Vegans, why would you?!
Ok I'm vegetarian for religious and ethical reasons and I'm very happy with it but I don't understand why anyone would choose to be vegan!? So tell me your reasons pleaseWww@FoodAQ@Com
Answers:
As an extension of the ethical reasons for going vegetarian, veganism makes perfect sense!.
The egg and dairy industries are unspeakably cruel, involve the death of hundreds of millions of animals per year and produce a product that is every bit as unnecessary to human health as meat is!.
Females cows, like all other mammals including humans, do not produce milk unless they have given birth and their milk is for their infant!. The only way to supply the market with enough milk to meet demand is to forcibly artificially inseminate cows, strip them of their offspring (the male half of whom end up in veal crates,) pump them full of hormones and steroids to increase their production, milk them mechanically, pump them full of antibiotics to stave off the infections caused by mechanical milking, then slaughter them for cheap burgers at a fraction of their life span to make room for their daughters who, not already used up by the endless cycle of pregnancy and lactation, will produce more!. Laying hens fare no better, crammed into tiny battery cages with half a dozen other birds, debeaked with a hot knife to prevent stress-related cannibalism, starved for up to two weeks at a time in a process called forced moulting, and slaughtered for chicken nuggets and dog food when they can't keep up with production expectations!. Some 280 million male chicks are killed by the US egg industry each year, as soon as they are sexed, either by being tossed alive in a grinder, or by suffocating in garbage bags!.
If you are vegetarian for ethical reasons the question might be why would you *not* choose to be vegan!?Www@FoodAQ@Com
The egg and dairy industries are unspeakably cruel, involve the death of hundreds of millions of animals per year and produce a product that is every bit as unnecessary to human health as meat is!.
Females cows, like all other mammals including humans, do not produce milk unless they have given birth and their milk is for their infant!. The only way to supply the market with enough milk to meet demand is to forcibly artificially inseminate cows, strip them of their offspring (the male half of whom end up in veal crates,) pump them full of hormones and steroids to increase their production, milk them mechanically, pump them full of antibiotics to stave off the infections caused by mechanical milking, then slaughter them for cheap burgers at a fraction of their life span to make room for their daughters who, not already used up by the endless cycle of pregnancy and lactation, will produce more!. Laying hens fare no better, crammed into tiny battery cages with half a dozen other birds, debeaked with a hot knife to prevent stress-related cannibalism, starved for up to two weeks at a time in a process called forced moulting, and slaughtered for chicken nuggets and dog food when they can't keep up with production expectations!. Some 280 million male chicks are killed by the US egg industry each year, as soon as they are sexed, either by being tossed alive in a grinder, or by suffocating in garbage bags!.
If you are vegetarian for ethical reasons the question might be why would you *not* choose to be vegan!?Www@FoodAQ@Com
I'm vegan because animal abuses do not stop at meat!. In my opinion, dairy and egg animals have it worse than meat animals because they are worked on intensely!.
Dairy cows are artificially inseminated every year!. The gestation period is like a human woman's at about 9 months!. This cycle of birth and then quick insemination is so that the cow will keep producing large quantities of milk!. Most operations will take the calf and if female, she will be raised to produce dairy, if male, will either be shot or sold to veal farms where they are raised shackled inside a box and fed an anemic-inducing liquid diet!. The calf and mother never see each other after that first day!. Dairy cows can normally live up to 25 years but dairy cows in the factory farm industry only last until the age of 4 or 5 until they are killed for meat!. YES, dairy animals are slaughtered for meat!.
Almost all eggs come from farm operations that deprive hens of space, adequate food, adequate water, sunlight, and a clean environment!. Having 9 hens living in a space the size of a normal rodents cage is cruel and disgraceful!. In the US, chickens are only allowed 50 square inches of space by law!. Take an 8-1/2"x11" piece of paper and fold one end over about a third of the way!. That's how much space a hen has; smaller than a normal sheet of letter paper!. Hen beaks are sliced off so they won't peck the others to death, and their toes are clipped!. Often they undergo what is called "forced molting" where they are deprived of any light, food, and water for up to two weeks!. This is done to shock the birds' bodies into quicker egg laying cycles!. Many die from the deprivation!. Like the dairy cows, egg-laying hens are slaughtered for meat as well!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
Dairy cows are artificially inseminated every year!. The gestation period is like a human woman's at about 9 months!. This cycle of birth and then quick insemination is so that the cow will keep producing large quantities of milk!. Most operations will take the calf and if female, she will be raised to produce dairy, if male, will either be shot or sold to veal farms where they are raised shackled inside a box and fed an anemic-inducing liquid diet!. The calf and mother never see each other after that first day!. Dairy cows can normally live up to 25 years but dairy cows in the factory farm industry only last until the age of 4 or 5 until they are killed for meat!. YES, dairy animals are slaughtered for meat!.
Almost all eggs come from farm operations that deprive hens of space, adequate food, adequate water, sunlight, and a clean environment!. Having 9 hens living in a space the size of a normal rodents cage is cruel and disgraceful!. In the US, chickens are only allowed 50 square inches of space by law!. Take an 8-1/2"x11" piece of paper and fold one end over about a third of the way!. That's how much space a hen has; smaller than a normal sheet of letter paper!. Hen beaks are sliced off so they won't peck the others to death, and their toes are clipped!. Often they undergo what is called "forced molting" where they are deprived of any light, food, and water for up to two weeks!. This is done to shock the birds' bodies into quicker egg laying cycles!. Many die from the deprivation!. Like the dairy cows, egg-laying hens are slaughtered for meat as well!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
I personally don't see anything wrong with eating unfertilized eggs!. However, I abstain from eating them because of the conditions that the chickens have to live in!.
Vegetarians choose not to eat eat products because they don't want animals being killed to satisfy a want!. (no one really needs meat in their diet)!. Vegans go further and choose not to consume any animal products because they aren't okay with the livestock animals are treated!.
With all of the growth hormones and antibiotics we are stuffing into these animals, sooner or later, we're going to have to pay for that!. We already are, because we're starting to see many new and more dangerous strains of bacteria because those antibiotics get passed on to us!. Www@FoodAQ@Com
Vegetarians choose not to eat eat products because they don't want animals being killed to satisfy a want!. (no one really needs meat in their diet)!. Vegans go further and choose not to consume any animal products because they aren't okay with the livestock animals are treated!.
With all of the growth hormones and antibiotics we are stuffing into these animals, sooner or later, we're going to have to pay for that!. We already are, because we're starting to see many new and more dangerous strains of bacteria because those antibiotics get passed on to us!. Www@FoodAQ@Com
There are lots of reasons!.!.!. so i'm not really sure why you are asking this!.!.!. Just because you don't eat it because of "religion" doesn't mean that every other reason for being vegan is ridiculous!.!.!. Other reasons can be that some people are morally opposed to eating animals!.!.there is so much creulty in slaughter houses its becomming much easier to say no to meat, for the animals sake!. And reasons for not using animal products such as fur coats and leather boots is simple, the fur and hide belong on the animal, not on a human!.!. Do you see animals using human meat, and human skin!? No!.!. because it's ridiculous!. The boots I buy look like they are leather, however they are not!. There are other options other than just leather!.
Another point to add is, as for that milk industry!.!. Humans consume cow milk!.!.!. Now, think about this!.!. Thats like cows drinking human milk! Breast milk is for the child of the mother (cow/calf), and should not be sucked out and delivered to humans!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
Another point to add is, as for that milk industry!.!. Humans consume cow milk!.!.!. Now, think about this!.!. Thats like cows drinking human milk! Breast milk is for the child of the mother (cow/calf), and should not be sucked out and delivered to humans!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
The other posters have pretty much hit the nail on the head and already mentioned my reasons for "going all the way" and giving up animal products!.
I think it's totally wrong to exploit animals for our benefit!. The diary industry is extremely harsh for the cows, calves and chickens!. For a while as a vegetarian, I thought I was doing really well in cutting out "cruelty food" until I found that the veal industry is closely tied with the diary industry!. By supporting one, I was supporting the other!. I feel strongly against veal!.
From a health standpoint, I don't think that animal by-products are good for us!. First, why do humans take the milk from another species to drink long after the initial growth stages in early life!? That's simply not natural!. Cow's milk is for calves!. There is also the cholesterol and fact factor that come into play in dairy foods!. Our bodies already make enough cholesterol and consuming animal only adds to it!.
Honey bees are robbed of their winter food and I don't think that's right either!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
I think it's totally wrong to exploit animals for our benefit!. The diary industry is extremely harsh for the cows, calves and chickens!. For a while as a vegetarian, I thought I was doing really well in cutting out "cruelty food" until I found that the veal industry is closely tied with the diary industry!. By supporting one, I was supporting the other!. I feel strongly against veal!.
From a health standpoint, I don't think that animal by-products are good for us!. First, why do humans take the milk from another species to drink long after the initial growth stages in early life!? That's simply not natural!. Cow's milk is for calves!. There is also the cholesterol and fact factor that come into play in dairy foods!. Our bodies already make enough cholesterol and consuming animal only adds to it!.
Honey bees are robbed of their winter food and I don't think that's right either!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
I rarely talk about why I don't eat animal products on Yahoo because there's a fine line between informing people and being condescending, but since you asked, I'll be willing to share!.
Vegans* do not consume milk, meat, or eggs (or any animal derived product) because!.!.
-Meat involves killing animals (usually en mass) for human beings to eat!. The conditions on factory farms are far less than desirable and animals are treat like meat machines rather than sentient beings
-Purchasing "battery hen" eggs supports an institution
that cages up to nine birds together, debeaks them, and
forces them to continually lay eggs until they are calcium
-depleted and on the verge of death--at which point, they
are slaughtered!.
-"Free range" hens are actually packed into houses, where they have minimal access to the outside!.
-Producing even "free range" eggs
requires having fertile eggs--half of which will hatch into
male chicks (which will then be slaughtered after birth or
fed to a certain weight only to be culled as male chicks CANNOT produce eggs)!.
-Dairy milk (by nature) is intended as a complete food for baby calves!. Humans are the only species to drink the breast milk of another species!.
-Dairy cows are artificially impregnated, they become pregnant, produce milk!.!. and when the baby calf is born humans take the milk for human consumption, and the baby males go to veal production!. Baby female cows join the dairy herd!.
-Cows sometimes develop mastitis, a painful udder condition as a result of over milking
-Besides, milk is a common food allergen!. A lot of people have problems digesting milk protein!.
*Veganism is also a lifestyle choice!. Vegans don't buy leather, fur, etc!.
The founder of The Vegan Society, Donald Watson, once said ''I've always accepted that Man's greatest mistake is trying to turn himself into a carnivore, contrary to natural law''!.
That quote is from an interview he gave in 2002, here's the link: http://www!.foodsforlife!.org!.uk/people/Do!.!.!. :]Www@FoodAQ@Com
Vegans* do not consume milk, meat, or eggs (or any animal derived product) because!.!.
-Meat involves killing animals (usually en mass) for human beings to eat!. The conditions on factory farms are far less than desirable and animals are treat like meat machines rather than sentient beings
-Purchasing "battery hen" eggs supports an institution
that cages up to nine birds together, debeaks them, and
forces them to continually lay eggs until they are calcium
-depleted and on the verge of death--at which point, they
are slaughtered!.
-"Free range" hens are actually packed into houses, where they have minimal access to the outside!.
-Producing even "free range" eggs
requires having fertile eggs--half of which will hatch into
male chicks (which will then be slaughtered after birth or
fed to a certain weight only to be culled as male chicks CANNOT produce eggs)!.
-Dairy milk (by nature) is intended as a complete food for baby calves!. Humans are the only species to drink the breast milk of another species!.
-Dairy cows are artificially impregnated, they become pregnant, produce milk!.!. and when the baby calf is born humans take the milk for human consumption, and the baby males go to veal production!. Baby female cows join the dairy herd!.
-Cows sometimes develop mastitis, a painful udder condition as a result of over milking
-Besides, milk is a common food allergen!. A lot of people have problems digesting milk protein!.
*Veganism is also a lifestyle choice!. Vegans don't buy leather, fur, etc!.
The founder of The Vegan Society, Donald Watson, once said ''I've always accepted that Man's greatest mistake is trying to turn himself into a carnivore, contrary to natural law''!.
That quote is from an interview he gave in 2002, here's the link: http://www!.foodsforlife!.org!.uk/people/Do!.!.!. :]Www@FoodAQ@Com
I am a Buddhist, it is my religious belief that I need not take from another for my own sustainance!. This does extend to things along the lines of honey, eggs, and milk products as these are created by the creature for the creature, not for me!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
It hurts me when i see animals being treated like **** so the best i can do is at least not "eat" 'em!.Its a life style actually and its not related to my beliefs!.Www@FoodAQ@Com