Aside from animal rights, what reasons do you have for being a vegetarian?

Answer 1

health. i'm not blaming meat and dairy for all the ills of the world, or even for my own for that matter. but even "lean" meats are only lean when they're prepared in specific manners. besides, i personally felt a lot better when i gave up meat than i had prior.

paranoia. in the past five years, i can only remember one toxic vegetable scare. but i'm noticing that meats are being recalled left and right for assorted "this-could-be-potentially-dangerous" reasons.

economics. it's a whole heck of a lot cheaper not to eat meat. i've found that buying meat and fish for a family of four for a week (not including accoutrements) is just shy of what i spend on staple food items for a month (not including the variable prices of produce). now it will vary from family/person to family/person. and i don't eat too many of the meat replacements (Boca, Morningstar, Gardenburger, Yves, etc.) and i buy as much of my produce from farmer's markets as possible (soooo much cheaper and usually much better too!).

accountability. when i make a salad, i can physically see each and every ingredient i'm putting into my body. can you say the same when you eat a burger or a hot dog? eew, no. when's the last time someone returned a salad at a restaurant because they found a bloody bandage in it? i returned a spinach salad once because there was sand (just means the leaves weren't washed)

Answer 2

I used to be a vegetarian I didn't like the taste of meat but now I like some meats but not all.. I like me hungry like the wolf response as far as meat giving pimples and obesity false. Meat isn't the cause of obesity mainly fast food greasy crap if you drain the fat out of the meat once you cook it yummy! Oh yeah junk food cause of pimples not meat I've never heard a more ridiculous theory (meat causes pimples come on get real). If you want to get technical some obesity is caused by medicines there are other explanations. I know people because of their medical conditions they have to take certain medicines that cause weight gain has nothing to do with the intake of food. I am 5' 6 1/2" 115 pounds for about 4 years I have been consuming meat with no results on excess fat and if you believe 115 pounds is fat then you need a psychiatrist.

Answer 3

health.. my body just doesn't like animal proteins.. and fats.

i tried a few times but the pains, indigestion, other issues just suck too much....

i work well with vegetarian diets.... simple as that.

not that i'm complaining.. vegetables, fruits.. fresh legumes.. tubers.. roots, bulbs.. all that jazz are possibly the best tasting stuff around..

in my opinion.

:D

oh and molds.. like mushrooms.

if that doesn't convince you...

i have malignant hypertension.. macular degeneration and a few other health issues... gerd... .... no more adult acne.. no more uneven skin... dry skin.. no more aches and pains.. and the fact i can tolerate very cold and very hot weather situations..

the low weight is a plus.. i'm not suffering weight issues... i also like the light feeling.. not feeling stuffy...

and the feeling of bliss.
that's the part i like also... i don't know where it comes from.. i guess it's because i try to keep the chemicals out as much as possible by not eating processed foods... and that i meditate....

:D

i also like the fact i don't have sinus troubles anymore either.

Answer 4

It was never about Animal rights honey.It was for me.I never liked the taste of meat so I avoid eating it.

I believe that everyone has the right to eat whatever they want to without fear of discrimination.

Come on people,live and let live.I really am tired of all these Vegan/Vegetarian/Meateater skirmishes and gimmicks.

Answer 5

My body no longer can tolerate meat. Cows' milk is for baby cows, not for humans. The environmental consequences of animal industry are appalling. You can reduce your global footprint sharply by going vegan.

edit: Wolf, here are a couple of articles from nonvegetarian websites. And just remember, the food the animals you eat were also fed pesticides--far more than the plants I eat.

http://www.physorg.com/news4998.html

http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0220/p03s01-ussc.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/29/business/media/29adco.html

quote: "In late November, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization issued a report stating that the livestock business generates more greenhouse gas emissions than all forms of transportation combined."

And for you conservatives:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,296646,00.html

Answer 6

Health benefits. My family has a history of heart disease and diabetes. By being a vegetarian, I cut my chances in half of getting either of those. Plus, I stay thin! :)

Answer 7

Once again veggie tart is spewing unreliable information. Tart, again I ask, please provide a link, from a non-vege promotional site that verifies your claim regarding the environment.

There is no other reason than animal rights. A diet including meat can be healthier than a diet without, and vise versa. Preparation methods and food choices within either group ( vege or meat) are the deciding factor regarding the health of either diet.

Those who shun meat because of hormones have simply traded them for pesticides and herbicides. So, that isn't a sound argument either.

reni----come on now, the band-aid example is weak, that could just as easily been a veggie burger from any restaurant that serves them.

Answer 8

Meat tastes gross to me. But also it is easier to eat healthy when you cant just go to Burger King and order a hamburger...

Answer 9

All the hormones, antibiotics, and trash they feed the animals.

Answer 10

Sorry--I am not-nor have I ever been a vegetarian. I haven't ever really thought about it.