The Six Kinds Of Vegetarianism

To be a vegetarian is to live a life cruelty free. Vegetarianism is a lifestyle, which eliminates any type of meat from one’s diet. Public figure Ellen DeGeneres, a vegan, actually eliminated all animal products from her life once she found out the truth behind an omnivorous diet. She says, “I can’t participate in that. I can’t be a part of something that is suffering...It’s a very disturbing reality and it happens every minute of the day” (VitalVeda). And the number of people cutting off meat from their diet continues to increase. It is said that “veganism has grown 500% since 2014 in the US” (Veganism). As more and more research is conducted on the effects of eating dead animals, more and more people become aware of those effects, or rather, those damages, they can cause to themselves, morally and physically, and to the environment.

Vegetarianism has existed for many centuries, but perhaps the most well known vegetarian was Pythagoras. Pythagoras was a philosopher whom educated much of the world on his ideas in life, one at the time being the abstinence of meat. Pythagoras, along with many of his followers, believed that the consumption of meat could affect the longevity of one’s life. Though not everyone believed in Pythagoras’ opinions, he still had a loyal group of followers. Pythagoras was so widely associated with a meat free diet that the terms vegetarian was not even in use until 1847, when the term “pythagorean” was changed to “vegetarian” (Avey). Today, there are 16 million people in America who follow a vegetarian-based or vegan diet (Watters). There is a common misconception that the choice to become a vegetarian is based only on a person’s love for animals, but there are many other benefits to being a vegetarian. Pythagoras and his followers gave many of the same arguments that people who abstain from meat today support; for example, Pythagoras had the belief that there was a majority of added health benefits from a meatless diet (Avey). Vegetarianism can decrease the risk of cancer along with other health concerns, can solve problems the world presently faces,—such as world hunger and animal cruelty— and can have positive effects on the environment—such as pollution reduction and overgrazing reduction. People need to adopt a vegetarian lifestyle because it will improve public

So, there are many different types of vegetarians. And probably just as many definitions. As a fact, vegetarians today are everywhere. They belong to different social groups in both rich or poor countries. In parts of the world such as Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia, meat is uncommon, and therefore it is an easy choice to be vegetarian. Surveys show that in both the United States and Britain about 4% of population is vegetarian. More and more people are choosing vegetarianism every day. Many people became vegetarian for health reasons. They look and feel better when they stop eating meat. Some famous vegetarians include Leonardo da Vinchi, Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison,

“Against Meat” by Jonathon Safran Foer (2009, New York Times Magazine) is intended to educate current non-vegetarians on what vegetarianism is, the benefits of it in terms of health and animal rights, and also the struggles of consistently being a vegetarian. Although Foer does not specifically express what a vegetarian is we can assume he is going off the generally known definition of a person who does not consume the meat of an animal, as oppose to a vegan who does not consume any animal products at all. According to an article about vegetarian Americans, 5% or 16 million Americans classify themselves as vegetarian in 2015, compared to the 1% back in 2009, making vegetarianism a growing trend throughout the US (Raw Food World). Foer proves his opinion on vegetarianism by backing it up with facts from the USDA and his own personal experiences with his babysitter, growing up struggling with being a vegetarian that loves meat, and the decision to marry and raise his child vegetarian. Foer does, however, have a few gaps in his argument about nutrition, the costs associated with vegetarianism, and the lack of a definition of vegetarian.

Today, many Americans are not doing a great job taking care of themselves and their well-being. As a result, the rates of obesity of many Americans continues to increase. Many are suffering from diseases that not only is affecting their health but also their lifestyle. Many believe that by consuming a healthier vegetarian diet not only will it help individuals maintain a healthier body but by reducing the amount of foods that contain fertilizers can protect the planet from further damage to the environment.

Vegetarianism is a custom practiced in six out of the seven continents and has become more popular over the years. Vegetarianism can be defined as the exclusion of animal products such as meat and fish from one’s diet. Dairy products and eggs are often times excluded as well. Although there are many reasons one may decide to become a Vegetarian or follow such a code of ethics, the most common include: moral, religious or health reasons.

Vegetarians are people who do not eat meat, and for some, do not consume any animal products at all. Vegetarian has been along for a long time and with time has grown the controversy over the topic. The reasons that vegetarianism has grown into a controversial topic are mostly the human beliefs and health reasons associated with it.

There are two main lifestyles that we as human beings practice that impact our eating habits. One being a Vegetarian, a person who chooses not to eat meat. The other being a Meat Eater (also known as an Omnivore), a person who chooses to eat both meat and vegetables. A controversial debate continues to go on, evaluating the pros and cons of each group, along with the reasons behind their choice. In the end it all depends on the individual’s outlook on life that makes the decision.

Throughout American society, there is a divide between the ideologies of vegetarians and non-vegetarians as it is proven that the average American diet of animal based products has had detrimental effects on the well-being of both humans and animals. Humans can live a maximum of 21 days without food in their stomach, therefore supermarkets provide access for individuals to obtain food without going to the nearest farm. The vast aisles of supermarkets are lined with food ranging from vegetables to meat in order to fit the wants of all individuals in terms of their food decisions. However, Americans should become increasingly aware with their food choices. Certain foods contain large quantities of chemicals, which is problematic, as global

Harvard Medical School defines a vegan as a person who does, “not eat meat, poultry, fish, or any products derived from animals, including eggs, dairy products, and gelatin.” (p.1). With veganism gaining more and more popularity in the media and in the western culture, debates have sprung up about whether or not this diet and lifestyle proves to be healthy. Countless studies and experiments have been conducted, and the results have shown that a vegan diet can prove to be a more beneficial diet then the standard American Diet. But, with large food corporations and drug companies in the way, Americans find it harder to switch to the plant-based diet. The vegan diet time and time again shows its outstanding power in reducing

“You are what you eat”, a famous saying says. If this were truly the case, then the majority of Americans would be unhealthy, chemically processed, commercially grown slabs of animal meat. And although this is not a particularly pleasing thought, it is the epitome of a standard American diet that consists of Big Macs and Taco Bell. There are a select few who stray from this typical diet, and have altered it to where they can substitute meat with other nutrients. This type of diet is called vegetarianism, and is considered the way to live without poisoning oneself with the harmful and hazardous treatment that animals go through before becoming the next meal on your plates. While vegetarianism was once thought to be a movement without much action,

Going vegan is one of the most powerful things a human can do to respect and protect the world they live in. A long time ago Albert Einstein said: “Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.” Fast forward 70 years and the damage wreaked by the meat and dairy industries has reached massive proportions.

Veganism is a food lifestyle based on diet of vegetables, grains, seeds, nuts and fruits. People are being vegetarian because they think it is healthier to only eat vegetables without eating meet or chicken, and they think that they will get a perfect body shape, free of diseases. As in vegetarian, where they feed on foods that do not fit into animal flesh, whether from wild or marine animals. They also don’t eat food that comes directly from the animal, such as: egg that’s comes from the hen, milk that comes from cows, goats and honey that comes from bees. In India, Ethiopia and Jamaica there are a lot of vegetarian people, because they don’t have enough food to feed themselves, so they decided to eat vegetable. This paper argues that veganism is a harmful lifestyle for three major reasons.

As different crazes and fads are appearing each day, we have come to expect them to simply fade away as the hype passes. However, veganism has stood the test of time in our fad society and is still increasing in popularity. Originally only thought to be a religious lifestyle, many people from different walks of life are becoming vegans. However, this poses many questions and sparks heated debates, mainly from omnivorous people who believe that veganism is against life’s natural order. Vegans, then, argue against an omnivorous lifestyle by bringing up facts about humans’ biological makeup and how humans are, contrary to popular belief, herbivorous by nature, not omnivorous. While both sides present good arguments to some, the veganism lifestyle contains more benefits and less harmful cons than an omnivorous lifestyle.

According to a recent poll 6 to 8 million American’s do not eat meat, fish, or poultry. From these studies, they have been researching about the effects of a vegetarian diet on the body. Compared to most meat based diets, vegetarians consume less saturated fat and cholesterol from not eating meat. Choosing this route will have a person what would be considered a better quality of life and overall good health. Research so far has shown that a vegetarian diet reduces the risk of heart disease. In recent years a study was done using different participants and the results showed that vegetarians were 25% less likely to die from heart related problem. “This is because vegetarians tend to consume more high-fiber, whole grains, and legumes which have a low glycemic index and the body digests slowly. This keeps blood sugar levels steady. Another food item that helps reduce the risk of heart disease is walnuts” (Sixwise). This is because the omega-3s in walnuts help reduce total cholesterol. There is some controversy over this specific topic, thus, are they really that healthy? What does it mean to be a vegetarian, and what do professionals have to say about being a vegetarian?