What kind of 'tarian are you?

[Trey of Diamonds]

Believe it or not, there's lots of different kinds of 'tarians out there. Here is a list from the Wiki on Vegetarianism:

1. Buddhist vegetarianism (also known as su vegetarianism) excludes all animal products as well as vegetables in the allium family (which have the characteristic aroma of onion and garlic): onion, garlic, scallions, leeks, or shallots.
2. Flexitarians are omnivores who predominantly eat a plant based diet but also eat animal meat occasionally.
3. Freegan who are "vegan unless it's free," as choice in a low impact lifestyle philosophy.
4. Fruitarianism permits only fruit, nuts, seeds, and other plant matter that can be gathered without harming the plant.
5. Jain vegetarianism includes dairy but excludes eggs and honey, as well as root vegetables.
6. Lacto vegetarianism includes dairy products but not eggs.
7. Macrobiotic diets are plant-based which may or may not include the occasional fish or other seafood.
8. Meatatarians enjoy a lot of meat in their diet.
9. Ovo vegetarianism includes eggs but not dairy products.
10. Ovo-lacto vegetarianism (or lacto-ovo vegetarianism) includes animal/dairy products such as eggs, milk, and honey.
11. Pescetarians eat fish or other seafood, but not red meat or poultry.
12. Pollo-pescetarians eat poultry and fish, or "white meat."
13. Pollotarians eat chicken or other poultry, but not red meat.
14. Raw veganism includes only fresh and uncooked fruit, nuts, seeds, and vegetables. Vegetables can only be cooked up to a certain temperature
15. Veganism excludes all animal flesh and animal products, including milk, honey, and eggs, and may also exclude any products tested on animals, or any clothing from animals
16. Vegetarianism encompasses the practice of following plant-based diets (fruits, vegetables, etc.), with or without the inclusion of dairy products or eggs, and with the exclusion of meat (red meat, poultry, and seafood).

(Yeah, I added the Meatatarian )

 

[Engyo]

I'm generally a flexitarian.

There are also folks who eat a Paleolithic diet ; Paleotarians?

 

[Trey of Diamonds]

I'm generally a flexitarian.

There are also folks who eat a Paleolithic diet ; Paleotarians?

How could I have forgotten them when I posted about them a couple weeks ago.

 

[Penumbra]

I voted vegetarian. It overlaps with the subset of lacto-ovo vegetarian so I could have selected that as well. I eat plant-based foods, small amounts of organic milk, and very tiny amounts of egg (I don't eat egg directly, but occasionally I eat baked goods that contain a fraction of an egg, so I probably consume a few eggs per year.)

 

[Trey of Diamonds]

After selecting your particular 'tarianism, please tell us a couple things about it and what it means to you. I think the answers to the following questions would be particularly interesting but please don't limit your comments to them.

Did you decide on your 'tarianism or were you raised that way?
Does your 'tarianism stem from philosophical beliefs or a desire for a healthy lifestyle?
Does your version of 'tarianism come with a political aspect?
Do any of the other 'tarians look interesting to you? Interesting enough to try?
Would you consider trying a different 'tarian lifestyle for a week to see what its like?

 

[Penumbra]

After selecting your particular 'tarianism, please tell us a couple things about it and what it means to you. I think the answers to the following questions would be particularly interesting but please don't limit your comments to them.

Did you decide on your 'tarianism or were you raised that way?

Decided on it as a teenager. Neither of my parents is vegetarian, nor are most people I know.

Does your 'tarianism stem from philosophical beliefs or a desire for a healthy lifestyle?

Partially both. Vegetarianism can be very healthy. But if I were to base a diet 100% around pure health, I'd probably include small amounts of fish or chicken, but I don't do that, because health is only a component of my decision.

Does your version of 'tarianism come with a political aspect?

I'm not really sure I understand the question. Politically, I think factory farms should have much stronger regulations regarding the treatment of animals, and that fishing and other things should be more regulated for sustainability.

Do any of the other 'tarians look interesting to you? Interesting enough to try?
Would you consider trying a different 'tarian lifestyle for a week to see what its like?

I tried pescetarianism for quite a while. Ended up switching back.

 

[Revoltingest]

No Revoltitarian or Bacontarian?

 

[Trey of Diamonds]

No Revoltitarian or Bacontarian?

Sub-sets of Meatatarian aren't they?

 

[Levite]

"Meatitarian." I have no qualms being omnivorous, although I do keep kosher, and try to always get my kosher meat organic and free range/pasture-- which is not cheap.

 

[Trey of Diamonds]

"Meatitarian." I have no qualms being omnivorous, although I do keep kosher, and try to always get my kosher meat organic and free range/pasture-- which is not cheap.

So there is a religious/philosophical aspect to your diet choice. What do Jews think about Vegetarianism in general?

 

[elmarna]

My body insists what it can tolerate is what it will take in.
A lot of Bison, Elk, and fish are the basis to my meals.
I find my health imporoves on a variety of protien included egg nuts and legume.
my second passion is fruit.
I am allergic to yeasts so those foods are eliminated.

 

[Revoltingest]

Sub-sets of Meatatarian aren't they?

Hmmm.....close enuf. OK!

 

[Trey of Diamonds]

I tried pescetarianism for quite a while. Ended up switching back.

Why did you switch back? If you don't mind my asking?

 

[Me Myself]

"Meatitarian." I have no qualms being omnivorous, although I do keep kosher, and try to always get my kosher meat organic and free range/pasture-- which is not cheap.

Kosher would probably been a interesting addition.

Or well, Koshertarian

 

[Penumbra]

Why did you switch back? If you don't mind my asking?

I didn't observe any benefit.

I had read things saying that fish oils are really healthy, that they improve cognition, that reducing carbs and increasing protein increases energy, that pescetarians on average are slightly healthier than vegetarians (and much healthier than both vegans and more common meat eaters), and so forth.

Also, one thing I try to pay attention to is the transportation costs of the food. As far as the environment is concerned, although plant-based foods are typically much less damaging than animal-based foods, this can be negated if plant-based foods have to be shipped in from, say, South America or something. So eating a small amount of local fish during the winter time seemed like a reasonable thing to do.

But after a while of having observed no benefit, I switched back, since:
a) I don't want to contribute to over-fishing if it doesn't have any observable benefits for me
b) I really don't like the idea of killing a fish, especially with a hook through the mouth followed by suffocation. I guess a net is a little better, but I'm not sure. Either way, I view fishing as much less ethically problematic than factory farming, but again, if I don't see benefits I don't see why I should contribute to it.

 

[Levite]

So there is a religious/philosophical aspect to your diet choice. What do Jews think about Vegetarianism in general?

Well, there's never one single Jewish opinion-- there are always a bunch, about any given subject.

The Jewish tradition does not encourage vegetarianism. There are a number of Rabbinic interpretations concerning the observance of Shabbat (the sabbath) or holidays or joyous lifecycle events that indicate that a strong, central symbol of celebration is to be the eating of meat and the drinking of wine.

That said, a number of modern rabbis have found room for vegetarianism, pointing out correctly that while it is not encouraged, it is also not forbidden. The Rabbinic teachings that encourage eating meat are, technically, not binding as obligations under Jewish Law (but such teachings are also not to be lightly disregarded). They see it as a way to go above and beyond the commandments, which, while seldom encouraged as a regular practice (we deem that the commandments themselves are already stringent enough without adding stringency to them), is sometimes seen by more ascetic elements in the tradition as laudable.

Generally, non-Orthodox vegetarians are said to be doing that-- by going above and beyond the commandments, they are personally committing to extra stringency for the best of reasons, and trusting that God will appreciate it.

Orthodox Jews are seldom completely vegetarian, although some Modern Orthodox Jews, especially baalei teshuvah (Orthodox Jews who used to be non-Orthodox, but became more traditional-- sort of our equivalent to being "born again"), are embracing complete vegetarianism. But outside of this handful, most who essay vegetarianism in the Orthodox world do so (AFAIK) after the model of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook (early 20th century, first Chief Rabbi of British Palestine, and first Chief Rabbi of the State of Israel), who believed in ethical vegetarianism, but ate small amounts of meat on Shabbat, holidays, or at joyous lifecycle events, so as to conform to Rabbinic teaching.

 

[Madhuri]

I am lacto-ovo-vegetarian. I am currently trying a dairy free diet, but only to see if I am lactose intolerant. I only eat eggs in food like cake, when I cannot taste it and prefer to not eat it (but it can be very hard to avoid). I have honey sometimes, but rarely.

 

[Breathe]

I'm probably flexitarian, as I will eat meat when it's been prepared for me so I don't kick up a fuss with people, as well as having family who don't even grasp the concept of vegetarian.

I try not to eat meat, though, but for some reason people freak out if I'm not eating meat for a while.

My goal is lacto-vegetarian, I guess. I don't really like eggs but everything seems to have them in, so I don't know how practical that is.

 

[DreadFish]

I chose the Buddhist vegetarian without realizing what you meant by it lol

The point for me about avoiding eating meat is simply the suffering involved in the killing of the animal. Thats what I thought it meant

I dont mind eating meat, and I enjoy it, I simply avoid it if I have other choices. It goes along with the idea that a bhikksu can eat meat as long as the animal was not killed specifically for that bhikksu. So if the meat is already there, and my eating it has no apparent effect on the killing of anything, then I dont mind eating it. Sometimes I also just like to forgo that and just eat some


EDIT: So, by the definitions you have presented, I would fit under the flexitarian category.

 

[Trey of Diamonds]

I'm probably flexitarian, as I will eat meat when it's been prepared for me so I don't kick up a fuss with people, as well as having family who don't even grasp the concept of vegetarian.

I considered choosing this one as I don't really eat as much meat as I used to, especially red meat. But I don't avoid meat either and still a small amount almost everyday. So I stuck with Meatatarian for now.