Did you become a vegetarian, if so, why?

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   Wendi Gjataposted 9 years ago

   Did you become a vegetarian, if so, why?

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   mgeorge1050posted 9 years ago

   No I am not a vegetarian, although I do find it interesting.  I cannot imagine going a single day without eating meat.

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   Katrina Speightsposted 9 years ago

   This is actually something I've been considering. I'm still undecided, but I think I'm going to give it a trial run to see if it is a viable option for me.

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   Penny Gposted 9 years ago

   Health. This is my second go of it. I was a vegetarian for about 5 years from 18 toto 22. Now I am a Pescetarian, I do eat fish about once or twice month. I decided todo tis to my always low B12 levels. Really I could do with out the fish too. Sometimes I skip a month . I started back again in 2010 due to health reasons, then found out I did not have what they thought. THe suggested diet would be very little to no protein. I just kept with it. I am 56 almost 57 and am very healthy. Very loos triglycerides , normal blood pressure and cholesterol . It has lots of benefits.

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   DzyMsLizzyposted 9 years ago

   Yes, I am a vegetarian, and have been so since the 1980's.  I am a big-time animal lover, so actually, I've been a vegetarian at heart since age 8, when I made the connection between the 'cute little lambs' out in fields, and the 'leg of lamb' for dinner.  After that, I no longer wanted to eat lamb.
   However, in those days, I did not have a voice in what was for dinner, so I had to eat what my parents served.  Indeed, I did not even know there was such a thing as a vegetarian back then.  In my teens, and my very young adulthood, I had a couple of very bad experiences with getting sick from biting into a graphic reminder of the source of the food (bits of bone or gristle), that I then vowed I would no longer eat meat.  I realize the physical reaction was based in my psychological objection to eating that "cute little lamb" of so many years ago....but it made a point with me I could no longer ignore.
   I could no longer make any distinction between eating a cow or a chicken than I could justify killing and eating my dog or cat.  They are all the same; we are all sentient beings who feel fear and pain. 
   Although I am a strict, label-reading vegetarian (if it contains lard, I will not eat that food; if the label says "animal and/or vegetable shortening," I will not eat it, as I don't know what I'm getting), but I am a lacto-ovo vegetarian; I do eat eggs and dairy...I should be a vegan, but I lack the willpower to give up cheese and ice cream.  :-(
   I actually have a full Hub written on the topic.  You can read it here:
   http://dzymslizzy.hubpages.com/hub/Why- … Vegetarian
   This goes hand-in hand with my Hub on Animal kindness and compassion:
   http://dzymslizzy.hubpages.com/hub/Aban … nexcusable
   
   I hope those help answer your question.
   Best wishes.

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      Penny Gposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      I ask about lard, especially in beans. I also avoid foods I know will be cooked along side of meat. We travel a lot and sometimes the choices are slim.

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   The Examiner-1posted 9 years ago

   Not quite - but because of health I eat more vegetables (though I have always favored them) and organic.

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   My Bellposted 9 years ago

   Animals for me. It started years ago for health reasons when I gave up red meat. As I started to learn more and more about the horrors of factory farming, watched Food Inc. among other documentaries, read some great books, etc., I just could not justify eating meat. My husband and I together gave up all other meat, except for fish, for Lent about 4 years ago and it was so easy to do so we stuck with it. I honestly do not miss meat at all and am so much healthier too.
   
   I was a Pescetarian too for a while after and only very recently made the decision to give up fish too and go 100% vegetarian. I've also switched off of cow's milk to almond milk and have tried to significantly reduce eating cheese with plans to one day go all the way vegan. Every little bit helps though, even just giving up some meat meals each week. Not eating meat is good for animals, good for your health and good for the environment.
   
   I get plenty of protein from beans and veggies and I get my B12 from a product called "nutritional yeast" that you can shake onto any meal and also taking a supplement. Iron is not an issue at all. I was actually anemic back when I was eating meat but I haven't been now since I gave up meat. I also feel in love with so many vegetables and just can't have enough.
   
   I have some vegetarian recipe hubs that I've published and many more to come.

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      Penny Gposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      I use national yeast as well, but have a genetic B12 issue that it doesn't always help.I am dairy intolerant, not lactose so the Almond milk, soy cheese,no dairy or me. I have great iron levels. Nutritional yeast on popcorn is great. My kids love it

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      DzyMsLizzyposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      I am glad nutritional yeast (sometimes, I believe, called "brewer's yeast) works for you folks.  I tried it once, and hated it--never tasted anything so nasty, and had to throw away that plate of food!

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      Wendi Gjataposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      I read a book on how they prepare meat in fast food restaurants and refuse to now buy fast food. The book was very interesting and contain many unknown facts. They were very gruesome and that's the reason I stopped eating meat.

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   M. T. Dremerposted 9 years ago

   I became a vegetarian after watching the documentary "Forks over Knives". It paints a very convincing picture (in terms of health) for a vegetarian diet. However I was already leaning towards vegetarianism before that because my wife was one and I never liked to eat food that looked like what it used to be (like little chickens or roast pig). So it was a logical next step.

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      DzyMsLizzyposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Yes--it is annoying to tell someone you are a vegetarian, and have them turn around and ask, "Well, you eat chicken, though, right?"  My reply is usually a sarcastic, "I don't eat anything that used to have a face."

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   lisavollrathposted 9 years ago

   I've been vegan since 2010, and I sort of backed into it. I grow vegetables, and I guess I'm pretty good at it, because in spring, summer, and fall, my fridge is packed with fresh veggies from the garden. Even giving some of it away, and freezing some of it, it's hard to eat my way through all those delicious, fresh vegetables, and still have room on the plate for anything else. I found that I just didn't miss the meat, or the hassle of preparing it. So, I'm the accidental vegan!

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    SheGetsCreativeposted 9 years ago

    I did for a few months a couple of years ago because my roommate was vegetarian. I'm glad I found out I could exist without meat but I prefer to add things that cluck and moo to my dinner!  (in moderation of course)

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    hubsyposted 8 years ago

    Yes because I didn't like the thought of eating a dead animal, and plus, veggies are just so good!

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    Sheetal Mauryaposted 8 years ago

    I'm pure vegetarian ever since i started eating food. Maybe that's why I can't even think of eating non-veg because I'm Used to it. However, I really feel bad about Killing other animals. Moreover,
    energy transfer occurs in a food chain or web by and organism digesting another organism on the trophic level below it. except on the first trophic level consisting of producers which of course gain their energy from the sun via photosynthesis. the energy from the sun is stored in the autotrophs which are then eaten by herbivores and approximately 10% of the original energy is passed on to this second trophic level. the rest of the energy is lost in decay and other losses. when the primary consumer is digested by a carnivore 10% of THAT energy is passed onto them so as you can see the further down the food chain we go the less and less energy and the more is lost through decay, faeces and urine. this is not an efficient energy transfer as the further along we get the less energy we have and at each level we are losing approximately 90% of the energy from the previous organism.

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