im a vegetarian!

[Percy's Mom]

Originally Posted by gpigluver14

They won't even let me not eat seafood. They think just because it's fish it's not the same as other meats, but fish can feel pain the same as cows, chickens, and pigs.....Grrrrr, parents....

You're not a vegetarian then. You're a pescetarian if you eat seafood and no other meats. There's no such thing as a vegetarian who eats fish.

[akintolife]

Originally Posted by gpigluver14

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't dark chocolate vegan, and not made with milk? Or is all chocolate made with milk? I recently had organic chocolate, although I'm sure it still had some milk in it, it tasted almost exactly the same as regular minus all the bad stuff!

Most dark chocolates are dairy free and free of any animal based ingredients. You can also get soy cholocate which replaces dairy milk with soy milk, to be honest, I couldn't tell the difference between dairy and soy chocolates even before I went vegan.

I generally try to get fair trade chocolate, since there are a lot of human rights issues surrounding foods like chocolate and coffee.

Alex_23 also started to mention bone char in sugar. While most white/bleached sugars in the USA are processed through bone char there are a couple that are not and other countries (such as Australia) don't use any bone char in refining their sugar. The biggest problem with sugar is that you can't know what type of sugar is used in processed foods or in baked goods. Even some companies that state their foods are veg*n use sugar that has been refined by bone char.

This website lists sugars that are not filtered through bone char: The Great Sugar Debate: Is it vegan?

[alex_23]

Originally Posted by gpigluver14

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't dark chocolate vegan, and not made with milk? Or is all chocolate made with milk? I recently had organic chocolate, although I'm sure it still had some milk in it, it tasted almost exactly the same as regular minus all the bad stuff!

That's so cool Alex_23! Good for you on being vegan! I've been vegetarian for a few months now, and wish I had stopped eating meat a long time ago, so I could be making even more of a difference.

Unfortunatly I can't become a vegan, my parents won't let me...They won't even let me not eat seafood. They think just because it's fish it's not the same as other meats, but fish can feel pain the same as cows, chickens, and pigs.....Grrrrr, parents....

Yeah, my parents don't really care, they aren't animal lovers, it was my choice and my brothers call ym food fake, and my dad calls me a tree hugger, amd my mom just ignors me and she will buy me food I cannot eat and then I have to buy my own food sometimes...but oh well, betetr for the animals

[PiggieMamaKelly]

Originally Posted by SoCalCavies

Isn't California great for vegetarians?

No not really. Grocery shopping is easy, and there are veg*n cookbooks at bookstores, but that's about it. People are generally critical, and it's hard to eat in restaurants where even the vegetable soup is made with chicken stock! Not to mention having to eat BEFORE going to family dinners, potlucks and amusement parks/fairs.

I wouldn't say California is BAD for vegetarians, but great? Not exactly.

[sweetjay6891]

California has a very diverse culture and I thing living in California is great if your a vegan/veg. In certain areas there are stores only based on selling veg. products. There are millions of people that share the same beliefs as well. Like San Franisco - I love it!

[akintolife]

Originally Posted by alex_23

Yeah, my parents don't really care, they aren't animal lovers, it was my choice and my brothers call ym food fake, and my dad calls me a tree hugger, amd my mom just ignors me and she will buy me food I cannot eat and then I have to buy my own food sometimes...but oh well, betetr for the animals

The only thing I can think of to suggest is maybe get them to have a look at things like The China Study, which is not based on work from a veg*n perspective, but demonstrates through science that a veg*n diet can have some fantastic health benefits.

There are more and more studies that are being released that show evidence that suggest that a veg*n diet can prevent, minimise or even reverse diseases of affluence like diabetes. To me that's a pretty strong argument, even if you aren't an animal lover.

[alex_23]

Originally Posted by akintolife

The only thing I can think of to suggest is maybe get them to have a look at things like The China Study, which is not based on work from a veg*n perspective, but demonstrates through science that a veg*n diet can have some fantastic health benefits.

There are more and more studies that are being released that show evidence that suggest that a veg*n diet can prevent, minimise or even reverse diseases of affluence like diabetes. To me that's a pretty strong argument, even if you aren't an animal lover.

My mom is too weak to be vegetarian, she has tried and was one for about 3 days, same with my lil brother, and my older brother would never change his ways, he thinks the food i eat is plastic, . My dad was vegetarian for 2 months, then he didn't want to anymore, but he could if he really wanted. He hates PETA and he hates me being vegan, he would never change his ways, but he could if he wnated to. When there are veg options or we go to a vegan restaraunt he eats the vegan things...like he will eat a garden burger over a hamburger when we go skiing up in lake taho...or big bear

[SoCalCavies]

Originally Posted by PiggieMamaKelly

I wouldn't say California is BAD for vegetarians, but great? Not exactly.

I have to agree with what you're saying. "Great" doesn't seem the appropriate word, does it? Perhaps I should've said that California seems a bit better than most.... (ha ha)

Thanks for the correction.

Alex, sure wish your Dad was more open-minded, but at least you are!!

[alex_23]

thanks! I am reading Animal Liberation by Peter Singer, great book, I am in the animal testing part and I cry evertime I read it.

[SoCalCavies]

Yes, that book is very famous! Keep reading!

[alex_23]

yeah, I know. I also keep re reading One At A Time: A Week In An American Animal Shelter....great book, very sad.