why vegetarian? - Page 2

**LiciaMommycott** · #21 02-05-05, 12:01 am

Meat (including red meat) is a good source of iron, zinc and vitamin B (including B12 which is not found in vegetable foods). The latest research is implicating that it is the fat in our diets that lead to diseases (including heart disease) and not the cholesterol from meat. Go lean meat! Meat and poultry are also the highest quality sources of protein. Speaking of proteins, the only complete proteins (comprising all 8 of the essential amino acids that cannot be produced by the human body) are found in animal foods - meat, milk, eggs. As for our physiology, both our teeth and our digestive enzymes are perfect for eating meat. Both women and they elderly tend not to get enough protein.

As for freeing up food for others, there is currently a worldwide surplus and me eating less meat will not affect starving people elsewhere.

And as for fish, it is wise to avoid the fattier fish as they tend to have higher concentrations of mercury (especially children and pregnant women should avoid these). However, the leaner fish are high in omega-3 fatty acids which significantly reduce the risk of heart attacks and help prevent blook clots. Although omega-3's are also present in vegetable food such as soybeans, canola, flaxseed among others, the fish contain the far more potent EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids.

So, if you want to avoid eating animals because you are tender hearted towards them, that's one thing but claiming we weren't meant to eat them isn't quite accurate.

So cook me up a nice, juicy, rare steak. The problem is that portion sizes are out of control with steaks commonly ranging from 8 to 20oz where a proper serving size would be around 4 oz. Everything in moderation...

**2boar1sow** · #22 02-05-05, 01:58 am

I think there are good reasons to be a vegatarian and some of them are philosophical or spiritual. I think if you want to compel others to become a vegatarian they will have less excuses with the philosophical reasons than the health ones, but if you think health is a good reason to be a vegatarian then go with it. I think there are good arguements both ways concerning health. If people are trying to be vegatarians for health reasons and they feel better than they feel better, but if they feel worse then they feel worse. People will continue to interpret data and "facts" their own way for their own purposes, including the certified and credible people who are conducting the experiments. Just go with your gut in determining how credible data is and let other people do the same.

**Piglet** · #23 02-05-05, 05:12 am

Why do people eat meat?

**kalrik** · #24 02-05-05, 08:58 am

I'd rather be a little less healthy (if that's even true, which I believe it's not) than have to be the reason other livings things have to die. It really comes down to that. I have never eaten meat in my life, and I know that my quality of life is not any less than any meat eating person I know. Animals have consciousness; they feel pain and fear. It's not right to hurt and kill them. Anyone who owns pets, furthermore, (which I believe you do Licia) has NO right to decide which animals are to be eaten and which animals are to be cuddled and fed and played with. This is a pro vegetarian site for people to help each other along the way towards that end goal, Not towards eating meat in moderation. So what are you even doing here, Licia? Oh and by the way. There could be all the food in the world in view, but if someone can't get to it might as well be a pile of rocks.

**Piglet** · #25 02-05-05, 09:23 am

I don't see how our teeth were made to eat animals. The same point keeps on coming up again and again - how do we have the right to say which animals can be eaten and which animals can be kept for pets

babymeow · #26 02-05-05, 09:39 am

I'm with you on that. I'd rather live a few less years than having to kill other living beings for my benefit. It still hurts so bad whenever I think back to what I've eaten in the past, when I didn't know any better. I'm also lucky to have a vegetarian doctor (chinese medicine) who doesn't prescribe medicine with animal products, so I can be sure that I won't be taking in any animal parts.
The claim that some people make about vegetarianism is lacking this vitamin or that mineral....I have this to say. Many friends and family friends of mine are long-time vegetarians, running from toddlers to 80, 90-year-olds. And the elderlies are not only healthy, but strong too! From personal experience, I totally believe that we can get whatever our bodies need from vegetables and beans.

**Piglet** · #27 02-05-05, 10:07 am

Yes, I second you on that. My grandparents and a lot of my family have been vegetarians for their entire life. A lot of them live in India, where the medicine and such isn't great, but they are still 100% healthy

**mncavylover** · #28 02-05-05, 08:27 pm

Believe what you'd like to believe. That's how our society runs, isn't it? Here's something for everyone to do. Turn on the TV. Watch a show, and count the number of times meat is advertised. Then, check and see how often a vegetarian dish/commercial promoting vegetarianism comes up. Can you really say you haven't been brainwashed?

**2boar1sow** · #29 02-05-05, 10:09 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by mncavylover

Believe what you'd like to believe. That's how our society runs, isn't it? Here's something for everyone to do. Turn on the TV. Watch a show, and count the number of times meat is advertised. Then, check and see how often a vegetarian dish/commercial promoting vegetarianism comes up. Can you really say you haven't been brainwashed?

Yes, though I've watched many meat advertisements... "

"
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For real, I think people lose perspective on important things in life. Is a long life the same thing as a good life? I don't think so. You're going to die some time buddy, just be glad you're not going to be butchered.
-Although, aren't countless drugs tested on animals? Don't biology and medical students disect animals from gradeschool up to medschool? Is this any different? I don't think its right to disect animals and test drugs on them. It is an effective way of learning, but where there is a will, there is a way and I think different methods should be used.
_____________
People say the canine teeth are pointed which means they are for ripping and tearing meat... I suppose this makes sense to me, never know though. And don't need to eat meat just because you were born with that adaptation.
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People eat meat for the same reason you eat your favorite food. They have eaten it before and enjoyed the process...why do they eat meat when it seems immoral, disgusting to be eating a once living animal, and possibly unhealthy? Because its easy to push challenging choices and changes back in our minds when its a matter of effort and pleasure?

**2boar1sow** · #30 02-05-05, 10:16 pm

The title of this thread is "why vegatarianism" so I welcome someone saying why not vegatarianism. It helps to decide the good reasons to become a vegatarian.

It was a bit...tactless, or perhaps tactful*, to say something like "cook me up a juicy steak" though.

*If the case, quite childish.

**kalrik** · #31 02-05-05, 11:28 pm

Why vegetarian does not mean why not vegetarian. If one were to post why breed in any of the forums, it would not be permitted, so why is the why not allowed in the Pro vegetarian forum?

The comments, so cook me up a juicy steak, surplus food comment, go lean meat, etc. just ticked me off. It's really hypocritical to have animals and eat them too.

**LiciaMommycott** · #32 02-06-05, 02:12 am

Actually folks, I always go straight to the Cavy Cages new posts section so I didn't even see that this was an entire discussion area for vegetarians and therefore frequented primarily by vegetarians. Had I noticed, I would not have posted since obviously I will not change your minds and you will not change mind (and there is no reason for either to happen). Whoever said it was right the first time, it was tactless (not tactful) for me to make the comment about the juicy steak considering the audience in this section. My apologies. I will take my steaks and go.

FYI, considering this is a vegetarian discussion in a guinea pig forum, I suggest that you not take any trips to Ecuador because you will not like what you find.

**Piglet** · #33 02-06-05, 07:27 am

"My apologies. I will take my steaks and go"

That cracked me up. No, even though this is a pro vegetarian forum, I think its good to hear the other side of the coin.

**Smudger** · #34 02-06-05, 08:17 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by sofiemuffins

and I know that an innocent animal didn't have to die for me to live.

Unless you grow and harvest all your own food, that isn't likely to be true. Millions of small animals are killed during harvesting each year.

Just so we're clear, I'm not anti-vegetarian, just stating a fact.

**heabrook** · #35 02-07-05, 10:46 pm

[quote=LiciaMommycott]

So, if you want to avoid eating animals because you are tender hearted towards them, that's one thing but claiming we weren't meant to eat them isn't quite accurate.

QUOTE]

Actually, it is quite accurate... our teeth and digestive system were never set up to consume meat. However, I'd really rather not go into a big debate about this. If you want to learn more, there are plenty of threads explaining this further that you can read about. Meat does have vitamins, but there are many plant sources that have the same vitamins and there is NO side-effects from eating vegetables/fruits. Why consume meat when you can get the same vitamins/minerals from healthier sources? You can't tell me there are great benefits to eating meat, because that's not true... for example: you run the risk of high cholesterol and consuming deadly amounts of saturated fat and increasing your chances (significantly) for colon cancer. Go veggie and be 10x healthier.

And what's so bad about being fond of animals? Honestly, that was quite a barbaric remark :P

Animals are much smarter than human beings. We have a lot to learn, especially people with attitudes like you displayed. Please don't be offended by that, but honestly... you could be more compassionate and open minded. Just because you like meat doesn't mean you need to defend why you eat it.

But like mcavy said, we all our entitled to our own opinions. Free will and all that...

**mncavylover** · #36 02-14-05, 06:02 pm

Licia, I know you have your opinion, but not everyone goes rushing around touting their ideas and shoving them in peoples' faces. You sarcastically reply to someone saying (politely, might I add) that the comment you made about steak was a bit offensive, and you still continue to mention it. Will you even allow a discussion, or will you continue to be closed-minded? I'd love to hear what you have to say, as I'm sure many others would as well. Thanks, and sorry in advance if this was inappropriate to post in any way. Have a great Valentine's Day!

**2boar1sow** · #37 02-14-05, 11:08 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by mncavylover

Licia, I know you have your opinion, but not everyone goes rushing around touting their ideas and shoving them in peoples' faces. You sarcastically reply to someone saying (politely, might I add) that the comment you made about steak was a bit offensive, and you still continue to mention it. Will you even allow a discussion, or will you continue to be closed-minded? I'd love to hear what you have to say, as I'm sure many others would as well. Thanks, and sorry in advance if this was inappropriate to post in any way. Have a great Valentine's Day!

MNcavylover, you need to grow up a little. Licia's second post was an apology. Maybe a little lighthearted, which I advocate, people shoudn't be too serious, but not sarcastic. Licia did not "shove" an idea in anyone's face. Not understanding this was a provegatarian forum, she offered information the same as everyone else on this thread has. Please lighten up a little, licia did not mean any harm and does not deserve that sort of response.

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