Vegetarians do not eat the flesh of animals. This generally includes poultry, beef, fish and shellfish. The derivation of the word vegetarian comes from the Latin word vegetus, which means "whole, fresh and lively." The choice to adopt a vegetarian lifestyle can be made for moral reasons, or it may arise from religious beliefs, cultural heritage, health or environmental concerns.
Types of Vegetarians
- Pescetarian: Will eat fish
- Flexitarian: Eats animal flesh occasionally
- Lacto-ovo Vegetarian: Will consume dairy products and eggs
- Ovo Vegetarian: Eats eggs
- Vegan: Will not consume anything made with animal products
- Raw Vegan: Vegan who refrains from heating their foods at a temperature higher than 155 degrees Fahrenheit
- Macrobiotic: Emphasizes whole grains, fruits and vegetables
Reasons to be a Vegetarian
People choose to follow a meatless lifestyle for a wide variety of reasons. Here are a few of them:
- Humanitarian reasons: People who become vegetarian for humanitarian reasons believe that it is wrong to kill animals for the purposes of food, and wish to cause less suffering by omitting meat from the diet.
- Environmental reasons: Some people give up meat because it can be harmful to the environment. Numerous natural resources are exploited to produce meat, and beef production in particular is a widespread source of pollution.http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/27/weekinreview/27bittman.html
- Health reasons: Grain fed animal consumption contributes to numerous problems, including cancer, heart disease, diabetes and obesity.http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/27/weekinreview/27bittman.html In addition, becoming a vegetarian has been shown to help people lose weight.http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20060403/vegetarian-diet-may-help-weight-loss
Notable Vegetarians
Vegetarian Ball-Parks
- According to PETA the Top 10 ball-parks for vegetarians are:
- Citizens Bank Park (Philadelphia Phillies)
- AT&T Park (San Francisco Giants)
- Safeco Field (Seattle Mariners)
- PETCO Park (San Diego Padres)
- Busch Stadium (St. Louis Cardinals)
- Coors Field (Colorado Rockies)
- Rogers Centre (Toronto Blue Jays)
- Dolphin Stadium (Florida Marlins)
- McAfee Coliseum (Oakland Athletics)
- Tie: Minute Maid Park (Houston Astros) and Chase Field (Arizona Diamondbacks)
Featured Video
Where can I find healthy vegetarian recipes online?(1 Answer)
A:
Here are a bunch of unique and different Vegetarian Recipes that are easy to make - Vegetarian Recipes - http://www.gourmet-living.com/category.html?category=vegetarian
Where do vegetarian eggs come from?(2 Answers)
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Actually, all eggs are vegetarian. "Vegetarian" just means that the food isn't meat. Eggs aren't vegan, because people who eat a vegan diet stay away from ...
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References
Fast Facts
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Fact:
Vegetarian Times claims 3.2% of U.S. Population is vegetarian
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Fact:
2003 Harris Poll sets the number at 2.8%
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Fact:
30% of the population of India is vegetarian
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Fact:
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Fact:
The meat industry is a major source of environmental destruction
