Veganism and Vegetarianism is collectively emerging as a very distinct sub-culture characterized by unique nutritional tendencies and beliefs. According to Stepaniak, the major distinction between vegans and vegetarians is that the former strictly avoid consumption of animal products or foods processed using animal products, while the latter only avoid animals products that involve killing of the animals (154). However, both vegans and vegetarians draw their nutrition from similar plant sources. In essence, a vegetarians cuisine might include animals products like eggs, milk and honey that do not involve killing of the animals while a vegan’s cuisine should never contain any of these products. Vegans strictly eat plant products. The fact that the average human being eats three times a day implies that nutrition constitutes a very important aspect of culture. Veganism and vegetarianism is a sub-culture that transcends the aspect of eating alone but that place emphasis in the creation and upholding of harmony and balance and discourages brutality for selfish gains. The paper looks at the factors that motivate individuals towards the sub-culture, the general characteristics of the sub-culture and the health implications of adopting such nutritional practices.
Understanding veganism and Vegetarianism. According to Iacobbo & Iacobbo, “a sub-culture is part of a larger culture” characterized by similar beliefs and approaches towards one or several aspects of life (9). These beliefs become the primary distinguishing factors between people of a particular sub-culture from other sub-cultures or within a larger culture. There are certain distinguishing factors between the American culture and the culture of other countries with regard to ...
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...vegetarian diet that allows for animal products such as milk and honey that will supply nutrients such as zinc, magnesium and vitami D. Vegan vegetarian that does not allow any animal products might pose health risks due to the lack of these important nutrients in the diet.
Works Cited
Breier, Davida Gypsy. Vegan & Vegetarian FAQ: Answers to your Frequently Asked Questions. Baltimore: Vegetarian Resource Group, 2001. Print.
Iacobbo, Karen & Iacobbo, Dorothy. Vegetarians and Vegans in America Today. New York: Greeenwood Publishing Group, 2006. Print.
Insel, Paul. Nutrition. Massachusetts: Jones & Bartlett Publishers, 2011. Print.
Jamieson, Alexandra. Living Vegan for Dummies. New York: For Dummies, 2009. Print.
Stepaniak, Joanne. Being Vegan: Living with Conscience, Conviction, and Compassion. California: Contemporary Publishing Group, 2000. Print.
The argumentative article “More Pros than Cons in a Meat-Free Life” authored by Marjorie Lee Garretson was published in the student newspaper of the University of Mississippi in April 2010. In Garretson’s article, she said that a vegetarian lifestyle is the healthy life choice and how many people don’t know how the environment is affected by their eating habits. She argues how the animal factory farms mistreat the animals in an inhumane way in order to be sources of food. Although, she did not really achieve the aim she wants it for this article, she did not do a good job in trying to convince most of the readers to become vegetarian because of her writing style and the lack of information of vegetarian
The America’s public interest in vegetarianism was growing slowly, but vegetarianism would not become common until 1971. In 1971, Frances Moore Lappe published, “Diet for a Small Planet and Peter Singer's Animal Liberation”; a book how people can obtain their daily intake of proteins without eating meat and the benefits of vegetarianism. Although Lappe’s book had several incorrect theories, it still supposedly started a whole vegetarianism in the 1970’s. There were many new vegetarian cookbooks, restaurants, and communities started to appear across the nation. One example, was The Farm Cookbook, which was written by vegetarian hippies in Tennessee. Because vegetarianism was a new sensation, people had many theories and myths about the plant-based diet. In 1975, Peter Singer wrote Animal Liberation; Animal Liberation was the first scholarly work to present ethical arguments for not eating animals
Simplifying the Case for Vegetarianism is an article written by Andrew Tardiff as part of the academic journal Social Theory and Practice; published by Florida State University, Department of Philosophy in 1996. Tardiff was a part of the department of philosophy at Rhode Island College and wrote other articles, including A Catholic Case for Vegetarianism and Vegetarianism Virtue: Does Consequentialism Demand Too Little?
Rachels, J. (2013). The Moral Argument for Vegetarianism. In L. Vaughn, Contemporary Moral Arguments - Readings in Ethical Issues Second Edition (pp. 617-622). New York: Oxford University Press.
Greenebaum, Jessica B.1. "Managing Impressions: “Face-Saving” Strategies of Vegetarians and Vegans." Humanity & Society 36.4 (2012): 309-325. Social Sciences Full Text (H.W. Wilson). Web. 26 Mar. 2014.
Though vegetarianism was never a taboo subject as are some other controversial topics, The question of whether or not human beings should live off meat still is highly discussed amongst all types of people. Spiritual leaders, activists, scientists, and doctors have spoken up on behalf of their group’s opinion. Amongst the arguments of what is right when it comes to the food chain, resonating on many a mind is where the concept of vegetarian came from. Was it started as a religious virtue or a moral decision? Perhaps it was a forced lifestyle or a diet trend gone wrong (or right depending). Health wise, which is better for us? Educating ourselves by answering these questions helps us answer the, perhaps, most important question of all. Which lifestyle will we, as individuals, choose?
While plant-based diet have been around for decades, veganism did not make headlines until the late 1990’s. ‘Vegetarian’ first appears in a title of an article on September 16th, 1852, five years after the Vegetarian Society was formed (Vegetarian Society). Although veganism has clearly risen in popularity in the 21st century, it can not be concluded that American’s view plant-based eating positively. Multiple articles have been published bashing the lifestyle. ‘Vegan’ first appeared in a title of an article on December 6th, 1998, fifty-four years after the first vegan society was formed (Vegan Society). The article was titled, “All Species Welcome At A Vegan Mixer.” The author wrote about veganism as a foreign idea and made jokes on vegan’s behalf. The second time veganism appeared in the New York Times was in December of the same year. The article exposed a vegan eco-terrorist group, giving all vegans a bad reputation. Two years later, on February 1st, 2000,
There are many factors to why some want be vegetarians. Many believe that it is more ethical to become vegetarian. That warm-blooded animals being slaughtered have emotions and connections and are sacrificed to satisfy the decedent meat eating lifestyle. Or let it be that we are supporting many genetically modified crops and feeding them to the animals we eat; only supporting an artificial lifecycle. Many vegetarians are born into the lifestyle; most people from India are vegetarians because of the animals they worship. It is called the Asian –Indian diets, which is predominantly lacto-vegetarian. Many choose the lifestyle because of health concerns and concerns of the environment; that we are a product of our environment. What ever we take from the world or put into it is the reason there are so many health problems, like a circle of life.
There are a myriad of myths and misconceptions that surround the words “vegetarian” and “vegan.” One perhaps thinks that becoming vegan is synonymous with becoming weak and holier-than-thou or only consuming foods such as Tofurkey. Thankfully, this isn’t the case for the vast majority of vegans or vegetarians. For financial and health concerns, many Americans are consuming less meat and poultry; approximately one third of Americans follow a diet centered upon vegetables and whole grains, with the occasional consumption of meat. Nonetheless, meat consumption per capita is still extortionate in America—the highest per capita with the exception of Luxembourg—largely due to its ingrained nature in our economy and culture.
Walters, Kerry S, and Lisa Portmess. Ethical Vegetarianism: From Pythagoras to Peter Singer. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1999. Print.
The amount of people becoming vegetarians these days is growing. There are a few different types of vegetarians for example; the lacto-ovo vegetarian doesn’t eat any animal products except milk and eggs. Another type of vegetarian is the vegan, they exclude all animal products.
In October of last year I finally became a vegetarian, meaning that I chose to not eat meat products anymore. Technically, I am a lacto-ovo vegetarian because I do eat eggs (ovo-) and milk (lacto-) on occasion and not a vegan-one who doesn't eat any animal products. My first year as a vegetarian has been very revealing. Since adopting this new identity, I have learned a lot about myself as well as others. Here I write about why I am a vegetarian and what I have learned since becoming one. In doing so, I hope to dispel some misunderstandings about vegetarians and to reveal some unappreciated aspects about what it takes to become and remain a vegetarian. Please understand that I speak for one vegetarian and not for vegetarians in general.
The issue of meat consumption has been a controversial topic on whether to allow the practice or discontinue it, non-meat eaters argue it’s unethical because it is abusive to animals. On the other hand, meat consumers argue that eating meat is ethical as long as meat eaters are conscious of how their meat is collected and the treatment of livestock is fair. The consumption of meat is an act that an individual decides whether to partake in or not. Therefore, the option of eating meat should not be completely taken away, but it should be limited. Eating meat ties in with vegetarian and vegan diets, in the sense that both have to follow guidelines to create an ethical approach to eating any grown foods. The consumption of food is ethical when
In today’s fast-paced, modern and practical society people are becoming more health conscious. This includes trying to choose the best available options for a beneficial lifestyle. Exotic Greek salads, fresh fruit juices, delicate tofu preparation, smelly grilled vegetables, creamy grains soups, moisten carve soufflés, and so much more are common elections for meals for many people. They are becoming more concerned these days about the increasing health risks of a meat-based diet. On the other hand, others have taken a step further and believed that animal cruelty involved in killing animals and using them for their products is inhumane and should be outlawed. Since meat-eating has been an accepted part of the human diet across the spectrum of many civilizations for millions of years, a controversy emerges between those who want to be banned the use of animal products and those who enjoy a steak now and then. Should people consider becoming a vegan?
For several years the issue of eating meat has been a great concern to all types of people all over the world. In many different societies controversy has began to arise over the morality of eating meat from animals. A lot of the reasons for not eating meat have to deal with religious affiliations, personal health, animal rights, and concern about the environment. Vegetarians have a greater way of expressing meats negative effects on the human body whereas meat eaters have close to no evidence of meat eating being a positive effect on the human body. Being a vegetarian is more beneficial for human beings because of health reasons, environmental issues, and animal rights.