 shot a day as well as pills...Need I say more.

    Yes I have given up most refined carbs
  • DatMurse
    DatMurse Posts: 1,501 Member
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    all I can say is look at the science behind it all. Look at the cancer in this country! as far as meat eaters unless your eating it almost raw you really are not getting all the so called nutrients from it. People who eat it well done what are you really getting from it. I gave up meat not to long ago after really researching into it and have learned alot.

    My old diet: breakfast 12 eggs
    snack: half a chicken
    Lunch 1-2lbs of steak
    snack:other half of chicken
    Dinner 2-3 cans of tuna
    and pasta added in to each meal...THEN CAME DIABETES with that came 4-5 shots of insulin per day as well as pills

    Now:
    Breakfast: honeydew melon/couple apples
    snack: apples or oranges
    Lunch:mixed greens with frozen berries and almond milk blended or bolthouse green goodness16oz
    snack:2-3 banana's
    dinner: bolthouse green goodnes16oz

    diabetes is now 1 shot a day as well as pills...Need I say more.

    Yes I have given up most refined carbs

    you don't seem to understand what the cause of diabetes is You seem to be blaming animal products for becoming overweight and turning into a diabetic.

    Researching what? There is no science behind eating meat is bad.
    Even the socalled "China" study DATA(not the book) showed less problems for meat eaters.

    It isn't the food groups fault that you ate more than you moved. It was yours
  • niightwindz
    niightwindz Posts: 64 Member
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    I have a serious question here for anyone with a better knowledge of this than me.

    A friend of mine recently went vegan and has been sending me links to heartbreaking videos & articles from PETA. I've heard a lot of crap about PETA in the past so I doubt the truth of a lot of the things they post. Can anyone give me a bit more information on this? Is it really as bad as hardcore vegans claim? Is eating meat bad for your body? I want to be healthy - does that mean cutting out meat and animal products?
  • BrendaLee
    BrendaLee Posts: 4,463 Member
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    I don't eat mammals, because I'm a mammal, and it feels wrong to me. I do, however, eat birds, because...honestly...birds are *kitten*.
  • usmc01462
    usmc01462 Posts: 1,944 Member
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    It was caused from the carbs. pasta and so on. I get a headache everytime I get into this conversation when it comes to eating meat or not eating meat.

    I have researched them and have tried them both over the years. I am just sick of eating meat and tired of the taste and so on. I have done better on a vegetarian type diet. But that can change over time who knows.

    I have read stories how a guy had cancer and started eating raw meat and cured his cancer and have heard the same thing as far as eating just veggies and fruit. Its always going to be a battle between the two types of diets. and as far as getting fat from meat never happened its when I mixed it with the carbs back in the day.
  • DatMurse
    DatMurse Posts: 1,501 Member
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    I have a serious question here for anyone with a better knowledge of this than me.

    A friend of mine recently went vegan and has been sending me links to heartbreaking videos & articles from PETA. I've heard a lot of crap about PETA in the past so I doubt the truth of a lot of the things they post. Can anyone give me a bit more information on this? Is it really as bad as hardcore vegans claim? Is eating meat bad for your body? I want to be healthy - does that mean cutting out meat and animal products?
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMqYYXswono

    eating meat is not bad for your body. Everyone needs to consume a well balanced diet.
    Eating animals =/= cruelty
    making them suffer = animal cruelty
    animal products have neuroprotective and cardiological protective benefits

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