Difference between Vegans and Vegetarians??

OK - this might sound a bit forceful or preachy - I wouldn't usually do this as I believe everybody has the right to make their own choices without being pressurised in any way.... but you *did* ask.... *g*

I've been a vegetarian since 1979 and a vegan (as much as I can) since 1988. I became a vegetarian for three reasons really - firstly for health reasons (I'm British - anybody remember BSE??). Too much protein is bad for you, too much fat is bad for you. I believe a vegetarian diet is far healthier. I believe our natural diet should be as close to that of a gorilla as possible. Seeds and shoots and as much raw food as you can. (Though I will admit to indulging in the occasional chip butty *g*) It's much healthier. You don't find life-long vegans suffering bowel cancers!!

The second reason was the cruelty aspect. Britain at the time allowed the crating of veal calves and the caging of pigs (they don't any more though it's still permissible to cage hens) both practices are unbelievably barbaric. I saw a film called "The Animals Film" and was appalled at the treatment animals were subjected to. I felt that continuing to eat meat supported these practices and therefore implied support of them.

The third was - I believe life is sacred. Thou shalt not kill and all that. If I wouldn't or couldn't *personally* take that animal's life why should I expect someone else to kill it for me so that I can buy it in a nice clean plastic wrapper totally divorced from the animal itself or the messy business of butchering it??

I was quite an activist back then - went on protests against animal testing or cosmetics or household products, "save the whale" marches etc.

I became a vegan (though I loved cheese) because I feel that no animal should be permanently lactating, no animal should be forced to endure continual pregnancies to keep it lactating - and what happens to all those calves?? (especially now we don't crate them).

I say "as much as I can" because some otherwise ok products (Quorn in particular) sometimes have egg powder in. And I travel a lot - I've found it hard enough to eat out vegetarian in some countries (the USA for example - fish is not vegetarian and shoving bacon bits on a poor inoffensive salad certainly isn't!!) without insisting on vegan food. But I do my best.

I hate it when some meat-eaters try to get me to "just have a little taste" - I wouldn't dream of trying to make them feel guilty for eating meat - nor would I attempt to convert them if they hadn't expressed an interest already - I'll respect their choices - all I ask is that they respect mine.


Edited to add - And as far as the question "Why become a vegetarian" - my reply is Why not??

Why eat meat?? Just because your parents do?? Just because your parents fed it to you?? Just because you always have?? Just because "everybody" does?? Do you eat meat simply because you've never thought about it and why you do it??
 
i think everyone should eat the diet they want and not feel the need to justify it. especially when people say their diet is what is most 'natural'. but natural compared to what? our closest living relative? thats the chimpanzee and they eat birds, mammals and other prime mates. if we wanted to stick to a diet of the earliest hominid we should be eating the roadkill off the streets, or some other predators leftovers. which is why i dont compare my diet to any other ancestor or relative, i just eat meat because i like it and my body is anatomically and physiologically equipped to deal with it.

i have known unhealthy omnivores as well as unhealthy vegans. as long as you are careful you can have a healthy diet that either includes or excludes food from animal sources.
 
zero2aries, you're right. I *did* ask :D
The reason I asked is because I love debating with people, even when I share the same view. Though in order to do that , you have to know both sides of the story. It's my way to really get to know people.
But I'm glad you posted your motivations. It gave me a pretty good view on different reasons. I'm open to more reasons (though I think the main ones have been mentioned), so the question sticks. :)

To answer your question:
I eat meat because I believe that humans are natural omnivores. I agree to your view on believing that a man's diet should be as close as possible to a gorilla's, but only because gorillas are omnivorous.
And like allmaple,I also eat meat just because I like the taste of it.
 
I'm a vegetarin because growing up on a farm I felt that eating the cow that I had raised since birth was a bit backwards. So at the age of 7 I decided that I wasn't going to eat meat anymore and my faily has supported me since.

I also did this for health reasons as I watched my father slowly die because he didn't want to take care of himself and always went for the worst choices. I loved him dearly but wasn't going to let that happen to me.

As Allmaple pointed out there are good and bad ways to look at all of this, yes there are junk food options but they aren't the things to turn to. Freshness is also another since preservatives are used to keep foods longer. Think about the great debate over the wrapper or the Twinkie being broken down first. The latter being the product that stays around years after the plastic has gone. Not really a fan of placing that kind of stuff in my body. But to each their own.
 
I can't remember why I first became a vegetarian, I think it just struck me as wrong to eat animals, I'm not sure. I know one of the factors was the abattoir at the end of my road, which is a road that leads about two miles into the country. I hated seeing the trucks packed with animals going past our house.

The thing that's kept me being a vegetarian though (I'm the sort of person that would have otherwise agreed to eating meat so not to make any trouble) is that seeing the abattoir lorries every day made me realise how much waste the meat industry produces, from the food for the animals, to transportation of live animals, to getting the food to the shops.

I want become vegan, but not until I leave home, is my parent's final answer.
 
Indeed, ceaser dressing has anchovies in it and there are other traces in most dressings. Label reading is the biggested thing when you're vegetarian or vegan. Always make sur eyou leave yourself a lot of time when grocery sopping. :)
 
I was out in town with some mates and one of them had some Jelly Babies and offered me one and I said I cant eat them and said to check the ingredients when he asked why. So he looked, and said: "oh my god there's MEAT in it!" really saracstically, then I pointed out there was gellatine in it which I cant have. Sarcastic ass. ;) He checks things for me alot more now.

wolfesgamergirl said:
Indeed, ceaser dressing has anchovies in it and there are other traces in most dressings. Label reading is the biggested thing when you're vegetarian or vegan. Always make sur eyou leave yourself a lot of time when grocery sopping. :)
Click to expand...

I noticed that too, wasn't expecting it at all, but yeah I do check alot more now. :)
 
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