Vegetarian myths debunked
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There is a great article over at Slate on Vegetarians: I may be a vegetarian, but I still love the smell of bacon. I’m definitely one of those vegetarians who still loves the smell of bacon.
First off here’s a great definition of what a vegetarian is:
To demonstrate what a vegetarian really is, let’s begin with a simple thought experiment. Imagine a completely normal person with completely normal food cravings, someone who has a broad range of friends, enjoys a good time, is carbon-based, and so on. Now remove from this person’s diet anything that once had eyes, and, wham!, you have yourself a vegetarian. Normal person, no previously ocular food, end of story. Some people call themselves vegetarians and still eat chicken or fish, but unless we’re talking about the kind of salmon that comes freshly plucked from the vine, this makes you an omnivore. A select few herbivores go one step further and avoid all animal products—milk, eggs, honey, leather—and they call themselves vegan, which rhymes with “tree men.” These people are intense.
My beloved wife when I read this said “What about shellfish?” I have no idea if shellfish have eyes or not but they’re on the banned list too.
This next bit also resonates:
Which leads me to a vital point for friendly omnivore-herbivore relations. As you’re enjoying that pork loin next to me, I am not silently judging you. I realize that anyone who has encountered the breed of smug vegetarian who says things like, “I can hear your lunch screaming,” will find this tough to believe, but I’m honestly not out to convert you.
I have no problem with people who eat meat. It’s a personal decision on my part and I don’t expect anyone to change their eating habits based on what I do.
Finally, grant me one more cordial request: Please don’t try to convince us that being vegetarian is somehow wrong. If you’re concerned for my health, that’s very nice, though you can rest assured that I’m in shipshape. If you want to have an amiable tête-à-tête about vegetarianism, that’s great. But if you insist on being the aggressive blowhard who takes meatlessness as a personal insult and rails about what fools we all are, you’re only going to persuade me that you’re a dickhead.
That just cracked me up. It’s so true. I’m not totally shipshape yet but I’m getting there. I think I may have been one of those dickheads back in the past. Oh well, sic vita.
One thing that he didn’t mention (or I missed it) and I don’t know if this is common elsewhere but I’ve noticed that it’s much more generally accepted for women to be vegetarians than it is for men? It seems to be quite a common theme.
Ahh, great topic and a great link! I’ve been hoping to talk about vegetarianism in my blog as well. My boyfriend is a vegetarian and I consider myself an almost-vegetarian. I eat meat maybe…once every 3 or 4 months, though I’d like to eventually phase it out entirely. As to your last question, it’s definitely true. My boyfriend is teased by some of his guy “friends” and his older brother about his being a vegetarian. Also, when we go out to restaurants and he orders the salad or the veggie burger, the waiter almost always begins setting it down on my side of the table.
Beths last blog post..Beginner Running: How Fast to Run?
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AndrewE
reply on May 13th, 2008 6:33 pm:
Yep, that happens to me as well!
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Great post, Andrew. I’ve never understood folks who try to talk a vegetarian into eating meat. Would they try to talk an observant Jew into eating pork ribs? It makes no sense to me.
Of all my veggie friends (in all their permeations of the movement0, I have only one who is a tad judgemental about it. I don’t have to eat meals with her, fortunately.
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AndrewE
reply on May 13th, 2008 6:34 pm:
Yeah, people don’t like being preached at!
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I know a whole bunch of vegetarians and hate all but two of them. The two being yourself and Worker Jay. I tried to be vegetarian once, but was in it for all of the wrong reasons (ie: “Look at how much food I’m cutting out of my life! I’m gonna be skinny!”)
The veggies I know are all very much of the ‘I can hear your lunch scream’ or ‘The Bible teaches us…’ and often, I’ll eat meat around them just to piss them off. Which is sad, since I love vegetables, and sometimes, I’ll have a vegetarian day simply because that day, vegetables were all I wanted.
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AndrewE
reply on May 13th, 2008 6:34 pm:
Heh…the Bible teaches us that meat is gooood!
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Sally
reply on May 13th, 2008 9:21 pm:
Marshmallow, I don’t think being a vegetarian makes you skinny. Cakes, desserts, all the nice sweet things… are all vegetarian
If being a vegetarian would make me skinny, I won’t need to be trying to lose weight!… if only….
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Yes, I do realise that was probably the most worthless comment ever.
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AndrewE
reply on May 13th, 2008 6:35 pm:
Not really. I found it rather interesting myself.
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There’s something about the vegetarian lifestyle that seems, I don’t know, a bit more highly evolved to me… which is probably why I can’t give up the bacon, myself. Though… I have to say that I *rarely* actually crave meat, and I wonder if I just eat it because it’s what I’ve always done. Hmmmm. I think I feel an experiment coming on.
Anyway… I’ll do my best not to bash you over the head with a leg of lamb or anything. That said, however, I would truly be interested in your protein choices and wouldn’t feel as though you were trying to “convert” me if you shared a few.
Ta.
j
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AndrewE
reply on May 13th, 2008 6:38 pm:
I started out just trying it for 28 days. Then 28 more then 28 more. And so on. Now it’s been almost 2 years or is it 3? My wife will remind me soon.
Protein - I hate Tofu so I don’t eat that. I have protein powder pretty much everyday and I also eat some nuts most days and occasionally beans. I probably don’t eat enough protein to be honest but I’m still reasonably strong so I can’t be suffering too much.
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AndrewE
reply on May 14th, 2008 6:20 am:
And lest I forget…eggs…lots of lovely eggs.
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Your photo says it all - women don’t have to prove anything in the “meat” department.
I’m about 95% vegetarian, and I can’t stand the smell of bacon! For me it’s a dislike of the taste and texture of animal flesh - the health and ethical awareness came later. But I don’t try to convert anyone, and no one tries to convert me.
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AndrewE
reply on May 13th, 2008 6:45 pm:
When I converted the ethical issues weren’t really a factor but the more I read about commercial farming the more I’m glad I’m not contributing towards it that much.
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I think as the awareness grows vegetarianism will increase.
Far from being a health compromise, vegetarians are healthier in every measurable way than meat-eaters. By far. And even taking into account that a lot of vegetarians still eat junk, i.e. processed foods.
Ethically of course their is also much to think about, especially when we are confronted with the reality of modern meat production (they don’t call it farming anymore.)
Of course livestock also contribute more to global warming than all the cars, buses, trucks, airplanes and ships in the world. You will do more for the environment by cutting out meat than buying a hybrid!
I for one applaud your decision. We are not completely vegetarian yet, but we are working towards it. And that’s the whole beauty of this… you can change over gradually. You don’t have to do it overnight.
hanlies last blog post..You asked… (Part 3)
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AndrewE
reply on May 13th, 2008 7:14 pm:
Thanks Hanlie. I still miss boerewors tho!
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Great post topic. I’m not sure if shellfish have eyes but I always think that a vego is someone who doesn’t eat something with a face. Do shellfish have faces?
I’ve been tempted many times to go vegetarian for ethical reasons but my love of all food generally wins out. I think it could happen eventually.
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AndrewE
reply on May 14th, 2008 6:18 am:
If they do then they must be funny looking ones.
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I think a lot of people still thinks being vegetarians = not healthy.
I got asked by so many people when I was pregnant… “so are you still a vegetarian?” Why wouldn’t I be?? Then I get the look as if I’m depriving my unborn child something. I’ve even got lectured once about my decision of raising my baby as a vegetarian. The person mean well but we all impose our beliefs onto our child(red), whether you believe in eating meat or not.
So I’m glad that you are a living proof that you can be healthy and fit, being a vegetarian. And yes a guy like you, who used to looooove his meat, can also be a vegetarian and hasn’t fallen apart because you are deprived of meat!
Well done 
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AndrewE
reply on May 14th, 2008 6:19 am:
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I agree with you. It seems to be the trend that more women are vegetarian, or at least more women admit to it!
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AndrewE
reply on May 14th, 2008 6:19 am:
I wonder why? I’m guessing it’s cultural.
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VERY INTERESTING POINT.
as I think youre entirely correct on society/women veggie thing and hadnt ever thought about it.
almost like the REAL MEN DONT EAT QUICHE notion—only veggier
M.
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AndrewE
reply on May 14th, 2008 6:20 am:
I’m doubly damned then. I love quiche.
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I did not realize you were a vegetarian. Good for you!
I have found that my meat consumption continues to decrease as I train more and lose weight.
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AndrewE
reply on May 14th, 2008 6:23 am:
When I first became a vegetarian I ate heaps of junk food - Cakes are vegetarian food too.
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I’m a meat-atarian. Love the stuff, but, I confess, the aroma of freshly picked veggies smells wonderful.
I’m reducing my meat, and portion size. It is helping.
Time for Veggie Tales?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VeggieTales
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I know, but try telling the 10 year old me that! Luckily, I”m WAY knowledgeable in that regard now!
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[how weird? I swore I hit 'reply' to Sally's comment...]
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AndrewE
reply on May 14th, 2008 7:03 pm:
So you allege.
AndrewEs last blog post..A photo run!
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My fav is the last one “you’ll only convince me you’re a dickhead.” So TRUE. I am not a vegetarian, but I definately see the benefits of that lifestyle/diet. Plus anyone who makes such negative comments about anyone’s life choices is a total dickhead!
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AndrewE
reply on May 14th, 2008 7:03 pm:
AndrewEs last blog post..A photo run!
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I see it as a choice… but I can’t see anything wrong with it!
I know I sometimes have a hard time looking at meat in the store, because I can imagine the animal. Yet, having also come from a family with a Dad who hunted and fished, it seemed silly to catch the fish if we weren’t going to eat it. (I’m afraid I was more ambivalent about eating wild birds, the taste just never appealed to me.) And our uncle sometimes gave us venison sausage, which I really loved!
So, though I love my veggies, I also love my fish and shellfish too much to go that route. But on the Precision Nutrition forums I frequent, there’s a guy who is vegan who is so ripped it is unbelievable! Most definitely shipshape! His name is Ryan Andrews.
So don’t let anyone tell you that vegetarians need be less fit and healthy even in the bodybuilding community.
Cynthias last blog post..Better weigh-in than expected!
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AndrewE
reply on May 14th, 2008 7:05 pm:
I’ve learnt to love my veggies but it’s taken a while!
AndrewEs last blog post..A photo run!
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Although I am an un-ashamed meat-eater, I thought I would pass this on since it really got me thinking about my diet:
http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/263
In this fiery and funny talk, New York Times food writer Mark Bittman weighs in on what’s wrong with the way we eat now (too much meat, too few plants; too much fast food, too little home cooking), and why it’s putting the entire planet at risk.
-Scrubby
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AndrewE
reply on May 17th, 2008 7:41 am:
Thanks Scrubby. I love TED talks so I’ll definitely have a watch
AndrewEs last blog post..My longest run yet.
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