To be or not to be vegetarian?

The term vegetarian can refer to a vegan diet (strictly vegetarian which avoid any type of animal products and even avoid wearing clothes of animal origin) or it can also mean a lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet (vegetarians that don’t eat meat but do eat eggs and milk).Semi-vegetarian is a term used to describe someone who doesn’t eat meat (at all or very little), but eats fish. These people are also called pescetarian.

As long as there are interferences between omnivores and vegetarians, we will never find out what it means to be vegetarian. But a balanced and diverse vegetarian diet can assure the body’s essential nutrients and there are a number of studies which scientifically prove that a vegetarian can be healthier than someone who eats meat.

To the controversial question of  “Are you considered a vegetarian if you eat fish or poultry?” you will be surprised to find out that depending on a peoples mentality you will get totally different answers.

Since Pythagoras the term vegetarian has known changes and divisions which have led to a lot of controversy. The term comes from the Greek philosopher who considered the essential condition for a harmonious cohabitation the abstaining from any type of meat. The term comes from the Latin “vegetus” which means “fresh, healthy and active”.

• - A vegetarian builds a diet of cereal, legumes, nuts, seeds, fruit, with or without milk and eggs
• - A vegetarian doesn’t eat any type of meat, fish, game, shell fish or mollusk

So the concept of vegetarianism subscribes to a diet composed of plants, supplemented by some with eggs and/or milk. In 1847, participants at the first meeting of the British Vegetarian Society reached the conclusion that a vegetarian is a person who refuses to eat
any type of meat.

What does it mean to be a vegetarian and how much has the typology of the term been diversified, if it is healthy to be a vegetarian are some of the subjects we will treat.

Why do people become vegetarians?

• - Because of the notion that it’s inhumane to sacrifice animals for food;
• - Because they’re against destroying forests for lumber to build animal farms;
• - Some involve the link between the meat industry and the famine and poverty in underdeveloped countries;
• - Because they’re conscience of the advantages of a healthy diet, especially adults;
• - From antipathy towards the taste of meat;
• - For religious reasons.

You should also check out:

• Being a Vegetarian: what does it imply?
• Become more of a vegetarian to lose weight
• Becoming vegetarian just a little is extremely healthy