Do you eat meat or follow any codes/ways of diet?

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Just a curiosity thread, what sort of diet do you have? I was thinking the other day, although I�fm an omnivore/meat and plant eater, I rarely ever eat meat (maybe once a month or less), the only meat I eat though is beef or fish (no poultry meat) and very rarely pork.
It started when I gave up eating battery/intensively/barn farmed animal products including non-organic ones as well, partly for reasons concerning morality and partly for reasons concerning health, as I didn�ft think those types of foods were very healthy to consume/eat. Its ended up with me eating practically no meat at all as those types of foods are hard to come by where I live. Ah well. I�fm happy though with my diet currently meat-wise, although I often miss a lot of types of things though (bacon�c �gdrools�h�c), I would like to cut down on a lot of the sweets I taken to eating recently though�c

So do you eat meat, and do you follow any particular form of diet and are you happy with your diet as it stands currently?

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Oh and just the for the sake of those who don't know what macrobiotic diets or lacto-ovo vegetarians are etc, here are the basic definitions;

Flexitarian/Semi-Vegetarians
Semi-vegetarians eat no red or white meat (beef, pork, venison, etc). The only animals that semi-vegetarians eat are fowl and fish. (Purists would say that semi-vegetarians are not vegetarians at all, but I have included them in order to show the complete hierarchy.)

Pescatarian(also spelled pescetarian)
The word �gpescatarian�h is occasionally used to describe those who abstain from eating all meat and animal flesh with the exception of fish. Although the word is not commonly used, more and more people are adopting this kind of diet, usually for health reasons or as a stepping stone to a fully vegetarian diet.

Lacto Ovo Vegetarian
A lacto ovo vegetarian does not eat meat, fish or poultry, but eats eggs and milk. They eat eggs and products made with eggs in them, yogurt, cheese, milk and ice creams.

Lacto Vegetarian
A lacto vegetarian does not eat meat, fish, poultry or eggs, but includes dairy products in their diet. They will eat milk, ice cream (that does not include eggs), yogurt and cheese. They would avoid ice creams, baked goods, pancakes and veggie burgers that contain eggs.

Vegan
A vegan does not eat any fish, meat, poultry, eggs, dairy products or foods that contain any of these products. They also do not use any non-food items that contain products from animals, including wool from sheep, leather and silk. Vegans often do not eat honey, because bees may be killed while harvesting it.
According to many vegans, it is pronounced VEE-gun. A vegan diet consists of vegetables, grains, beans, nuts, fruits and seeds. This diet tends to be high in fiber and moderate in protein and fat.
A vegan will not use margarine that has casein, a milk product, in it and they do not use shoes that are made from leather. Vegans do not eat white granulated sugar because it is often processed by using char derived from animal bones to whiten the sugar. They also do not use products that are tested on animals, as are many cosmetics.

Macrobiotics
A macrobiotic diet is mainly vegetarian, but macrobiotic diets often include seafood. In this diet all other meat products are excluded, as are eggs and dairy products. They also do not eat "nightshade vegetables" (potato, pepper and eggplant), refined sugar and tropical fruits. This diet contains many foods found in Asian countries such as miso soup, root vegetables (daikon and lotus) and sea vegetables (seaweed, kelp, arame).
It emphasizes eating locally grown foods that are in season. Meals consist of 50% to 60% grains, 25% locally grown produce, and the rest of the diet mainly consists of beans and soups. In lesser amounts fruits, nuts and seeds are eaten.
This diet is based on the Chinese principles of yin and yang. Some people follow this diet as a philosophy of life and others follow it for health reasons.

Fruitarian
A fruitarian is a person who only eats fruits and vegetables that are actually classified as fruits such as avocados, nuts, seeds, eggplant, zucchini and tomatoes.

Raw or Living Food Diet
One who follows a raw food diet is a person who for the most part only eats raw foods that are not cooked. One who follows this type of diet believes that cooking changes food in a negative way and makes it less nutritious, diminishing the vitamin and mineral contents of the food. Most people who follow a raw-food diet only eat between 50% to 80% of their food raw. There is some logic to a raw food diet in the fact that cooking food destroys nutrients. But cooking food on the other hand makes foods easier to digest, which often offsets the anti-nutritional factors.

[No-name]

I'm not a vegetarian, but I really can't eat red meat at all.

I eat almost everything I can get my teeth around, but it works out to very little meat at all. (I had a cheeseburger yesterday, and it was the first beef in a couple of weeks.) I eat fish or chicken almost every day, and stay away from sugar, and fat. Most of this is because of health issues and the information my HMO dietician has given me. (Due to diet related 40 year old health problems and a genetic anemia that leaves me prone to having too much iron.) I also eat eggs and cheese, but no milk or ice cream... I will drink soy milk.

I'm unhappy when I want dessert and can't have it, chocolate... or a rare steak.

[Mitsuo]

I am a huge meat eater. I love it. Everyday I have some type of meat.

I have to watch the soda though, when it comes to my diet. Soda contains Phosphorus and if your phosphorus level is too high then your calcium is taken from the bones to even it out. Which could lead to osteoporosis. Overall, I have a healthy diet. I don't deprive myself of anything, I eat my fruits and vegies, and I get out and exercise a lot. I just watch the sugar intake. I don't have a specific diet though. Just eat normally and exercise regularly.

[Thor]

I like eating beef, fish, and chicken. I despise hamburgers, and ground beef. I could imagine living without them, but I really would prefer to keep eating them. Diabetes runs in my family, so I have to watch my sugar intake. I don't want to be 30-40 years old with diabetes.

[No-name]

Pepsi...I miss colas. I havent had soda in four months...And the diet ones leave a metalic afteraste...

[Da Monstar]

As I say; All the meat you can eat!

[Mycernius]

Regular meat eater here, although I don't eat pork as I don't like it. A big fish eater as well. In fact I'll ty practically anything. The only thing I really watch diet wise is salt because I do not like salty food, and anything with caffine in. Because I stopped drinking coke, I don't really drink pop anymore, just water a fruit juice.

[moffeltoff]

Sometimes I dont eat any meat at all and sometimes I enjoy meat a lot especialle ,when its raw mjam mjam^^

[Tsuyoiko]

I am a lacto-ovo vegetarian. I would like to be a vegan, but I don't have the imagination or will-power to succeed at it. I just can't give up sour cream! I do eat vegan quite often though - probably about 5 meals a week. For lunch today I had lemon and coriander cous-cous with chunky vegetables and chick peas roasted in olive oil - so vegan food isn't boring, as I know a lot of people think! I haven't eaten any meat for nearly 16 years, but even before then I didn't eat a lot. Apart from not liking the idea of eating a dead animal, I never much liked the taste.

In general, I try to eat healthily most of the time. I make sure there is some protein in each meal, and I don't add salt to anything (except chips!). I don't often drink sugary drinks or coffee - I prefer water and fruit tea. I do like beer though. My biggest weakness is probably that I drink alcohol everyday - just the one pint on weekdays, but that probably adds up to too much overall

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Hmm...Things i'd like to change about my diet in general are;
a. Completely give up pork. No more piggies for me. I love the taste of the meat and all the forms it comes in, but i don't really like the idea of eating an animal that is so intelligent(more intelligent than a dog), its a shame its farmed at all really.
b. Cut down on salt and sugar- i consume a huge amount of salt and sugar, most of the sugar i take goes into the vast quantities of tea i drink every day(i have on average around 4-6 mugs of tea a day, each with 2 teaspoons of sugar, as it can add up to a lot of sugar a day), and the salt goes into practically every meal i have, mostly salads though(i have pretty knackered taste buds, i'm the only person i know who eats raw chilli's pickled in vinegar and brine water for snacks ).
c. Cut down on chocolate...I've even cut out chocolate completely in the past, but i always find myself going back to it. Part of the reason why i want to cut down on or cut out chocolate is because although my complexion is perfect at the mo, its very volatile, and i find eating too much of things like cake, cheese, cream and chocolate can give me spots, which i hate . I also don't really do excercise, so i eat according to how much energy i burn a day(which isn't a lot considering most things i do involve sitting down i.e. art & writing- my twice weekly fish tank cleaning session is about as close as i get to excercise, often involves lugging 40 ten litre buckets of water back and forth- i have very big fish tanks ).
Man...I really should get a gym pass/membership card ...

[Rich303]

I saw a cool thing on TV once with Rastafarian poet/legend Benjamin Zephaniah and he showed the huge range of things vegans can eat, and trying to show some of the nice things you don't have to miss out on. Also, being vegan doesn't always mean you are pale and thin. I have a vegan friend and he is a big, strapping guy!

I don't think I could be vegan, though.
Personally, I eat some meat and I am eating more fish than I used to (especially since I got into Sushi and Sashimi)

I eat lots of fruit. Most week days I have bananas, oranges, berries, or plums. Usually about five pieces a day + a pure fruit or yogurt based smoothie.

I usually have a bag of (unsalted) mixed nuts on the go as well , for when I get peckish,

I try to drink water instead of fizzy or sugary drinks.

Overall I eat well, but I ruin it by drinking a little too much, and smoking.

[KrazyKat]

I would say that I'm vegan, but thats not completely true becuase I'm not so fussy, I make exceptions especially when going on holiday or eating at certain restaurants. Of course, I would still stay vegetarian then. When I'm just cooking for myself at home its no problem though, it just means no pizza or cheese sandwhiches. Vegan for about 1 year, vegetarian a couple before that.

[Tokis-Phoenix]

I would like to eat more sushi and sashimi, i don't think i've ever encountered some i didn't like(although i have to admit i don't really dig the types with fish eggs in, but they still generally taste good), but where i live its very difficult to get hold of and often insanely expensive- i did buy a sushi making kit and a book on how to make sushi, but i still havn't managed to find any of the seaweed you use in making sushi, and my fav types of sushi often involve seaweed and and pickled ginger("drools"...) .
Some of my fav dishes/meals include tuna pasta bake, sausages and mashed potatoe (with onion gravy of course), traditional english beef sunday roast (with all the extras), too many pasta dishes to name, sushi and sashimi (of course), wonton soup, veg tempura, fish & chips, rice pudding etc etc...Man, i'm making myself feel hungry now ! I've always wanted to try some of the ramen dishes out there though, i've heard they are delicious/very addictive .

[Rich303]

I would like to eat more sushi and sashimi, i don't think i've ever encountered some i didn't like(although i have to admit i don't really dig the types with fish eggs in, but they still generally taste good), but where i live its very difficult to get hold of and often insanely expensive

Yes, that is the trouble with Sushi outside Japan.
Sometimes it is hard to find or can be expensive. I'm lucky that I work in London and there is more about, but I can only go to have Sushi in a restaurant occasionally, as a treat. The local does a set special for around 14 pounds, which isn't too bad, but add drinks and it's more like 20 pounds
You wouldnt see many Sushi restaurants where I live though, the demand is just not there.

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Yes, that is the trouble with Sushi outside Japan.
Sometimes it is hard to find or can be expensive. I'm lucky that I work in London and there is more about, but I can only go to have Sushi in a restaurant occasionally, as a treat. The local does a set special for around £14, which isn't too bad, but add drinks and it's more like £20.
You wouldnt see many Sushi restaurants where I live though, the demand is just not there.

The only place i know of where i can get sushi is Waitrose, but its pretty expensive place to go food shopping- usually a 8inch long and around 4inch wide pack of sushi costs around ��10's . So as you can guess, i very rarely eat sushi, its more of a special occasion thing for me like its a treat thing for you. Ah well...Need more japanese people and health lovers to increase demand for japanese resturants! I don't have a single one near me, the closest i get to oriental/foriegn food near me usually consists of the kebab shop run by the indian guys, or the local chinese take away(their food can taste pretty bad though, most things consist of butchered chunks of stuff resembling a dead animal or plant of some sort saturated in super sugery, suspiciously bright radioactive-looking red sweat & sour sauce).

[Thunderthief]

I love meat, im a part time butcher during the summer.

[MeAndroo]

My diet at this point mainly consists of veggies and chicken/fish. I've started to avoid red meat and some processed carbs/grains. I've been focused mainly on a high-protein/high-fiber diet to help me win our office weight loss pool.

I used to eat just about everything, except for lamb. I never found it very appealing. I have no real moral issues with eating meat, but I've read enough to know why some people might.

[Nicky]

I'm a pescy-tarian, formerly an Ovo Lacto vegetarian. No land meat for me.

[Buckethead]

I eat meat all the time! Almost every day or two!

[Silverbackman]

I love meat and eat it all the time in almost ever meal (except most breakfasts). There is nothing wrong with eating meat as we are an omnivorous species. However I do agree that if too much meat is taken without moderation it can potentially be bad for your health.

Another concern about eating meat is the concern about the animal being pumped with steroids or other harmful chemicals. However as we all know vegetables from the market would be subject to the same chemical treatment regardless.

Meat is important to our diet regardless. Most evolutionary biologists and anthropologist agree that meat is what made us evolve big brains. Meat is brain food and can be highly nutritious.

[Reiku]

My only real code of diet is: "If it doesn't taste good, don't eat it again."

I don't really have the money to eat as healthily as I'd like--subsisting primarily on instant ramens--but I try to boost that up with meat and vegetables as much as possible.

A major risk that anyone considering a vegitarian diet should be aware of, is vitamin B-12 deficiency. While proteins, iron, and other nutrients found in meat can often be obtained from plants as well, just about the only viable source for B-12 other than meat is seaweed.

I found this out after a medicine I was taking caused a condition where my body could not absorb B-12 from the food I ate. I developed a severe B-12 deficiency, and the first thing my doctor asked me after seeing the results of te blood test was: "Are you vegitarian?"

Since my response was shocked silence while I tried to wrap my brain around the idea of anyone mistaking me for a vegitarian, the doctor explained to me that B-12 deficiency is very common amoung vegitarians because it is primarily found only in animal products.

In case you're wondering vitamin B-12 does, it is a critical nutrient required by the brain, and B-12 deficiency can cause severe impairment to cognitive funtions--most noticably to memory.

I actually have permanent damage to my short term memory from my exteneded battle with B-12 deficiency, and would suggest that anyone pursuing a diet that requires them to cut out something their bodies are intended to eat be very careful not to remove any vital nutrients from their diet in the process.

[Tokis-Phoenix]

I agree with Reiku, although in some respects a vegetarian diet can be very healthy, its only good for you if you know your RDA(recommended daily amount) of various vitamins, minerals and fats etc and you know which foods to obtain these things from. Human beings were not evolved to thrive on a vegetarian diet, many things in our body point to this from our stomaches, our teeth, our eyes etc- so if you want to go vegetarian for whatever reasons you need to find ways of keeping a fulfilling nutritional diet without the foods you'd usually be advised to eat like fish, red & white meat, eggs, dairy products etc.
There are many B vitamins, B12 is not the most vital or important one but is still just as important as any other B vitamin- this link has an interesting report on B12 and the dangers of not getting enough of it and so forth;

http://www.berkeleywellness.com/html...VitaminB12.php

Eat a fulfilling diet everyone !

[KrazyKat]

A major risk that anyone considering a vegitarian diet should be aware of, is vitamin B-12 deficiency. While proteins, iron, and other nutrients found in meat can often be obtained from plants as well, just about the only viable source for B-12 other than meat is seaweed.

Actually, vegetarians don't have a problem with B12 because its found in dairy products (milk yogurt etc), its vegans who have to watch out for it.
B12 is found in other non-animal products apart from seaweed, notably marmite and soymilk.

By the way, do you have marmite over there in the US? I have a feeling that you don't, but then you would all be missing out.

[Reiku]

Well, we have just about everything here, food wise--one of the advantages of being a mongrel culture--but some things you have to look for. I'm not familliar with marmite, so I'd guess it's one of those things you have to look for.

Also, I really think the whole vegitarian/vegan thing is a bit stupid. "Vegitarian" means you only eat plants--but for some reason a large number of hippie-minded humans decided to try it and couldn't commit, so now we call true vegitarians "vegans" and those that still consume dairy products are "vegitarians"?

I hate being from a country that isn't fluent with it's primary language. :rolleyes: