Are you a meat eater or a vegetarian/vegan?

[t0dd]

Poll question: Are you a meat eater or a vegetarian/vegan?

Which of the following best describes you?

If you are an omnivore, would you consider not eating meat?

If you are a vegetarian, what was your most important reason for becoming one? And how long have you been one?

[lazarus]

1. other

I just noticed you had an other in there. I'm an omnivore.

[t0dd]

3. Omnivore is probably a better choice than carnivore. Fixed. nt

[sakabatou]

2. Omnivore

[Mojambo]

4. I like it all. n/t

[Forkboy]

5. Um, I'm not sure what my favorite thing to eat qualifies as.

[mopinko]

46. because it smells like tuna, but

it tastes like steak? pretty sure that if honey is not vegan, neither is that.

[realisticphish]

6. Omnivore, though I enjoy most vegetarian food

especially indian food. As long as there is no soy protein involved

[Kurt Remarque]

7. to what end?

[ddeclue]

8. Other... I photosynthesize..

:rofl:

[krispos42]

10. You'd better lay off it a little...

[Ignis]

98. You're in good company, Mr. Sea Slug.

:D

It’s easy being green for a sea slug that has stolen enough genes to become the first animal shown to make chlorophyll like a plant.

sciencenewsShaped like a leaf itself, the slug Elysia chlorotica already has a reputation for kidnapping the photosynthesizing organelles and some genes from algae. Now it turns out that the slug has acquired enough stolen goods to make an entire plant chemical-making pathway work inside an animal body, says Sidney K. Pierce of the University of South Florida in Tampa.

The slugs can manufacture the most common form of chlorophyll, the green pigment in plants that captures energy from sunlight, Pierce reported January 7 at the annual meeting of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. Pierce used a radioactive tracer to show that the slugs were making the pigment, called chlorophyll a, themselves and not simply relying on chlorophyll reserves stolen from the algae the slugs dine on.

-- Wired: http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/01/green-sea-slug/

[ddeclue]

9. Other... I photosynthesize..

:rofl:

[Goldstein1984]

11. Pescetarian

For both health and ethical reasons.

I can't remember my last meal with beef or pork (or moose, or caribou, or sheep).

If we leave Alaska, where fresh and affordable salmon, halibut and cod are available, we will probably stop eating fish as well.

The MOST important reason is ethics: Animal welfare and sustainability.

[IntravenousDemilo]

12. Which is the kind of fish that has high mercury levels?

I'd stay away from that one.

[Goldstein1984]

26. Marine predators high in the food web (e.g. Tuna)

and bottom feeders in fresh water, like wild-caught catfish and carp.

[t0dd]

14. I admire your reasons, but I have to ask..

if animal welfare is the main motivator for your decision, what makes fish any different than cows, pigs, and chickens? Fish are living creatures too, with just as much intelligence and personality as the others. Life is just as meaningful to them. What makes fish different? Is it just the financial convenience? I'm just curious. Thanks for your response!

[Goldstein1984]

30. First, I have to admit that...

I do draw a distinction between fish and birds/mammals. As a biologist (I'm an entomologist and botanist, but I did work in fisheries for awhile and wrote one paper in the field), I see a definite qualitative difference between the levels of sentience of fish and "higher" vertebrates. That said, I have no real defense of where we chose to draw the line, any more than there is a real distinction between the first, second or third trimester in regards to the abortion debate--both sentience and development are continua.

I believe fishing is far more humane than agriculture, so there is less suffering. Following the same line of reason, I understand some friends of mine who won't eat meat from a supermarket for ethical reasons, but do hunt and eat moose, caribou and Dall sheep. The are correct when they say that a wind animal meets a far more humane end in the sites of a rifle than it does in the jaws or talons of a predator, or than a domestic farm animal does at a feed lot and slaughter house.

All that said, fish was a compromise for us as we transitioned from a meat diet to a vegetarian diet. The longer we follow a vegetarian diet, the less animal protein of all sources we consume. I don't know if we'll ever make it to vegan (they don't even eat honey because the industry "enslaves and exploits" bees), but fish is likely to be completely replaced by tofu in the near future. One of the ethnic cuisines we find most adaptable to vegetarianism is Thai, and we seldom cook or order it with fish anymore--just tofu.

Like I said, I can't offer anything carved in stone by a burning bush as far as our food choices go. We just drew the health and ethical lines where we did, and they continue to evolve.

BTW: The health reasons for our change included a suggestion by my doctor. Over the years, due to several aircraft accidents when I was in the Marine Corps, as well as an alpine hiking accident that left me with two damaged shoulders, I had developed some arthritis in the injured joints. My doctor suggested that I stop eating beef and pork, and within a month the swelling and pain was completely gone.

[Common Sense Party]

13. Omnivore. I would never consider giving up meat.

Cutting back, perhaps.

[Llewlladdwr]

60. Hear, hear!

Omnivore also. I would not consider giving up meat. I suppose I might cut back if a doctor told me I was in imminent danger of 'death by meat' but that's about it.

[Common Sense Party]

61. My sister is a vegetarian, and has been for decades. I tried it in my

youth, and it didn't take. Then I lived in Argentina, and their beef can cure vegetarianism! Yum!

[Romulox]

15. What qualifies as "semi"? 2-3 servings of meat a week, max.

Any less, and I feel weak...

[1]

16. a "semi" eats whale meat. you do not want to be a "semi"...

[Ozymanithrax]

17. As with most of my species, I am an omnivore...

Evolved to eat both meat and vegetables.

[Clintonista2]

18. Omnivor, would not give up meat

[ZombieHorde]

19. I am an omnivore, but every few years I give up meat for a year or two.

I was vegan for a year as well.

Having been on both "sides" of the eat meat/don't eat meat diet, I have to say meat eaters are way pushier than non-meat eaters on the subject of eating meat.

[Goldstein1984]

92. I've experienced the same thing

When people learn I'm vegetarian, they often go on the offensive about pushy vegetarians.

I meant no offense! All I did was order the salad! Please enjoy your meat! It brings out the best in you!

I disagree with one post that implies that we should be eating meat because we're omnivores. Omnivores are capable of a variable diet, not obligated to a variable diet. We're under no obligation to eat meat simply because Homo habilis picked up the habit of eating road kill and it stuck.

I have nothing against meat eaters, including strict carnivores. My Canine American buddy is a carnivore.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

20. I'm an omnivore, and I would NEVER stop eating meat. (nt)

[Double T]

21. Omnivore; heavy on the veggies.

I would have no problem giving up meat.

[ixion]

35. yep, me too... a little bit of meat, mostly veggies

chicken, turkey or seafood.

[proteus_lives]

22. Omnivore!

Tasty veggies and tasty critters.

"If you are an omnivore, would you consider not eating meat?"

Nope. I love chicken and seafood way too much.

[Norrin Radd]

23. ovo lacto veg

[jobycom]

24. Vegetarian, since 9-12-01. No one reason, though the suicide of a friend triggered it.

I had cut way back on meat back in the early 90s for health reasons, when I ballooned from 180 to 200 in a couple of months from eating out too often. I basically became vegetarian for about a month, and was stunned at how much better I felt. It was literally like being a new person, even though I didn't feel like anything was wrong before. I described it to someone as like having my brain cleaned out. I could think more clearly, see and hear better, and had more energy--things I didn't even realize I lacked. It also made my migraines stop, which was worth the price of admission by itself.

I still didn't give up meat, but I quit cooking it, and only ate it when I went out. I don't remember if that was a conscious decision or just the way it worked out. I was a grad student, so I didn't go out too much, but I ate meat several times a week.

When I got out of grad school, I had more money, so I ate out more, and got heavier again, and sluggish, and my memory became a mess. About this time I started feeling like I was doing something wrong eating meat. I have always been very empathic towards animals. I've actually been able to coax wild deer to come to me, and a lot of other animals. A lot of people who know me claim I can talk to them--not literally, of course, but I can sort of calm animals, and tell what they are thinking sometimes, including when not to mess with them. And if I can't, I think I can, which is really the important part.

Being an atheist, I don't believe in a soul, so to me there's just no difference between humans and other animals. Humans like to feel they have higher thought, but I don't believe that's true. Just different thought, and a more sophisticated way of communicating and building things. But I don't think it's higher, I just think it's different.

On 9-11, I quit eating, because that's what I do under stress, then on 9-12 a friend of mine killed herself, and I couldn't eat much of that day, either. Later that evening we went out to eat, since my wife and I weren't able to even think about cooking, and naturally I was starving by then. I planned to order a steak, but as I looked at the menu I had a clear thought that I couldn't do it. I kept thinking of Michelle, and all I could think was that she was dead, and since I didn't believe in a soul, she was just meat. Just like any cow I could order.

So I ordered a veggie plate instead, and though I didn't plan it, I never went back to eating meat. It's hard to explain, but when I see cows or pigs or chickens, I realize I feel differently about them now, like there's no guilt in me anymore, even though I had never noticed it before. I honestly don't know how people can eat meat anymore. I read threads on Michael Vick, and how he killed his dogs by beating or shooting them, and all I can think is that that's exactly how they make hamburgers and steak, and I honestly can't grasp how people can be mad at him and not mad at the whole meat industry, or anyone who eats meat. Cows are just as lovable as dogs. Pigs are even smarter than dogs, and more affectionate. I just don't get it, but I know I used to be that way, so I keep my mind open.

Anyway, probably makes sense to no one, but oh well, that's my story if anyone has read that far. :)

[Ignis]

72. Wow, thanks for sharing that story, jobycom!

My own experience somewhat mirrors yours: I didn't set out to become a vegetarian; I merely cut back on meat until I realized I hadn't had any in a while. So I kept it up, and charted my health and happiness. They kept improving, so I kept up the animal-free diet. Before I knew it, a year had gone by, and I started to call myself a vegetarian...because that label reflected my diet.

Thanks again for sharing your experiences. :hug:

[Lucy Goosey]

25. Omnivore, but I only eat meat or poultry maybe 5 times a month...

I cut way back on meat eating for health and environmental reasons, so I never have it at home, but when I'm at a dinner party or a restaurant, sometimes I indulge.

[tango-tee]

27. Going ovo-lacto-vegetarian

I've never been all that much of a meat-eater, and have recently been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. Several people I've talked to had great success by becoming vegetarians. And if it helps not only my poor joints but some of these tormented animals in the process as well - so much the better.

Note: Living in Bavaria, I WILL miss my occasional bratwurst with the sauerkraut, though. Sigh.

[MuseRider]

58. It helped my RA.

Not by a lot but I have noticed a lot more remission time. When it is bad it is bad, not really a decrease in pain but I spend less time hurting than I did before. I had toyed with vegetarianism for a long time and the biggest change I felt was when I gave up red meat many years ago. For the last almost 2 years I have had only once a bit of fish and twice a bit of turkey (holidays) and I feel good for making the change but the RA change was mostly with the red meat I think. I don't eat eggs if I can help it but I do use milk products. I have heard that giving up milk products helps a great deal but I have no evidence to prove that.

Good luck with your RA. It is a real challenge to live with. I have been very lucky with it, much more so than my relatives who had it.

[tango-tee]

140. Thanks!

Could you possibly give me a few more hints on what you do to deal with it, perhaps via PM? I'm such a new poster that I don't know if I can receive any yet, though.

I'd really appreciate hearing from you. This has been my first "go-around" with RA, and I never thought anything could be so painful. The immobility is really bad.

[Bonn1997]

142. Here's one impressive experimental study of diet and RA

Arthritis Res Ther. 2008;10(2):R34. Epub 2008 Mar 18.
Gluten-free vegan diet induces decreased LDL and oxidized LDL levels and raised atheroprotective natural antibodies against phosphorylcholine in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a randomized study.
Elkan AC, Sjöberg B, Kolsrud B, Ringertz B, Hafström I, Frostegård J.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of vegan diet in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) on blood lipids oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) and natural atheroprotective antibodies against phosphorylcholine (anti-PCs). METHODS: Sixty-six patients with active RA were randomly assigned to either a vegan diet free of gluten (38 patients) or a well-balanced non-vegan diet (28 patients) for 1 year. Thirty patients in the vegan group completed more than 3 months on the diet regimen. Blood lipids were analyzed by routine methods, and oxLDL and anti-PCs were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Data and serum samples were obtained at baseline and after 3 and 12 months. RESULTS: Mean ages were 50.0 years for the vegan group and 50.8 years for controls. Gluten-free vegan diet induced lower body mass index (BMI) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and higher anti-PC IgM than control diet (p < 0.005). In the vegan group, BMI, LDL, and cholesterol decreased after both 3 and 12 months (p < 0.01) and oxLDL after 3 months (p = 0.021) and trendwise after 12 months (p = 0.090). Triglycerides and high-density lipoprotein did not change. IgA anti-PC levels increased after 3 months (p = 0.027) and IgM anti-PC levels increased trendwise after 12 months (p = 0.057). There was no difference in IgG anti-PC levels. In the control diet group, IgM anti-PC levels decreased both after 3 and 12 months (p < 0.01). When separating vegan patients into clinical responders and non-responders at 12 months, the effects on oxLDL and anti-PC IgA were seen only in responders (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: A gluten-free vegan diet in RA induces changes that are potentially atheroprotective and anti-inflammatory, including decreased LDL and oxLDL levels and raised anti-PC IgM and IgA levels.

[Craftsman]

28. Heck I am having a steak for breakfast.

[Chulanowa]

29. Definitely omnivore

It's what evolution demands of my species. if it wanted me to be a complete vegan, my appendix would work and my colon would be a lot larger.

[YankeyMCC]

31. zenetarian

I try to be mindful about my eating.

This leads me to follow primarily a vegetarian, nearly vegan diet. I do this out of compassion for animals and other humans who would have to make a living by killing animals for me to eat, also out of a desire to do as little harm as possible, to individuals and to the ecology. I also believe it to be a generally healthy and enjoyable diet.

[iwillalwayswonderwhy]

32. I've been a vegan for 3 months

I planned on ovo-lacto till I researched and understood that chickens and dairy cattle have a worse lot than most. My reasons are ethical and ecological and it was much harder thinking about it than doing it. The only thing I really miss is cheese, and that lessens each day.

By the way, before I went vegan, I said some of the same things most of the omnivore replies are saying.

[niceypoo]

38. Salad is murder

Vegetables are raised in concentration camp like settings. I suggest you also cut out vegetable materials from your diet.

[iwillalwayswonderwhy]

39. Hey, I just got BINGO!

That was the 4th one down on "N".

[yewberry]

101. Damnit, I just got the bingo card. nt

[t0dd]

47. "Mocking uncomfortable ideas is not the path to knowledge."

This was a respectable thread until you showed up with your nonsense. There are people that deeply believe eating animals is immoral, but also accept it is not a lifestyle for everyone. Your ridicule is very unnecessary. Grow up.

[niceypoo]

128. salad IS murder

Kill and eat vegans

[Ignis]

138. "Kill and eat vegans" -- Duuuuude, you are SO punk rock!

:eyes:

[t0dd]

48. I want to be a vegan

I'm an ovo-lacto vegetarian, and I want to make the transition, but I would probably miss eggs and cheese too much. I drink almond milk instead of regular milk though, so I guess I'm partially there.

[Bonn1997]

112. I can undrestand that but...

I believe that any enjoyment from eating food lasts only for the brief seconds it's in your mouth (and maybe a few seconds thereafter) and is really just a momentary pleasure. I do have a sweet tooth and get cravings when I see a nice desert but I'd rather see the day when veganism is common enough that vegan deserts are a common option at any restaurant.

[superduperfarleft]

53. Good on you.

I've been vegan for 5 years and now even the smell of cheese is revolting (not because I'm some sort of uber-vegan, but because it just does), so you might get there.

Funny, the only thing I've ever missed is Guinness. But then again, I've always liked beer more than I've liked food.

[Ignis]

74. Isn't it funny how our perceptions change based on position?

I still look back with chagrin on the times that I teased my vegetarian friends about their "weird, wimpy" diets.

:blush:

But karma's a bitch, and now I get to enjoy the wonder and joy that is being a vegetarian on DU.

[iwillalwayswonderwhy]

76. yes, indeed

I was really surprised, because I thought it was going to be as difficult as quitting smoking, but it really isn't hard at all. I think contemplating becoming a vegetarian or a vegan, there is the idea that animal products have an elevated position, when in fact, good food is good food and I've not been hungry yet.

[noamnety]

33. omnivore

If I lived alone I'd probably be vegetarian by now (with eggs and cheese). My reasons are social (partner eats meat, I do the cooking), and I'm buddies with the butcher, I would miss visiting him once a week. If he stops working there, my eating habits will change again, just as if the local iraqi bakery goes out of business, my bread habits will change. When I'm most vegetarian, those reasons are also social - vegan daughter in town means I'm cooking for her or she's cooking for me.

[Countdown_3_2_1]

34. I prefer that an animal die for my every meal.

Bacon and eggs (from enslaved chickens), and biscuits and honey (from enslaved bees)make for a great breakfast.

I like supreme subs because THREE animals die for my sandwich: cows, turkeys, and little piggies.

For dinner, steak and potatoes, or maybe chicken.

Why? Cause those animals were really asking for it!

Seriously, I respect vegans, but meat is far too tasty for me to ever quit.

[stray cat]

36. I only eat chemical foods to avoid killing plants or animals

I also refuse to use antibiotics to avoid killing bacteria -

[LWolf]

37. Omnivore

that is happy to look at ways to eat less meat, within the confines of some pretty strict dietary restrictions.

[bigwillq]

40. I eat meat (nt)

[annonymous]

41. Omnivore but trying to cut back on meat

I once tried to go veg 20 years ago but gave up after a week because I was hungry all the time. I don't care for tofu or TVP and my family doesn't either. I find it easier to use less meat and to have a meatless meal about once a week.

[Brickbat]

42. Omnivore, but I will often go days without eating meat.

[Odin2005]

43. Omnivore

I have no problem with eating meat as long as the animals are treated humanely. And Grass-fed beef tastes better than the factory-farm crap anyway.

[spiritual_gunfighter]

44. Almost vegan

Sometimes I eat cheese but rarely. Going veg was the best decision I ever made.

[stillwaiting]

117. Cheese on rare occasions is the only animal product I've eaten for a few years now as well.

Agree with you on the best decision thing too! :)

[azmouse]

45. I like just about every edible food in moderation.

As much as I like meat I could never follow those high-protein diets. That much meat would make me sick.
I love fruits and vegetables but not enough to just have them alone all the time with no meat.

[iwillalwayswonderwhy]

65. The question isn't about liking to eat meat

I liked to eat meat, but I made the decision not to eat it anymore.

[azmouse]

68. Good for you.

I will continue to eat meat. I enjoy it.

[iwillalwayswonderwhy]

75. Yeah, I get that

I keep running into the perception that as a vegan I never really liked meat anyway, so it was easy for me. It was easy for me, but not because I didn't like to eat meat, it had nothing to do with that, and I used your post as an opportunity to clarify. I meant no offense.

[slackmaster]

49. Non-hepato semi-omnivore

No liver for me, thank you.

Except maybe a fried turkey liver on Thanksgiving Day.

[tonysam]

50. You can tell DU isn't representative of the public at large

Only about four percent of people bother with vegetarian or vegan nonsense.

[superduperfarleft]

51. Unemployment has really turned you into a bitter old crone, hasn't it?

Or did you always take the opportunity to shit all over perfectly respectful threads?

[superduperfarleft]

52. .

dupe

[Tailormyst]

73. Why be so disrespectful to other people's choices?

[Ignis]

78. That's a very good question.

But don't hold your breath waiting for an answer.

:hi:

[Tim01]

54. Most of my meat comes from hunting. I'm real comfortable with that.

If I ate factory meat I'd consider giving up meat for ethical reasons. But no way since I hunt. Not a chance I'm going to remove myself from my place in nature.

[Xenotime]

55. We don't eat anything that has been cooked.

[dysfunctional press]

56. "semi-vegetarian"??? is that like "sort of pregnant"...?

you either eat meat, or you don't eat meat.

[superduperfarleft]

57. This vegan agrees. n/t

[Ignis]

82. Unfortunately, no one's coined a good word for that diet yet.

Most people who use that term eat omnivorously, but attempt to reduce their intake (by volume and/or frequency) of animal flesh from various sources.

Still, it's a silly term, and it doesn't jibe well with the "draw a line in the sand" approach most vegetarians take to their dietary restrictions.

[flvegan]

85. I've heard "flexetarian" tossed around a time or two.

[Ignis]

86. Yes, though that seems to only address frequency.

Most "semi-vegetarians" to whom I've spoken use that term to imply volume, as well.

So sure, it's a shitty term, but I don't want to nag people who are trying, ya know?

[flvegan]

89. Absolutely not.

Every bite counts.

[Ignis]

90. Yup, and we all started somewhere.

I still remember the first time I started to order a burger, but then consciously picked a veggie option instead.

Baby steps. :D

[happy_liberal]

130. +1

Who cares what people call themselves, if they are cutting back on meat let's support them, not make fun.

[dysfunctional press]

93. and i always thought that was more of a sexual term...

:shrug:

my mistake.

[dysfunctional press]

91. "omnivore" would be the proper term.

whether they want to admit it, or not.

[Ignis]

95. We're all omnivores by birth, not by choice.

There's no escaping the genetics of that situation: Humans, like (most) bears, dogs, and other omnivores, have the option of obtaining nutrition from animal or non-animal sources. We are neither obligate carnivores nor ruminants.

But when we're talking about the diets that people choose, it's helpful to have descriptive terms to use in the course of that discussion.

[dysfunctional press]

102. omnivore is one of the choices in the poll...

but maybe instead of 'semi-vegetarian' as the next choice, maybe it should have been- 'omnivore- but my head's too far up my ass to admit it''.

[Ignis]

106. Interesting.

Presumably, if you were to rewrite this poll, it would only have two options:

1. Omnivore
2. Omnivore, but my head's too far up my ass to admit it.

Correct?

[Barking Spider]

59. Ethitarian

Urban Dictionary gives a good definition:

"Ethitarianism, sometimes referred to as the political science diet, is a diet based on the principals of consumer responsibility and morality. The diet encourages personal relationships with your food and/or those who produce, supply, and sell it. Ethitarianism is more than a diet; it is a lifestyle choice. The main principles of Ethitarianism are humane treatment of animals, responsible and ethical management of the natural environment and its ecosystems, fairness to workers (both foreign and domestic), and the personal responsibility of the consumer."

[Common Sense Party]

62. Oh. I thought it meant you only eat ethicists.

My bad.

[glen123098]

63. I'm an omnivore,but I respect anyone who can be a vegetarian or even vegan.

I tried in the past and failed. Meat is just too tempting.

[closeupready]

64. Semi-vegetarian, as in, very picky about meat sources, how raised,

no antibiotics, etc. Which means sometimes when I feel like eating meat and it's on the menu, but I disapprove of methods of livestock raising, I eat veggie instead.

[marmar]

66. Omnivore....but my plan is to give up at least red meat by the end of this year.

nt

[happy_liberal]

67. Vegetarian-I've tried to go vegan but had to go back to dairy

I had this horrible burning acid stomach that could only be fixed by eating cheese and yogurt. Do any other vegans have this problem and what do you do? I only buy non bgh cheese mostly from tillamook, but I actually felt better without dairy until my stomach problems kicked in. Now I am afraid to stop eating it again.

[Bonn1997]

114. Hmmm. It might have been poor nutrition. Did you carefully plan your vegan diet?

If you posted the diet that you ate on veggieboards.com in the vegan forum, I'm sure people could give you good feedback. The body can get every nutrient it needs from high quality sources on a vegan diet, though. So I see no reason why a health problem should develop on a well-planned vegan diet.

[happy_liberal]

129. well, I drink a lot of strong coffee(and am not willing to stop)

It seems the dairy was preventing an ulcer. I don't know what else can balance acidity, hummus was making it worse, soy milk wasn't working, tofu, nuts, bread, veggie soup...nothing was working. It just kept getting worse. I've been vegetarian for 20 years, I know about nutrition, it is an acidity thing. Maybe it's just me, I do have family history of ulcers.

[Bonn1997]

139. Well 20 years as a vegetarian is great! I'd never discourage someone from trying veganism

or retrying in your case but I can't know for sure what I'd do if I had had a bad experience the first time. As an outsider, I can say that I'd want to try to figure out exactly what nutrient is in dairy that could be balancing acidity and then see what vegan sources of that nutrient are available, or what alternative options there are (like whether a strong antacid medication would work) but you may have already tried all that. I definitely would never tell someone to stop coffee either since I have 2 to 3 cups a day. I definitely would give you a lot of credit for sticking to lacto ovo vegetarianism for that long though.

[happy_liberal]

143. calcium

I know it is calcium. Tahini has a lot of calcium but that didn't work. How do vegans get enough calcium?

BTW-thanks for the responses and encouraging me to rethink this...

[Bonn1997]

144. I tend to just look at the % of daily values in each item I eat and make sure the most important

ones are at at least 100% for the day.
Here's a little info. I found online. I haven't actually double checked this info. though. I personally just look at the labels of what I eat.
"Calcium: Studies have shown that vegetarians absorb and retain more calcium from foods than do nonvegetarians. Vegetable greens such as spinach, kale and broccoli, and some legumes and soybean products are good sources of calcium from plants." http://www.soystache.com/calcium.htm

Many nuts have a lot of calcium. There may be other sources too. You can also get calcium supplements as a backup. The calcium probably won't be as high in absorption in the supplement but the supplement should just be a backup to other higher quality sources. You could try gradually replacing cow milk with other sources of calcium if you wanted to.

[happy_liberal]

145. thanks for the info

I don't buy cow's milk actually...just cheese mostly. I have this awesome soymilk maker which I also use to make tofu with calcium as the coagulant...and even that didn't work. hmmm maybe I should try eating the calcium sulfate straight lol...

[Blue_In_AK]

69. I'm omnivore now,

but I've been vegetarian in the past. I gained too much weight with all the carbs, so I went back to more conventional protein sources.

[truth2power]

70. Ovo-Lacto-Vegetarian. Why is it that some always have to make mocking comments

on these threads? In my view it's because they're not comfortable with their decision to be meat-eaters. Otherwise there wouldn't be that visceral response.

You know that saying about "protesting too much".

[Ignis]

71. Veg*n for almost 20 years.

I went vegetarian for three reasons: for my health, for the environment, and to minimize the suffering of other creatures.

If I can maintain a healthy lifestyle on a delicious, animal-free diet--and 20 years of evidence and several competitive sporting trophies shows that I can--then I can't bring myself to kill and eat other animals simply for aesthetic reasons.

YMMV. :hi: I don't proselytize.

[Bonn1997]

108. That's awesome

I've been veg*n for only 4 months (the last two being strictly vegan) but I feel the best I ever have. I'm really impressed by people who have done it for as long as you have. You've been a veg*n for two-thirds of the total time I've spent on this planet!

[Ignis]

118. Thanks, that's very sweet of you.

It was really a one-day-at-a-time approach when I started, and I slowly transitioned over 2-3 years through pescetarianism on the way to ovo-lacto and finally vegan.

I'm incredibly fortunate to live in an area that makes it easy to find vegan food at markets and restaurants. I'm also incredibly fortunate to have been raised in a family that valued fresh produce and whole grains over convenience. Both of those things made the transition much easier for me than I've seen it go for others.

But hey, 4 months is longer than 0 months, right? :) Keep it up! :yourock:

[flvegan]

77. Vegan going on 10 years now, I think.

Went vegetarian for the animals, environment and my health. Went vegan for even stronger feelings about those reasons a few months later.

I have never felt better, and because of that, I'll never touch animal products ever again.

[jobycom]

96. You?

Who knew?

[flvegan]

100. I keep a secret well!

[skip fox]

79. I've not eaten meat, fish or fowl for over 20 years.

And have not missed it.

My ex-wife and I started because two of our children, a daughter for moral reasons and a son for health reasons stopped eating meat. It was a short step to eliminating all animals (save yeast, I guess).

The two main reasons still make sense to me. I don't want to tear through hundreds of other lives a year to keep mine going. AND I feel as though I "burn with a cleaner flame."

It has not slowed me down and has actually help keep me light and fit.

[Ignis]

83. Won't somebody think of the yeast?!

;)

Most vegans I know still eat yeast...and fungi, for that matter, which are neither vegetables nor animals. And we're all killing millions of microbes and bacteria daily in the normal course of digestion, so let's not sweat the small stuff.

And I agree with your "burn with a cleaner flame" comment, even if it draws ridicule from others. That's a great description of the empirical difference that I've noticed. :thumbsup:

[superduperfarleft]

88. I would never consider a diet that was yeast-free. And beer is a great source of b12.

:toast:

[handmade34]

80. still eating a bit of fish

but slowly going all veg.

I have been vegetarian on and off for 40 years. Exclusively veg (with little fish) for 4 years.
reasons are environment and health

[county worker]

81. I have been a vegetarian for 16 years.

I have always felt queasy about eating animal flesh. It was easy for me to stop eating meat but I wanted to get the health benefits also.

[Warren DeMontague]

84. I put "omnivore", but I haven't eaten red meat in over a decade.

I did a year or two with no meat, another couple with just fish. Now I eat free range poultry, at least from time to time.

I made a lot of lifestyle changes in my early 30s, dropped pounds, lowered my cholesterol bigtime, etc. Gave up fried foods and the generalized processed, gloppy, cheesy, goopy, greasy hydrogenated ick that seems to constitute much of America's eating habits.

I'm not worried about other people's diets, though, just my own.

[Ignis]

87. I think we need a new term for "omni-without-red-meat."

Because I run into more and more people every day whose diet excludes mammals.

[Mendocino]

124. Omnilite?

Or visine vegetarian (get the red out)

[Marr]

94. I eat nothing but meat, and I kill it with my own teeth.

Sometimes I'll eat something that's dead, but only if it's fresh, and only if I can drive off the other predator without too much of a fight.

[krabigirl]

97. Omnivore but I am thinking about trying to go more vegetarian.

I tried it in the 90s and failed. I have more cooking skills now, so maybe I'd do better.

[Phoonzang]

99. Ominvore, would consider cutting back on meat.

Give up? Over my dead body. Which I realize is probably a likely result of my eating meat. Oh well.

I currently eat meat probably once a day. Eat red meat...well...too often. I'd prefer they just grow meat in vats, and engineer all the unhealthy stuff out of it and ad Omega-3 fatty acids and other healthy stuff.

[DireStrike]

103. Omnivore, would consider not eating meat

It is very difficult, and I like meat. I would seek to patronize small, humane farms before I approach cutting meat out altogether.

Food habits are closely woven in to a person's identity.

[Bonn1997]

104. Happy, healthy vegan

[HarveyDarkey]

105. Check out my sig line

need I say more?

[iris27]

107. Omnivore who agrees 100% with the reasoning behind a

vegan diet...but lacks the willpower to stick to it. I've lost count of the number of times I've tried and failed at this point. All vegetarians and vegans have my respect.

[SoCalDem]

109. If carnivores ate vegans, they would be getting healthier food

and having all the hard work done FOR them :sarcasm: ->in case no one gets it :rofl:

[Mendocino]

110. Vegan

I went through stages: less meat, little meat, only fish, no meat, eggs only and finally Vegan. Have been for a bit over a year.

As for the reasons why: For the earth, for the animals, and for my health. All equally important.

[Ignis]

120. Congrats on the one-year mark.

:yourock:

[Mendocino]

127. Thank You

Transitioning over a period of time made all so easier. Less, lighter and not as often went well. To just quit all at once at least for me would have been a failure. I found adjusting the diet was easier than dealing with some who called me a hypocrite for not eliminating animal based products all at one time, then later calling me a zealot for doing the very thing they suggested. Oh well, I certainly didn't do it to please them.

[Ignis]

135. Hypocrite or Zealot: it's vegan version of Madonna/Whore

I'm glad you had success with a slow transition. That was my own experience, and what I recommend to anyone making a dietary change for ethical reasons.

Then again, some people go cold tofurkey ;) and it sticks.

[Geek_Girl]

111. Omnivore

But I prefer chicken and turkey over beef

[Raine]

113. Vegetarian since I was 7-8 yrs old

I was an animal lover and when I found out hamburger was an animal ... that did it for me ... no meat of any kind. I'm now 59 yrs old so I've been a vegetarian for a long time. It wasn't easy during much of that time when it was way out of the norm.

[RB TexLa]

115. I am from Louisiana, we eat whatever doesn't eat us first.

[Motown_Johnny]

116. Omnivore, evolution has had it's say (IMO)

[LeftyMom]

119. Vegan for eight years and change. Because I hate plants. nt

[Ignis]

137. I particularly hate tubers. May they fry in oil for eternity! (nt)

[Matariki]

121. 1 - Define 'semi-vegetarian'

2 - If you are a vegetarian, would you consider eating meat? For instance if you were the guest of a family or community in some African country and your host just slaughtered their only goat in your honor?

[yewberry]

122. Well, I'm not the OP,

but I don't get the "semi-vegetarian" thing, though we do have at least one DUer who defines herself as a "part-time vegetarian" because she sometimes eats meatless meals...:rofl:

As for #2, I've been veg*n for 24 years, and I haven't run into that problem. I'll let you know when I do.

[donheld]

123. Dessertitarian

:D

[yewberry]

125. Oy, gave up meat in '86.

Been a while.

Like a few others here, I didn't plan to stop eating meat, it just happened, and I felt better. I realized at one point that I hadn't eaten meat for months and dang, I felt physically good for the first time in, well, ever. I'm very sensitive to fats, and animal fats play havoc with my system. Lactose-intolerance runs in my family, along with gall-bladder disease, high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, a variety of cancers, and obesity.

Seriously, fuck that.

I read about animal "food" production. I read about the environmental toll of meat-centric diets. After a (short) while, I couldn't imagine eating an animal. I mean, sure, there were some meat meals I loved, but nothing worth going against my burgeoning understanding of what I was doing by eating meat.

The short version: I stopped eating animals naturally, because I didn't feel good. Further examination led me to believe that eating animals, for me, was wrong on many levels. I don't need to kill animals. Ethically, physiologically, environmentally wrong for me.

[Zhade]

126. Odd poll, since all humans are omnivores. Some just choose not to eat meat.

I've not eaten meat many times. Love love love a cool, crisp salad. But I don't buy the arguments for vegetarianism. If it's about cruelty, kill the animals painlessly. If it's about not taking life to sustain yourself, stop eating vegetables.

I do agree with the goal of getting rid of factory farming and its attendant conditions.

[yewberry]

131. Yeah, but Zhade, we can choose as individuals.

Humans might be omnivores, but I'm not.

It doesn't matter if you "buy" my arguments for veg*nism; the thing is, *I* do. Your decisions are yours and my decisions are mine.

Honestly, you must understand, after so many discussions on the issue that "cruelty" is not the problem most of us are fighting against. Exploitation and commodification of other species simply because we can is what we're talking about. Some of us choose to try to avoid that system in an attempt to ease suffering.

Again, your decision is yours and my decision is mine. I just want to help make clear that some folks are actually acting on reasoned beliefs, regardless of whether they are commonly held beliefs.

[Lorien]

133. My mother's neighbor, an evolutionary biologist at OSU, disagrees with you

his argument that humans are meant to be vegetarians convinced my mom to switch to a vegan diet this year.

[Bonn1997]

141. Ethical veg*nism is about not taking *sentient* life.

I still always inform people when they bring this up that a veg*n diet kills less plant life than an omnivorous diet. (I was shocked when I first learned that.) Nevertheless, if there were research showing that a diet eating no plants was just as healthy as a well planned vegan diet, I'd gladly switch to that. In my dream scenario, we'd never need to eat food. We could just take a 2000 calorie pill (with no animal/plant ingredients) each morning and spend time doing more productive things than eating. But in the meantime, a veg*n diet is the healthiest diet that minimizes death.

[Lorien]

132. I stopped eating red meat after that show that Oprah was sued for ages ago

it grossed me out completely. Factory farming is dangerous to human health and horrifically inhumane to the animals. Meat production has more of a negative effect on climate change than cars do, so I can't, as an environmentalist, justify eating meat. The last major reason is my health. My happiest, healthiest friends and family members are all vegetarians. I've found that I feel much better when I stick to a vegan diet.

[soleiri]

134. Vegetarian

I'd like to be vegan, but I can't seem to give up Mexican food.
Probably 95% of my diet is vegan, just sometimes I'll go get some Mexican food
chile rellenos. mmmmmmmmm.

[rebecca_herman]

136. I am an omnivore

I would not consider stopping all meat eating as I find if I eat no meat for a while I start to feel weaker and I like the taste too much. I'd miss it.
I don't eat a lot of red meat because I don't think a lot of red meat is the besr thing for my health, but I have chicken or turkey several times a week and red meat a few times a month.