Eat your Veggies

Vegetarian dietary lifestyles are a growing trend throughout the United States. Approximately 1.3 million Americans are vegetarians according to a study done by the Vegetarian Times. In an era of diet trends, the vegetarianism lifestyle  offers more than just health benefits—it redefines a way of living.

There are varying levels of vegetarians, ranging from pescatarian vegetarians, who do not eat animal flesh but still eat fish, to lacto-ovo vegetarians who also don’t eat meat but do consume dairy.

David and Arlena Simmons, owners of the downtown store, Vegan Markets on North Wayne Street, have been vegan for six years. Being vegan requires more discipline than the other levels of vegetarianism. The vegan diet excludes animal flesh, eggs, dairy products and all other animal-derived ingredients.

“I eat more variety than when I was a flesh eater or even when I was a vegetarian,” David Simmons said about his vegan diet.

The Simmons’ sell a variety of vegan friendly foods in their store. The most popular selling item is textured vegetable protein which can be used to replace meat in most meals.

David Simmons says vegan is a good diet for health benefits but it’s also more convenient.  Because vegan food products lack animal fat, they have a longer shelf life.

Vegetarians also retain a strict diet for ethical purposes.

Freshman art major Kat Nelson has been a vegan since the end of last summer but had been practicing vegan eating habits longer due to her friends who follow the diet.  She enjoys the many health benefits of veganism yet she knows there is a larger issue that propels her to eat vegan.

“I started thinking, like, where what was on my plate was coming from,” Nelson said.

Nelson also spoke of, what she thinks, as a growing feeling of disassociation from societies food and the path that food took to get to the plate. Nelson also is aware of the products she uses. She must check products to ensure they are not animal tested by manufacturers.

Nelson also benefits from the health advantages of being a vegan. She has recently started the P90X workout routine and has had no trouble keeping up. She has benefited from cutting out processed foods and cooks more for herself to maintain her vegan diet.

“Yeah, I feel sorry for the animals but it’s not good for you,” Nelson said about the diet.

Brandy Horne, Georgia College student assistant coordinator for access services, has been a vegetarian for 12 years. Horne has attempted to live the vegan lifestyle but hasn’t stuck with it due to availability of vegan products and because of the difficulty of living with someone who isn’t vegetarian.

“Cooking at home is difficult because if I cook for both of us then I cook a meal for him and I cook a meal for me,” Horne said of cooking for her husband.

Horne shares Nelson’s views on ethical purposes on why she chose to become a vegetarian.

“I read an article about the mass slaughter of cats and dogs, how it was an epidemic in the U.S. and I actually stopped eating everything except seafood that day,” Horne said on why she became a vegetarian.

Horne said the transition was difficult at first because she was working in her parent’s restaurant at the time.

“I still worked elbow deep in bacon and hamburger all the time,” Horne said.

Making the initial switch to vegetarianism is intimidating to many who are interested in the lifestyle. However, Nelson and Horne both stated the transition was easy if one is determined to go through with the process. Nelson said having a support group also helps when altering your diet.

However, ultimately the choice to become vegetarian depends on the individual.

“It’s like, yes, it’s a choice that I’m making,” Nelson said “but I don’t see another option.”