Why Become Vegetarian?

There are as many reasons for becoming vegetarian as there are vegetarians; it's a highly personal and individual decision to make. But in a survey conducted on behalf of The Vegetarian Society the majority of people said that they gave up meat and fish because they did not morally approve of killing animals, or because they objected to the ways in which animals are kept, treated and killed for food.

With the growing awareness of the importance of healthy food, many people are also becoming vegetarian because it matches the kind of low fat, high fibre diet recommended by dieticians and doctors. Concern about the environment is another factor as people become more aware of the effect raising animals for their meat is having on the environment. Or you may be concerned about wasting world food resources by using land to raise animals for meat instead of growing crops that can feed more people directly.

See the Information Sheet on Statistics for further details of surveys.

Common Questions about Vegetarianism

Use these answers to some of the most common questions asked about vegetarianism to put at rest your own mind, or to respond to any queries from meat-eating friends.

What is a Vegetarian?

A vegetarian is someone who does not eat meat, fish, poultry or any slaughterhouse by-product such as gelatine. Vegetarians live on a diet of grains, pulses, nuts, seeds, vegetables and fruit, with or without free-range eggs, milk and milk products. Vegetarians not eating anything containing dairy products or eggs are called vegans.

See the Information Sheet on Definitions for further details.

Isn't it hard being a vegetarian?

Where will I buy all this new food for my vegetarian diet?

What do I say to my family/friends?

Aren't vegetarians being hypocritical because they still wear leather or exploit cows for their milk?

See also the Information Sheet on Clothing

Aren't all vegetarians pale and unhealthy?

See also the Health and Nutrition Index.

What happens if I have to try to get a vegetarian meal in a restaurant?

See Eating Out Index for restaurants in your area.

Isn't vegetarian food boring?

See the Recipes Index for ideas.

Won't it take a long time to prepare the food?

See Books and for some quick and easy recipes - Meat-free made easy

But how will I get enough of the vital nutrients such as iron and protein?

See also the Health and Nutrition Index for further details.

Useful Tips on Going and Staying Vegetarian

Treat yourself to a vegetarian cookbook for inspiration and advice. There are a wide range covering recipes for beginners, advanced cooks, slimmers, diabetics. Most also give dietary advice. (If you buy your books using our link to Amazon, the Society will benefit from your support).

Find our more about the subject. Our New Veggies Start Here section has information on all subjects relating to vegetarianism from the ethical issues to the practical day-to-day details, as well as being able to answer any other questions you might have.

Start gradually. Adapt familiar meals such as lasagne and shepherd's pie by using textured vegetable protein. Although fully vegetarian, it has the look, taste and texture of mince or meat chunks, according to which variety you buy. It is available from health food stores. If you don't buy the flavoured variety, be aware that you need to add seasoning of some kind or it will remain bland and uninteresting.

Buy vegetarian cheese. It's not an unfamiliar product as cheese is probably already on your shopping list. But whereas some cheeses are made with an ingredient from the stomachs of slaughtered calves, vegetarian cheese uses vegetable-derived rennet. Every supermarket now stocks at least one kind of vegetarian cheese, and many of the more unusual varieties such as Stilton and Brie are also now available in vegetarian versions.

Buy free-range eggs. Again, eggs are another staple ingredient in many people's diets so it won't take much effort to pick up the free-range variety instead of the Battery Produced.

Read the labels. Although you may get the odd shock when you realise that a food product that seems vegetarian in fact contains something such as gelatine or animal fat, there are plenty of others you'd be surprised and pleased to find out are suitable for you.

Look for The Vegetarian Society's Seedling Symbol on food products. It tells you at a glance that the product is suitable for vegetarians.

Pulses. Forget the dried variety if you find them difficult to prepare - go for the tinned variety of kidney beans, chick peas, etc.

Adapt familiar dishes. If you're the only vegetarian in your family and it's too difficult or expensive to cook totally separate meals, adapt a meat dish. A casserole, for instance, can be made with beans and vegetables in one pan. Then the meat can be cooked separately and given just to the meat eaters. Or use soya mince and see if anyone notices the difference.

Don't be put off by unfamiliar foods. Tofu, for instance, is a boon to vegetarians, especially new ones. This by-product of soya beans is incredibly versatile and easy to use. And if you use the plain variety, don't think that you've done something wrong when it appears tasteless in the finished recipe - it's meant to absorb the flavour of other ingredients. Or you can buy the smoked or marinated versions. (See Tofu recipes)

Explore health food stores. They'll have vegetarian products you haven't seen before, and the assistants will be able to answer your questions about products suitable for your new lifestyle.

If you are in the UK, see The Shopping Hub Page for local shops, restaurants etc.

• 3 or 4 servings of cereals/grains or potatoes
• 4 or 5 servings of fruit and vegetables
• 2 or 3 servings of pulses, nuts & seeds
• 2 servings of milk, cheese, eggs or soya products
• A small amount of vegetable oil and margarine or butter.
• Some yeast extract such as Marmite, fortified with vitamin B12.