Vegetarianism. Seriously? (A Debate)

For me, it's ethical. I've seen animals slaughtered in a home farm setting, and, it's not a pretty picture. Unless the farmer is damn good at what s/he's doing, the animals know what's happening, they are scared, and they suffer. It's like hunting if you miss a clean kill. I actually think the death for factory farmed animals such as electrocution or captive bolt is more humane, although factory farming is horrible for animal production in that it relies on largely on confinement. I also have environmental concerns about animal farming, primarily due to the problems inherent in nitrogen introduced to the water table via waste runoff near feedlots.

Transitioning to vegetarian was difficult in that I liked meat a lot, but, after ten years of being vegetarian I can honestly say that meat smells pretty awful and I would probably barf if I tried to eat it now. As a former smoker, it's very similar. I had no idea had badly cigarettes stank until a year or two after I gave them up. BBQ meat smells rancid and oily to me.

Being vegetarian has had enormous benefits on my health. My family has a history of heart disease, and I had elevated blood lipids. Mine have all dropped on a plant based diet, and my HDL (good cholesterol) is in the 80s. I'm also getting a lot more plant based nutrients (phytochemicals), which is growing area of health research.

I think there's a misconception here that vegetarianism is about eating broccoli and carbs all day, or that high protein, calorie-dense foods can't be obtained through plant based foods. I can rattle off a few - seitan has 20g protein/100 cal (similar to meat), tofu has 10ishg/100 cal, soynuts, beans, quinoa, are all pretty protein dense, and protein rich nuts like almonds have a lot of fat in them too. Someone said vegetarian is 80/10/10 upthread and that's kind of ridiculous. I consinder myself high carb and I eat mayb 50-60% carbs day. Protein needs are grossly overstated on this board, even for people building muscle. I prefer a science based approach - here's a good analysis of how protein requirements are studied physiologically: http://whqlibdoc.who.int/trs/WHO_TRS_935_eng.pdf

That being said, I don't give a f#%$ what other people eat.

Love meat!
Everything in nature eats something else.

I kept going back and forth with the eating meat thing. Then finally, I just couldn't live with the thought that I was contributing to the deaths of so many animals. It's to the point now that I tried meat (a couple of years ago) and it was so greasy and repulsive that I could not eat it. There are loads of fake meat alternatives out on the market today.

Sometimes I miss tuna fish, salmon, catfish and ham tho but I don't even want those anymore!

You gotta do what is best for you tho within the limits of the law

I love meat...especially my husband's. He is really great in the kitchen.

I have a lot of respect for people who are vegan or vegetarians - it's not a diet that I would enjoy on a regular basis. However, I wish one of the many vegans or vegetarians would speak with my 350 lb vegetarian niece, and please tell her that eating three meals a day of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese isn't quite the way her "vegetarian" diet is supposed to work.

I have noticed that since I have been eating healthier, my body does process meat differently. Chicken and fish are fine - but if I eat anything that has higher fat content, my body lets me know that it is not happy with me. It's not worth it.

It's probably that mac and cheese is a big comfort food. Has she read the book "Shrink Yourself" by Dr Roger Gould, MD? It deals with emotional/stress/comfort eating and truly helped me a lot!

No matter what we choose to eat, the key from my point of view is to learn how to avoid eating for emotional comfort...

Wow! I can't believe this topic is starting again!

I am a vegetarian for ethical reasons, because I believe that if humans are the highest form of life that has evolved on this planet, the only way they can show it is by showing compassion to other species.

However, I have not won any arguments with my reason for being a vegetarian. Most humans just aren't compassionate.

However, I have shut down every thread on this subject I have ever participated in (i.e., debate veggies vs meat) by simply citing a few of the thousands of studies showing that meat is implicated in many chronic diseases, and vegetables are implicated in none. It is reall easy to win this debate for a vegetarian. Cite studies. There are hundreds if not thousands of them.

And please for those of you who got a "C" in statistics 101, please do not try to counter these studies by saying "correlation does not equal causation." My answer will be simple: show me a single study where causation is proven. Proven! By something other than correlation. Any study any subject.

I don't even know if I really want to do this again.

And Juliesummers, you go girl!!!

I weigh more than all of these people put together. Including the car.

Yup, I believe that. Coronary occlusion waiting to happen.