For those that don't eat meat, explain your reasoning

i personally am vegan. i dont eat, use, wear anything associated with a living creature. i also dont do honey or certain things like red dye 40 since thats actually ground up beetles, not to be gross.

Actually, red #40 is synthetic, but it is made from petroleum derivatives, which I personally find even more disgusting. There are other dyes like cochineal and carmine that are made from beetles though.

I don't claim any particular label nowdays, though I've been vegetarian, vegan, macrobiotic, and raw veg in the past, and was vegan most of my adult life. I've made different choices for different reasons at different times, but I have two main considerations. One is factory farming and it's impact on the land, the food supply, the lives of animals, biodiversity, etc. The other is my health. I look and feel healthier, more energetic, younger, etc. on a veg diet that is high in fresh fruits and veggies. My skin looks better, my eyes are clearer, my breath smells better, my mood and outlook are more positive. I just flat out feel better.

My main reason for adding occasional chicken, dairy and eggs back into my diet was a long process that began when my son decided he wanted to eat meat. (We had raised him vegetarian up to that point.) At first we made a deal that he could eat meat outside the house and would still eat veg at home, but after a couple of years of that I realized that he was eating the WORST meats possible. So, I found local sources for meat, eggs, and dairy that I was more comfortable with and started making it for him once in while at home. I didn't eat any of it myself for quite a while, but eventually it crept into my diet primarily because of convenience. (Making three separate dishes to accomodate everyone was a PITA!) I've been phasing the chicken back out of my diet now though because I just don't like eating that way and don't feel quite as good healthwise. I will keep occasional eggs and dairy in my diet though. I raise the hens myself and have a couple of local farmers from whom I get fresh milk from pastured cows and raw milk cheese. At this point in time, I'm comfortable with those sources and with the consequences of my choice.

For the record... with all the talk of people buying nicely treated animals... Anyone think of going to the 4-H fair and getting a cow or a pig? These animals are raised by kids with very strict guidelines as to exercise, food and shots/lack of them.

I am not any type of vegan, I work with one. That is as close as I ever got. I like reading every opinion on things. I just saw someone post about buying from certain sources, and I thought about mentioning the 4-H kids. The kids get the money from the auction and the animals are very lean from being worked and let to roam and fed well.

Thanks for listening to me..

Jenn

Thanks for posting this, I might start doing that...

I don't eat meat cause it doesn't taste nice. That's my main reason. Vegetarian food just tastes better.

Do you eat fish at all?

ETA: We could also feed a ton of people with the grain and corn used to feed the animals... That one is meaningful to me.

I became vegan a month ago, not for any kind of moral reason but for the need to be healthier. If I impose stricter limits on my diet, I will eat healthier. I can't order a greasy take-out burger or pizza, no slice of cheese on toast at midnight, because I'm on a vegan diet, not just because "it will make me fat". I eat a large volume of vegetables (I dislike fruit) and salads, which also means I take more time to prepare and plan my meals.
Also, I'm a student and can't afford good quality lean meats, so I tended to gorge on cheap nasty things like sausages and burgers etc. Now I can still get my fix but with vegan options that cost the same and are healthier.
Not eating dairy has made me feel a lot less bloated and sickly, and another thing I've noticed (kind of gross) is that my breath is a lot better since stopping both meat and dairy.
I take special "vegetarian" vitamin suppliments, and haven't really noticed any problems with my energy levels, but I DO need to remember to eat on time every day (my MFP calorie limit is 1400 at the moment) or I can start to feel run down.

Question for some of you:

If you're against eating meat because of how the animals are treated, would you consider hunting? Would you eat meat that a hunter shot? What about farms, individuals who slaughter animals quickly and after treating them well?

Very good question man.

The human race was built for hunting and eating meat, so I'm wondering if the vegans here, if given the opportunity to hunt...would you eat your own kills?

Also speaking hypothetically, if there was only meat left in the world and it was a matter of eating or starvation...what would you do?

(lets remain civil in the conversation)

I'm really curious.