Are You a Vegetarian? | Poll & Discussion

[Kholdstare]

I eat two things. Sandwich, pasta, jelly ... THREE things. Sandwitch, pasta, jelly, steak ... FOUR things. Sandwitch, pasta, jelly, steak, burger ... FIVE things ...

 

[turbo]

My dog would be a vegetarian in the summer if I gave him free run of the garden. As it is, he picks and eats all the low-lying raspberries and blackberries. He'll gladly dig up and eat carrots and pick his own tomatoes, string beans, and peas. I have to watch him when he gets near the tomatoes because the stems/collars are toxic.

 

[feathermoon]

Anyone know much about mycoprotein sources?

 

[dimension10]

I like plants, they are pretty and make oxygen for us. Why people find it okay to senselessly kill them, take their fruit, and subsequently feed off of them is beyond me. I eat meat and try to minimize the pain plants must go through in order for me to survive.

Cows, on the other hand, cause global warming and are plant murderers. They made their decision and I am simply seeking justice.

Also, what kind of option is "Vegetarian but I eat some kinds of meat"? THEN YOU'RE NOT VEGETARIAN. That's like saying you're a mathematician but you also do useful things.

Plant murderers? :)

By eating meat however, the animals have eaten the plants before. By eating 1 kilogram of meat, its like eating 16 kilograms of grain and 4000 litres of water. So that is more. But plants can't feel pain. They have no nervous system, and I remember seeing that those experiments confirming plant perception also prove metals feel pain, which is totally nonsensical!

 

[dimension10]

That's not B12, it's a methylated form of it. Lots of "health food" shops sell these scammy products as supplements for vegans, but they aren't bioavailable forms. There is no bioavailable form in plants. Some supplements of cobalamin are produced from bacterial sources, and can be used, but there are far more scams out there than legitimate products.

Humans evolved to require a diet that includes some animal products. It doesn't need to be daily, and it doesn't need to be meat, but it does need to be an animal product of some sort...raiding the chicken house for a few sterile eggs now and then is fine. There's no sane reason to deny a person all animal products. But, instead of eatingna few animal products, they'd rather support an industry that manufactures synthetic vitamins, packages them up in plastic bottles, and ships them over long distances, and may not even be a usable form of the vitamin.

Although I consume dairy, I disagree. I am sure humans were always herbivores. Look at our teeth, intestines, stomach acid, etc. All matches a herbivore.

What about B12?

If only we wouldn't wash our vegetables, we would get loads of B12... But sadly we do, so dairy is the ethical option.

 

[dimension10]

If there are any vegetarians in this thread, could you explain the rationale behind eating some meats?

Pesco-vegetarians, Pollo-vegetarians, Pesco-Pollo-vegetarians, Ovo-Pesco-Vegetarians, Lacto-Pesco-vegetarians, Ovo-Lacto-Pesco-Vegetarians, Lacto-Pollo-vegetarians, Ovo-Pollo-vegetarians, Ovo-Lacto-Pollo-vegetarians, Ovo-Lacto-Pesco-Pollo-vegetarians, Ovo-Pesco-Pollo-vegetarians, Lacto-Pesco-Pollo-Vegetarians and various types of Buddhist or Hindu Non-vegetarians don't eat some kinds of meat either because...

1. They think some meats are healthy (if they do it for health reasons), which is a myth.
2. They think that some meats are ethical, which is totally a myth, because no animal suffers like a chicken or a turkey.
3. They think some meats are environmentally friendly, which is a myth.
4. They think that some meats do not cause famine, which again, is a myth.
5. They do it because they were born like that, for religious reasons.

 

[dimension10]

So true...

It is not very far...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_vitro_meat#Ethical_considerations
http://www.peta.org/features/In-Vitro-Meat-Contest.aspx

 

[dimension10]

Even from past threads, I have generally noticed that PF is more non-vegetarian friendly (i.e. seems to have higher number of non-vegs).

I guess that is because there are more meat-eaters than vegetarians in this world...

 

[dimension10]

Though I consume dairy, vegans could get B12 if only they didn't wash our vegetables.

 

[Topher925]

Although I consume dairy, I disagree. I am sure humans were always herbivores. Look at our teeth, intestines, stomach acid, etc. All matches a herbivore.

What about our canines? Those weren't developed for eaten shrubs.

 

[Evo]

Although I consume dairy, I disagree. I am sure humans were always herbivores. Look at our teeth, intestines, stomach acid, etc. All matches a herbivore.

Humans and pre-humans have been eating meat for millions of years. We are omnivores. But with the modern availability and abundance of a varied non-meat diet, a vegetarian diet is naturally sustainable and healthy.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/02/0218_050218_human_diet.html

 

[ViewsofMars]

Humans and pre-humans have been eating meat for millions of years. We are omnivores. But with the modern availability and abundance of a varied non-meat diet, a vegetarian diet is naturally sustainable and healthy.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/02/0218_050218_human_diet.html

Thanks Evo. I noted that the National Geographic article stated:

Some early humans may have started eating meat as a way to survive within their own ecological niche.

Competition from other species may be a key element of natural selection that has molded anatomy and behavior, according to Craig B. Stanford, an ecologist at the University of Southern California (USC).

Stanford has spent years visiting the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park in Uganda, Africa, studying the relationship between mountain gorillas and chimpanzees.

I do recall back in 2005 an article that I read from the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The February 18 2005 article, Mush, Meat and Atkins: Exploring the Evolution of the Human Diet, by Ginger Pinholster:

Early humans living alongside great apes millions of years ago may have gained a competitive evolutionary advantage by embracing a primitive version of the Atkins Diet, according to new research discussed today at the 2005 AAAS Annual Meeting.

But Craig B. Stanford of the University of Southern California hastens to add that our earliest ancestors weren't "buying cartons of eggs from the market," and probably ate many more raw vegetables, fruits and lean meats than today's heavy-protein advocates.

Stanford concedes that studying our ancestors' lifestyles may not provide concrete diet tips for today's weight-conscious humans. But, he said, we may gain fundamental insights to our origins, and thus, our behaviors, by investigating the fossil record.

The results of a nine-year field study of mountain gorillas living with chimps in Uganda offer intriguing new clues to the evolution of the modern human diet, Stanford said. The late Dian Fossey's studies of "gorillas in the mist" may have left many laypeople with the impression that gorillas are docile, cow-like creatures who favor leaves, while meaty foods are left to high-energy chimps. Fossey's gorillas, however, lived in a cold, wet, volcanic region of Africa and had little access to meat, Stanford explained. In more typical environments, he said, gorillas compete aggressively with chimps for available meat sources, and offer useful clues to the dietary adaptations of our early hominid ancestors.

Increased meat consumption triggered genetic changes that allowed early humans to eat more fatty foods without developing heart disease, according to work by Stanford and gerontologist Caleb Finch of USC.

Please read on . . .
http://www.aaas.org/news/releases/2005/0218gorillateeth.shtml

 

[glb_lub]

I used to eat meat till I was 23 years old. I am 27 now. And only eat vegetarian food , including eggs.Actually I am an Indian, and India has got a high proportion of vegetarians. Most do it for religious reasons. I am doing it simply for weight-loss. Plus Indian cuisine is pretty rich when it comes to vegetarian food. For me it's mostly a psychological thing. I know I haven't had any meat since past 3-4 years so I can easily stick to a vegetarian diet. In case, I taste blood even once, I'll get meat cravings frequently.

I eat an Indian cottage cheese namely 'Paneer' on a regular basis. I find it to be a good substitute, tastewise, of meat. Then there are also mushrooms and tofu.

Speaking of Vitamin B12 I read in a wikipedia article that wheat grass juice contains Vitamin B12. How reliable is that information ?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheatgrass#Health_claims

 

[Monique]

Speaking of Vitamin B12 I read in a wikipedia article that wheat grass juice contains Vitamin B12. How reliable is that information ?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheatgrass#Health_claims

It could be that the vitamin B12 producing bacteria are present on the plant, but you shouldn't count on it. It hasn't been extensively tested that all available wheatgrass juice contains vitamin B12, so indeed unreliable information.

 

[PAllen]

I used to eat meat till I was 23 years old. I am 27 now. And only eat vegetarian food , including eggs.Actually I am an Indian, and India has got a high proportion of vegetarians. Most do it for religious reasons. I am doing it simply for weight-loss. Plus Indian cuisine is pretty rich when it comes to vegetarian food. For me it's mostly a psychological thing. I know I haven't had any meat since past 3-4 years so I can easily stick to a vegetarian diet. In case, I taste blood even once, I'll get meat cravings frequently.

I eat an Indian cottage cheese namely 'Paneer' on a regular basis. I find it to be a good substitute, tastewise, of meat. Then there are also mushrooms and tofu.

Speaking of Vitamin B12 I read in a wikipedia article that wheat grass juice contains Vitamin B12. How reliable is that information ?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheatgrass#Health_claims

If you eat paneer and raita (let alone eggs) you should have no problem getting B12. If you want to be vegan, just supplement (also IMO eat flax seed for Omega's if you rule out fish or fish based supplements).

 

[glb_lub]

If you eat paneer and raita (let alone eggs) you should have no problem getting B12. If you want to be vegan, just supplement (also IMO eat flax seed for Omega's if you rule out fish or fish based supplements).

Will do so. But in what form should one eat flaxseed ? Will flaxseed oil work ? In India , it is used in some dishes, but very rarely. Mostly it is groundnut oil and in recent times, soybean oil is gaining popularity. Is soy-milk a good source of omega acids ? I saw on wikipedia that Soybean has omega acids but couldn't see the same for soy-milk.And since we are discussing supplements, I wonder what is the best source of calcium for vegetarians ? How is cow's milk on that front. I am mostly worried about calcium intake and that's what keeps me from going vegan.

 

[Pkruse]

I grew up eating a massive amount of meat and thought it impossible to do otherwise. Now that I'm much older I find myself eating much less meat. I'm considering giving it up completely as an experiment. If I do, i would probably find it preferable. I see no health or moral reasons for doing that. I would still be the one likely to shoot a hog and prepare a BBQ when my friends schedule one. I would still enjoy doing that for my friends, but I'm becoming less and less likely to eat it myself. Only real reason is that I've found so many non-meat things that I like better.

 

[Monique]

And since we are discussing supplements, I wonder what is the best source of calcium for vegetarians ? How is cow's milk on that front. I am mostly worried about calcium intake and that's what keeps me from going vegan.

See the calcium paragraph in: Position of the American Dietetic Association: Vegetarian Diets

Calcium intakes of lacto-ovo-vegetarians are similar to, or higher than, those of nonvegetarians (12), whereas intakes of vegans tend to be lower than both groups and may fall below recommended intakes (12)[..]

Low-oxalate greens (eg, bok choy, broccoli, Chinese cabbage, collards, and kale) and fruit juices fortified with calcium citrate malate are good sources of highly bioavailable calcium (50% to 60% and 40% to 50%, respectively), while calcium-set tofu, and cow’s milk have good bioavailability of calcium (about 30% to 35%), and sesame seeds, almonds, and dried beans have a lower bioavailability (21% to 27%) (39).

 

[glb_lub]

See the calcium paragraph in: Position of the American Dietetic Association: Vegetarian Diets

Thanks.

 

[Kholdstare]

Humans and pre-humans have been eating meat for millions of years.

I second that.

India has got a high proportion of vegetarians. Most do it for religious reasons.

This page tells me its a gross misconception.

 

[Monique]

This page tells me its a gross misconception.

Based on what do you make that conclusion?

 

[glb_lub]

This page tells me its a gross misconception.

The number of meat eaters are on the rise as standards of living are increasing.
When I said a high proportion of Indians don't eat meat, I meant a substantial population.(The link you provide says 40% are vegetarians, isn't 40% in a country of 1.2 billion a large number ?)
The per capita consumption of meat in the country is very low as compared to other countries. (This could be due to high levels of poverty and a high population.)

http://www.allcountries.org/uscensus/1370_per_capita_consumption_of_meat_and.html

I am not totally sure how reliable above site is. And also the stats are a 12 years old so can't tell what current stats are.Further a large number of meat eaters in the country consume meat only on special occasions. When I used to eat meat it would be 2-3 times a month on an average. Most of the people I know are like that. (I am not making a statistical assertion, just sharing anecdotal experience). So what I mean to say is that though there may not be many 'strictly' vegetarian people(though the link you provide says it is 40%), still a sizable population is 'predominantly' vegetarian for most part of the year.

 

[Danger]

Yes I am pure vegetarian.

You have my pity. You haven't lived until you've had a rack of garlic ribs.

 

[Kholdstare]

When I said a high proportion of Indians don't eat meat, I meant a substantial population.

If the population has roughly 60% non-veg and 40% veg, I'd rather say a high proportion of population eat non-veg.

http://www.allcountries.org/uscensus..._meat_and.html

This site does not give the statistics for fish and seafood consumption.

Further a large number of meat eaters in the country consume meat only on special occasions. When I used to eat meat it would be 2-3 times a month on an average. Most of the people I know are like that. (I am not making a statistical assertion, just sharing anecdotal experience). So what I mean to say is that though there may not be many 'strictly' vegetarian people(though the link you provide says it is 40%), still a sizable population is 'predominantly' vegetarian for most part of the year.

IMO, a person is non-vegetarian as long as he has no problem eating non-veg foods. It does not matter how often he eats non-veg food. (However, I discount those who stopped eating or just tasted it once.) I guess the point of this poll is to get how many are non-veg or veg. Not how much non-veg food a person consumes.

 

[TheWire247]

I love meat!

 

[Illuminerdi]

I'm a vegan, but I'm <i>very</i> far from the anti-vaccination, all raw-food-eating, hippie type.

I actually became a vegetarian around age 7 or 8 because I simply cannot be around animal flesh. I cannot watch medical television or violent films, and, similarly, I cannot be anywhere near meat that physically resembles animal flesh. It fazes me too much. I became vegan around 16, while running track and field. I noticed that, days where I had a glass of milk in the morning, I would suffer from terrible stomach pain running in the afternoon. After I gave up dairy, entirely, I realized my stomach felt better, in general.* Nearly half the world is lactose intolerant. This doesn't mean that much, though, since half the world is also asian. I suppose I inherited this from my mongolian rapist ancestors.

*Not that it's not still in terrible pain, seeing as I am stuck with Jewish DNA.

On the veganism issue, I'm not lacking in compassion for animals, but sometimes I find it hard to reconcile this with my deterministic view of the universe that has no fundamental separation between the living and nonliving. I believe mostly what Nikola Tesla believed on these issues (though Tesla, himself, was a vegetarian).

Do I actually think that I'm healthier for not consuming meat? Sometimes. I'm definitely healthier for not consuming ground beef or any sort of fast food, but, can I actually find a health reason to not eat tuna fish? Of course not.

 

[Monique]

can I actually find a health reason to not eat tuna fish? Of course not.

There are clear health reasons to limit the intake though: Dutch government advises to not eat more than 600 g (21 oz) fatty fish (tuna) a week, women with a wish to get pregnant (or those who are pregnant) are advised to not eat more than 300 g a week. This advice is given due to the presence of dioxins and heavy metals. It is also advised to eat fish with low-nitrate vegetables, the combination with lettuce or spinach could result in the production of harmful chemicals (reference).

 

[Curious3141]

If the population has roughly 60% non-veg and 40% veg, I'd rather say a high proportion of population eat non-veg.

I'm sorry, but that's not logical. It's clear that when glb_lub was talking about India having a high proportion of vegetarians, he was talking about India in comparison with the rest of the world. And that's perfectly true, India is universally acknowledged to be the country with the highest proportion of (lacto)vegetarians.

It doesn't matter that the proportion is less than 50%. It *would* have mattered if glb_lub's claim was that *most* Indians were vegetarian. But that wasn't his claim at all. In this case, it only matters that India has a higher proportion of vegetarians than any other country. Far higher in fact - no other country even comes kinda close.

(Also, while it's tangential to this particular argument, because of India's huge population, it's estimated that more than 70% of the world's vegetarian population are Indians. Don't hold me to this one, though, it's just a figure I found somewhere on the Internet.)

The vegetarian culture in India so entrenched that in many places, it's almost impossible to find restaurants serving meat. In fact, in these areas, restaurants that serve meat dishes have to be specifically labelled as such, and an unsigned restaurant is, by default, a vegetarian one.

This culture is heavily rooted in the predominant religion, Hinduism. Apart from many Hindus, Jains are also vegetarians - in fact, Jains are even stricter vegetarians than most Hindu Brahmins. It is likely India would've had an even higher proportion of vegetarians today if not for incursions by the Muslim and Christian colonial powers.

The Indian diaspora also tend to cling onto their ancestral dietary practices, wherever feasible (although this is by no means a rule). For example, I'm a Brahmin by birth. Even though I'm a second generation Singaporean (my father and I were both born in Singapore - a largely non-vegetarian country with a Chinese majority), my entire family has been lactovegetarian from birth. And while I don't really consider myself "Brahmin" any more since I've stopped being a practising Hindu (I'm an atheist now), I still retain a vegetarian diet. This is partly for humane reasons, but also because my upbringing has conditioned me simply not to crave meat (and in fact, to be averse to it). So I simply don't miss it - in fact, the thought of eating meat or fish actually revolts me. Thankfully, it's very, very easy to find restaurants serving only vegetarian fare in Singapore.

 

[Kholdstare]

he was talking about India in comparison with the rest of the world.

It's also not logical. He did not explicitly mention among which population he is making the comparison when he said "India having a high proportion of vegetarians".

 

[Curious3141]

It's also not logical. He did not explicitly mention among which population he is making the comparison when he said "India having a high proportion of vegetarians".

I thought that was implicit. It's the most logical conclusion.

And now, I'll stop sounding like Spock.

 

[dimension10]

I'm a vegan, but I'm <i>very</i> far from the anti-vaccination, all raw-food-eating, hippie type.

I actually became a vegetarian around age 7 or 8 because I simply cannot be around animal flesh. I cannot watch medical television or violent films, and, similarly, I cannot be anywhere near meat that physically resembles animal flesh. It fazes me too much. I became vegan around 16, while running track and field. I noticed that, days where I had a glass of milk in the morning, I would suffer from terrible stomach pain running in the afternoon. After I gave up dairy, entirely, I realized my stomach felt better, in general.* Nearly half the world is lactose intolerant. This doesn't mean that much, though, since half the world is also asian. I suppose I inherited this from my mongolian rapist ancestors.

*Not that it's not still in terrible pain, seeing as I am stuck with Jewish DNA.

On the veganism issue, I'm not lacking in compassion for animals, but sometimes I find it hard to reconcile this with my deterministic view of the universe that has no fundamental separation between the living and nonliving. I believe mostly what Nikola Tesla believed on these issues (though Tesla, himself, was a vegetarian).

Do I actually think that I'm healthier for not consuming meat? Sometimes. I'm definitely healthier for not consuming ground beef or any sort of fast food, but, can I actually find a health reason to not eat tuna fish? Of course not.

I too believe in the deterministic view of the universe and that there is no fundamental separation between living and non-living. And I am also vegetarian, because I believe that pain and suffering do exist! Which is why I do not believe in the "plants live too!" argument since plants don't feel pain, so they have no rights. Because then, would come the "Bacteria live too!" argument which would not permit me to wash my hands.

 

[Kholdstare]

I too believe in the deterministic view of the universe and that there is no fundamental separation between living and non-living. And I am also vegetarian, because I believe that pain and suffering do exist! Which is why I do not believe in the "plants live too!" argument since plants don't feel pain, so they have no rights. Because then, would come the "Bacteria live too!" argument which would not permit me to wash my hands.

What exactly are you trying to say? Animals feel pain and suffering, while plants do not. Yet there is no fundamental separation between living and non-living!

 

[Curious3141]

I've always thought the most humane diet would consist of using genetically modified bacteria to produce and excrete high-grade proteins and all the vitamins essential for human health. The bacteria + nutrient mix would then be filtered through a micropore filter that would allow the nutrient macromolecules through, but hold the living bacteria back. The completely inanimate nutrient mix is then processed and packed, and people can subsist on it.

While this is as "humane" as it gets (no living things are eaten or intentionally killed to get the food), it's also immensely impractical and exceedingly expensive. One's "daily allowance" may cost at least a few hundred bucks to produce.

So that's a no-go. Pragmatically speaking, we all have to draw the line somewhere when it comes to deciding what we eat. How much suffering are we willing to abide for our nutritive needs? Killing higher animals (mammals and maybe avians)? Or just lower vertebrates (fish)? How about invertebrates only?

Is lacto-ovo-vegetarianism OK? What's so humane about animal products like dairy and eggs? The former involves pumping cows full of antibiotics and tearing a calf away from its mother. The latter involves sacrificing a HUGE number of male chicks which are just tossed into blenders while still fully conscious. This applies even to many "free range" farm products, which "humane"-conscious shoppers buy exclusively (and obliviously). That's just sick, isn't it?

Is veganism completely humane? Because many vegans still eat root vegetables, the harvesting of which involves killing the entire plant. What about fruitarians? Is it a subversion of the order of nature to eat the fruit but not disperse the seed?

And if one follows all these "-ism"s, is adequate nutrition guaranteed? Even if adults may choose to follow such diets, is it fair to "inflict" this upon young children, who have stringent needs, are unable to make an informed choice and are highly dependent on their caregivers?

Finally, are people who follow the most stringent dietary practices also abstaining from taking any medication, even for life-threatening conditions? Because EVERY drug has been tested on animals at some point, and that means that animal life, usually of the cute, furry and cuddly kind, has been taken in the process of developing and testing the medicine. While one may choose to avoid cosmetics and hygiene products that have been animal-tested, how can one avoid medication if one is sick?

The point of my post is to show that there's no black and white when it comes to humane arguments for or against some form of diet. While I'm lacto-ovo-vegetarian myself, I am no longer strident in decrying meat-eating. I no longer harangue others and extol the virtues of vegetarianism. I'm sticking with my form of vegetarianism because I've been conditioned to be happy with this diet, and I still figure it's more humane than an all-out meat-eating diet. But I won't fault anyone for choosing to eat meat.

 

[dimension10]

What exactly are you trying to say? Animals feel pain and suffering, while plants do not. Yet there is no fundamental separation between living and non-living!

I'm saying that everything works mechanically, except quantum mechanical corrections, that is. Pain is also a mechanical process, but I don't want to cause it because it is not something one would want to encounter. Aargh, this is getting a little philosophical.

 

[dimension10]

I've always thought the most humane diet would consist of using genetically modified bacteria to produce and excrete high-grade proteins and all the vitamins essential for human health. The bacteria + nutrient mix would then be filtered through a micropore filter that would allow the nutrient macromolecules through, but hold the living bacteria back. The completely inanimate nutrient mix is then processed and packed, and people can subsist on it.

While this is as "humane" as it gets (no living things are eaten or intentionally killed to get the food), it's also immensely impractical and exceedingly expensive. One's "daily allowance" may cost at least a few hundred bucks to produce.

So that's a no-go. Pragmatically speaking, we all have to draw the line somewhere when it comes to deciding what we eat. How much suffering are we willing to abide for our nutritive needs? Killing higher animals (mammals and maybe avians)? Or just lower vertebrates (fish)? How about invertebrates only?

Is lacto-ovo-vegetarianism OK? What's so humane about animal products like dairy and eggs? The former involves pumping cows full of antibiotics and tearing a calf away from its mother. The latter involves sacrificing a HUGE number of male chicks which are just tossed into blenders while still fully conscious. This applies even to many "free range" farm products, which "humane"-conscious shoppers buy exclusively (and obliviously). That's just sick, isn't it?

Is veganism completely humane? Because many vegans still eat root vegetables, the harvesting of which involves killing the entire plant. What about fruitarians? Is it a subversion of the order of nature to eat the fruit but not disperse the seed?

And if one follows all these "-ism"s, is adequate nutrition guaranteed? Even if adults may choose to follow such diets, is it fair to "inflict" this upon young children, who have stringent needs, are unable to make an informed choice and are highly dependent on their caregivers?

Finally, are people who follow the most stringent dietary practices also abstaining from taking any medication, even for life-threatening conditions? Because EVERY drug has been tested on animals at some point, and that means that animal life, usually of the cute, furry and cuddly kind, has been taken in the process of developing and testing the medicine. While one may choose to avoid cosmetics and hygiene products that have been animal-tested, how can one avoid medication if one is sick?

The point of my post is to show that there's no black and white when it comes to humane arguments for or against some form of diet. While I'm lacto-ovo-vegetarian myself, I am no longer strident in decrying meat-eating. I no longer harangue others and extol the virtues of vegetarianism. I'm sticking with my form of vegetarianism because I've been conditioned to be happy with this diet, and I still figure it's more humane than an all-out meat-eating diet. But I won't fault anyone for choosing to eat meat.

I am lacto-vegetarian. I stopped eating eggs after watching one of PeTA's videos. Some dairy farms are ok, they don't tear calves away from their mothers nor make them veal.