It's not easy being green.

mitchellkeo: Tigers Jaw

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 23:41:38 -0400

Tigers Jaw

You can buy powdered gravy that is beef or chicken flavored, but no animal in it c: same with some soups/ramen. Also how can you tell if cheese has rennet in it? I check but it usually says microbial enzymes or just enzymes. it really confuses me..

Tue, 08 Jan 2013 17:45:15 -0500

It’s hard to tell about rennet. It is very helpful when packages say “animal derived enzymes” or something, other than that just research products online if you use them a lot. I’ve never seen something meat flavored that didn’t contain animal product, so what gravy powder specifically are you using?

is mayonaise vegetarian?

Tue, 08 Jan 2013 17:43:29 -0500

Yes, there are eggs so it isn’t vegan, but it is vegetarian and I’ve never heard of any mayonnaise companies putting gelatin in it or anything, so.

I just read a question someone asked you about mcdonalds fries not being vegetarian because of beef flavoring. They DO NOT use beef flavoring. where the hell did you get that idea from? oh and thank you for constantly ignoring my questions? why do you have an ask box if you never reply?

Tue, 08 Jan 2013 17:42:28 -0500

http://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en/food/product_nutrition.snackssides.120.small-french-fries.html

At least in the US, beef flavoring is in the ingredients, so that’s where I got that idea from. I have a lot of questions and a lot of things to do, and a lot of people who ask questions a lot nicer than this, so that’s probably why.

In regards to the ask about what strict vegetarian means. A strict vegetarian isnt only soneone who avoids rennet and gelatin (since most vegetarians do). It is someone who does not consume meat, dairy, or eggs. Its not the same as vegan though because they may still consume traces of animal products that appear in processed foods or recipes. They also may not pay attention to whether their cosmetics, etc are cruelty free. Its what you are if youre not a lacto-ovo, lacto, or ovo vegetarian. :)

Tue, 08 Jan 2013 17:40:00 -0500

Is it just me or do other people also get annoyed when people tell you they are thinking about going vegetarian only for a dietary purpose... I mean, I weigh 161 pounds and I'm 16, and I don't eat meat..

Tue, 08 Jan 2013 17:39:49 -0500

It doesn’t bother me at all! I support anyone going vegetarian for any healthy reason, and I really respect people who try to be healthier in such a morally sound way! However, I do not support vegetarianism as a sort of eating disorder, which is a thing that happens. But yeah, I don’t feel the need to judge someone’s reason for going vegetarian. It helps people be healthier because there are less vegetarian fast food options, the diet naturally includes more fruits and vegetables, etc.

However you say that as if there’s something wrong with being vegetarian and weighing more than like 2 pounds, and there’s not.

One time this obnoxious kid in my class made cupcakes for everyone in class except me and a friend of mine who happened to be vegetarian as well. She said if we didn't eat good food like meat on a regular basis we didn't deserve to eat her cupcakes. All three of us got in detention for yelling at each other in class.

Wed, 02 Jan 2013 13:03:10 -0500

Okay now I get what you’re saying, that’s really ridiculous.

Are you based in the US? Because most of the things your talking about like rennet, Mcdonalds fries and gravy are veggie (for the most part) in the UK

Wed, 02 Jan 2013 12:49:19 -0500

Yeah I live in the US

Saw the ask about gravy and just wanted to add that some gravy is vegetarian. Gravy granules (not all but some) sometimes contain artificial flavouring and have no other animal products that animals die while its being harvested. Personally I don't eat gravy because I don't like it but I have checked the ones that my mom buys and some are suitable for veggies.

Wed, 02 Jan 2013 12:49:03 -0500

Yes there are vegetarian gravies. At least where I buy groceries they don’t have any vegetarian gravy. I had to shop for thanksgiving with my mom and none of the gravies were meatless. You can make homemade gravy that is vegetarian.

Oh, in Texas it gets to be outright discrimination sometimes. It's a little ridiculous, being given the short end of the stick for things over such a stupid issue as whether or not you eat meat, but it happens.

Wed, 02 Jan 2013 12:43:24 -0500

Can you give me an example of this discrimination so I know exactly what y’all are using the word to mean because maybe I’m just missing something

How do I explain to people that 1) gravy isn't vegetarian, their argument is that it isn't technically meat and 2) that just because I don't eat gelatin that doesn't make me a vegan, I still eat eggs and milk. Help me talk to stupid people !

Wed, 02 Jan 2013 12:42:31 -0500

1. Gravy is not vegetarian because it is made of meat. You take an animal carcass and you let it sit and cook down and all the dead animal juices and dead animal pieces and dead animal matter is poured over food and while it may not be considered literal meat it is very clearly an animal product.

2. The making of gelatin requires an animal to die, as it is the made of the skeleton and muscle-y fragments of dead animals. There is no way you could produce gelatin without killing the animal, and it is a direct product of an animal so it is not vegetarian. Eggs and milk can be harvested without killing the animal (though the dairy industry does generally result in the death of the animals) so it is vegetarian but it still requires the involvement of some form of animal suffering so it is not vegan.

How to talk to stupid people: Usually people are just ignorant, as in they don’t have the knowledge so you need to offer it to them. Be patient, be blunt, and if they’re just choosing to be rude and therefore “stupid” then let it go.

Why aren't Mcdonald's fries vegetarian?

Wed, 02 Jan 2013 12:29:48 -0500

Beef flavoring

I used to eat meat up until I was 16. During that time I was anemic which meant I didn't have enough iron in my blood. After becoming vegetarian, my anemia was completely gone and I felt 100 times better. I felt healthier and I became more active because I didn't feel weighed down by meat. Now that I have become vegan, however, I lost 20 pounds in 4 months and I've never felt healthier. :)

Wed, 02 Jan 2013 12:29:34 -0500

I’m glad you feel so much healthier and aren’t having anemia problems! I love hearing success stories. That’s also really interesting because most people experience more anemia after going vegetarian due to unhealthy diets. I’m glad you obviously did such a great job being a healthy vegetarian! Cheers

I live in Texas(the beef state) and I am a vegetarian in Houston. I just find it annoying how much discrimination we receive in the world today from non vegetarians. Especially Texas. -_-

Wed, 02 Jan 2013 12:28:00 -0500

I feel like I wouldn’t really call it discrimination. I don’t know, but yeah it must be hard being a vegetarian in such a meat oriented place!

This is my one year anniversary of becoming a vegetarian! It was my new years resolution last year and the best choice i ever made. This blog has helped me so much this past year so I just wanted to say thank you and everyone else who has posted on this blog! Have a happy 2013!!! :)

Wed, 02 Jan 2013 12:26:32 -0500

That’s so awesome! Congratulations on one year I’m so glad to hear that you’re happy with your decision and that the blog helped at all! Happy 2013!

I've been a vegetarian for a little more than two years and I've just now learned what rennet is. And that's gross. And I just found out my favorite salad dressing and candy contain gelatin. It is a sad day on planet veggie.

Wed, 02 Jan 2013 12:25:08 -0500

Sorry to hear that! Hope you can find some veggie alternatives

One time I offered food to my friend and she looked at the wrapper and said she couldn't eat it because it had gelatin in it...but she eats regular cheese.

Wed, 02 Jan 2013 12:24:38 -0500

Well I guess she chooses to not eat gelatin but still eat rennet. It’s much easier to avoid gelatin than it is to avoid rennet. I don’t see a problem with that.

If I'm technically a Pescetarian, can I still call myself a Vegetarian? or is that sort of cheating

Wed, 02 Jan 2013 12:23:58 -0500

Well you can call yourself whatever you want but by definition a vegetarian does not eat meat and a pescetarian does eat meat so it isn’t semantically correct. But I mean if you’re at a restaurant or something and you don’t want to order fish you can tell the waiter ”Oh I’m a vegetarian so” whatever just because people don’t usually no what pescetarianism is. But otherwise I wouldn’t say that it’s cheating necessarily as much as it’s lying.

what is your opinion on clothes with some fake fur on it?

Wed, 02 Jan 2013 12:21:15 -0500

Fake fur isn’t really my style but I don’t see anything morally wrong with wearing it

you are wrong. if a person eats gelatin, then they are not even vegetarian. you have to kill an animal to produce it. and what do you mean by occasionally avoiding animal products? you either do it or not. and a strict vegetarian is a person who follows a vegan "diet" but not lifestyle, wears leather, wool, etc.

Sun, 30 Dec 2012 23:37:51 -0500

“you are wrong” is one of the best opening lines of an ask I think I’ve ever gotten just getting straight to the point I like your style kid. I said that someone who uses the term “strict vegetarian” would be specifying someone who doesn’t eat gelatin or rennet, because obviously someone who feels the need to specify “strict” is recognizing some sort of inconsistency in the vegetarian diet. I never stated that gelatin is vegetarian and I am not opening this argument on the blog again.