I was a vegetarian for 14 years. I became vegetarian when I was young and idealistic, and my reasons had more to do with the way animals were treated during their lives than the cruelty of killing them for food. I was concerned with the "greed not need" culture of meat eating, that people ate meat because they wanted to, not because they needed the protein. How many times do we go for a hmaburger when we are out, even though we have already had a proper dinner? I was concerned that meat was being farmed intensively purely for profit, and that animals were being fed chemicals purely to make them grow faster rather than for the quality of the meat. So, I decided to vote with my feet and not buy meat, until such time as there was a decent supply of organic and free range meat products. Now, in order to retain that supply and encourage meat producers to raise animals in a free range way, I have once again started eating meat, but I buy from sources that I know and trust, and eat only good quality free range or organic meat. I realise that this is not always an easy option, as the meat costs more, but I would rather eat less of a well reared product, than more of a cheap intensively farmed product. I do not eat meat every day.

They may not like thinking about the slaughtered animals

They bumped their head.

Some do it for health reasons, but many do it for strictly political reasons.

Many of my cousins are vegetarians some of the reasons being... -animal cruelty -health problems -weight loss -not liking meat -religion

There are many who are born into families that have been vegetarian by tradition, like me. For us vegetarianism is a way of life since birth. But we tend to be somewhat more liberal in our attitude towards vegetarianism than those who chose to be vegetarians later in their lives. Some among whom become fanatics where this principle is concerned. Also we see in the converts to vegetarianism a tendency towards taking the principle to extreams. Refusal to consume milk, unfertile eggs of poultry birds etc. are some examples. They tend to refuse to take part in any basically vegetarian food that has a remote connection to an animal source. Generally speaking the choice of vegetarianism could be for the following reasons: a] Prevention of taking the life of an animal or bird or fish or an insect to make food for ourselves. b] Prevention of the cruelty involved in killing. c] Awareness that vegetarian food can be as nutritious as food sourced from animals. d] Awareness that by being vegetarians one is putting a much smaller burden of earth. It takes upto 10 pounds of grains to make up 1 pound of meat. e] Discovery that vegetarian food makes much smaller demands on our systems for digestion. f] Discovery that Obesity, high cholesterol levels etc. are better controlled by choice of vegetarian food. Health reasons to be short. g] Discovery of the compassionate nature in themselves. h] Discovery that human beings ware not meant to be carnivorous by nature. i] Witnessing the process of butchering an animal for the first time can turn some people to vegetarianism. j] Adoption of a new religion or cult which recommends abstinence from non-vegetarian food. Here brainwashing too may be involved. See, the list can go on and on. For every individual it could be any single reason or a combination of reasons. I welcome additions to the list I have made up in answer to the question.

The don't feel the need to slaughter animals to eat when there are plenty of other healthier options.

My reason as far back as I can remember. I don't like it. It taste's bad. Fish is ok, but meat tastes bad. So that's the ONLY reason why I'm a vegetarian.

Seething hatred of vegetables.

I became vegetarian for a few reasons. I like vegetarian food. My church serves vegetarian food at lunch so as not to offend anyone who happens to be veg or those who don't eat pork. I always thought about how easy it'd be to be vegetarian. I have extended family members who are vegan and vegetarian, so in part I've spent some time in a "healthy" environment, and I like it. I value my health. My uncle, youngest of my aunts and uncles, has suffered three (or four) strokes because he refuses to do as his doctor recommends and stop eating fried foods and junk food. He's now in a nursing home; his brain can't repair itself the way it had the first couple times; he's in a wheelchair. My mom's been in the hospital on one occasion, as well, and she was told the same thing. At first she didn't adhere to the suggestion, but now she doesn't seem to eat as many fried foods. (She doesn't stray far from fast food and junk, though. She hates vegetables, as well.) American food is full of chemicals. There's really no way to avoid it, but at least as a vegetarian I cut the risks of getting cancer, suffering a stroke, developing diabetes, having high cholesterol, and more.

1) for compassion; 2) for health and a longer life; 3) for reduction of carbon emission into the atmosphere; 4)for the right of an animal to life; 5) to reduce the risk of super bugs in the making inside the livestock farming industries, 6) to increase land to grow more needed grain production for the global demand.

Health reasons

To eat a healthier diet, to rid the body of cholesterol, out of love for the animals. There are very many health problems and diseases that can be cured from eating a raw vegan diet.

not liking meat lover of animals member of PETA or green peace

I personally could not kill an animal to eat it when there are so many tasty alternatives. (Think about the slaughter house the next time you want a hamburger. Not so appealling is it?) By buying prepackaged meat, it would just mean I was paying someone else to kill the animal. I do not want to put other people in that horrible position. No do I want to contribute to the fear that the animal feels prior to that horrible death.

Animal lover,health conscious,strict follower of yoga and desire to be a horse.

Because: * Best way to be healthy. * Biblical... Genesis 1:29 * Plants taste awesome. * Animal cruelty. * Planet earth cruelty. * The world is overpopulated. (Become vegetarian and it will not be a problem.) Life at it's best by Professor Walter J. Veith http://amazingdiscoveries.org/life-at-its-best.html

Personally I dislike the taste of any meat, fish or other living creature (that I have tried). There are no positives for ME to eat meat so I don't want to take another creatures life for food when I don't need it to live. Some other people choose not to due to the cruelty of killing things, want to live a healthier lifestyle or for religous reasons. Some people become vegetarians temporarily to show off or see what its like, but these people don't usually succeed in being a vegetarian for very long (Some do).

My friend just doesn't like the feeling of eating any kind of flesh.

#1: Rampant animal cruelty in meat industry. #2: Economic sensibility. It's much more cost efficient to grow food rather than growing food to feed food that you have to destroy to consume anyways. #3: Ecological impact. Methane gas from cows is the number one contributor to greenhouse gases. I suppose it's because of all of the breeding they do for raising beef and dairy cattle. I'm not really clear on this one. #4: Digestive/general health. You do have to watch you diet fairly carefully. #5: Religion/spiritual beliefs. #6: That's how the person was raised. #7: Maybe they just don't like eating it. #8: Reduce the possibility of certain food born illness.

Oops! Double post.

I've read all the pro-vegetarian answers to this question, and I'm sorry, but I'm still not converted. Man has been eating meat for tens of thousands of years, and has still managed to develop, grow and evolve into the (fairly) advanced civilisation we are today. I know that many will disagree, but in my opinion, and that of many others, the purpose of livestock is to be killed and eaten, simple as! The arguments about health, carbon emissions etc. are just smoke and mirrors; there is equal evidence to both support and refute all these issues so at present, none of them can be resolved. It all comes down to personal choice and preference - I have no problem with anybody being a vegetarian so long as they resist the temptation to tell me how wrong I am!

They want more fibre in their diet

For all the good and right reasons.

I'm an omnivore, I feel that should be stated first. As for why people would become vegetarian: 1) It's healthy. There are many positive physical rewards that come from eating a well rounded vegetarian diet. 2) It's cheaper. Anyone who has shopped for groceries knows that meat takes up a good chunk of the bill. You could make 5 vegetarian dinners for the same price as us omnivores spend on just 1. 3) Your shit doesn't stink. (at least not as bad) Anyone who's had a baby knows that the diapers aren't stinky. At least not until you start giving the baby meat. Then it's OMG! My nose! 4) They care about the animals that are sometimes treated very cruelly. 5) And finally, they like the high that comes from being healthy. When you take excellent care of your body your body rewards you. The high you get from proper nutrition and exercise beats out any synthetic on the market.

for me..it's for the anmials

1. Harmful harmones in meat 2. They don't like the taste of meat 3. The believe it's healthier for them 4. They have problems digesting meat 5. They like to grow their own food 6. Maybe even spiritual beliefs

TO LISTEN TO OTHER PEOPLE AND GROUPS ABOUT NOT EATING MEAT, BUT WHAT THEY DONT TELL YOU IS THAT NEW HUMAN DISEASES HAS CROPPED UP DUE TO LACK OF MEATS IN VEGETARIAN BODIES. THE LACK OF A NORMAL DIET THATS BEEN A STAPLE LIFE STYLE FROM EACHES BEGINNING, BY IGNORING

TO LISTEN TO OTHER PEOPLE AND GROUPS ABOUT NOT EATING MEAT, BUT WHAT THEY DONT TELL YOU IS THAT NEW HUMAN DISEASES HAS CROPPED UP DUE TO LACK OF MEATS IN VEGETARIAN BODIES. THE LACK OF A NORMAL DIET THATS BEEN A STAPLE LIFE STYLE FROM EACHES BEGINNING, BY IGNORING EACH'S NORMAL FOOD BASICS.

Didn't like the taste of meat, How they kill the animals, Loving animals, Wanting to be healthier, or just simply because they felt like it.

bcause i gag every time meat is near me.....esp. red meat....eeeeeewwwwwww

Reasons: 1. Some don't like the killing of animals. 2. Some don't like the taste of meat or meat products. 3. A religious belief. 4. Living a healthier lifestyle (maybe to lose some weight easier). 5. A health problem that prevents them from eating heavy meals (such as steaks and such). 6. Or just want a change in their life (even the way they eat they want to change it too).

"One Hundred and One Reasons to go Vegetarian" People, Land, Air, Water Efficiency, Animals, Health PEOPLE Every year in the UK we feed our livestock enough food to feed 250,000,000 people while in the world 30,000,000 people die of starvation 20 vegetarians can live off the land required by one meat eater Every 3 seconds a child dies of starvation somewhere in the world If Americans reduced their meat consumption by 10% it would free 12,000,000 tons of grain - enough to feed 60,000,000 people (the population of Great Britain) If all Americans became vegetarian, it would free enough grain to feed 600,000,000 people (the population of India) Intensification in animal farming has displaced 1,000,000's of people from their traditional lands - eg. indigenous people in south & central america, native americans in north america & crofters in Great Britain - this is continuing today People displaced from their lands into cities succumb to dietary deficiency, diseases, parasites & opportunistic diseases In third world countries 1 in 10 babies die before their first birthday The UK imports ?46,000,000 worth of grain from third world countries to feed our livestock Due to overgrazing 850,000,000 people live on land threatened by desertification & over 230,000,000 already live on land so severely desertified that they are unable to sustain their existence & face imminent starvation 1,000,000,000 people in the west gorging on meat & dairy leave 1,000,000,000 to waste away & 3,500,000,000 teeter on the brink LAND If they continue to clear American forests to raise cattle at the present rate, in 50 years there will be none left 1 acre yields 165 lbs of beef or 20,000 lbs of potatoes 8/10 of cultivated land in the UK is used to grow food for animals (14,732,000 hectares) It takes 16lbs of high protein soya to produce 1 lb of beef Since 1945 in the UK we have lost 95% of flower meadows, 50% of ancient woodlands, 40% of heathlands, 50% of wet lands & 224,000 km of hedgerows all due to animal farming Pressure on land due to meat farming leads to soil erosion 6billion tons/year in the USA If everyone went vegetarian upto 90% of land used for animal farming could be taken out of production & used to replant woodlands, leisure activities etc. 25% of Central america's forests have been destroyed for cattle grazing since 1960 Between 1966-1983 38% of the Amazon rain forest was destroyed for cattle grazing 90% of cattle ranches established on cleared forest land go bankrupt in less than 8 years as the land becomes barren due to nutrient loss & overgrazing Overgrazing by cattle is destroying the land & increasing desertification, nearly 430 million acres in the USA alone has suffered a 25-50% reduction in yield since first grazed An inch of topsoil takes 200-1000 years to develop - yet in the USA they have lost around 1/3 of their prime topsoil in 200 years (around 7 inches) due to animal farming Land will be lost due to rises in sea level due to global warming due to animal farming AIR The destruction of the rainforest by cattle farmers is destroying the lungs of the planet & reducing the worlds capacity to replenish our oxygen supply The 1,300,000,000 cattle in the world emit 60,000,000 tons of methane per year (methane is a greenhouse gas & leads to global warming) Burning of forests, grasslands & agricultural waste associated with animal farming releases 50-100,000,000 tons of methane per year Combining these figures, 25% of methane emissions are due to animal farming (not including the billions of sheep, pigs & poultry so the real figure is much higher) Fertilizer used to grow crops to feed to animals releases nitrous oxide - thought to account for 6% of the greenhouse effect Fertilizer, weedkiller & pesticides sprayed on crops enter the atmosphere creating a noxious carcinogenic cocktail CFCs are released into the air from refrigeration units used to store decomposing flesh (meat), milk & butter - CFCs are destroy the ozone layer Ammonia from animal urine also pollutes the atmosphere CO2 is released by burning oil & petrol in lorries, ships, abattoirs, dairies, factories etc. associated with meat & dairy production Emissions from large chemical plants which produce fertilizer, weedkiller & other agricultural chemicals are also poisoning our air WATER 25 gallons of water to produce 1lb of wheat & 2500 gallons to produce 1lb of meat UK farm animals produce 200,000,000 tonnes of slurry (liquid excrement) every year, the majority of which ends up in our rivers Bloody waste water from abattoirs ends up in our rivers In the USA every second humans produce 12,000 lbs of effluent while farmed animals produce 250,000 lbs Nitrates & pesticides used on crops grown to feed livestock end up in our rivers Meat & dairy farming uses 70 litres of water per day per animal in the UK or 159,250,000, 000 litres per year in total The water used to produce 10 lbs of steak is equivalent to the average consumption of water for an entire household for an entire year Depletion of groundwater reserves to grow crops for animals & to supply abattoirs will lead to greater water shortages Aquafers (stores of underground water) in the San Joaquin valley in the USA are being drained at the rate of 500,000,000, 000 gallons/year to produce meat 18% of all agricultural land in the world is irrigated & as global warming increases (partly due to animal farming) it will cost $200,000,000 to keep these systems going The water used to produce a 1000 lb beef steer is enough to float a Destroyer battleship The liquid waste from the various parts of the meat & dairy industry flow into the rivers & from there into the seas polluting them & encouraging huge algal blooms to grow EFFICIENCY To produce 1calorie of energy from meat takes 60 calories of petrol, whereas growing grains & legumes to directly feed people produces 20 calories for each calorie of fuel used ( thats 1200 times more efficient) Meat & dairy farming uses billions of gallons of oil to run tractors, fuel ships & lorries (to move animal feed & animals), pump billions of gallons of water to irrigate fields & run slaughterhouses, power refrigeration units to prevent the corpses from decomposing & to power sewage plants to clean up some of the pollution produced Cattle convert only 6% of their energy intake (mainly grains & soya) into flesh, the remaining 94% is wasted as heat, movement (which is why they keep many animals in very close confinement) , hair, bones, faeces etc 1lb of beef takes 1 gallon of petrol to produce A family of four eating beef for a year uses enough petrol to run a car for 6 months (obviously depending on how far you drive!) If the full ecological cost of meat was passed onto the consumer - the price would be quadrupled (at least) The EC spends ?100,000,000' s to subsidise animal production resulting in lakes of unwanted milk & mountains of unwanted meat & butter. This money could be better spent encouraging organic fruit, vegetable & grain production In the USA in 1979 145,000,000 tons of crops were fed to cattle resulting in only 21million tons of animal bodies - the cost of the wasted crops was $20,000,000, 000 Between 1950 & 1985 grain production in Europe & the USA increased massively but 2/3 was fed to animals 70% of all grain is fed to animals Eating vast quantities of animal flesh, eggs, milk & butter is a luxury that most of the planet can not afford ANIMALS Fishing with drift (and other modern) nets weakens & destroys ecosystems by indiscriminately killing billions of sea creatures & disrupting the sea bed Fishermen's nets kill 10 times as many other animals as the fish they are hoping to catch Fish caught in nets die an agonising slow death of suffocation Each year 15,000,000,000 land animals are slaughtered for food & an unknown but much larger number of sea creatures (including 1000's of dolphins caught accidentally) Chickens are crammed into battery cages with upto 3 other birds, they are unable to even spread their wings & many can not even stand up Unwanted male chicks (because they can't lay eggs) are gassed or pulped while their sisters go to the battery sheds Chicks are debeaked without anaesthetic to prevent them injuring each other in the unnaturally confined conditions they are kept in - this is equivalent to having your fingernails pulled out without anaesthetic Modern farming methods using growth hormones & artificial lighting mean that many chickens out grow their bones, resulting in fractured & broken legs Sows are kept tethered in stalls 1.3 x 1 metre on concrete or slatted floors - they can not even turn around Poultry raised for meat are kept in windowless broiler sheds, with around 20-30,000 in each shed, they live in an area of 10-20 cm square - fighting due to overcrowding is common & like battery hens they commonly suffer from supperating bed sores Broilersheds are artificially lit 23 hours a day to produce rapid growth Animals travel between farms & to slaughter in overcrowded transporters with no food or water - resulting in stress, injuries & deaths - legal requirements are widely ignored 95% of poultry suffer injuries before being killed & 30% suffer broken bones Problems with stunning practices mean that many animals have their throats slit while still conscious (around 6% of cattle or 200,000 per year) & are then dipped in tanks of scalding water (to loosen feathers, bristles etc.) again while fully conscious 4000 animals die spurting their blood out every minute in a British slaughterhouse Calf leather comes from animals killed at just 2 weeks old Cows were fed on the ground up remains of other cows & sheep - the result is thought to be BSE (mad cow disease) in the USA cattle are fed partly on recycled plastic pellets Cows only give milk for 10 months after they have a calf - so they are routinely artificially inseminated (ie. mechanically raped) to keep them pregnant & milking - their calves are taken away (usually at 12 hours old) for meat or export to veal crates Cows would naturally live upto 20 years but are slaughtered after 5-7 years when their milk production begins to fall In the UK animals are killed by first being stunned with electricity or a captive bolt gun (ie. a bolt is fired into their heads) before having their throats slit & being plunged into boiling water - all this happens on a production line with the animals being hung upside down from a moving conveyor belt - this is factory farming "Animals are those unfortunate slaves & victims of the most brutal part of mankind" - John Stewart Mill (philosopher) Veal calves are confined in stalls in the dark, unable to move & are fed on pigs blood , chocolate & dried milk (we are drinking the rich fresh milk of their mothers) Cows naturally produce 5 litres of milk per day for their calves - under the intensified systems of modern farming they produce 25-40 litres per day - resulting in swollen & inflamed udders - at this rate they are soon worn out Large areas of land are under monoculture to grow crops to feed to animals - these areas are wildlife deserts supporting fewer & fewer species. HEALTH Vegetarians have a 20% lower rate of mortality from all causes (ie. they live longer & don't get sick as often) Meat is full of traces of antibiotics, hormones, toxins produced by stress & pesticide residues that become concentrated from all the crops they have eaten Fish contain heavy metals & other pollutants -many of which originated on farms The world health organisation recommends a diet low in saturated fat, sugar, salt & with plenty of fibre - exactly what you get on a vegan/vegetarian diet Farmed animals contain upto 50% saturated fat in their bodies Vegetarians have 24% reduced risk of getting heart disease & Vegans a 57% reduction (heart disease is the biggest killer in the UK accounting for 50% of deaths) Obesity is rare in vegetarians, obesity is related to many diseases Vegans & vegetarians have lower blood pressure & cholesterol levels - high levels are associated with heart disease, strokes & kidney failure Vegetarians have a 50% reduced risk of dying of diabetes Vegetarians have a 40% reduced level of cancer than the general population thought to be because they have a higher intake of vitamins A,C & E Vegetarians have a reduced risk of developing gall & kidney stones 80% of food poisoning is due to infected meat (faeces, bacteria etc.) after all meat is decomposing flesh - most of the rest is due to salmonella in eggs Osteoporosis due to calcium loss from bones is mainly due to the sulphur content in meat & casein protein in milk that cause calcium to be lost in the urine - the countries with the highest meat & dairy consumption are those with the highest levels of brittle bones 50% of people do not have the enzyme to digest milk properly & milk allergy is related to asthma & eczema Meat eaters have double the rate of Alzheimers disease as Vegans & Vegetarians - some people also think that Parkinsons disease is also linked to meat eating Egg yolk is a dense concentration of saturated fat & the white is high in albumin protein associated with leaching calcium into your urine. Butter is 80% saturated fat, cream is 40% saturated fat & cheese is 25-40% saturated fat Meat eaters are two and a half times more likely to get bowel cancer than Vegetarians The cling film used to wrap meat in supermarkets & butchers contains chemicals linked to falling sperm counts in men Chinese people (living mainly on a vegetarian diet) consume 20% more calories than Americans but Americans are 20% fatter Of 2,100,000 deaths in the USA in 1987, 1,500,000 were related to diet (ie. meat & dairy) AND ONE COULD GO ON ! If you've read this far, I hope that you are beginning to see that the Meat & Dairy industry is a major contributor to misery on this planet. It is destroying the health of people in rich countries, starving those in poor countries, it is torturing & killing billions of animals every year and in the meantime it is one of the major factors in the destruction of the environment - so what does the meat & dairy industry have to say in it's defence? Well their only real point is usually "Meat is tasty" - fair enough a lot of people enjoy the taste of meat - but there are plenty of delicious alternatives (just consider the huge range of vegetarian dishes in Indian cooking - one of the oldest & most sophisticated cuisines in the world) and if you really crave meat & dairy, nowadays there are plenty of healthy non animal alternatives - just look in the supermarket & health food shop. So I hope you will agree it's pretty pathetic to consider all the evidence & then say "well I know you're right about the environment & health & the animals - but I just love my meat"

for health reasons.. or if they like to protect the animals on this earth.... like.. if you eat meat you are more likely to have a sumthin... if you dont eat meat... you are more likely to be healthier..

if you see videos on how they treat the animals, Castrate, kill etc You would know why.

On an energy level, meat is usually from an animal that was killed in terror or fear. Not good to ingest. On a spiritual level we are here to grow and evolve into divine beings living a human life. We do not need to harm other creatures for our instant gratification when so many plants have been put here for us. We are not even made to digest meat. On physical level, meats have been bombarded with pesticides, horomones, carcinogens and they are poisonous. Fish are worse.

To be healthier, to have a longer life expectancy, to not be partaking any more into the hellish conditions for the animals on factory farms and for the not partaking any more to contributing to your own human species on the millions that die through starvation in 3rd world countries, meat eating being a large contributory factor. Type in 1001 reasons to be a vegetarian. The whole world could be fed but only on a vegetarian diet.

Because they dont like meat.

Because they are upset about the way animals are treated in slaughter houses and on farms.

The primary reasons I've heard are ethical (treatment of food animals) and religious. +5

STUPIDITY, SINCE 2 NEW DISEASES HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED FROM PEOPLE THAT ARE 100% VEGETARIAN.

I have recently discovered that vegetarians rarely get diverticulitis!..Too late.

In young people it is for a topic of conversation -- a label to place on themselves -- trying to have an identity. I eat very little meat simply because I love veggies and can prepare a fresh meal in minutes.

Drain bamage.

No idea, the notion to stop eating meat to protect animals on earth is a bit odd. Yes, we need to refine the way we process animals for meat, but that doesn't mean not eating them. Its not a way to protest against it, as being a vegetarian has absolutely no effect on the outside world, protesting about it does yes : Yes, humans are not made to eat meat, but I can think of thousands of things humans are not meant to do either which do us no harm.

To fulfill that burning desire many people have to sacrifice themselves in some way for some cause. Or at least convince others that they will. There are so few things worth fighting for these days that people will go on a crusade to save animals. It only shows that we have it too easy. Vegetarianism does very little to save the enviroment, it's being a good soldier in the battle to save the planet. Someday we will have real problems to face and this movement will seem like some silly fad.

For so many reasons . like : 1. it's very healthy for you ! 2. That reduce killing animals 3.We defense animals rights and we show our point NOT to hunt 4. we try at least to save " in danger animals " 5.Vegeterianisime encourages farming...etc

Conspiracy of some kind. Never trust a meat racist

CRAZY IN THE HEAD. SCIENTIST HAVE RECENTLY FOUND PEOPLE CHANGING FROM NORMAL EATING TO VEGETARIAN EATING GETS 2 DIFFERENT DISEASES.

Because they don't want to be part of the barbaric ways animals are treated in a lot of meat trade. It is not natural the way the meat industry is run. Most times it isn't about the actual eating of meat.

They don't believe in the killing of animals.