The Vegetarian & Vegan Thread

[papa_levante]

Bahhhhhhh, your sarcasm entertains me.

So, I did a bit of researching tonight and found out the reasons that being a vegetarian is good for the environment.

I've come to a personal commitment to eat no meat or product from an animal with legs. But, I will still eat fish. I have been a big sushi eater my entire life, and I feel that raw fish and seafood are safer means of meat-eating than chickens, pigs, and cows pumped.

Is there a name for that? My friend says you can't be a vegan if you eat fish, but I'd like to call it a pescetarian-vegan. Does that work?

 

[djwong]

But, I will still eat fish. I have been a big sushi eater my entire life, and I feel that raw fish and seafood are safer means of meat-eating than chickens, pigs, and cows pumped.

That is not necessarily true. There are some fishing practices that are particularly harmful for the ocean. There is also the issue of certain species of fish with dwindling populations. Farmed fish has tons of issues as well, such as chemicals or antibiotics in dirty pools and run-off leaking into the nearby environment.

The "safest bet" for sustainable fish-eating is probably wild fish. The Monterey Bay Aquarium regularly monitors populations of various species and notes what kinds of fish (caught by particular methods) are okay to eat. Check out "Seafood Recommendations" on the left panel.

http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/seafoodwatch.aspx

 

[papa_levante]

Hey thanks! That's great! My brother mentioned over-fishing, and I think I should hold that as high as I hold inhumane slaughtering practices.

 

[papa_levante]

I made a commitment that I'm going to become a vegan.

But the intensity of it, from not wearing leather, wool or silk to not consuming honey, where does it end before it becomes all consuming?

This would mean a conscious effort to ask what is being put in my food. Even my favorite drink I would have to ask what is added in it. Like the chocolate in the drink, I would have to find out if it is dark or milk chocolate.

 

[Leeroi]

I made a commitment that I'm going to become a vegan.

But the intensity of it, from not wearing leather, wool or silk to not consuming honey, where does it end before it becomes all consuming?

This would mean a conscious effort to ask what is being put in my food. Even my favorite drink I would have to ask what is added in it. Like the chocolate in the drink, I would have to find out if it is dark or milk chocolate.

I think the hardest part of being vegan is trying to avoid animal products when you eat out with friends and in social gatherings. Also, you'll get into the habit of looking the ingredients list of almost everything from supermarkets. You'll probably get a lot of people saying "are you starving yourself?" when you refuse to eat even the smallest things like miniature quiches.

Good luck with being vegan.

 

[papa_levante]

^ In the Weight thread, it's discussed a bit here, how being a vegetarian develops into an ED unintentionally. So I would have to learn to educate myself in the ways of discussing with the uneducated on how to be a safe vegan and not a starving vegan.

I have a vegan friend so I doubt it will be all that hard since a few restaurants know her to be a vegan and tell her what's in their food and even specially prepare some dishes.

At my grocery store, I've noticed that many Kashi frozen dinners have vegan written on them. Look closely in the bottom left corner, and it says "Vegan." (I bought it for tomorrow night's dinner since tonight was tofu stir-fry, inspired by the lovely STYLEOCIDE.)
almostvegan.com

Even some of Amy's products are good and have vegan labeled in front of the ingredients. Behind the word "Ingredients" it would says "(Vegan)".
daemonsfood.com

So grand.

 

[djwong]

I made a commitment that I'm going to become a vegan.

But the intensity of it, from not wearing leather, wool or silk to not consuming honey, where does it end before it becomes all consuming?

It's really up to you. I'm a vegan who loves high fashion, and it's really hard to find great vegan shoes that are up to my standards of beauty... I mean, Stella McCartney shoes are gorgeous, but I don't have that kind of money! [In a way, it is liberating because most of the cheapest fast fashion shoes (ie: Forever 21) are made of man made materials and they are CHEAP. But I digress.] So yes, I'm a hypocrite by having leather shoes (which when you think about it, it's just as bad as fur because it's the actual SKIN and the process of making leather is harsh on the environment) but I'd like to think that by not eating animal products, I've already considerably reduced some of the harm I could be doing to animals and the environment. (I have some hard core vegan eco-activist type friends who would disagree.)

It can be all consuming. Should you buy a vegan product from a company that also makes non-vegan products? Should you avoid restaurants that also serve non-vegan or non-vegetarian things? Is it okay to buy non-vegan or non-vegetarian products if it's local and sustainably-produced?

It's up to you. I think it's most important to simply be aware of the environmental implications or the issues of humaneness behind your choices, be it eating dairy or wearing leather. And the choice is then up to you...

Good luck with veganism!

 

[djwong]

^ In the Weight thread, it's discussed a bit here, how being a vegetarian develops into an ED unintentionally. So I would have to learn to educate myself in the ways of discussing with the uneducated on how to be a safe vegan and not a starving vegan.

I have a vegan friend so I doubt it will be all that hard since a few restaurants know her to be a vegan and tell her what's in their food and even specially prepare some dishes.

I'm really lucky I live in NYC, where I have tons of vegan-friendly groceries and health food stores as well as amazing restaurants. I can't imagine being vegan in meat-y cities.

Re: Being a safe vegan -- as long as you have enough variety in your diet, you'll probably meet your protein, iron and calcium requirements anyway! I got a physical a few months into veganism, and I wasn't even consciously picking out foods for nutritional content like a heath freak, and all my iron, calcium, etc. levels were within normal range. Regarding amino acids, quinoa is essential. Quinoa actually has all the amino acids you need (complete protein). You should check up on foods on http://www.nutritiondata.com to look at the completeness of protein quality and other nutrients if you're worried about any deficiencies.

 

[fashionista-ta]

I find the difference between leather and fur to be that no one actually needs fur--it is purely a luxury item. Yes, you can also live without leather--but it's significantly more difficult. Avoiding fur is no trouble at all.

 

[cestmagique]

I agree ta-ta, leather is about eight thousand times more practical than fur so although I can appreciate the arguments against it, I don't ban leather entirely. I have leather bags and such but I do buy them second hand.

 

[tullepen]

I was volunteering today and lunch was provided...which was arugula salad with a PORK sandwich needless to say I came home with a migraine from not eating enough ( only arugula for me!) and just made potato with kale and avocado,some vegetable grain spaghetti and fried garbanzo beans.Even when I wasn't vegetarian I never had pork products.It smelled so disgusting

 

[Leeroi]

I was volunteering today and lunch was provided...which was arugula salad with a PORK sandwich needless to say I came home with a migraine from not eating enough ( only arugula for me!) and just made potato with kale and avocado,some vegetable grain spaghetti and fried garbanzo beans.Even when I wasn't vegetarian I never had pork products.It smelled so disgusting

I've found that most people who want to consider vegetarianism often times don't like eating pork so they quit eating it first. A lot of my cousins find pork to be disgusting.

Also, I hate it when restaurants advertise salads and they fail to write or say that there's chicken, pork bits, or fish on it.

 

[ChloeFrancoise]

I think I used the juice from 2 or 3 oranges to wash the greasiness from my mouth the last time I let someone convince me to eat pork. Bleck.

 

[STYLEOClDE]

Also, I hate it when restaurants advertise salads and they fail to write or say that there's chicken, pork bits, or fish on it.

I hate that too. This actually happened to me tonight. So, all I had to eat
was my dad's baked potato and my brother's steamed veggies. It was good, don't get
me wrong...but I was craving a salad. Sigh.

 

[tullepen]

There's no way I'd ever eat meat or fish again...I think I'd end up in the ER if I did,my digestion is so unused to them.So unhealthy.

 

[Ryan Riverz]

I've been finding myself lately with my mind wondering into the "what ifs" if I became a vegetarian. It really would not be that big of a step for me, my diet is already about 92% non-meat. When I do eat meat it's usually part of something, like for example the pepperoni on a pizza.

Usually I'd just as soon eat a salad. *Sigh* I'm a disgrace to my deep southern, pork grilling, fried-chicken eating roots.

 

[papa_levante]

^ Same here. Growing up in Louisiana, I'm used to sausage and fatty ingredients in every meal. I love it! But, I now have to settle for rice and beans and lots and lots of spicy stuff. B)

 

[Leeroi]

^ Same here. Growing up in Louisiana, I'm used to sausage and fatty ingredients in every meal. I love it! But, I now have to settle for rice and beans and lots and lots of spicy stuff. B)

That reminds me, when I switched to being vegan, I started appreciating more simpler foods. And I started paying attention to spices more.

Seriously, that barbecue ribs people love so much wouldn't taste as good if they didn't have the right spices on it. I think people forget that barbecue ribs don't come out of a pig or cow, only the ribs. I can't imagine how nasty it would taste without the seasonings. Anyways, my point is, you don't need meat for foods to taste good, but you do need spices and flavorings. Haha.

 

[ScarlettLover]

I have southern roots too. I guess I'll just have to be unsouthern b/c im....

going vegetarian!!!! I've decided. I've tried before but this time I'm fed up and im gonna do it. I want to become healthier.

So yay for us veggie lovers!

 

[tullepen]

I saw Sherlock Holmes and there was a scene in a slaughterhouse...I had to cover my eyes....