Would you consider caviar to be acceptable for vegetarians?

Question

Wikipedia says:

"Caviar is not generally regarded as part of a vegetarian diet, even by vegetarians who consume milk and eggs. The usual reasoning is that harvesting the eggs involves killing (or performing surgery) upon the fish and thus contributes to animal suffering."

I call bullsh!t on that, though, because "does not eat meat" does not translate to "cares about animals." Eating eggs and dairy contributes to animal suffering, and eating eggs and dairy is part of the definition of ovo-lacto vegetarianism.

Comments?

Wikipedia also says:

"...a number of farmers are experimenting with surgical removal of the roe from live sturgeon, allowing the females to produce more eggs during their lifespans."

And: don't worry, I'm not plotting to spring it on an unsuspecting vegetarian. I'm just trying to figure out whether or not I want to eat it -- it keeps turning up as an ingredient in otherwise vegetarian sushi.

Re. milk, egg production not harming animals: yeah, it's 'natural' for cows to produce milk and chicken, eggs, but I doubt it's a good life to be on a commercial farm.

(That said, though, I still eat them...)

Answer 1

It seems most of these people have no idea what they're talking about.
They say if their was no harm to the fish that most "vegetarians" would have no problem eating it. Thing is, as you pointed out, most vegetarians eat eggs. The way most egg producing chickens are treated is awful. Stuffed into small cages, beaks clipped off etc. Most of them will die prematurely after suffering their whole lives. Milk as well contributes to the veal industry and these cows spend there lives sore and shot full of hormones.

So I say it's hypocrisy. It's convenient to say they're against eating caviar because they don't eat caviar. It's much more difficult to give up eggs and milk. They can just not eat meat (at least in front of their friends) and keep the 'cool' of being a vegetarian.

Answer 2

I don't know much about caviar.... if the caviar aren't fertilized when consumed, they aren't a living creature and thus are the very same thing as chicken eggs when they are consumed. If this is the case, there is no reason an ovo-vegetarian wouldn't eat caviar. If caviar is fertilized when usually eaten, then I understand why vegetarians wouldn't eat them.

I myself had caviar when I was 9 in school (a teacher thought it a good idea to introduce us kiddies to it). It was gross. Because I didn't like it then, I just never thought anymore about it now that I am a vegetarian.

Answer 3

I think that the difference is the eggs from chickens that ova-vegetarians eat are unfertilized and wouldn't be able to grow up (even if they were fertilized, because of the hormones related to egg producing chickens. Think of it kind of like a period in women. Once it happens like that with those certain hormones the egg will not grow up no matter what)

With caviar it is similar in the way that the female fish are separated from males but the caviar eggs could be fertilized and grow, even after they are "harvested" if you get a male involved. I hope that makes sense.

Answer 4

Free range chicken eggs I eat, but OMG Caviar, personally I think it smells vile!! Just like it came out of the business end of a fish!!! HOWEVER, if you like it carry on eating it! If the fish were not harmed to make it then It could be on a par with chicken's eggs in the vegetarian society's book! But seeing as they don't kill a chicken or operate on it to get an egg it's hardly the same thing! BTW I only buy free range!

Answer 5

I agree with what you are saying and I am not a vegetarian, but eating poultry eggs and drinking milk does not contribute to animal suffering. Milking a cow and birds laying eggs are (I believe) are a natural part of life and there is no harming the animal in the collection of either product. Caviar, though is different. Even though I agree with you, I have to say 86 the idea of serving to vegetarians.

Answer 6

The eggs I eat from chickens are unfertized eggs that I get from totally free range, organic grain fed chickens. Caviar is often taken from the fish after the fish is slaughtered which in essence would be practically the same as eating the fish.

For many vegetarians, cavier is not suitable for them because of their ethics.

Answer 7

Caviar REQUIRES the killing of the fish to get the eggs. Milking a cow and collecting eggs from chickens DO NOT require that they be killed.

So, for me, NO vegetarian should eat caviar.

Answer 8

Caviar is not part of the vegetarian diet. An animal had to die to produce it. Additionally, if they switch to surgery it is not coming from the animal naturally, which makes it not part of the vegetarian diet.

Answer 9

If the caviar was harvested without harm to the fish, I think it would be considered okay by vegetarians (but not vegans, since they won't eat anything from an animal, regardless of whether or not it was harmed). However, if the fish are killed to get it, then no... vegetarians would not eat it. Then again... there's a few vegetarians that eat fish (but no meat or poultry), so for them it would probably be okay. Vegetarianism isnt' a strict "can" or "cannot" type of thing... it's all about personal choice. There's the militant veggies out there that say "You're NOT a veg if..." but there are SO many "types" of vegetarians out there (ovo-, lacto-, pesco-, etc) that who's to say. But yeah... I'd have to say, generally, if the fish are killed to get it, then no, it would not be considered vegetarian.

Answer 10

I say go for it. But if you decide against it, there is a company making a soy caviar these days. You can find it at some Whole Foods. I've tried it and it's really not bad.