Is anyone a vegetarian?

newtocats

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Is anyone a vegetarian? For what reasons? How long?

I am considering making the switch...
 

gus's mom

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I AM! I have been for about 6-7 years now. I never liked meat much anyway so for me it was an easy move. I did it mostly because I decided that I liked the animals better than the end product. I'm a bit hypocritical though as I still wear leather shoes (vinyl is just too sweaty) I would have to say that in todays market, it's easy to be a veg as there's lots of alternatives to meat. You do have to be careful about protein intake, I still eat dairy plus soy is a complete protein equivalent to a meat product but without the cholesterol.
 

hopehacker

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To some degree I am. I rarely eat any meat, although once in a while, I have chicken. So, I'm not a true vegan, but I'm not really a meat eater, either.
 

katl8e

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Originally posted by Cabbie
Nope I'm not... meat is king!
I'm with Cabbie. If God didn't intend for people to eat cows, She wouldn't have made them out of meat!
That goes for chickens, pigs and fish, too.
 

woodsygirl

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I'm with HopeHacker, I rarely eat meat... sometimes chicken but thats it. My hubby and I were vegan for quite a number of years... and vegetarian for even longer. He still uses hemp wallets and I avoid leather. I guess we are more "ethical" people. If we have to eat meat or eggs, it's organic free-range, vegetarian fed meat only.

A good book to read is "May all be fed: A diet for a new world" by John Robbins.
 

rapunzel47

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Originally posted by katl8e
If God didn't intend for people to eat cows, She wouldn't have made them out of meat!
That goes for chickens, pigs and fish, too.
Oh, well said!!
 

yoviher

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I'm with you meat lovers... meat rules!


Anyway, up to my understanding, being a vegetarian is not that healthy... Although it isn't healthy at all to be eating almost all meat, neither it is with vegetables, because then the body does not get enough protein. At least that is what most doctors around here say.

Any knowledge about that?

BTW, God is a she? Not that I have any problems with it, just that it brough a giggle to me
 
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newtocats

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I was thinking of becoming a vegetarian just because of how horrible factory farming is...
 

rapunzel47

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Originally posted by yoviher
I'm with you meat lovers... meat rules!


Anyway, up to my understanding, being a vegetarian is not that healthy... Although it isn't healthy at all to be eating almost all meat, neither it is with vegetables, because then the body does not get enough protein. At least that is what most doctors around here say.

Any knowledge about that?
Well, the key in ANY diet is balance -- nothing to excess. The thing I think you are picking up on about a vegetarian diet is that the human body needs certain proteins, which, when taken from animal sources, are complete and ready for the body to metabolize and use. However, proteins from most other sources are not complete. So various proteins need to be combined appropriately in order to achieve the same effect. It's not that it isn't possible, or even that it's difficult, just that one needs to be deliberate about making the right combinations.

I know lots of vegetarians who are perfectly healthy. I just don't care to join them, because I love my meat and dairy products, and believe I would find a diet without them quite boring.
 

okeefecl

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Originally posted by NewtoCats
I was thinking of becoming a vegetarian just because of how horrible factory farming is...
Have you explored organic products? There is a year-round market in my town, where local farmers/wineries/bakers/artists sell their products. One of the wineries offers chicken and eggs that live free on their property-they are some of the best I've ever tasted and aren't factory farmed. It may be hard and more expensive, but you can find meat and dair not from factory farms.
 

mamakat

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I was for a short time. Im just not that dedicated I guess, and still like the occasional bit of meat. I have cut down though. We only eat it about once a week right now. I still like cooking typical vegetarian meals though. I use that stuff... oh what is it called... TSP? The fake ground beef stuff?
Anyway I used that frequently rather than real beef. I also love making things with Tofu. I make the best "Chickfu Nuggets" ever
No one can really tell that they arent truly chicken!
 

jugen

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count me in as a non pig/cow meat eater. YUCK! I've never liked the taste of either, I do eat fish and on occassion chicken. But give me a big ole salad...MMMM!MMM! YUMMY! I could(and frequently do) eat salad all the time! Can't really say I'm a vegan/vegitarian either, because I like milk and eggs though.
 
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newtocats

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Wow! Tofu chicken nuggets?!? May I have the recipe? Thanks!
 

b.k. heather

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I have been a vegetarian for 25 years and almost all my friends are vegetarian - except the cat owners.lol.

Human beings do not have the teeth or bowel length to be true carnivores and a lot of health problems are the result of toxicity from meat residue remaining in the bowel and the toxins being re-absorbed. Also along with the protein in meat you take in the toxins and adrenaline and chemicals that are also in the animals blood stream so it is widely recognised that actually meat consumption is not healthy as it taxes your elimination systems already overburdened in ridding your body of your own waste problems. Most nutrition experts encourage the eating of less red meat meals per week and even curtailing intake of white flesh and are always trying to encourage more vegetable and fruit intake - up to 7 different portions of the latter per day.

You do need to mix and match your vegetarian diet - unless you go vegan - you can still have an odd egg, cheese and dairy - just not in excess. Vegetarian meals are generally much more creative and people who become vegetarian develop a much more refined sense of taste - lots of information on the web about vegetarian diet.

Why not give it a try for a few weeks. Good luck.

My rule is if it ever had furr, fin or flesh I don't eat it - I would rather have my animals with their furr on.......so far I have not found a satisfactory vegetarian diet for cats who are Obligate Carnivore.....but no need for me to add to the chain of suffering that accompanies rearing animals and birds and even fish for the table.
 

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Some years back, I saw a question, in a vet's column that made question the writer's fitness to keep pets. The person was a vegetarian and wanted to put his dogs and cats on a vegetarian diet, too. The vet informed the writer that, if he did that, he would have malnourished and/or dead pets.

As for me, I have allergies to certain veggies and just don't like some others. Bill and I are both Southern and that means meat, potatoes, beans and bread. I love the Sunday morning breakfasts, that he cooks: biscuits and sausage gravy, bacon, eggs and hash browns. We'd never eat like that, on a daily basis but, once a week is fine.

Both of us have cholesterol and triglyceride counts, in the cellar. Other than that one breakfast, each week, we keep to a relatively low-fat diet. After what Mom's been through and my ex having his first heart attack, at 50, I'm trying to keep Bill alive.
 

b.k. heather

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Cindy,
I am sure that everybody has to do what they feel comfortable with but actually vegetarian food has little cholesterol and very little fat - it is usually the rich sauces that upset the balance. You can have yummy roast vegies with a tiny brushing of oil and sprinkled with mixed herbs and rosemary, great healthy salads with your favourite veg and low fat salad dressings - doesn't have to be a limp lettuce leaf - and wonderful meat substitutes - grilled, baked,casseroled and patties etc. You can have light cheese sauces, small amounts of curry for flavour and of course Soy Sauce, herbe and tomatoey sauces etc.

Once you throw away the cook book - the sky is the limit. Most adults actually eat too much protein anyway so that is not a problem. Check out a few of the vegetarian sites.....it is a fact that some of the great thinkers the world has known were vegetarian and actually more than half the worlds population are also vegetarian.

Anyway enjoy your food and eat it with love regardless of what it is.lol.
 
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