A boy once told me that, as a result of my vegetarianism, I wouldn't grow. Eventually I grew to nearly 6 foot and he stayed around 5"5. I'm fairly tall but I'm pretty sure that's not to do with not eating meat, good genes is to thank for my long limbs!
I'm not a crazy militant vegetarian, I don't shove my choice in peoples faces but when I do mention that I am a vegetarian I've had all sorts of responses. I'm sure other veggies can identify with some of these! I've heard these reactions when I've said "I'm a vegetarian."
- "So you've never had bacon? HOW CAN YOU LIVE WITHOUT BACON?!"
- "But do you eat chicken? I know a vegetarian who eats chicken."
- "Where do you get your protein from?"
- "Don't you want to know what meat tastes like?"
Everyone just loves to know where vegetarians get their protein fix from. I get mine from beans, lentils and soy. People seem to want to catch you out and prove that a vegetarian diet just cannot compete with a meat filled one. People also want to know if you eat jelly sweets such as Haribo, when I was little I probably had a few at a Birthday party now and again but since then, I haven't. I have had these once before. People have told me cheese flavoured crisps and Redbull aren't vegetarian.
Being a vegetarian isn't a new trend, its roots are in ancient India and Greece. Apparently in Greece they would call a vegetarian diet 'abstinence from beings with a soul'. That's really something to think about! I don't eat meat or 'slaughterhouse by-products' because I absolutely hate the idea of eating anything that's been alive. The thought of it turns my stomach! Also, animals are sweet, I've been brought up this way and I like the health benefits.
I think nowadays it's easy to be a vegetarian. Well, in the Western world with so much choice of food. Vegans, gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free diets can be followed with relative ease if you make the effort to find alternatives. Some people can't live without a bacon sarnie. For me, long live the pigs!
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