Vegetarianism.

I'd love to hear what you guys have to say about this. I seriously think that vegetarianism is THE way to go, for several reasons.

I respect the people that are vegetarians, but I don't really care about it. It's fine that you don't want to eat meat to save the animals, but in the big picture, is it really going to change anything? People are just going to keep killing the same amount of animals they do to make money, and it's not like the whole world is going to go vegetarian just to help. Some people that live in poor countries HAVE to eat meat to survive. I just don't really think there's a point in it.

But if you're a vegetarian for health reasons, I'm perfectly fine with that. I know some people that aren't a vegetarian just for the animals, but they want to change their lifestyle too. I'm not sure if you'e talking about becoming a vegetarian for animals, or just to lose weight/change you lifestyle, since I have different opinions on both.

Everyday, people should be eating 1-2 servings of meat, and if you don't get those required nutrients and protein it can be bad for you. I know some people who just don't eat meat at all without going on a proper vegetarian diet, which is very bad for you. But if you eat the right foods like some diets show you, it isn't that bad to be a vegetarian.

Anyway, I wouldn't be able to be a vegetarian, I just love my meat too much! I understand how terrible it is for the animals, but I just wouldn't stand not being able to eat my yummy hamburgers or steak. xD

I am just talking about umbrella vegetarianism: all forms for all reasons.

i don't really consider myself as vegetarian - i don't have any morals against eating meat, and i eat a lot of candy which has gelatine, and sometimes i have seafood

but for the most part, i just really despise the taste of meat, so i just tell everyone i dont/cant eat it.

I don't picture myself as a vegetarian anytime soon.

I love meat, and I hate veges.

But, I cannot eat seafood (allergic)

I am a pescatarian, I eat fish but no other meats. I have been this way for about 10 years, after getting horrific food poisoning from a lunch snack box ham as a child. A phobia of vomit isn't exactly the best thing to make you want to go back to eating something that made you sick!

I have no qualms about eating meat, I regularly partake in biological dissections, and I have an affinity for pickled specimens and skeletons. I guess that doesn't really make me a standard vegetarian XD At the end of the day, if I missed eating meat at all, I would have bothered to re-introduce myself to it, but the fear of being sick again is more than is worth it.

Blue_angel said:

I am a pescatarian, I eat fish but no other meats. I have been this way for about 10 years, after getting horrific food poisoning from a lunch snack box ham as a child. A phobia of vomit isn't exactly the best thing to make you want to go back to eating something that made you sick!

I have no qualms about eating meat, I regularly partake in biological dissections, and I have an affinity for pickled specimens and skeletons. I guess that doesn't really make me a standard vegetarian XD At the end of the day, if I missed eating meat at all, I would have bothered to re-introduce myself to it, but the fear of being sick again is more than is worth it.

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Really, that's interesting. I've never heard a story like that one before xD I am a vegetarian for a few reasons, mainly because it's unhealthy and bad for the environment (macro scale) and the meat industry is sickeningly cruel. I suppose I'm a pescetarian as well because I occasionally eat tuna or shrimp. But otherwise, yeah. I don't eat meat. I've been on/off vegetarian for almost five years. I hope I can at least get through Thanksgiving this year

I have a few issues with iron - so I really like my red meats, but I also keep in mind that just eating red meat alone will not solve my iron issues. I eat potato skins when I eat baked potatoes, and mushrooms too which are full of iron and help absorb the iron in meats. I like vegetarian foods, but humans are omnivores, we eat what is available to us. We're probably on the low side of the meat eating scales since we have a mouth full of good molars for intense chewing, but we also have the canines still.

I agree that most meat processing is terrible - especially in the USA. In other places like the UK, they have really cleaned up their act and placed a lot of restrictions and codes on their meat producers. Producing meat in large scales like in the US has impacted the enviroment terribly in areas, spreading diseases, causing zoonotic illnesses to become stronger than the antibiotics that are used to fight them, and also causing issues with algae in water ways killing natural species and wildlife. Also hormones used in animals that we eat trickle down to us through eating their flesh which can cause cancer or even the issues they are seeing with children becoming obese (growth hormones are generally used to beef the animals up faster) and reaching puberty earlier and earlier.

Personally, if I could raise or hunt my own meat, I would be happy as a clam At least if I had an animal like a pig or cow I could give it a good life and make sure it is well looked after and treated well even when it's time came for the chop. I really actually appreciate the life the animal gives, so that I and my family can eat and stay healthy and strong.

I have no issue with vegetarians or vegans. I have them in my family. I don't mind trying their food and making some dishes for them on occasion with them in mind, and like wise, they respect the fact that I still eat meat.

I DO however, have an issue with people trying to convert their carnivorous house pets to Vegan diets. Cats and dogs eat meat - they were designed that way and their bodies need those nutrients and can't digest vegetable matter effectively. Just as I would respect that "you" are a vegan, respect that an animal is not.

-Purn

my parents force me to eat meat because i dont eat enough lmao

i don't eat KFC because i know what they do to the poor chickys!!!!

but i still eat chicken though, and i still eat meat.

i cant eat seafood because im allergic to it

I've been vegetarian since I was 6. I don't mind how much meat other people eat, as long as I don't have to eat any.

I don't really agree with being vegan, though. You don't kill the cow to get the milk out.

This is just me, but I could never be a vegetarian. I love meat too much and am not a big fan of veggies. Plus, meat has protein, and red meats also have iron. Protein and iron are important nutrients for a healthy life.

In primary school, I had a friend who loved animals and decided to be a vegetarian. She didn't eat any meat at all, not even chicken or fish. Problem was she was already super skinny and she once said she was mildly anaemic. She lasted for about half a year. She gave in to a sausage sizzle at a school gala.

In all honesty, I really like meat.. but I find it reacts badly with my stomach and gives me cramps until it "finds its way out".. So I don't really eat too much of it.

I'm not against vegetarianism whatsoever I think it's a great way to live and a lot healthier. The only thing I really don't like is when vegetarians treat people who eat meat like the devil.. I feel they give it a bad name by doing that. But I have plenty of vegetarian friends who aren't like that and respect people who eat meat you'll always find a couple rotten apples from the bunch from any different walks from life, no matter what the situation, so it's definitely no reason to judge a group. Veggies FTW

To be honest I would have to go with booboo1 I mean sure refusing to eat meat may make you feel better but what's it going to change? Besides, and I don't want to sound ignorant here, there are plenty of worse issues in the world then eating meat.

booboo1 said:

Everyday, people should be eating 1-2 servings of meat, and if you don't get those required nutrients and protein it can be bad for you.

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What? I only eat meat every two to three days and I'm fine, if you eat 1-2 servings of meat everyday that wouldn't that just be unhealthy?

booboo1 said:

Everyday, people should be eating 1-2 servings of meat, and if you don't get those required nutrients and protein it can be bad for you....

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Kuribotchi said:

What? I only eat meat every two to three days and I'm fine, if you eat 1-2 servings of meat everyday that wouldn't that just be unhealthy?

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I think it's just a bit misleading. People are mistaking the need for us to "eat servings of protein" for the need to "eat servings of meat".

You should eat 2-3 servings of protein every day from both plant and animal sources.

Examples of one serving (about the size of a standard pack of playing cards):

• 100g boneless meat (eg lean beef, lamb or pork)
  
• 100g boneless poultry (eg chicken or turkey breast)
  
• 100g fish (eg salmon, sardines or tuna)
  
• 2 medium eggs
  
• 3 tablespoons of seeds (eg sunflower or pumpkin seeds)
  
• 3 tablespoons of nuts (eg almonds or walnuts)
  

Obviously you need to eat protein in combination with other foods that supply you with all the necessary vitamins and minerals for a healthy, balanced diet.

I don't really know much information on servings, so I'm just going by food guides. xD

So yeah, meat and alternatives, or just servings of protein.

All I'm really trying to say is sometimes it's nice to eat meat, since humans are supposed to eat it really. Not as a full out carnivore, but you need different nutrients from different foods, and meat helps to provide some of those.

And Gotchi Guy 46, you make a really big point here. Yeah, there are much worse things than not eating meat. Just because you may not eat it because of the animals, that's not going to do anything. There's still billions of people who do, and these companies have to make their money!

But yeah, like I said before, some people because vegetarians for different reasons, and I respect everyone's choices on how they want to live.

i practically live off of meat, im a total carnivore, but i love eating any kind of food, and broccoli being my favorite veggie

Mmm, I love broccoli. I'm a vegetarian for a lot of reasons: the biggest is that I have never really liked most meat and the thought of eating a carcass is just horribly disgusting to me.

I recently became a vegetarian and I am loving it.

I tried it during the summer but I didn't really know anything about it, I just thought I could cut out the meat from my diet, but that didn't work.

This time I have my mom's approval, I know what I have to do, and I've gone out to restaurants already and been ok. ^^

I reeeeally like it! I don't feel terrible at every meal now, thinking about those poor, defenseless andimals.

However, I don't see the need for veganism. It would hurt the cow if you didn't milk it, wouldn't you? :/