Robert·ology

To start off this series of posts for Vegetarian Awareness Month I thought I’d give some basic definitions of different “stages” of vegetarianism as they are viewed today. Keep in mind these are simply the most common types of vegetarians you’ll meet. This isn’t meant to be a list of steps to follow, one after another, though you may find that to be the case for some.

Vegetarian

One who does not consume the flesh of animals. Pretty simple: no meat. This means cow, chicken, fish, horse, dog, pig, get it? - animals.

If you’re the type who’s a “vegetarian but I still eat chicken” it’s time to stop using that word. Just as you couldn’t be a “virgin except for those two times” or a “Christian but I haven’t accepted Christ as my savior”, a “vegetarian but I still eat animals” doesn’t exist. So cut it out.

Vegan

One who abstains from using any animal product. In addition to meat, there are eggs, dairy (milk, butter, cheese, etc.), leather, wool, honey, and so on. It is important to note here that this extends beyond diet.

And this is carried out as far as is reasonably possible. For example, there are animal products used in the manufacturing of rubber today. Would this mean a true vegan would have to walk everywhere? Barefoot? Anyone seeking “personal purity” here is facing a losing proposition. The aim of a vegan is to do as little harm as possible. I sometimes view it as a sort of grand boycott.

Raw Foodist

One who consumes food in an unheated, natural state. Most would be called “raw vegans” but some do consume raw animal products.

Theories out there suggest that heating foods above a certain temperature distorts them at the cellular level, and that enzymes are destroyed which are needed for digestion. Heat does alter living tissue - this much is true. Does it affect digestion and assimilation? I believe so. But the enzyme theory doesn’t seem to hold up as most or all enzymes found in fruits would be destroyed by stomach acid.

So that’s something to get you started. Be sure to come back. There will be more every day for the rest of the month.

P.S. The title of this post comes from the Simpsons episode, Lisa the Tree Hugger, where a character states “I’m a level 5 vegan; I won’t eat anything that casts a shadow.”

P.P.S. These are convenient labels. A vegan using leather gloves purchased years before should not be ashamed. Live according to your own beliefs.

P.P.P.S. No, I’m not Christian.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 1st, 2008 at 11:16 pm and is filed under Veg. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.