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{{Short description|Abstaining from the consumption of meat}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2012}}
{{distinguish|Veganism}}
{{About|the deliberate diet for human beings|types of vegetarian foods|vegetarian cuisine|plant-based diets in non-human animals|herbivore}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2021}}
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{{Infobox| bodystyle =
{{Infobox
| bodystyle =
| above = Vegetarianism
| above = Vegetarianism
| abovestyle = background-color: lightgreen
| abovestyle =
| image1 = [[File:Soy-whey-protein-diet.jpg|250px]]
| subheader =
| caption1 =
| image1 = [[File:Soy-whey-protein-diet.jpg|250px]]
| headerstyle = background-color: pink
| caption1 =
| header1 =
| headerstyle = background-color: lightgreen
| label2 = Description
| header1 =
| data2 = Diet derived from [[plants]], with or without [[Egg as food|eggs]] and [[dairy]]
| label2 = Description
| label4 = Varieties
| data2 = A vegetarian diet is derived from plants, with or without eggs or dairy.<ref>[http://www.ivu.org/faq/definitions.html Frequently Asked Questions – Definitions]</ref>
| data4 = [[Ovo vegetarianism|Ovo]], [[Lacto vegetarianism|lacto]], [[Lacto-ovo vegetarianism|Lacto-ovo]], [[veganism]], [[raw veganism]], [[fruitarianism]], [[Buddhist vegetarianism]], [[Jain vegetarianism]], [[Jewish vegetarianism]], [[Christian vegetarianism]], [[Sattvic diet|Sattvic vegetarianism]]
| label3 = Origins
| data3 = [[Ancient India]], [[Ancient Greece|ancient Greece; 6th century BCE and earlier]]
| label4 = Varieties
| data4 = [[Ovo vegetarianism|Ovo]], [[Lacto vegetarianism|lacto]], [[Ovo-lacto vegetarianism|ovo-lacto]], [[veganism]], [[raw veganism]], [[fruitarianism]], [[Buddhist vegetarianism]], [[Jain vegetarianism]]
}}
}}
'''Vegetarianism''' is the practice of abstaining from consumption of meat ([[red meat]], [[poultry]] and [[seafood]]).<!-- NOTE: Specifying what we mean by "meat" is necessary because some people don't consider poultry or seafood to be "real meat," and may think of eating either as still being vegetarian, as has been extensively discussed on the talk page. The specifics regarding this are mentioned lower in the lead and body of the article. --> It may also include abstention from [[by-product]]s of [[animal slaughter]], such as animal-derived [[rennet]] and [[gelatin]].<!-- NOTE: See past talk page discussions for the addition of by-products of animal slaughter. As many vegetarians are unaware of certain animal-derived products hidden in their foods, and others are vegetarians not for ethical reasons, it was decided that "may also abstain," or some variation of that, is the most neutral and more accurate wording for this information.--><ref name="vegsoc.org">[http://www.vegsoc.org/page.aspx?pid=508 What is a vegetarian?], The [[Vegetarian Society]], December 11, 2010.</ref><ref name="Forrest">{{cite web|url=http://www.seriouseats.com/2007/12/is-cheese-vegetarian.html|title=Is Cheese Vegetarian?|last=Forrest|first=Jamie|date=December 18, 2007|publisher=[[Serious Eats]]|accessdate=July 9, 2010}}</ref>
'''Vegetarianism''' is the practice of abstaining from the [[Eating|consumption]] of [[meat]] ([[red meat]], [[poultry]], [[seafood]], [[insects as food|insects]], and the [[flesh]] of any other [[animal]])<!--NOTE: Specifying what is meant by "meat" is necessary because some people don't consider poultry or seafood "real meat", and they may think that they are still being vegetarians while they are eating either, as has been extensively discussed on the talk page. The specifics regarding this are mentioned below in both the lead and body of the article.-->. It may also include abstaining from eating all [[by-product]]s of [[animal slaughter]].<!--NOTE: See the sources and past talk page discussions for the addition of by-products of animal slaughter. Because many vegetarians are unaware of certain animal-derived products which are hidden in their foods or because they do not care if they consume them, and others are not vegetarians for ethical reasons, it was decided that "may also abstain," or some variation of that, is neutral and more accurate wording for this information.--><ref name="vegsoc.org">{{cite web|url=https://www.vegsoc.org/page.aspx?pid=508|title=What is a vegetarian?|publisher=[[Vegetarian Society]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180318164124/https://www.vegsoc.org/page.aspx?pid=508|archive-date=March 18, 2018|url-status=live|access-date=March 18, 2018}}</ref><ref name="navs-online.org">{{cite web|url=https://navs-online.org/articles/why-avoid-hidden-animal-ingredients/|title=Why Avoid Hidden Animal Ingredients?|publisher=North American Vegetarian Society|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180318173332/https://navs-online.org/articles/why-avoid-hidden-animal-ingredients/|archive-date=March 18, 2018|url-status=live|access-date=March 18, 2018}}</ref> A person who practices vegetarianism is known as a '''vegetarian'''.


Vegetarianism can be adopted for different reasons. Many [[ethics of eating meat|object to eating meat]] out of respect for [[sentient]] life. Such ethical motivations have been codified [[vegetarianism and religion|under various religious beliefs]], along with the concept of [[animal rights]]. Other motivations for vegetarianism include health, political, [[Environmental vegetarianism|environmental]], cultural, aesthetic and [[economic vegetarianism|economic]]. There are varieties of the diet as well: an [[Ovo vegetarianism|ovo-vegetarian]] diet includes eggs but not dairy products, a [[lacto vegetarianism|lacto-vegetarian]] diet includes dairy products but not eggs, and an [[Ovo-lacto vegetarianism|ovo-lacto vegetarian]] diet includes both eggs and dairy products. A [[Veganism|vegan]], or strict vegetarian, diet excludes all [[animal product]]s, including eggs, dairy, and honey.
Vegetarianism may be adopted for various reasons. Many people [[ethics of eating meat|object to eating meat]] out of respect for [[Sentience|sentient]] animal life. Such ethical motivations have been codified [[vegetarianism and religion|under various religious beliefs]] as well as [[animal rights]] advocacy. Other motivations for vegetarianism are health-related, political, [[Environmental vegetarianism|environmental]], cultural, [[aesthetic]], [[Economic vegetarianism|economic]], [[gastronomy|taste-related]], or relate to other [[personality psychology|personal]] [[preference]]s.


There are many variations of the vegetarian diet: an [[ovo-vegetarian]] diet includes [[egg as food|eggs]] and a [[lacto-vegetarian]] diet includes [[dairy product]]s, while a [[Lacto-ovo vegetarianism|lacto-ovo vegetarian]] diet includes both. As the strictest of vegetarian diets, a [[vegan]] diet excludes all [[animal product]]s, and can be accompanied by abstention from the use of animal-derived products, such as leather shoes.
Various packaged or processed foods, including cake, cookies, chocolate and marshmallows, often contain unfamiliar animal ingredients, and may be a special concern for vegetarians due to the likelihood of such additions.<ref name="Vegsoc.org">[http://www.vegsoc.org/page.aspx?pid=729 Things to look out for if you are a vegetarian/vegan], The [[Vegetarian Society]], December 11, 2010.</ref> Often, products are scrutinized by vegetarians for animal-derived ingredients prior to purchase or consumption.<ref name=Vegsoc.org/> Vegetarians vary in their feelings regarding these ingredients, however. For example, while some vegetarians may be unaware of animal-derived rennet's role in the usual production of cheese and may therefore unknowingly consume the product,<ref name="vrg.org">"Many vegetarians don't consider that some of the cheeses they are eating could actually contain unfamiliar animal ingredients." {{cite web|first=Michael|last=Keevican|title=What's in Your Cheese? |publisher=Vegetarian Resource Group|accessdate=December 10, 2010|url=http://www.vrg.org/nutshell/cheese.htm}}</ref><ref name="vrg faq">One of the most frequently asked questions is: Why are some cheeses labeled as "vegetarian cheese"? Why wouldn't cheese be vegetarian? What is rennet? {{cite web|url=http://www.vrg.org/nutshell/faqingredients.htm|title=Frequently Asked Questions&nbsp;— Food Ingredients|publisher=Vegetarian Resource Group|accessdate=July 9, 2010}}</ref> other vegetarians may not be bothered by its consumption.<ref name="Forrest"/> The results of a 2009 International survey suggest the standard definition of vegetarianism is different in different nations. Vegetarians in some nations consume more animal products than those in others.<ref>{{Cite thesis|last=Meng |first=Jenia |year=2009 |title=Origins of attitudes towards animals Ultravisum |degree=PhD|publisher=[[University of Queensland]] |location=Brisbane |pages=249, 266 |isbn=978-0-9808425-1-7}}</ref>


Vegetarian diets pose some difficulties. For [[vitamin B12|vitamin B<sub>12</sub>]], depending on the presence or absence of eggs and [[dairy product]]s in the diet or other reliable B<sub>12</sub> sources, vegetarians may incur a [[nutritional deficiency]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-02-23 |title=The vegetarian diet |url=https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/how-to-eat-a-balanced-diet/the-vegetarian-diet/ |access-date=2023-04-02 |website=nhs.uk |language=en |archive-date=August 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220815115229/https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/how-to-eat-a-balanced-diet/the-vegetarian-diet/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Packaged and processed foods may contain minor quantities of animal ingredients.<ref name="navs-online.org"/><ref name="vegsoc.org2">{{cite web|url=https://www.vegsoc.org/page.aspx?pid=729|title=Fact Sheets: Things to look out for if you are a vegetarian/vegan|date=September 2015|publisher=Vegetarian Society|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180318175347/https://www.vegsoc.org/page.aspx?pid=729|archive-date=March 18, 2018|url-status=dead|access-date=March 18, 2018}}</ref> While some vegetarians scrutinize product labels for such ingredients, others do not object to consuming them, or are unaware of their presence.<ref name="navs-online.org"/><ref name="vrg.org">{{cite web|url=https://www.vrg.org/nutshell/cheese.htm|title=What's in Your Cheese?|last=Keevican|first=Michael|date=November 5, 2003|publisher=Vegetarian Resource Group|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180318175819/https://www.vrg.org/nutshell/cheese.htm|archive-date=March 18, 2018|url-status=live|access-date=March 18, 2018}}</ref><ref name="VRG FAQ">{{cite web|url=https://www.vrg.org/nutshell/faqingredients.htm#cheese|title=FAQ: Food Ingredients|publisher=Vegetarian Resource Group|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131104203320/https://www.vrg.org/nutshell/faqingredients.htm#cheese|archive-date=November 4, 2013|url-status=dead|access-date=March 18, 2018}}</ref>
[[Semi-vegetarianism|Semi-vegetarian]] diets consist largely of vegetarian foods, but may include fish or poultry, or sometimes other meats on an infrequent basis. Those with diets containing fish or poultry may define "meat" only as [[mammal]]ian flesh and may identify with vegetarianism.<ref name="Shorter Oxford">[[Shorter Oxford English Dictionary]] (2002 and 2007) defines "vegetarian" (noun) as "A person who on principle abstains from animal food; ''esp.'' one who avoids meat but will eat dairy produce and eggs and sometimes also fish (cf. VEGAN ''noun'')."</ref><ref name="Barr">{{Cite journal|last=Barr|first=Susan I.|coauthors=Gwen E. Chapman |date=March 2002|title=Perceptions and practices of self-defined current vegetarian and nonvegetarian women|journal=Journal of the American Dietetic Association|pmid=11902368|volume=102|issue=3|pages=354–360|doi=10.1016/S0002-8223(02)90083-0|accessdate=July 9, 2010}}</ref> A [[Pescetarianism|pescetarian]] diet, for example, has been described as including fish but no meat or as "fish but no other meat".<ref name="Barr"/><ref>[http://www.merriam-webster.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=pescetarian Pescetarian], Merriam Webster. Retrieved September 27, 2012.</ref> The [[Colloquialism|common use]] association between such diets and vegetarianism has led vegetarian groups such as the [[Vegetarian Society]] to state that diets containing these ingredients are not vegetarian, due to fish and birds being animals.<ref name="www.vegsoc.org">[http://www.vegsoc.org/fish/ VEGETARIANS DO NOT EAT FISH], Vegetarian Society. Retrieved May 2, 2010.</ref>


==Etymology==
==Etymology==
The [[Vegetarian Society]], founded in 1847, says that the word "vegetarian" is derived from the Latin word ''vegetus'' meaning lively or vigorous.<ref name=vegetus>{{cite web|title=10 quick vegetarian facts... part 1|url=http://www.vegsoc.org/document.doc?id=73|work=Info & advice, Resources, Teacher & student resources, Quick lesson ideas|publisher=Vegetarian Society|accessdate=February 22, 2011}}</ref> Despite this, the ''[[Oxford English Dictionary]]'' (OED) and other standard dictionaries state that the word was formed from the term "vegetable" and the suffix "-arian".<ref>''OED'' vol. 19, second edition (1989), p. 476; ''Webster’s Third New International Dictionary'' p. 2537; ''The Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology'', Oxford 1966, p. 972; ''The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology'' (1988), p. 1196; Colin Spencer, ''The Heretic's Feast. A History of Vegetarianism'', London 1993, p. 252.</ref> The OED writes that the word came into general use after the formation of the Vegetarian Society at Ramsgate in 1847, though it offers two examples of usage from 1839 and 1842.<ref>
The first written use of the term "vegetarian" originated in the early 19th century, when authors referred to a ''vegetable regimen'' diet.<ref>{{cite book|author=Preece|first=Rod|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uMnubkF5HjAC&pg=PA12|title=The origins of the term "vegetarian". In: Sins of the Flesh: A History of Ethical Vegetarian Thought|date=2008|publisher=University of British Columbia Press, Vancouver|isbn=9780774858496|author-link=Rod Preece|access-date=August 30, 2018|archive-date=April 5, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405220043/https://books.google.com/books?id=uMnubkF5HjAC&pg=PA12|url-status=live}}</ref> Historically, 'vegetable' could be used to refer to any type of edible [[vegetation]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Definitions - IVU - International Vegetarian Union |url=https://ivu.org/definitions.html |access-date=2022-07-24 |website=ivu.org |archive-date=October 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211021172543/https://ivu.org/definitions.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Modern dictionaries explain its origin as a [[compound (linguistics)|compound]] of ''[[vegetable]]'' ([[adjective]]) and the suffix ''[[wikt:-arian|-arian]]'' (in the sense of ''[[agriculture|agrarian]]'').<ref name="oed">{{cite web |title=Vegetarian |url=https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=vegetarian |publisher=Online Etymology Dictionary, Douglas Harper Inc. |access-date=April 30, 2019 |date=2019 |archive-date=July 6, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200706232449/https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=vegetarian |url-status=live }}</ref> The term was popularized with the foundation of the [[Vegetarian Society]] in [[Manchester]] in 1847,<ref name=OED>''OED'' vol. 19, second edition (1989), p. 476; ''Webster's Third New International Dictionary'' p. 2537; ''The Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology'', ''Oxford'', 1966, p. 972; ''The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology'' (1988), p. 1196; Colin Spencer, ''The Heretic's Feast. A History of Vegetarianism'', London 1993, p. 252. The ''OED'' writes that the word came into general use after the formation of the Vegetarian Society at Ramsgate in 1847, though it offers two examples of usage from 1839 and 1842:
*1839: "If I had had to be my own cook, I should inevitably become a vegetarian." (F. A. Kemble, ''Jrnl. Residence on Georgian Plantation'' (1863) 251)
* 1839: "If I had had to be my own cook, I should inevitably become a vegetarian." (F. A. Kemble, ''Jrnl. Residence on Georgian Plantation'' (1863) 251)
* 1842: "To tell a healthy vegetarian that his diet is very uncongenial with the wants of his nature." (''Healthian'', Apr. 34) The 1839 occurrence remains under discussion; the Oxford English Dictionary's 1839 source is in fact an 1863 publication: [[Fanny Kemble]], ''Journal of a Residence on a Georgian Plantation 1838–1839''. The original manuscript has not been located.</ref> although it may have appeared in print before 1847.<ref name=OED/><ref name=veghistory>{{cite web|last=Davis|first=John|title=History of Vegetarianism: Extracts from some journals 1842–48 – the earliest known uses of the word 'vegetarian' |publisher=[[International Vegetarian Union]] |url=https://ivu.org/history/vegetarian.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180318223303/https://ivu.org/history/vegetarian.html|archive-date=March 18, 2018|url-status=live|access-date=March 18, 2018|quote=In 1841 the [Alcott House] was re-invented as '''A Concordium, or Industry Harmony College''' though the building remained 'Alcott House'. Also in 1841 they began printing and publishing their own pamphlets, which now seem to be lost, but we have the relevant extracts, with the earliest known use of 'vegetarian', from their first journal which began in December 1841[.]}}</ref><ref name=Kemble>{{cite web|url=https://ivu.org/history/kemble.html|title=History of Vegetarianism: Extracts from some journals 1842–48 – the earliest known uses of the word 'vegetarian' (Appendix 2 – The 1839 journal of Fanny Kemble)|last=Davis|first=John|publisher=International Vegetarian Union|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180318222547/https://ivu.org/history/kemble.html|archive-date=March 18, 2018|url-status=live|access-date=March 18, 2018}}</ref> The earliest occurrences of the term seem to be related to [[Alcott House]]—a school on the north side of [[Ham Common, London]]—which was opened in July 1838 by [[James Pierrepont Greaves]].<ref name=veghistory/><ref name=Kemble/><ref>{{cite web |title=FAQ: Definitions|date=March 8, 2013 |website=IVU World Vegfest|publisher=[[International Vegetarian Union]] |url=https://www.worldvegfest.org/index.php/definitions|access-date=March 18, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150416000814/https://www.worldvegfest.org/index.php/definitions|archive-date=April 16, 2015|url-status=dead|quote=The term ''''Vegetarian'''' was first used around 1840 by the community closely associated with Alcott House School, near London, and they used it to refer exclusively to foods derived from plants—plus all the ethical values associated today with Veganism. [...] The word 'Vegetarian' was first formally used on September 30th of 1847 at Northwood Villa in Kent, England. The occasion is the inaugural meeting of The [[Vegetarian Society]].}}</ref> From 1841, it was known as ''A Concordium, or Industry Harmony College'', and the institution then began to publish its own pamphlet, ''The Healthian''. It provides some of the earliest appearances of the term "vegetarian".<ref name=veghistory/>
* 1842: "To tell a healthy vegetarian that his diet is very uncongenial with the wants of his nature." (''Healthian'', Apr. 34)</ref>


==History==
==History==
{{Main|History of vegetarianism}}
{{Main|History of vegetarianism}}
The earliest records of (lacto) vegetarianism come from ancient [[India]] and [[ancient Greece]] in the 6th century BCE.<ref>Spencer, Colin. ''The Heretic's Feast: A History of Vegetarianism''. Fourth Estate Classic House, pp. 33–68, 69–84.</ref> In the Asian instance the diet was closely connected with the idea of [[nonviolence]] towards animals (called ''[[ahimsa]]'' in India) and was promoted by religious groups and philosophers.<ref name="rv">''Religious Vegetarianism From Hesiod to the Dalai Lama'', ed. [[Kerry S. Walters]] and Lisa Portmess, Albany 2001, p. 13–46.</ref> Among the [[Hellenes]], [[Ancient Egypt|Egyptians]] and others, it had medical or [[Ritual purification]] purposes.


[[File:Tirthankar Parshvanath Bhagwan.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Parshwanatha]] founded [[Jain vegetarianism]] in the 9th century BCE]]
[[Indian subcontinent|Indian]] emperor [[Ashoka]] asserted protection to fauna: {{cquote2|"Twenty-six years after my coronation various animals were declared to be protected – parrots, mainas, ''aruna'', ruddy geese, wild ducks, ''nandimukhas, gelatas'', bats, queen ants, terrapins, boneless fish, ''vedareyaka'', ''gangapuputaka'', ''sankiya'' fish, tortoises, porcupines, squirrels, deer, bulls, ''okapinda'', wild asses, wild pigeons, domestic pigeons and all four-footed creatures that are neither useful nor edible. Those nanny goats, ewes and sows which are with young or giving milk to their young are protected, and so are young ones less than six months old. Cocks are not to be caponized, husks hiding living beings are not to be burnt and forests are not to be burnt either without reason or to kill creatures. One animal is not to be fed to another." —''[[Edicts of Ashoka]]'', Fifth Pillar}}
The earliest record of vegetarianism comes from the 9th century BCE,<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Olivelle|first1=transl. from the original Sanskrit by Patrick|title=Upaniṣads|date=1998|publisher=Oxford Univ. Press|location=Oxford [u.a.]|isbn=978-0192835765|edition=Reissued}}</ref> inculcating tolerance towards all living beings.<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Bajpai|first1=Shiva|title=The History of India – From Ancient to Modern Times|date=2011|publisher=Himalayan Academy Publications (Hawaii, USA)|isbn=978-1-934145-38-8}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Spencer|first=Colin|author-link=Colin Spencer|title=The Heretic's Feast: A History of Vegetarianism|publisher=Fourth Estate Classic House|pages=33–68, 69–84|isbn=978-0874517606|year=1996}}</ref> [[Parshwanatha]] and [[Mahavira]], the 23rd and 24th ''[[tirthankaras]]'' in [[Jainism]], respectively, revived and advocated [[ahimsa]] and [[Jain vegetarianism]] between the 8th and 6th centuries BCE; the most comprehensive and strictest form of vegetarianism.<ref>{{Cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OmBjoAFMfjoC&q=Parshwanatha+vegetarian&pg=PA435 | title=People of India: Maharashtra| isbn=9788179911006| last1=Singh| first1=Kumar Suresh| year=2004| publisher=Popular Prakashan}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=P-FqDgAAQBAJ&q=jain+food+strictest&pg=PA307| title=Food, Feasts, and Faith: An Encyclopedia of Food Culture in World Religions &#91;2 volumes&#93;| isbn=9781610694124| last1=Fieldhouse| first1=Paul| date=April 17, 2017| publisher=Abc-Clio| access-date=November 22, 2020| archive-date=April 5, 2023| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405220231/https://books.google.com/books?id=P-FqDgAAQBAJ&q=jain+food+strictest&pg=PA307| url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=h_Xn3QW9wfQC&q=mahavira+6th+century+vegetarian&pg=PA165| title=Vegetarianism: A Guide for the Perplexed| isbn=9781441115294| last1=Walters| first1=Kerry| date=June 7, 2012| publisher=A&C Black| access-date=November 22, 2020| archive-date=April 5, 2023| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405220044/https://books.google.com/books?id=h_Xn3QW9wfQC&q=mahavira+6th+century+vegetarian&pg=PA165| url-status=live}}</ref> In Indian culture, vegetarianism has been closely connected with the attitude of [[nonviolence]] towards animals (called ''[[ahimsa]]'' in India) for millennia and was promoted by religious groups and philosophers.<ref name="rv">''Religious Vegetarianism From Hesiod to the Dalai Lama'', ed. [[Kerry S. Walters]] and Lisa Portmess, Albany 2001, p. 13–46.</ref> The [[Ācārāṅga Sūtra]] from 5th century BCE advocates Jain-vegetarianism; and forbids the monks from walking on grass in order to avoid inflicting pain on them and prevent small insects dwelling inside from getting killed.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.281046 |title=The Acharang Sutra}}</ref> The ancient Indian work of the ''[[Tirukkuṟaḷ]]'', dated before the 5th century CE, explicitly and unambiguously emphasizes shunning meat and [[non-killing]] as a common man's virtues.<ref>{{cite book |author=Kamil Zvelebil |title=The Smile of Murugan: On Tamil Literature of South India |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=degUAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA155 |access-date=7 March 2018 |year=1973 |publisher=E. J. Brill |location=Leiden |isbn=90-04-03591-5 |archive-date=April 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405220135/https://books.google.com/books?id=degUAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA155 |url-status=live }}</ref>{{Rp|156–171}}<ref>{{cite book|author=P.S. Sundaram|title=Kural (Tiruvalluvar)|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aPpv2F2RRgcC|year=1990|publisher=Penguin Books|isbn=978-93-5118-015-9|access-date=September 20, 2021|archive-date=April 5, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405220115/https://books.google.com/books?id=aPpv2F2RRgcC|url-status=live}}</ref>{{Rp|13}}<ref>{{cite book |author=A. A. Manavalan |title=Essays and Tributes on Tirukkural (1886–1986 AD) |year=2009 |publisher=International Institute of Tamil Studies |location = Chennai|edition = 1}}</ref>{{Rp|127–129}} Chapter 26 of the Tirukkural, particularly [[couplet]]s 251–260, deals exclusively on moral vegetarianism or veganism.<ref>{{cite book |last=Zvelebil |first=Kamil |title=The Smile of Murugan: On Tamil Literature of South India |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=degUAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA155 |access-date=7 March 2018|year=1973 |publisher=E.J. Brill |location=Leiden|isbn=9004035915 }}</ref>{{Rp|pp=156–171}}<ref>{{cite journal| last =Dharani| first =D.| title =Medicine in Thirukkural, The Universal Veda of Tamil Literature| journal =Proceedings of the Indian History Congress| volume =79| issue =2018–19| pages =101–108| year =2018| url =https://www.jstor.org/stable/26906235| doi =| jstor =26906235| s2cid =| access-date =28 May 2022| url-status =live| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20220528084819/https://www.jstor.org/stable/26906235| archive-date =May 28, 2022}}</ref>


{{Quote box
[[File:India vegetarian labels.svg|thumb|right|Labeling is mandatory in India<ref>[http://www.hinduonnet.com/businessline/2001/09/05/stories/14050204.htm Health goes dotty with brown eggs & green milk]. Hinduonnet.com (September 5, 2001). Retrieved on January 6, 2011.</ref> to distinguish vegetarian products (green) from non-vegetarian products (brown).]]
|quote = '''Vegetarianism in ancient India'''<br>Throughout the whole country the people do not kill any living creature, nor drink intoxicating liquor, nor eat onions or garlic. The only exception is that of the Chandalas. That is the name for those who are (held to be) wicked men, and live apart from others. ... In that country they do not keep pigs and fowls, and do not sell live cattle; in the markets there are no butchers' shops and no dealers in intoxicating drink. In buying and selling commodities they use cowries. Only the Chandalas are fishermen and hunters, and sell flesh meat.
Following the Christianisation of the Roman Empire in late antiquity, vegetarianism practically disappeared from Europe as it was in other Continents, except India.<ref>{{cite journal | author = Passmore John | year = 1975 | title = The Treatment of Animals | url = | journal = Journal of the History of Ideas | volume = 36 | pages = 196–201 }}</ref> Several orders of monks in [[medieval Europe]] restricted or banned the consumption of meat for [[asceticism|ascetic]] reasons, but none of them eschewed fish.<ref>Lutterbach, Hubertus. "Der Fleischverzicht im Christentum," ''Saeculum'' 50/II (1999) p. 202.</ref> (The medieval definition of "fish" included such animals as seals, porpoises, dolphins, barnacle geese, puffins, and beavers.)<ref>Mortimer, Ian. "The Time Traveler's Guide to Medieval England," (2008) p. 184.</ref>
|author = — [[Faxian]], Chinese pilgrim to India (4th/5th century CE)
|source = A Record of Buddhistic Kingdoms (translated by [[James Legge]])<ref>{{cite book |author=Faxian |author-link=Faxian |title=A Record of Buddhistic Kingdoms |url=https://www.gutenberg.org/files/2124/2124-h/2124-h.htm |year=1886 |translator-last=Legge |translator-first=James |translator-link=James Legge |chapter=On To Mathura Or Muttra. Condition And Customs Of Central India; Of The Monks, Viharas, And Monasteries. |access-date=May 10, 2022 |archive-date=February 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220215001158/https://www.gutenberg.org/files/2124/2124-h/2124-h.htm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=Bodhipaksa>{{cite book|author=Bodhipaksa|title=Vegetarianism|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ro5QDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT114|year=2016|publisher=Windhorse|isbn=978-19093-14-740|pages=|access-date=June 20, 2022|archive-date=April 5, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405220150/https://books.google.com/books?id=ro5QDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT114|url-status=live}}</ref>
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Among the [[Hellenes]], [[Ancient Egypt|Egyptians]], and others, vegetarianism had medical or [[ritual purification]] purposes. Vegetarianism was also practiced in [[ancient Greece]] and the earliest reliable evidence for vegetarian theory and practice in Greece dates from the 6th century BCE. The [[Orphism (religion)|Orphics]], a religious movement spreading in Greece at that time, also practiced and promoted vegetarianism.<ref>Spencer p. 38–55, 61–63; Haussleiter p. 79–157.</ref> Greek teacher [[Pythagoras]], who promoted the altruistic doctrine of [[metempsychosis]], may have practiced vegetarianism,<ref>{{cite book|last=Livio|first=Mario|author-link=Mario Livio|title=The Golden Ratio: The Story of Phi, the World's Most Astonishing Number|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bUARfgWRH14C|orig-year=2002|edition=First trade paperback|year=2003|publisher=[[Random House|Broadway Books]]|location=New York City|isbn=978-0-7679-0816-0|page=26|access-date=December 22, 2018|archive-date=March 13, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230313121951/https://books.google.com/books?id=bUARfgWRH14C|url-status=live}}</ref> but is also recorded as eating meat.<ref name="Zhmud">{{Cite book|last=Zhmud|first=Leonid|date=2012|title=Pythagoras and the Early Pythagoreans|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=of-ghBD9q1QC&pg=PP235|translator1-last=Windle|translator1-first=Kevin|translator2-last=Ireland|translator2-first=Rosh|location=Oxford, England|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-928931-8|page=235|access-date=December 3, 2018|archive-date=April 5, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405220134/https://books.google.com/books?id=of-ghBD9q1QC&pg=PP235|url-status=live}}</ref> A fictionalized portrayal of Pythagoras appears in [[Ovid]]'s ''[[Metamorphoses]]'', in which he advocates a form of [[strict vegetarianism]].<ref name="Borlik">{{Cite book|last=Borlik|first=Todd A.|date=2011|title=Ecocriticism and Early Modern English Literature: Green Pastures|url=https://archive.org/details/ecocriticismearl0000borl|url-access=registration|location=New York City, New York and London, England|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-0-203-81924-1|pages=[https://archive.org/details/ecocriticismearl0000borl/page/189 189]–192}}</ref> It was through this portrayal that Pythagoras was best known to English-speakers throughout the early modern period and, prior to the coinage of the word "vegetarianism", vegetarians were referred to in English as "[[Pythagorean diet|Pythagoreans]]".<ref name="Borlik"/> Vegetarianism was also practiced about six centuries later in another instance (30&nbsp;BCE–50&nbsp;CE) in the northern [[Thracian]] region by the [[Moesi]] tribe (who inhabited present-day [[Serbia]] and [[Bulgaria]]), feeding themselves on honey, milk, and cheese.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Encyclopedia of religion|edition=13|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cjUOAQAAMAAJ&q=the+moesi+vegetarian|isbn=9780028659824|last=Jones|first=Lindsay|year=2005|publisher=Macmillan Reference USA |access-date=July 17, 2015|archive-date=April 5, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405220142/https://books.google.com/books?id=cjUOAQAAMAAJ&q=the+moesi+vegetarian|url-status=live}}</ref>
It re-emerged during the [[Renaissance]],<ref>Spencer p. 180–200.</ref> becoming more widespread in the 19th and 20th centuries. In 1847, the first [[Vegetarian Society]] was founded in the United Kingdom;<ref>Spencer p. 252–253, 261–262.</ref> Germany, the Netherlands, and other countries followed. The [[International Vegetarian Union]], a union of the national societies, was founded in 1908. In the Western world, the popularity of vegetarianism grew during the 20th century as a result of nutritional, ethical, and more recently, environmental and economic concerns.


[[File:Emperor Tenmu.jpg|thumb|upright|left|[[Emperor Tenmu]] began bans on killing and eating meat in 675 CE in [[Japan]].]]
==Varieties of vegetarianism==
In [[Japan]] in 675, the [[Emperor Tenmu]] prohibited the killing and the eating of meat during the busy farming period between April and September but excluded the eating of wild birds and wild animals. These bans and several others that followed over the centuries were overturned in the nineteenth century during the [[Meiji Restoration]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Watanabe|first=Zenjiro|title=Removal of the Ban on Meat: The Meat-Eating Culture of Japan at the Beginning of Westernization|url=https://www.kikkoman.co.jp/kiifc/foodculture/pdf_09/e_002_008.pdf|access-date=April 26, 2020|archive-date=April 29, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190429063516/http://www.kikkoman.co.jp/kiifc/foodculture/pdf_09/e_002_008.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> In China, during the [[Song dynasty]], [[Buddhist cuisine]] became popular enough that vegetarian restaurants appeared where chefs used ingredients such as [[beans]], [[gluten]], root vegetables and [[Edible mushroom|mushrooms]] to create [[meat analogue]]s including pork, fowl, eggs and crab roe<ref>{{cite web|last=Koon|first=Wee Kek|title=Vegetarianism in China is nothing new: meat-free diets have ancient origins|date=November 21, 2019|url=https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/3038384/vegetarianism-china-nothing-new-meat-free-diets|access-date=May 1, 2020|archive-date=March 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200324055143/https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/3038384/vegetarianism-china-nothing-new-meat-free-diets|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Wang|first=Jenny|title=Buddhist food: how the healthy, vegetarian dishes full of seasonal ingredients can imitate meat with funguses and plants|url=https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3097180/buddhist-food-how-healthy-vegetarian-dishes-full-seasonal|access-date=May 31, 2021|date=August 13, 2020|archive-date=June 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210602214300/https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3097180/buddhist-food-how-healthy-vegetarian-dishes-full-seasonal|url-status=live}}</ref> and many meat substitutes used even today such as [[tofu]], [[seitan]] and [[konjac]] originate in Chinese Buddhist cuisine.
[[File:Non eggetarian.jpg|thumb |Roadside café near [[Kullu]], India.]]
There are a number of types of vegetarianism, which exclude or include various foods.
*[[Ovo vegetarianism]] includes eggs but not dairy products.
*[[Lacto vegetarianism]] includes dairy products but not eggs.
*[[Ovo-lacto vegetarianism]] (or lacto-ovo vegetarianism) includes animal/dairy products such as eggs, milk, and honey.
*[[Veganism]] excludes all animal flesh and animal products, including milk, honey, and eggs.
*[[Raw veganism]] includes only fresh and uncooked fruit, nuts, seeds, and vegetables. Vegetables can only be cooked up to a certain temperature.<ref>[http://www.ivu.org/faq/definitions.html International Vegetarian Union (IVU)]. Retrieved May 2, 2010.</ref>
*[[Fruitarianism]] permits only fruit, nuts, seeds, and other plant matter that can be gathered without harming the plant.<ref>Mangels, AR. [http://www.adajournal.org/article/S0002-8223(09)00700-7/fulltext Position of the American Dietetic Association: Vegetarian Diets], Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 2009, vol 109, issue 7, pp. 1266–1282.</ref>
*[[Sattvic diet]] (also known as yogic diet), a plant based diet which may also include dairy (not eggs) and honey, but excludes anything from the [[allium|onion or leek family]], [[lentil|red lentils]], [[Durian|durian fruit]], mushrooms, blue cheeses, fermented foods or sauces, alcoholic drinks and often also excludes coffee, [[tea|black or green tea]], [[cocoa bean|chocolate]], [[nutmeg]] or any other type of stimulant such as excess sharp spices.
*[[Buddhist vegetarianism]] (also known as su vegetarianism) excludes all animal products as well as vegetables in the [[allium]] family (which have the characteristic aroma of onion and garlic): onion, garlic, scallions, leeks, chives, or shallots.
*[[Jain vegetarianism]] includes dairy but excludes eggs and honey, as well as root vegetables.
*[[Macrobiotic diet]]s consist mostly of [[whole grain]]s and [[bean]]s.


[[File:Current FSSAI Veg and Non-veg Labels.svg|thumb|right|Labeling is mandatory in India to distinguish vegetarian products (green) from non-vegetarian products (brown).<ref>{{Cite news|last=Datta|first=P. T. Jyothi|date=September 4, 2001 |title=Health goes dotty with brown eggs & green milk|url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2001/09/05/stories/14050204.htm|url-status=live|work=[[Hindu Business Line]]|location=New Delhi|publisher=Kasturi & Sons|publication-date=September 5, 2001|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180319005736/https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2001/09/05/stories/14050204.htm|archive-date=March 19, 2018|access-date=March 18, 2018|quote=For discerning consumers, a recent [[Ministry of Health and Family Welfare|Health Ministry]] notification had made it mandatory for packed food containing animal parts contained in a box, to sport a brown dot prominently on its label.}}</ref>]]
Within the 'ovo-' groups, there are many who refuse to consume fertilized [[Egg (biology)|eggs]] (with [[balut (egg)|balut]] being an extreme example), however such distinction is typically not specifically addressed.
Following the Christianization of the Roman Empire in [[late antiquity]], vegetarianism practically disappeared from Europe, as it did elsewhere, except in India.<ref>{{Cite journal | author = Passmore John | year = 1975 | title = The Treatment of Animals | journal = Journal of the History of Ideas | volume = 36 | pages = 196–201 | doi = 10.2307/2708924 | issue = 2 | jstor = 2708924 | pmid = 11610245 | s2cid = 43847928 |issn=0022-5037}}</ref> Several orders of [[monk]]s in [[medieval Europe]] restricted or banned the consumption of meat for [[ascetic]] reasons, but none of them eschewed fish.<ref>Lutterbach, Hubertus. "Der Fleischverzicht im Christentum", ''Saeculum'' 50/II (1999) p. 202.</ref> Moreover, the medieval definition of "fish" included such animals as seals, [[porpoise]]s, [[dolphin]]s, [[barnacle geese]], [[puffin]]s, and [[beavers]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Mortimer|first=Ian|author-link=Ian Mortimer (historian)|date=January 2010|orig-year=Originally published in Great Britain in 2008 by [[Random House UK]]|chapter=What to Eat and Drink: Noble Households|editor1-last=Sulkin|editor1-first=Will|editor2-last=Hensgen|editor2-first=Jörg|title=The Time Traveler's Guide to Medieval England|chapter-format=Hardcover|edition=1st Touchstone hardcover|location=New York, NY|publisher=Touchstone ([[Simon & Schuster]])|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XqWVlAEACAAJ|page=140|isbn=978-1-4391-1289-2|quote=Seals, porpoises, dolphins, barnacle geese, puffins, and beavers are all classed as fish as their lives begin in the sea or in a river. Hence they are eaten gleefully, even on nonmeat days.}}</ref> Vegetarianism re-emerged during the [[Renaissance]],<ref>Spencer p. 180–200.</ref> becoming more widespread in the 19th and 20th centuries. In 1847, the first [[Vegetarian Society]] was founded in the United Kingdom;<ref>Spencer p. 252–253, 261–262.</ref> Germany, the Netherlands, and other countries followed. In 1886, the vegetarian colony [[Nueva Germania]] was founded in [[Paraguay]], though its vegetarian aspect would prove short-lived.<ref>Bauer, K., "The Domestication of Radical Ideas and Colonial Spaces", in M. Schulze, et al., eds., ''German Diasporic Experiences'' ([[Waterloo, ON]]: [[Wilfrid Laurier University Press]], 2008), [https://books.google.com/books?id=Uu90CwAAQBAJ&pg=PA348 pp. 345–358] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405220134/https://books.google.com/books?id=Uu90CwAAQBAJ&pg=PA348 |date=April 5, 2023 }}.</ref>{{rp|345–358}} The [[International Vegetarian Union]], an association of the national societies, was founded in 1908. In the Western world, the popularity of vegetarianism grew during the 20th century as a result of nutritional, ethical, and—more recently—environmental and economic concerns.


==Varieties==
Some vegetarians also avoid products that may use animal ingredients not included in their labels or which use animal products in their manufacturing; for example, sugars that are whitened with [[bone char]], cheeses that use animal rennet (enzymes from animal stomach lining), gelatin (derived from the [[collagen]] inside animals' skin, bones and [[connective tissue]]), some [[sugarcane|cane]] sugar (but not [[sugar beet|beet]] sugar) and apple juice/alcohol clarified with gelatin or crushed shellfish and sturgeon, while other vegetarians are unaware of such ingredients.<ref name=Vegsoc.org/><ref name=vrg.org/><ref name="vrg faq"/>
[[File:Vegan Gardein Tofu Foods Display (cropped1).jpg|thumb|right|A variety of [[Veganism|vegan]] and vegetarian [[Delicatessen|deli]] [[food]]s]]
[[File:Veggie burger miikkahoo flickr creative commons.jpg|thumb|right|A vegetarian hamburger with potato slices]]
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none;"
|+ Comparison of the main vegetarian diets
! !! [[Meat]] !! [[Egg (food)|Eggs]] !! [[Dairy product|Dairy]]
|-
! [[Ovo vegetarianism]]
| {{no}} || {{yes}} || {{no}}
|-
! [[Lacto-ovo vegetarianism]]
| {{no}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}}
|-
! [[Lacto vegetarianism]]
| {{no}} || {{no}} || {{yes}}
|-
! [[Vegan]] diet
| {{no}} || {{no}} || {{no}}
|}


{{Comparison of special diets}}
Individuals may label themselves "vegetarian" while practicing a [[Semi-vegetarianism|semi-vegetarian]] diet,<ref name="Barr"/><ref name=newsweek.com>Yabroff, Jennie. [http://www.newsweek.com/id/228720 "No More Sacred Cows"], ''Newsweek'', December 31, 2009.</ref><ref>Gale, Catharine R. et al. [http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/abstract/bmj.39030.675069.55v1?hrss=1 "IQ in childhood and vegetarianism in adulthood: 1970 British cohort study"], ''British Medial Journal'', December 15, 2006, vol 333, issue 7581, p. 245.</ref> as some dictionary definitions describe vegetarianism as including the consumption of fish, or only include mammalian flesh as part of their definition of meat,<ref name="Shorter Oxford"/><ref>''[http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/meat Meat: definition 2b]'', ''[[Merriam-Webster]] Online Dictionary'', 2010. Retrieved January 5, 2010.</ref> while other definitions exclude fish and all animal flesh.<ref name=www.vegsoc.org/> In other cases, individuals may describe themselves as "flexitarian".<ref name=newsweek.com/><ref name="americandialect.org">{{cite web|title=2003 Words of the Year |publisher=[[American Dialect Society]]|date=January 13, 2007|accessdate=September 27, 2012|url=http://www.americandialect.org/index.php/amerdial/2003_words_of_the_year/ }}</ref>
These diets may be followed by those who reduce animal flesh consumed as a way of transitioning to a complete vegetarian diet or for health, environmental, or other reasons. Semi-vegetarian diets include:
* [[pescetarianism]], which includes fish and possibly other forms of seafood;
* pollotarianism, which includes chicken and possibly other poultry;
* "pollo-pescetarian", which includes poultry and fish, or "white meat" only;
* [[macrobiotic diet]]s consisting mostly of whole grains and beans, but may sometimes include fish.


There are a number of vegetarian diets that exclude or include various foods:
Semi-vegetarianism is contested by vegetarian groups who state that vegetarianism excludes all animal flesh.<ref name=www.vegsoc.org/>


* [[Fruitarianism]] permits only fruit, nuts, seeds, and other plant matter that can be gathered without harming the plant.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=http://www.andjrnl.org/article/S0002-8223(09)00700-7/fulltext|title=Position of the American Dietetic Association: Vegetarian Diets|journal=Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics|volume=109|issue=7|pages=1266–1282|doi=10.1016/j.jada.2009.05.027|date=July 2009|access-date=January 6, 2016|pmid=19562864|vauthors=Craig WJ, Mangels AR|s2cid=7906168|archive-date=July 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200728114525/https://jandonline.org/article/S0002-8223%2809%2900700-7/fulltext|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Health benefits and concerns==
* [[Macrobiotic diet]]s consist mostly of [[whole grain]]s and [[bean]]s.
Scientific endeavors in the area of vegetarianism have shifted from concerns about nutritional adequacy to investigating health benefits and disease prevention.<ref>Sabaté J., ed., Vegetarian Nutrition (Boca Raton:CRC Press), 2001.</ref> The [[American Dietetic Association]] and [[Dietitians of Canada]] have stated that at all stages of life, a properly planned vegetarian diet is "healthful, nutritionally adequate, and provides health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases."{{citation needed|date=September 2012}} Large-scale studies have shown that mortality from [[ischaemic heart disease]] was 30% lower among vegetarian men and 20% lower among vegetarian women than in non-vegetarians.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/2003_ADA_position_paper.pdf| title=Position of the American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada: Vegetarian diets| date= June 2003| accessdate =May 24, 2010}}</ref><ref name="Key">Key et al. [http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/full/70/3/516S#T7 Mortality in vegetarians and non-vegetarians: detailed findings from a collaborative analysis of 5 prospective studies], American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 70 (3): 516S.</ref><ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4801570.stm Rejecting meat 'keeps weight low'], BBC News, March 14, 2006.</ref> Vegetarian diets offer lower levels of [[saturated fat]], [[cholesterol]] and animal protein, and higher levels of carbohydrates, [[fibre]], [[magnesium]], [[potassium]], [[folate]], and [[antioxidant]]s such as [[vitamin]]s C and E and [[phytochemical]]s.<ref>[http://eatright.org/ada/files/veg.pdf Position of the American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada: Vegetarian diets], Journal of the American Dietetic Association, [[American Dietetic Association]] and [[Dietitians of Canada]], 2003, vol 103, issue 6, pp. 748–65. doi 10.1053/jada.2003.50142.</ref><ref>Fraser G. Vegetarian diets: what do we know of their effects on common chronic diseases?[http://www.ajcn.org/content/89/5/1607S.long Am J Clin Nutr 2009;89(suppl):1607S–12S].</ref>
* [[Lacto vegetarianism]] includes dairy products but not eggs.
* [[Ovo vegetarianism]] includes eggs but not dairy products.
* [[Lacto-ovo vegetarianism]] (or ovo-lacto vegetarianism) includes animal products such as eggs, milk, and honey.
* [[Sattvic diet]] (also known as yogic diet), a [[plant-based diet]] which may also include dairy and honey, but excludes eggs, [[Lentil|red lentils]], [[durian]], mushrooms, ''[[allium]]s'', [[blue cheese]]s, fermented foods or sauces, and alcoholic drinks. Coffee, [[Tea|black or green tea]], [[chocolate]], [[nutmeg]], and any other type of stimulant (including excessively [[Pungency|pungent]] spices) are sometimes excluded, as well.
* [[Veganism]] excludes all animal flesh and by-products, such as eggs, milk, honey, <ref name="Slate">{{cite web|url=https://www.slate.com/articles/life/food/2008/07/the_great_vegan_honey_debate.html|title=The Great Vegan Honey Debate: Is honey the dairy of the insect world?|last=Engber|first=Daniel|date=July 30, 2008|website=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180309213633/https://www.slate.com/articles/life/food/2008/07/the_great_vegan_honey_debate.html|archive-date=March 9, 2018|url-status=live|access-date=March 9, 2018}}</ref> [[edible bird's nest]] and items refined or manufactured through any such product, such as animal-tested [[baking soda]] or white sugar refined with [[bone char]].
** [[Raw foodism#Raw veganism|Raw veganism]] includes only fresh and uncooked fruit, nuts, seeds, and vegetables. Food must not be heated above {{Convert|118|F}} to be considered "raw". Usually, raw vegan food is only ever "cooked" with a [[food dehydrator]] at low temperatures.
Within the "[[wikt:ovo-|ovo-]]" groups, there are many who refuse to consume fertilized [[egg]]s (with [[Balut (food)|balut]] being an extreme example); however, such distinction is typically not specifically addressed.


Some vegetarians also avoid products that may use animal ingredients not included in their labels or which use animal products in their manufacturing. For example, sugars that are whitened with [[bone char]], cheeses that use animal [[rennet]] ([[enzyme]]s from animal stomach lining), gelatin (derived from the [[collagen]] inside animals' skin, bones, and [[connective tissue]]), some [[Sugarcane|cane sugar]] (but not [[Sugar beet|beet sugar]]) and beverages (such as apple juice and alcohol) clarified with gelatin or crushed shellfish and [[sturgeon]], while other vegetarians are unaware of, or do not mind, such ingredients.<ref name="navs-online.org"/><ref name="vegsoc.org2"/><ref name=vrg.org/> In the 21st century, 90% of rennet and [[chymosin]] used in cheesemaking are derived from industrial [[fermentation]] processes, which satisfy both [[kosher foods|kosher]] and [[Islamic dietary laws|halal]] requirements.<ref name="johnson2017">{{cite journal | last=Johnson | first=M.E. | title=A 100-Year Review: Cheese production and quality | journal=Journal of Dairy Science | volume=100 | issue=12 | year=2017 | issn=0022-0302 | doi=10.3168/jds.2017-12979 | pages=9952–9965|pmid=29153182|url=https://www.journalofdairyscience.org/article/S0022-0302(17)31054-8/fulltext| doi-access=free }}</ref>
Vegetarians tend to have lower [[body mass index]],<ref>{{cite pmid|9622343}}</ref> lower levels of cholesterol, lower blood pressure, and less incidence of heart disease, [[hypertension]], [[Diabetes mellitus type 2|type 2 diabetes]], [[Kidney|renal disease]], [[metabolic syndrome]],<ref>Rizzo NS, Sabaté J, Jaceldo-Siegl K, Fraser GE. Vegetarian dietary patterns are associated with a lower risk of metabolic syndrome: The Adventist Health Study-2. [http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/34/5/1225.long Diabetes Care. 2011 May;34(5):1225-7]</ref> dementias such as [[Alzheimer’s disease]] and other disorders.<ref>Mattson, Mark P. ''Diet-Brain Connection: Impact on Memory, Mood, Aging and Disease''. Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2002.</ref> Non-lean red meat, in particular, has been found to be directly associated with increased risk of cancers of the esophagus, liver, [[colon cancer|colon]], and the lungs.<ref>Maggie Fox, ''[http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN1043849120071211 Meat raises lung cancer risk, too, study finds]'', Reuters, December 10, 2007; [http://medicine.plosjournals.org/perlserv/?request=get-document&doi=10.1371/journal.pmed.0040325&ct=1 A Prospective Study of Red and Processed Meat Intake in Relation to Cancer Risk], PLoS Medicine. April 21, 2008.</ref> Other studies have shown no significant differences between vegetarians and non-vegetarians in mortality from [[cerebrovascular disease]], [[stomach cancer]], [[colorectal cancer]], breast cancer, or [[prostate cancer]].<ref name="Key"/> A 2010 study compared a group of vegetarian and meat-eating [[Seventh Day Adventists]] in which vegetarians scored lower on depression tests and had better mood profiles.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nutritionj.com/content/9/1/26 |title=Vegetarian diets are associated with healthy mood states: a cross-sectional study in Seventh Day Adventist adults|date= June 1, 2010|accessdate=June 25, 2010}}</ref> However, vegetarians are more likely to be deficient in [[vitamin B12]], leading to increased incidence of [[osteoporosis]]<ref name=hermann>{{cite web|url=http://www.fyiliving.com/research/vitamin-b12-linked-to-osteoporosis-and-bone-loss-in-vegetarians/|title=Vitamin B12 Linked to Osteoporosis and Bone Loss in Vegetarians|date=April 29, 2011|accessdate=November 4, 2011}}</ref> and depression.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/vitamin-b12-and-depression/AN01543|title=What's the relationship between vitamin B-12 and depression?|date=February 3, 2011|accessdate=November 4, 2011}}</ref>


Individuals sometimes label themselves "vegetarian" while practicing a [[Flexitarianism|semi-vegetarian]] diet,<ref name="Barr">{{cite journal |vauthors=Barr SI, Chapman GE | title = Perceptions and practices of self-defined current vegetarian and nonvegetarian women| journal = Journal of the American Dietetic Association | volume = 102 | issue = 3 | pages = 354–360 | date = March 2002 | pmid = 11902368 | doi = 10.1016/S0002-8223(02)90083-0 }}</ref><ref name=newsweek.com>{{cite web|url=http://www.newsweek.com/vegetarians-who-eat-meat-75433|title=Vegetarians Who Eat Meat|last=Yabroff|first=Jennie|date=December 30, 2009|website=[[Newsweek]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180319023944/http://www.newsweek.com/vegetarians-who-eat-meat-75433|archive-date=March 19, 2018|url-status=live|access-date=March 18, 2018}}</ref><!--NOTE: Older archived copies state the title as "No More Sacred Cows" and date as December 31, 2009, consistent with old citation this replaced. The retitling is common, but the date change seems like a typo by Newsweek. Regardless, data from the most updated live and archive copies were used. If either the title or date are changed, an appropriate archived copy with that data should replace this archived copy, with url-status=dead. Original link: http://www.newsweek.com/id/228720 --><ref>Gale, Catharine R. et al. [http://www.edu-lib.us/bmj.com/cgi/content/abstract/bmj.39030.675069.55v1?hrss=1 "IQ in childhood and vegetarianism in adulthood: 1970 British cohort study"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304000531/http://www.edu-lib.us/bmj.com/cgi/content/abstract/bmj.39030.675069.55v1?hrss=1 |date=March 4, 2016 }}, ''British Medial Journal'', December 15, 2006, vol 333, issue 7581, p. 245.</ref> as some dictionary definitions describe vegetarianism as sometimes including the consumption of fish,<ref name="Shorter Oxford">[[Shorter Oxford English Dictionary]] (2002 and 2007) defines "vegetarian" (noun) as "A person who on principle abstains from animal food; ''esp.'' one who avoids meat but will eat dairy produce and eggs and sometimes also fish ([[cf.]] VEGAN ''noun'')."</ref> or only include [[mammal]]ian flesh as part of their definition of meat,<ref name="Shorter Oxford"/><ref>{{Cite encyclopedia|dictionary=Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary|title=Meat|url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/meat|access-date=March 18, 2018|publisher=[[Merriam-Webster]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180319025828/https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/meat|archive-date=March 19, 2018|url-status=live|quote=Definition of meat [2a]: 2b; ''also'': flesh of a mammal as opposed to fowl or fish}}</ref> while other definitions exclude fish and all animal flesh.<ref name="Vegsoc.org, fish">{{cite web|url=https://www.vegsoc.org/fish|title=Vegetarians don't eat fish, shellfish or crustacea, but they can still enjoy one of the healthiest diets available|publisher=Vegetarian Society|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304113323/https://www.vegsoc.org/fish|archive-date=March 4, 2016|url-status=dead|access-date=March 18, 2018|quote=Many things have changed since the Vegetarian Society was founded way back in 1847, but fish have always been cold-blooded water dwelling animals and vegetarians do not eat animals.}}</ref> In other cases, individuals may describe themselves as "flexitarian".<ref name=newsweek.com/><ref name="americandialect.org">{{Cite news|date=January 13, 2004|title=2003 Words of the Year|url=https://www.americandialect.org/2003_words_of_the_year|url-status=live|publisher=[[American Dialect Society]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180319030627/https://www.americandialect.org/2003_words_of_the_year|archive-date=March 19, 2018|access-date=March 18, 2018|quote='''Most Useful''': word or phrase which most fills a need for a new word – ''Winner '''flexitarian''': noun, a vegetarian who occasionally eats meat. 31–41''}}</ref>
The 2010 version of ''Dietary Guidelines for Americans,'' a report issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services every five years states:
These diets may be followed by those who reduce animal flesh consumed as a way of transitioning to a complete vegetarian diet or for health, ethical, environmental, or other reasons. Semi-vegetarian diets include:
* [[Pescetarianism]], which includes fish and possibly other forms of seafood.
* [[Pollotarianism]], which includes chicken and possibly other poultry.


Semi-vegetarianism is contested by vegetarian groups, such as the [[Vegetarian Society]], which states that vegetarianism excludes all animal flesh.<ref name="Vegsoc.org, fish"/>
{{Quotation|In prospective studies of adults, compared to non-vegetarian eating patterns, vegetarian-style eating patterns have been associated with improved health outcomes—lower levels of obesity, a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, and lower total mortality. Several clinical trials have documented that vegetarian eating patterns lower blood pressure.


Consumption of eggs is not considered to be a part of a vegetarian diet in India, as egg is an animal product that gives birth to the next generation of the relevant species.
On average, vegetarians consume a lower proportion of calories from fat (particularly saturated fatty acids); fewer overall calories; and more fiber, potassium, and vitamin C than do non-vegetarians. Vegetarians generally have a lower body mass index. These characteristics and other lifestyle factors associated with a vegetarian diet may contribute to the positive health outcomes that have been identified among vegetarians.
<ref>[http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/Publications/DietaryGuidelines/2010/PolicyDoc/Chapter5.pdf DietaryGuidelines]. (PDF) . Retrieved on 2011-05-25.</ref>}}


== Health research ==
===Nutrition===
{{Quote box
{{Main|Vegetarian nutrition|vegan nutrition}}
|quote = On average, vegetarians consume a lower proportion of calories from fat (particularly saturated fatty acids), fewer overall calories, more fiber, potassium, and vitamin C, than do non-vegetarians. Vegetarians generally have a lower body mass index. These characteristics and other lifestyle factors associated with a vegetarian diet may contribute to the positive health outcomes that have been identified among vegetarians.
|source = ''Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010'' – A report issued by the [[U.S. Department of Agriculture]] and the [[U.S. Department of Health and Human Services]]<ref>{{cite report |chapter=Chapter 5: Building Healthy Eating Patterns |title=Dietary Guidelines for Americans |year=2010 |chapter-url=http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/Publications/DietaryGuidelines/2010/PolicyDoc/Chapter5.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203001728/http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/Publications/DietaryGuidelines/2010/PolicyDoc/Chapter5.pdf |archive-date=December 3, 2013 |url-status=dead |access-date=May 25, 2011}}</ref>
|width = 25%
}}
[[File:Countries (States and Subnational Regions) and Their Positions on Vegetarian Diets in Food-Based Dietary Guidelines.svg|thumb|[[Countries]]' positions on vegetarian diets within their food-based [[dietary guidelines]]:
{{legend|#019c00|Supporters}}
{{legend|#ffc502|Informers}}
{{legend|#ff8800|Uninformed}}
{{legend|#c11f1f|Critics}}
{{legend|#bababa|No guidelines}}
{{legend|#616161|Guideline not analysed}}]]
[[File:Acorn Soup (4827753894).jpg|thumb|upright|right|[[Acorn noodle soup]]]]
[[File:Fruit Stall in Barcelona Market.jpg|thumb|right|A fruit stall in [[Barcelona]]]]
[[File:Fruit Stall in Barcelona Market.jpg|thumb|right|A fruit stall in [[Barcelona]]]]


In Western countries, the most common motive for people practicing vegetarianism is health consciousness.<ref>{{cite news |title=Study reveals biggest motivation for people to consider turning vegetarian |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/health/health-is-the-biggest-motivation-for-people-to-consider-turning-vegetarian-study-6351364/ |access-date=March 26, 2021 |work=The Indian Express |date=April 7, 2020 |archive-date=April 30, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210430220616/https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/health/health-is-the-biggest-motivation-for-people-to-consider-turning-vegetarian-study-6351364/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Hopwood |first1=Christopher J. |last2=Bleidorn |first2=Wiebke |last3=Schwaba |first3=Ted |last4=Chen |first4=Sophia |date=2020-04-02 |title=Health, environmental, and animal rights motives for vegetarian eating |journal=PLOS ONE |language=en |volume=15 |issue=4 |pages=e0230609 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0230609 |issn=1932-6203 |pmc=7117663 |pmid=32240198 |bibcode=2020PLoSO..1530609H |doi-access=free }}</ref> The [[Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics]] has stated that at all stages of life, a properly planned vegetarian diet can be "healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may be beneficial in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases."<ref name="ada-09">{{cite journal |vauthors=Craig WJ, Mangels AR |title=Position of the American Dietetic Association: vegetarian diets |journal=Journal of the American Dietetic Association |volume=109 |issue=7 |pages=1266–82 |date=July 2009 |pmid=19562864 |doi=10.1016/j.jada.2009.05.027 |s2cid=7906168 |url=https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/pubs/1954 |access-date=May 23, 2021 |archive-date=April 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210419062508/https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/pubs/1954/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Vegetarian diets offer lower levels of [[saturated fat]], [[cholesterol]] and animal protein, and higher levels of carbohydrates, [[Dietary fiber|fibre]], [[magnesium]], [[potassium]], [[folate]], [[vitamin]]s [[vitamin C|C]] and [[vitamin E|E]], and [[phytochemical]]s.<ref name=ada-09/><ref name="pmid19321569">{{cite journal | vauthors = Fraser GE | title = Vegetarian diets: what do we know of their effects on common chronic diseases? | journal = The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition | volume = 89 | issue = 5 | pages = 1607S–1612S | year = 2009 | pmid = 19321569 | pmc = 2677008 | doi = 10.3945/ajcn.2009.26736K }}</ref>
Western vegetarian diets are typically high in [[carotenoid]]s, but relatively low in [[omega-3 fatty acid]]s and [[vitamin B12|vitamin B<sub>12</sub>]]. Vegans can have particularly low intake of [[vitamin B]] and [[calcium]] if they do not eat enough items such as [[collard greens]], [[leafy greens]], [[tempeh]] and [[tofu]] (soy). High levels of dietary fiber, [[folic acid]], vitamins C and E, and magnesium, and low consumption of saturated fat are all considered to be beneficial aspects of a vegetarian diet.<ref name=Key2006>{{Cite journal|title=Health effects of vegetarian and vegan diets|author=Timothy J Key, Paul N Appleby, Magdalena S Rosell|year=2006|journal=Proceedings of the Nutrition Society|pages=35–41|volume=65|doi=10.1079/PNS2005481|pmid=16441942|issue=1}}</ref><ref name=Davey>{{Cite journal|title=EPIC-Oxford: lifestyle characteristics and nutrient intakes in a cohort of 33 883 meat-eaters and 31 546 non meat-eaters in the UK|author=Davey GK, Spencer EA, Appleby PN, Allen NE, Knox KH, Key TJ|year=2003|journal=Public Health Nutrition |pages=259–69|volume=6|doi = 10.1079/PHN2002430|pmid=12740075|issue=3}}</ref>


====Protein====
=== Bones ===
Studies have shown that a (non-lacto) vegetarian diet may increase the risk of calcium deficiency and low [[bone mineral density]].<ref name="Li 2020">{{Cite journal|last1=Li|first1=Jianfeng |last2=Zhou|first2=Ruiyun|last3=Huang|first3=Wei|last4=Wang|first4=Jianjun |date=2020|title=Bone loss, low height, and low weight in different populations and district: a meta-analysis between vegans and non-vegans|pmid=33061885 |journal=Food and Nutrition Research|volume=64|doi=10.29219/fnr.v64.3315|issn=1654-661X|pmc=7534950}}</ref> A 2019 review found that vegetarians have lower bone mineral density at the [[femur|femoral neck]] and [[Lumbar vertebrae|lumbar spine]] compared to omnivores.<ref name="Iguacel 2019">{{cite journal |last1=Iguacel |first1=Isabel |last2=Miguel-Berges |first2=María L |last3=Gómez-Bruton |first3=Alejandro |last4=Moreno |first4=Luis A |last5=Julián |first5=Cristina |title=Veganism, vegetarianism, bone mineral density, and fracture risk: a systematic review and meta-analysis |journal=Nutrition Reviews |date=January 2019 |volume=77 |issue=1 |pages=1–18 |doi=10.1093/nutrit/nuy045 |pmid=30376075 |s2cid=53111636 |url=http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/84310 |doi-access=free |access-date=August 26, 2020 |archive-date=October 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201026160333/http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/84310 |url-status=live }}</ref> A 2020 meta-analysis found that infants fed a lacto-vegetarian diet exhibited normal growth and development.<ref name="Li 2020"/> A 2021 review found no differences in growth between vegetarian and meat-eating children.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Comité Nacional de Crecimiento y Desarrollo|date=August 2021|title=Growth in children and in the offspring whose mothers adhere to vegetarian diets: Literature review|journal=Archivos Argentinos de Pediatria|volume=119|issue=4|pages=S77–S106|doi=10.5546/aap.2021.S77|issn=1668-3501|pmid=34309323|s2cid=242376642 |doi-access=free}}</ref>
Protein intake in vegetarian diets is only slightly lower than in meat diets and can meet daily requirements for any person, including athletes and bodybuilders.<ref>{{Cite book| last = Peter Emery| first = Tom Sanders| title = Molecular Basis of Human Nutrition| publisher = Taylor & Francis Ltd|year=2002| page = 32| isbn = 978-0-7484-0753-8}}</ref> Studies at [[Harvard University]] as well as other studies conducted in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, [[New Zealand]] and various European countries,
confirmed vegetarian diets provide sufficient protein intake as long as a variety of plant sources are available and consumed.<ref>{{Cite book| last = Brenda Davis| first = Vesanto Melina| title = The New Becoming Vegetarian| publisher = Book Publishing Company|year=2003| pages = 57–58| isbn = 978-1-57067-144-9}}</ref> Proteins are composed of [[amino acid]]s, and a common concern with protein acquired from vegetable sources is an adequate intake of the [[essential amino acid]]s, which cannot be synthesised by the human body. While dairy and egg products provide complete sources for [[ovo-lacto vegetarian]]s, the only vegetable sources with significant amounts of all eight types of essential amino acids are [[lupin beans]], [[soy]],<ref name="SND-soybeans">{{cite web | url = http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/legumes-and-legume-products/4375/2 | title = Soybeans, mature seeds, raw | publisher = NutritionData.com | accessdate =August 28, 2012 }}</ref> [[hempseed]], [[chia seed]],<ref name="SND-chia">{{cite web | url = http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/nut-and-seed-products/3061/2 | title = Seeds, chia seeds, dried | publisher = NutritionData.com | accessdate =August 28, 2012 }}</ref> [[amaranth grain|amaranth]],<ref name="SND-amaranth">{{cite web | url = http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/cereal-grains-and-pasta/5676/2 | title = Amaranth, uncooked | publisher = NutritionData.com | accessdate =August 28, 2012 }}</ref> [[buckwheat]],<ref name="SND-buckwheat">{{cite web | url = http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/cereal-grains-and-pasta/5681/2 | title = Buckwheat | publisher = NutritionData.com | accessdate =August 28, 2012 }}</ref> and [[quinoa]].<ref name="SND-quinoa">{{cite web | url = http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/cereal-grains-and-pasta/10352/2 | title = Quinoa, cooked | publisher = NutritionData.com | accessdate =August 28, 2012 }}</ref> However, the essential amino acids can also be obtained by eating a variety of complementary plant sources that, in combination, provide all eight essential amino acids (e.g. [[brown rice]] and [[bean]]s, or [[hummus]] and whole wheat [[pita]], though [[protein combining]] in the same meal is not necessary). A 1994 study found a varied intake of such sources can be adequate.<ref name="young">{{Cite journal| author=VR Young and PL Pellett| title=Plant proteins in relation to human protein and amino acid nutrition| journal=Am. J. Clinical Nutrition| year=1994| issue=5 Suppl| pages=1203S–1212S| pmid=8172124 | volume=59}}</ref>


====Iron====
=== Diabetes ===
Vegetarian diets are under preliminary research for their potential to help people with [[type 2 diabetes]].<ref name=ada-09/><ref name=pap>{{cite journal |vauthors=Papamichou D, Panagiotakos DB, Itsiopoulos C |title=Dietary patterns and management of type 2 diabetes: A systematic review of randomised clinical trials |journal=Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis |volume=29 |issue=6 |pages=531–543 |date=June 2019 |pmid=30952576 |doi=10.1016/j.numecd.2019.02.004 |s2cid=86497236 |type=Systematic Review}}</ref><ref name="Vig">{{cite journal|display-authors=3 | last1=Viguiliouk | first1=Effie | last2=Kendall | first2=Cyril WC. | last3=Kahleová | first3=Hana | last4=Rahelić | first4=Dario | last5=Salas-Salvadó | first5=Jordi | last6=Choo | first6=Vivian L. | last7=Mejia | first7=Sonia Blanco | last8=Stewart | first8=Sarah E. | last9=Leiter | first9=Lawrence A. | last10=Jenkins | first10=David JA. | last11=Sievenpiper | first11=John L. | title=Effect of vegetarian dietary patterns on cardiometabolic risk factors in diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials | journal=Clinical Nutrition | volume=38 | issue=3 | year=2019 | issn=0261-5614 | pmid=29960809 | doi=10.1016/j.clnu.2018.05.032 | pages=1133–1145| s2cid=49649078 }}</ref>
Vegetarian diets typically contain similar levels of iron to non-vegetarian diets, but this has lower bioavailability than iron from meat sources, and its absorption can sometimes be inhibited by other dietary constituents.{{citation needed|date=October 2011}} Vegetarian foods rich in iron include [[black turtle bean|black beans]], [[cashew]]s, [[hempseed]], [[kidney bean]]s, [[broccoli]], [[lentil]]s, [[oatmeal]], [[raisin]]s, [[spinach]], [[cabbage]], lettuce, [[black-eyed pea]]s, [[soybean]]s, many [[breakfast cereal]]s, [[sunflower seed]]s, [[chickpea]]s, [[tomato juice]], [[tempeh]], [[molasses]], [[thyme]], and [[whole-wheat bread]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://goveg.com/essential_nutrients.asp#iron |title=// Health Issues // Optimal Vegan Nutrition |publisher=Goveg.com |accessdate=August 9, 2009}}</ref> The related vegan diets can often be higher in iron than vegetarian diets, because dairy products are low in iron.<ref name=Davey/> Iron stores often tend to be lower in vegetarians than non-vegetarians, and a few small studies report very high rates of iron deficiency (up to 40%,<ref>{{Cite journal|title=Dietary Iron Intake and Iron Status of German Female Vegans: Results of the German Vegan Study|author=Annika Waldmann, Jochen W. Koschizke, Claus Leitzmann, Andreas Hahn|year=2004|journal=Ann Nutr Metab|pages=103–108|volume=48|doi=10.1159/000077045|pmid=14988640|issue=2}}</ref> and 58%<ref>{{Cite journal|title=Influence of vegetarian and mixed nutrition on selected haematological and biochemical parameters in children|author=Krajcovicova-Kudlackova M, Simoncic R, Bederova A, Grancicova E, Magalova T|year=1997|journal=Nahrung|pages=311–14|volume=41|doi=10.1002/food.19970410513|pmid=9399258}}</ref> of the respective vegetarian or vegan groups). However, the [[American Dietetic Association]] states that iron deficiency is no more common in vegetarians than non-vegetarians (adult males are rarely iron deficient); iron deficiency [[anaemia]] is rare no matter the diet.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Craig|first1=WJ|last2=Mangels|first2=AR|last3=American Dietetic|first3=Association|title=Position of the American Dietetic Association: vegetarian diets.|journal=Journal of the American Dietetic Association|volume=109|issue=7|pages=1266–82|year=2009|pmid=19562864|doi=10.1016/j.jada.2009.05.027}}</ref>


===Cardiovascular system ===
====Vitamin B<sub>12</sub>====
Meta-analyses have reported a reduced risk of death from [[ischemic heart disease]] and from [[cerebrovascular disease]] among vegetarians.<ref name=nutsoc>{{cite journal | last1=Zampelas | first1=Antonis | last2=Magriplis | first2=Emmanuella | title=Dietary patterns and risk of cardiovascular diseases: a review of the evidence | journal=The Proceedings of the Nutrition Society | volume=79 | issue=1 | date=2019-06-28 | issn=0029-6651 | pmid=31250769 | doi=10.1017/s0029665119000946 | pages=68–75| s2cid=195757764 | doi-access=free }}</ref>
Plants are not sources of [[vitamin B12|vitamin B<sub>12</sub>]]. According to the United States [[National Institutes of Health]], natural food sources of vitamin B<sub>12</sub> are limited to foods that come from animals.<ref name="ODS_B12">{{cite web|url=http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitaminb12.asp |title=Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Vitamin B<sub>12</sub> |accessdate=November 13, 2009 |publisher=National Institutes of Health: Office of Dietary Supplements }}</ref> Lacto-ovo vegetarians can obtain B<sub>12</sub> from dairy products and eggs, and vegans can obtain it from fortified foods (including some soy products and some breakfast cereals) and dietary supplements.<ref>[http://www.mext.go.jp/b_menu/shingi/gijyutu/gijyutu3/toushin/05031802/002/009.pdf ALGAE] from ''[http://www.mext.go.jp/b_menu/shingi/gijyutu/gijyutu3/toushin/05031802.htm STANDARD TABLES OF FOOD COMPOSITION IN JAPAN Fifth Revised and Enlarged Edition 2005]''</ref><ref>''[http://ci.nii.ac.jp/naid/110004688287/en/ Vegans (pure vegetarians) and vitamin B_12 deficiency]''</ref><ref name='Vegan Society B12 factsheet'>{{cite web| title=What Every Vegan Should Know About Vitamin B12|url=http://www.vegansociety.com/lifestyle/nutrition/b12.aspx|publisher=Vegan Society|date=October 31, 2001|accessdate=October 27, 2010}}</ref><ref name="donaldson">{{Cite journal|title=Metabolic vitamin B12 status on a mostly raw vegan diet with follow-up using tablets, nutritional yeast, or probiotic supplements|last=Donaldson|first=MS |publisher=Ann Nutr Metab. |year=2000|volume=44|pages=229–234}}</ref> Vitamin B<sub>12</sub> can also be obtained from [[yeast]] extract products<ref>[http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Diet/Pages/Vitaminsandminerals.aspx Diet – Vitamins and minerals]. Nhs.uk (March 14, 2011). Retrieved on May 25, 2011.</ref> and Crimini mushrooms.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2486/2 | title = Mushrooms, shiitake, cooked, without salt| accessdate =August 2012}}</ref> The research on vitamin B<sub>12</sub> sources has increased in recent years.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.unu.edu/unupress/food/8F052e/8F052E05.htm |title = Ch05 |accessdate =June 23, 2008}}</ref>


===Mental health===
The recommended dietary allowance of B<sub>12</sub> in the United States is, per day, 0.4 mcg (0–6 months), rising to 1.8 mcg (9–13 years), 2.4 mcg (14+ years), and 2.8 mcg (lactating female).<ref name="ODS_B12"/> The body can preserve stores of B<sub>12</sub> for up to 30 years,<ref name="moz">{{Cite news| last= Mozafar| first= A.|year= 1997| title= Is there vitamin B<sub>12</sub> in plants or not? A plant nutritionist's view| periodical= Vegetarian Nutrition: an International Journal| issue= 1/2| pages= 50–52}}</ref> and reuses the vitamin without destroying the substance. Clinical evidence has shown a deficiency of B<sub>12</sub> in vegans and, to lesser degree, vegetarians.<ref name=hermann /><ref>{{Cite journal|title=Vitamin B-12 status, particularly holotranscobalamin II and methylmalonic acid concentrations, and hyperhomocysteinemia in vegetarians|author=Herrmann W, Schorr H, Obeid R, Geisel J|year=2003|journal=Am J Clin Nutr|pages=131–6|volume=78|pmid=12816782|issue=1}}"Vegan subjects and, to a lesser degree, subjects in the LV-LOV group had metabolic features indicating vitamin B-12 deficiency that led to a substantial increase in total homocysteine concentrations."</ref>
Reviews of vegan and vegetarian diets showed a possible association with [[depression (mood)|depression]] and [[anxiety]], particularly among people under 26 years old.<ref name="iguacel">{{cite journal |last1=Iguacel |first1=Isabel |last2=Huybrechts |first2=Inge |last3=Moreno |first3=Luis A. |last4=Michels |first4=Nathalie |title=Vegetarianism and veganism compared with mental health and cognitive outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis |journal=Nutrition Reviews| date=June 1, 2020 |volume=79 |issue=4 |pages=361–381 |issn=0029-6643 |doi=10.1093/nutrit/nuaa030 |pmid=32483598|hdl=1854/LU-8680862 |hdl-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Ocklenburg|first1=Sebastian |last2=Borawski|first2=Jette|date=2021-11-01|title=Vegetarian diet and depression scores: A meta-analysis |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165032721007771|journal=Journal of Affective Disorders|volume=294|pages=813–815|doi=10.1016/j.jad.2021.07.098|pmid=34375207|issn=0165-0327}}</ref> Another review found no significant associations between a vegetarian diet and depression or anxiety.<ref>{{cite journal |author1=Askari, Mohammadreza |author2=Daneshzad, Elnaz |author3=Mofrad, Manije Darooghegi |author4=Bellissimo, Nick |author5=Suitor, Katherine |author6=Azadbakht, Leila|year=2020|title=Vegetarian diet and the risk of depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies|journal=Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition|volume=4|issue=1|pages=261–271|doi=10.1080/10408398.2020.1814991|pmid=32885996|s2cid=221497075}}</ref>


====Fatty acids====
===Eating disorders===
The [[American Dietetic Association]] discussed that vegetarian diets may be more common among adolescents with [[eating disorder]]s, indicating that vegetarian diets do not cause eating disorders, but rather "vegetarian diets may be selected to camouflage an existing eating disorder".<ref name="adajournal"><!-- The URL in this citation is problematic, as it is updated every year or so, but it provides the most recent full text whereas a link to the ADA journal site does not. -->{{cite journal |vauthors=Craig WJ, Mangels AR |title=Position of the American Dietetic Association: vegetarian diets |journal=Journal of the American Dietetic Association |volume=109 |issue=7 |pages=1266–1282 |year=2009 |pmid=19562864 |doi=10.1016/j.jada.2009.05.027 |s2cid=7906168 |url=https://www.andeal.org/vault/2440/web/JADA_VEG.pdf |access-date=November 6, 2018 |archive-date=February 6, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200206001616/https://www.andeal.org/vault/2440/web/JADA_VEG.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>
Plant-based, or vegetarian, sources of [[Omega 3]] fatty acids include [[soy]], [[walnut]]s, pumpkin seeds, [[canola oil]], [[kiwifruit]], [[hempseed]], [[algae]], [[chia seed]], [[flaxseed]], echium seed and [[leafy vegetables]] such as lettuce, [[spinach]], [[cabbage]] and [[portulaca oleracea|purslane]]. Purslane contains more Omega 3 than any other known leafy green. [[Olives]] (and [[olive oil]]) are another important plant source of unsaturated fatty acids. Plant foods can provide [[alpha-linolenic acid]] which the human body uses to synthesize the long-chain n-3 fatty acids [[Eicosapentaenoic acid|EPA]] and [[Docosahexaenoic acid|DHA]]. EPA and DHA can be obtained directly in high amounts from oily fish or fish oils. Vegetarians, and particularly vegans, have lower levels of EPA and DHA than meat-eaters. While the health effects of low levels of EPA and DHA are unknown, it is unlikely that supplementation with alpha-linolenic acid will significantly increase levels.<ref>{{Cite journal|title=Long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in plasma in British meat-eating, vegetarian, and vegan men|author=Rosell MS, Lloyd-Wright Z, Appleby PN, Sanders TA, Allen NE, Key TJ|year=2003|journal=Am J Clin Nutr|pages=327–34|volume=82|pmid=16087975|issue=2}}</ref>{{Clarify|date=May 2011}} Recently, some companies have begun to market vegetarian DHA supplements containing seaweed extracts. Similar supplements providing both DHA and EPA have also begun to appear.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.water4.net/|title = Water4life: health-giving vegetarian dietary supplements|accessdate =May 17, 2008}}</ref> Whole seaweeds are not suitable for supplementation because their high iodine content limits the amount that may be safely consumed. However, certain [[algae]] such as [[spirulina (dietary supplement)|spirulina]] are good sources of [[gamma-linolenic acid]] (GLA), [[alpha-linolenic acid]] (ALA), [[linoleic acid]] (LA), [[stearidonic acid]] (SDA), [[eicosapentaenoic acid]] (EPA), [[docosahexaenoic acid]] (DHA), and [[arachidonic acid]] (AA).<ref name="uzbek">{{cite journal|last1=Babadzhanov|first1=A. S.|last2=Abdusamatova|first2=N.|last3=Yusupova|first3=F. M.|last4=Faizullaeva|first4=N.|last5=Mezhlumyan|first5=L. G.|last6=Malikova|first6=M. Kh.|title=Chemical Composition of Spirulina platensis Cultivated in Uzbekistan|journal=Chemistry of Natural Compounds|volume=40|page=276|year=2004|doi=10.1023/B:CONC.0000039141.98247.e8}}</ref><ref name="biomass">{{cite journal|last1=Toku�oglu|first1=O.|last2=Uunal|first2=M.K.|title=Biomass Nutrient Profiles of Three Microalgae: Spirulina platensis, Chlorella vulgaris, and Isochrisis galbana|journal=Journal of Food Science|volume=68|page=1144|year=2003|doi=10.1111/j.1365-2621.2003.tb09615.x}}</ref>


====Calcium====
===Mortality risk===
A 2012 study found a reduced risk in [[Mortality rate|all-cause mortality]] in vegetarians.<ref>{{Cite journal|display-authors=3| last1=Huang|first1=Tao|last2=Yang|first2=Bin|last3=Zheng|first3=Jusheng|last4=Li|first4=Guipu|last5=Wahlqvist|first5=Mark L.|last6=Li|first6=Duo|date=2012|title=Cardiovascular disease mortality and cancer incidence in vegetarians: a meta-analysis and systematic review|journal=Annals of Nutrition & Metabolism |volume=60|issue=4|pages=233–240 |doi=10.1159/000337301|issn=1421-9697|pmid=22677895|s2cid=3671512|doi-access=free}}</ref> A 2017 review found a lower mortality (−25%) from ischemic heart disease.<ref name="Dinu">{{cite journal | last1=Dinu | first1=Monica | last2=Abbate | first2=Rosanna | last3=Gensini | first3=Gian Franco | last4=Casini | first4=Alessandro | last5=Sofi | first5=Francesco | title=Vegetarian, vegan diets and multiple health outcomes: A systematic review with meta-analysis of observational studies | journal=Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition| volume=57 | issue=17 | date=June 13, 2017 | issn=1040-8398 | doi=10.1080/10408398.2016.1138447 | pages=3640–3649|pmid=26853923| hdl=2158/1079985 | s2cid=10073754 | hdl-access=free }}</ref>
[[Calcium]] intake in vegetarians is similar to non-vegetarians. Some impaired bone mineralisation has been found among vegans who do not consume enough leafy greens, which are sources of abundant calcium.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/calcium.html |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20070825133156/http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/calcium.html |archivedate=August 25, 2007 |title=Calcium and Milk: Nutrition Source, Harvard School of Public Health |publisher=Web.archive.org |date=August 25, 2007 |accessdate=August 9, 2009}}</ref> However, this is not found in lacto-ovo vegetarians.<ref>{{Cite journal|title=Comparative fracture risk in vegetarians and non-vegetarians in EPIC-Oxford|author=P Appleby, A Roddam, N Allen, T Key|year=2007|pmid=17299475|journal=European Journal of Clinical Nutrition|doi=10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602659|volume=61|issue=12|page=1400}}</ref> Some significant sources of calcium include [[broccoli]], [[beans]], [[peas]], [[lentils]], [[cabbage]], lettuce, [[collard greens]], [[bok choy]], [[kale]], and [[turnip greens]].<ref>vrg.org</ref> [[Spinach]], [[swiss chard]] and [[beet greens]] are high in calcium, but the calcium is bound to oxalate and therefore it is poorly absorbed.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vegansociety.com/food/nutrition/calcium.php|title=Vegan Sources of Calcium|accessdate=November 1, 2009}}</ref>


==Diet composition and nutrition==
====Vitamin D====
{{Main|Vegetarian nutrition|vegan nutrition}}
Vitamin D needs can be met via the human body's own generation upon sufficient and sensible exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light in sunlight. {{Citation needed|date=September 2011}} Products including milk, [[soy milk]] and [[cereal grain]]s may be [[Food fortification|fortified]] to provide a source of Vitamin D<ref>{{cite web|url=http://dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov/factsheets/vitamind.asp|title=Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Vitamin D|publisher=National Institutes of Health|accessdate=September 10, 2007|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/5Rl5u0LB5 |archivedate=September 10, 2007}}</ref> For those who do not get adequate sun exposure and/or food sources, Vitamin D supplementation may be necessary.
Western vegetarian diets are typically high in [[carotenoid]]s, but relatively low in [[omega-3 fatty acid]]s and [[vitamin B12|vitamin B<sub>12</sub>]].<ref name=Key2006>{{cite journal |vauthors=Key TJ, Appleby PN, Rosell MS | title = Health effects of vegetarian and vegan diets | journal = Proceedings of the Nutrition Society | volume = 65 | issue = 1 | pages = 35–41 | year = 2006 | pmid = 16441942 | doi = 10.1079/PNS2005481 | citeseerx = 10.1.1.486.6411 | s2cid = 3796770 }}</ref> Vegans can have particularly low intake of [[vitamin B]] and [[calcium]] if they do not eat enough items such as [[collard greens]], [[Leaf vegetable|leafy greens]], [[tempeh]] and [[tofu]] (soy).<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Craig|first=W. J.|date=2009|title=Health effects of vegan diets|journal=American Journal of Clinical Nutrition|volume=89 | issue = 5 |pages=1627S–33S|doi=10.3945/ajcn.2009.26736n|pmid=19279075|doi-access=free}}</ref> High levels of dietary fiber, [[folic acid]], vitamins C and E, and magnesium, and low consumption of saturated fat are all considered to be beneficial aspects of a vegetarian diet.<ref name=Davey>{{cite journal |vauthors=Davey GK, Spencer EA, Appleby PN, Allen NE, Knox KH, Key TJ | title = EPIC-Oxford: lifestyle characteristics and nutrient intakes in a cohort of 33 883 meat-eaters and 31 546 non meat-eaters in the UK | journal = Public Health Nutrition | volume = 6 | issue = 3 | pages = 259–69 | year = 2003 | pmid = 12740075 | doi = 10.1079/PHN2002430 | doi-access = free }}</ref> A well planned vegetarian diet will provide all nutrients in a meat-eater's diet to the same level for all stages of life.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Vegetarian_and_vegan_eating |title=Vegetarian and vegan eating &#124; Better Health Channel |publisher=Betterhealth.vic.gov.au |access-date=March 31, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402113541/http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Vegetarian_and_vegan_eating |archive-date=April 2, 2015 }}</ref>


====Vitamin D<sub>2</sub>====
===Protein===
Protein intake in vegetarian diets tends to be lower than in meat diets but can meet the daily requirements for most people.<ref>{{Cite book| last = Peter Emery| first = Tom Sanders| title = Molecular Basis of Human Nutrition| publisher = Taylor & Francis Ltd|year=2002| page = 32| isbn = 978-0-7484-0753-8}}</ref> Studies at [[Harvard University]] as well as other studies conducted in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, [[New Zealand]], and various European countries, confirmed that vegetarian diets provide sufficient protein intake as long as a variety of plant sources are available and consumed.<ref>{{Cite book| last = Brenda Davis| first = Vesanto Melina| title = The New Becoming Vegetarian| publisher = Book Publishing Company|year=2003| pages = 57–58| isbn = 978-1-57067-144-9}}</ref>
{{Main|Vitamin D}}


===Iron===
* Plantae
Vegetarian diets typically contain similar levels of iron to non-vegetarian diets, but this has lower [[bioavailability]] than iron from meat sources, and its absorption can sometimes be inhibited by other dietary constituents.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vegsoc.org/page.aspx?pid=782 |title=Vegetarian Society - Factsheet - Iron |publisher=Vegsoc.org |date=September 22, 2014 |access-date=March 31, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130429230632/http://www.vegsoc.org/page.aspx?pid=782 |archive-date=April 29, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> According to the Vegetarian Resource Group, consuming food that contains vitamin C, such as citrus fruit or juices, tomatoes, or broccoli, is a good way to increase the amount of iron absorbed at a meal.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vrg.org/nutshell/nutshell.htm#iron |title=Vegetarianism in a Nutshell |publisher=Vrg.org |access-date=March 31, 2015 |archive-date=June 26, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150626122237/http://www.vrg.org/nutshell/nutshell.htm#iron |url-status=live }}</ref> Vegetarian foods rich in iron include [[black turtle bean|black beans]], [[cashew]]s, [[hempseed]], [[kidney bean]]s, [[broccoli]], [[lentil]]s, [[oatmeal]], [[raisin]]s, [[jaggery]], [[spinach]], [[cabbage]], lettuce, [[black-eyed pea]]s, [[soybean]]s, many [[breakfast cereal]]s, [[sunflower seed]]s, [[chickpea]]s, [[tomato juice]], [[tempeh]], [[molasses]], [[thyme]], and [[whole-wheat bread]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://goveg.com/essential_nutrients.asp#iron |title=// Health Issues // Optimal Vegan Nutrition |publisher=Goveg.com |access-date=August 9, 2009 |archive-date=April 4, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090404064615/http://www.goveg.com/essential_nutrients.asp#iron |url-status=live }}</ref>{{Failed verification|date=January 2023}} The related vegan diets can often be higher in iron than vegetarian diets, because dairy products are low in iron.<ref name=Davey/> Iron stores often tend to be lower in vegetarians than non-vegetarians, and a few small studies report very high rates of iron deficiency (up to 40%,<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Waldmann A, Koschizke JW, Leitzmann C, Hahn A | title = Dietary Iron Intake and Iron Status of German Female Vegans: Results of the German Vegan Study | journal = Ann Nutr Metab | volume = 48 | issue = 2 | pages = 103–108 | year = 2004 | pmid = 14988640 | doi = 10.1159/000077045 | s2cid = 21370991 | url = http://www.repo.uni-hannover.de/handle/123456789/2754 | access-date = September 3, 2018 | archive-date = November 16, 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181116213523/https://www.repo.uni-hannover.de/handle/123456789/2754 | url-status = live }}</ref> and 58%<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Krajcovicová-Kudlácková M, Simoncic R, Béderová A, Grancicová E, Magálová T | title = Influence of vegetarian and mixed nutrition on selected haematological and biochemical parameters in children | journal = Nahrung | volume = 41 | issue = 5 | pages = 311–14 | year = 1997 | pmid = 9399258 | doi = 10.1002/food.19970410513 }}</ref> of the respective vegetarian or vegan groups). However, the [[American Dietetic Association]] states that iron deficiency is no more common in vegetarians than non-vegetarians (adult males are rarely iron deficient); iron deficiency [[Anemia|anaemia]] is rare no matter the diet.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Craig WJ, Mangels AR | title = Position of the American Dietetic Association: vegetarian diets | journal = Journal of the American Dietetic Association | volume = 109 | issue = 7 | pages = 1266–82 | year = 2009 | pmid = 19562864 | doi = 10.1016/j.jada.2009.05.027 | s2cid = 7906168 | url = https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/pubs/1954 | access-date = May 23, 2021 | archive-date = April 19, 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210419062508/https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/pubs/1954/ | url-status = live }}</ref>
** [[Alfalfa]] (Medicago sativa subsp. sativa), shoot: 4.8 mcg (192 IU) vitamin D<sub>2</sub>, 0.1 mcg (4 IU) vitamin D<sub>3</sub><ref>{{cite web|url=http://sun.ars-grin.gov:8080/npgspub/xsql/duke/plantdisp.xsql?taxon=606 |title=Dr. Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases}}</ref>
* Fungus, from USDA nutrient database:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/index.html |title=USDA nutrient database – ''use the keyword 'portabella' and then click submit''}}</ref>
** Mushrooms, portabella, exposed to ultraviolet light, raw: Vitamin D (D<sub>2</sub> + D<sub>3</sub>): 11.2 mcg (446 IU)
** Mushrooms, portabella, exposed to ultraviolet light, grilled: Vitamin D (D<sub>2</sub> + D<sub>3</sub>): 13.1 mcg (524 IU)
** Mushrooms, shiitake, dried: Vitamin D (D<sub>2</sub> + D<sub>3</sub>): 3.9 mcg (154 IU)
** Mushrooms, shiitake, raw: Vitamin D (D<sub>2</sub> + D<sub>3</sub>): 0.4 mcg (18 IU)
** Mushrooms, portabella, raw: Vitamin D (D<sub>2</sub> + D<sub>3</sub>): 0.3 mcg (10 IU)


===Vitamin B<sub>12</sub>===
Vitamin D<sub>2</sub>, or [[ergocalciferol]] is found in fungus (except [[alfalfa]] which is a [[plantae]]) and created from [[viosterol]], which in turn is created when ultraviolet light activates [[ergosterol]] (which is found in fungi and named as a [[sterol]] from [[ergot]]). Any [[Ultraviolet light|UV]]-irradiated fungus including [[yeast]] form vitamin D<sub>2</sub>.<ref name=Bowerman>{{cite news|url=http://articles.latimes.com/2008/mar/31/health/he-eat31 |title=If mushrooms see the light |work=Los Angeles Times |date=March 31, 2008 |accessdate=March 25, 2010|first=Susan|last=Bowerman}}</ref> Human bioavailability of vitamin D<sub>2</sub> from vitamin D<sub>2</sub>-enhanced button mushrooms via UV-B irradiation is effective in improving vitamin D status and not different to a vitamin D<sub>2</sub> supplement according to study.<ref>http://www.nature.com/ejcn/journal/v65/n8/full/ejcn201153a.html</ref> For example, Vitamin D<sub>2</sub> from UV-irradiated yeast baked into bread is bioavailable.<ref>{{cite web|author=USA |url=http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21332187 |title=Bioavailability and efficacy of vitamin D2... [J Agric Food Chem. 2011&#93; – PubMed – NCBI |publisher=Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov |date=May 24, 2012 |accessdate=September 12, 2012}}</ref>
[[Vitamin B12|Vitamin B<sub>12</sub>]] is not generally present in plants but is naturally found in foods of animal origin.<ref name="lpi">{{cite web|date=June 4, 2015|title=Vitamin B12|publisher=Micronutrient Information Center, Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR|url=https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/vitamins/vitamin-B12|access-date=April 30, 2019|archive-date=November 17, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211117190259/https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/vitamins/vitamin-B12|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="ODS_B12">{{cite web |url=http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitaminb12.asp |title=Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Vitamin B<sub>12</sub> |access-date=November 13, 2009 |publisher=US National Institutes of Health: Office of Dietary Supplements |archive-date=November 25, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091125222656/http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitaminB12.asp |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Lacto-ovo vegetarianism|Lacto-ovo vegetarians]] can obtain B<sub>12</sub> from [[dairy product]]s and eggs, and vegans can obtain it from manufactured [[Food fortification|fortified food]]s (including [[plant-based diet|plant-based]] products and [[breakfast cereal]]s) and dietary supplements.<ref name=lpi/><ref name="Vegan Society B12 factsheet">{{cite web|title=What Every Vegan Should Know About Vitamin B12|publisher=Vegan Society|date=October 31, 2001|url=http://www.vegansociety.com/lifestyle/nutrition/b12.aspx|access-date=October 27, 2010|archive-date=December 20, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101220140454/http://www.vegansociety.com/lifestyle/nutrition/b12.aspx|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/vitamin-b/ |title=Vitamins and minerals - B vitamins and folic acid |publisher=UK National Health Service |date=March 3, 2017 |access-date=April 30, 2019 |archive-date=January 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210121090421/https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/vitamin-b/ |url-status=live }}</ref> A strict vegan diet avoiding consumption of all animal products risks vitamin B<sub>12</sub> deficiency, which can lead to [[hyperhomocysteinemia]], a risk factor for several health disorders, including [[anemia]], [[neurological deficit]]s, [[gastrointestinal]] problems, [[platelet]] disorders, and increased risk for [[cardiovascular diseases]].<ref name=lpi/><ref name="Obersby">{{cite journal|last1=Obersby|first1=Derek|last2=Chappell|first2=David C.|last3=Dunnett|first3=Andrew|last4=Tsiami|first4=Amalia A.|date=January 8, 2013|title=Plasma total homocysteine status of vegetarians compared with omnivores: a systematic review and meta-analysis|journal=British Journal of Nutrition|volume=109|issue=5|pages=785–794|doi=10.1017/s000711451200520x|issn=0007-1145|pmid=23298782|doi-access=free|url=https://repository.uwl.ac.uk/id/eprint/928/1/Plasma%20total%20homocysteine%20status%20of%20vegetarians%20compared%20with%20omnivores.pdf|access-date=March 18, 2020|archive-date=October 25, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201025103512/https://repository.uwl.ac.uk/id/eprint/928/1/Plasma%20total%20homocysteine%20status%20of%20vegetarians%20compared%20with%20omnivores.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Dietary Reference Intake|recommended daily dietary intake]] of B<sub>12</sub> in the United States and Canada is 0.4 [[microgram|mcg]] (ages 0–6 months), rising to 1.8 mcg (9–13 years), 2.4 mcg (14+ years), and 2.8 mcg (lactating female).<ref name="ODS_B12"/> While the body's daily requirement for vitamin B<sub>12</sub> is in [[microgram]] amounts, deficiency of the vitamin through strict practice of a vegetarian diet without supplementation can increase the risk of several chronic diseases.<ref name=lpi/><ref name=Obersby/><ref name="ODS_B12"/>
By visual assessment or using a chromometer, no significant discoloration of irradiated mushrooms, as measured by the degree of "whiteness", was observed<ref>{{cite journal |pmid=19281276 |year=2009|last1=Koyyalamudi |first1=SR |last2=Jeong |first2=SC |last3=Song |first3=CH |last4=Cho |first4=KY |last5=Pang |first5=G |title=Vitamin D<sub>2</sub> formation and bioavailability from Agaricus bisporus button mushrooms treated with ultraviolet irradiation |volume=57 |issue=8 |pages=3351–5|doi=10.1021/jf803908q |journal=J Agric Food Chem}}</ref> making it hard to discover if they have been treated without labeling. Claims have been made that a normal serving (approx. 3 oz or 1/2 cup, or 60 grams) of mushrooms treated with ultraviolet light increase their vitamin D content to levels up to 80 micrograms,<ref>{{cite web|author=Using Fresh Mushrooms as a Source of Vitamin D |url=http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/healthy-eating/using-fresh-mushrooms-as-a-source-of-vitamin-d.html |title=Using Fresh Mushrooms as a Source of Vitamin D / Nutrition / Healthy Eating |publisher=Fitday.com |accessdate=September 12, 2012}}</ref> or 2700 IU if exposed to just 5 minutes of UV light after being harvested.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Bringing Mushrooms Out of the Dark |date=April 18, 2006 |url =http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12370708|work =MSNBC|accessdate =August 6, 2007}}</ref>


===Longevity===
===Fatty acids===
Plant-based, or vegetarian, sources of [[Omega 3]] fatty acids include [[soy]], [[walnut]]s, pumpkin seeds, [[canola oil]], [[kiwifruit]], [[hempseed]], [[algae]], [[chia seed]], [[flaxseed]], echium seed and [[Leaf vegetable|leafy vegetables]] such as lettuce, [[spinach]], [[cabbage]] and [[portulaca oleracea|purslane]]. Purslane contains more Omega 3 than any other known leafy green. [[Olive]]s (and [[olive oil]]) are another important plant source of unsaturated fatty acids. Plant foods can provide [[alpha-linolenic acid]] which the human body uses to synthesize the long-chain n-3 fatty acids [[Eicosapentaenoic acid|EPA]] and [[Docosahexaenoic acid|DHA]]. EPA and DHA can be obtained directly in high amounts from oily fish, fish oil, or algae oil. Vegetarians, and particularly vegans, have lower levels of EPA and DHA than meat-eaters. While the health effects of low levels of EPA and DHA are unknown, it is unlikely that supplementation with alpha-linolenic acid will significantly increase levels.<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Rosell MS, Lloyd-Wright Z, Appleby PN, Sanders TA, Allen NE, Key TJ | title = Long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in plasma in British meat-eating, vegetarian, and vegan men | journal = Am J Clin Nutr | volume = 82 | issue = 2 | pages = 327–34 | year = 2003 | pmid = 16087975 | doi = 10.1093/ajcn.82.2.327 | doi-access = free }}</ref>{{Clarify|date=May 2011}}. Significantly, for vegetarians, certain [[algae]] such as [[spirulina (dietary supplement)|spirulina]] are good sources of [[gamma-linolenic acid]] (GLA), [[alpha-linolenic acid]] (ALA), [[linoleic acid]] (LA), [[stearidonic acid]] (SDA), [[eicosapentaenoic acid]] (EPA), [[docosahexaenoic acid]] (DHA), and [[arachidonic acid]] (AA).<ref name="uzbek">{{cite journal |author1=Babadzhanov A |author2=Abdusamatova N |author3=Yusupova F |author4=Faizullaeva N |author5=Mezhlumyan LG |author6=Malikova MKh | title = Chemical Composition of Spirulina platensis Cultivated in Uzbekistan | journal = Chemistry of Natural Compounds | volume = 40 | issue = 3 | pages = 276–279 | year = 2004 | doi = 10.1023/B:CONC.0000039141.98247.e8|bibcode=2004CNatC..40..276B |s2cid=23130198 }}</ref><ref name="biomass">{{cite journal |vauthors=Tokuşoglu Ö, Uunal MK | title = Biomass Nutrient Profiles of Three Microalgae: Spirulina platensis, Chlorella vulgaris, and Isochrisis galena | journal=Journal of Food Science | volume = 68 | issue = 4 | pages = 1144–1148 | year = 2003 | doi = 10.1111/j.1365-2621.2003.tb09615.x }}</ref>
A 1999 [[Meta-analysis|metastudy]] combined data from five studies from western countries.<ref name="AJCN metastudy">{{Cite journal|title= Mortality in vegetarians and non-vegetarians: detailed findings from a collaborative analysis of 5 prospective studies|journal= American Journal of Clinical Nutrition|volume= 70|issue=3|pages=516S–524S|date = September 1999|url=http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/full/70/3/516S|accessdate=October 30, 2009|author= Timothy J Key, Gary E Fraser, Margaret Thorogood, Paul N Appleby, Valerie Beral, Gillian Reeves, Michael L Burr, Jenny Chang-Claude, Rainer Frentzel-Beyme, Jan W Kuzma, Jim Mann and Klim McPherson |pmid= 10479225}}</ref> The metastudy reported [[mortality ratio]]s, where lower numbers indicated fewer deaths, for fish eaters to be 0.82, vegetarians to be 0.84, occasional meat eaters (eat meat less than once per week) to be 0.84. Regular meat eaters and [[veganism|vegans]] shared the highest mortality ratio of 1.00. The study reported the numbers of deaths in each category, and expected error ranges for each ratio, and adjustments made to the data. However, the "lower mortality was due largely to the relatively low prevalence of smoking in these [vegetarian] cohorts". Out of the major causes of death studied, only one difference in mortality rate was attributed to the difference in diet, as the conclusion states: "...vegetarians had a 24% lower mortality from [[ischaemic heart disease]] than non-vegetarians, but no associations of a vegetarian diet with other major causes of death were established."<ref name="AJCN metastudy"/>


===Calcium===
In ''Mortality in British vegetarians'',<ref name="AJCN British study">{{cite journal|last1=Key|first1=TJ|last2=Appleby|first2=PN|last3=Davey|first3=GK|last4=Allen|first4=NE|last5=Spencer|first5=EA|last6=Travis|first6=RC|title=Mortality in British vegetarians: review and preliminary results from EPIC-Oxford.|journal=The American journal of clinical nutrition|volume=78|issue=3 Suppl|pages=533S–538S|year=2003|pmid=12936946}}</ref> a similar conclusion is drawn: "British vegetarians have low mortality compared with the general population. Their death rates are similar to those of comparable non-vegetarians, suggesting that much of this benefit may be attributed to non-dietary lifestyle factors such as a low prevalence of smoking and a generally high socio-economic status, or to aspects of the diet other than the avoidance of meat and fish."<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Appleby|first1=PN|last2=Key|first2=TJ|last3=Thorogood|first3=M|last4=Burr|first4=ML|last5=Mann|first5=J|title=Mortality in British vegetarians.|journal=Public health nutrition|volume=5|issue=1|pages=29–36|year=2002|pmid=12001975|doi=10.1079/PHN2001248}}</ref>
[[Calcium]] intake in vegetarians and vegans can be similar to non-vegetarians, as long as the diet is properly planned.<ref name="Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics">{{cite web|title=Meeting Calcium Recommendations on a Vegan Diet|url=http://vegetariannutrition.net/docs/Calcium-Vegetarian-Nutrition.pdf|publisher=Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics|access-date=April 29, 2014|archive-date=April 29, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140429045652/http://vegetariannutrition.net/docs/Calcium-Vegetarian-Nutrition.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> Lacto-ovo vegetarians that include dairy products can still obtain calcium from dairy sources like milk, yogurt, and cheese.<ref name="Calcium Fact Sheet">{{cite web|title=Calcium Fact Sheet|url=http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Calcium-HealthProfessional|access-date=April 29, 2014|archive-date=April 29, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140429075612/http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Calcium-HealthProfessional/|url-status=live}}</ref>


Non-dairy milks that are fortified with calcium, such as soymilk and [[almond milk]] can also contribute a significant amount of calcium in the diet.<ref name="Mangels">{{cite web|last=Mangels|first=Reed|title=Calcium in the Vegan Diet|url=http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/calcium.php|access-date=April 29, 2014|archive-date=May 30, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140530003649/http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/calcium.php|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Broccoli]], [[Chinese cabbage|bok choy]], and [[kale]] have also been found to have calcium that is well absorbed in the body.<ref name="Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics"/><ref name="Calcium Fact Sheet"/><ref name="Overview of Calcium">{{cite report|author=((Institute of Medicine (US) Committee to Review Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin D and Calcium))|veditors=Ross AC, Taylor CL, Yaktine AL, et al.|title=Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium and Vitamin D|series=Vol. 2, Overview of Calcium|place=Washington, DC|publisher=National Academies Press|year=2011|url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK56060/?report=reader|access-date=April 29, 2014|archive-date=September 4, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904031151/http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK56060/?report=reader|url-status=live}}</ref> Though the calcium content per serving is lower in these vegetables than a glass of milk, the absorption of the calcium into the body is higher.<ref name="Calcium Fact Sheet"/><ref name="Overview of Calcium"/> Other foods that contain calcium include calcium-set tofu, blackstrap molasses, [[Turnip|turnip greens]], mustard greens, soybeans, tempeh, almonds, okra, dried figs, and [[tahini]].<ref name="Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics"/><ref name="Mangels"/> Though calcium can be found in [[Spinach]], [[swiss chard]], [[bean]]s and [[Beet|beet greens]], they are generally not considered to be a good source since the calcium binds to oxalic acid and is poorly absorbed into the body.<ref name="Calcium Fact Sheet"/> Phytic acid found in nuts, seeds, and beans may also impact calcium absorption rates.<ref name="Calcium Fact Sheet"/> See the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements for calcium needs for various ages,<ref name="Calcium Fact Sheet"/> the Vegetarian Resource Group<ref name="Mangels"/> and the Vegetarian Nutrition Calcium Fact Sheet from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics<ref name="Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics"/> for more specifics on how to obtain adequate calcium intake on a vegetarian or vegan diet.
The Adventist Health Study is an ongoing study of life expectancy in [[Seventh-day Adventists]]. This is the only study among others with similar methodology which had favourable indication for vegetarianism. The researchers found that a combination of different lifestyle choices could influence life expectancy by as much as 10 years. Among the lifestyle choices investigated, a vegetarian diet was estimated to confer an extra 1–1/2 to 2 years of life. The researchers concluded that "the life expectancies of California Adventist men and women are higher than those of any other well-described natural population" at 78.5 years for men and 82.3 years for women. The [[life expectancy]] of California Adventists surviving to age 30 was 83.3 years for men and 85.7 years for women.<ref>Loma Linda University Adventist Health Sciences Center, ''[http://www.llu.edu/pages/news/today/july2601/llu.html New Adventist Health Study research noted in Archives of Internal Medicine]'', Loma Linda University, July 26, 2001. Retrieved January 9, 2010.</ref>


===Vitamin D===
The Adventist health study is again incorporated into a metastudy titled "Does low meat consumption increase life expectancy in humans?" published in ''American Journal of Clinical Nutrition'', which concluded that low meat eating (less than once per week) and other lifestyle choices significantly increase life expectancy, relative to a group with high meat intake. The study concluded that "The findings from one cohort of healthy adults raises the possibility that long-term (≥ 2 decades) adherence to a vegetarian diet can further produce a significant 3.6-y increase in life expectancy." However, the study also concluded that "Some of the variation in the survival advantage in vegetarians may have been due to marked differences between studies in adjustment for confounders, the definition of vegetarian, measurement error, age distribution, the healthy volunteer effect, and intake of specific plant foods by the vegetarians." It further states that "This raises the possibility that a low-meat, high plant-food dietary pattern may be the true causal protective factor rather than simply elimination of meat from the diet." In a recent review of studies relating low-meat diet patterns to all-cause mortality, Singh noted that "5 out of 5 studies indicated that adults who followed a low meat, high plant-food diet pattern experienced significant or marginally significant decreases in mortality risk relative to other patterns of intake."<ref>{{cite journal|last=Singh|first=PN|coauthors=Sabaté J, Fraser GE|title=Does low meat consumption increase life expectancy in humans|journal=Am J Clin Nutr|year=2003|volume=78|issue=3|pages=526S-532S|pmid=12936945|url=http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/78/3/526S.long|accessdate=28 September 2012}}</ref>
{{Further|Vitamin D}}
Vitamin D needs can be met via the human body's own generation upon sufficient and sensible exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light in sunlight.<ref>{{cite web|title=Vitamin D is Synthesized From Cholesterol and Found in Cholesterol-Rich Foods|url=http://www.cholesterol-and-health.com/Vitamin-D.html|publisher=Cholesterol and Health|access-date=February 10, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160817204329/http://www.cholesterol-and-health.com/Vitamin-D.html|archive-date=August 17, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Crissey SD, Ange KD, Jacobsen KL, Slifka KA, Bowen PE, Stacewicz-Sapuntzakis M, Langman CB, Sadler W, Kahn S, Ward A | title = Serum concentrations of lipids, vitamin D metabolites, retinol, retinyl esters, tocopherols and selected carotenoids in twelve captive wild felid species at four zoos | journal = The Journal of Nutrition | volume = 133 | issue = 1 | pages = 160–6 | year = 2003 | pmid = 12514284 | doi = 10.1093/jn/133.1.160 | doi-access = free }}</ref> Products including milk, [[soy milk]] and [[cereal grain]]s may be [[Food fortification|fortified]] to provide a source of vitamin D.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov/factsheets/vitamind.asp|title=Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Vitamin D|publisher=National Institutes of Health|access-date=September 10, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070716065832/http://dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov/factsheets/vitamind.asp |url-status=dead|archive-date=July 16, 2007}}</ref> For those who do not get adequate sun exposure or food sources, vitamin D supplementation may be necessary.


====Vitamin D<sub>2</sub>====
Statistical studies, such as comparing [[life expectancy]] with regional areas and local diets in Europe also have found life expectancy considerably greater in southern France, where a low meat, high plant [[Mediterranean diet]] is common, than northern France, where a diet with high meat content is more common.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Trichopoulou|first1=A.|last2=Orfanos|first2=P|last3=Norat|first3=T|last4=Bueno-De-Mesquita|first4=B|last5=Ock�|first5=MC|last6=Peeters|first6=PH|last7=Van Der Schouw|first7=YT|last8=Boeing|first8=H|last9=Hoffmann|first9=K|title=Modified Mediterranean diet and survival: EPIC-elderly prospective cohort study|journal=BMJ|volume=330|issue=7498|page=991|year=2005|pmid=15820966|pmc=557144|doi=10.1136/bmj.38415.644155.8F|laysummary=http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/04/050425111008.htm}}</ref>
* [[Plants]]
** [[Alfalfa]] (''Medicago sativa subsp. sativa''), shoot: 4.8 μg (192 IU) vitamin D<sub>2</sub>, 0.1 μg (4 IU) vitamin D<sub>3</sub><ref>{{cite web|url=http://sun.ars-grin.gov:8080/npgspub/xsql/duke/plantdisp.xsql?taxon=606|title=Dr. Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases|publisher=Sun.ars-grin.gov|access-date=March 31, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016051622/http://sun.ars-grin.gov:8080/npgspub/xsql/duke/plantdisp.xsql?taxon=606|archive-date=October 16, 2015}}</ref>
* [[Fungus]], from USDA nutrient database,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/index.html |title=USDA nutrient database&nbsp;– ''use the keyword 'portabella' and then click submit'' |access-date=March 9, 2012 |archive-date=February 22, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150222164135/http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/index.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> per 100 g:
** Mushrooms, portabella, exposed to [[ultraviolet light]], raw: Vitamin D<sub>2</sub>: 11.2 μg (446 IU)
** Mushrooms, portabella, exposed to ultraviolet light, grilled: Vitamin D<sub>2</sub>: 13.1 μg (524 IU)
** Mushrooms, shiitake, dried: Vitamin D<sub>2</sub>: 3.9 μg (154 IU)
** Mushrooms, shiitake, raw: Vitamin D<sub>2</sub>: 0.4 μg (18 IU)
** Mushrooms, portabella, raw: Vitamin D<sub>2</sub>: 0.3 μg (10 IU)
** Mushroom powder, any species, illuminated with sunlight or artificial ultraviolet light sources


Vitamin D<sub>2</sub>, or [[ergocalciferol]] is found in fungus (except [[alfalfa]] which is a [[plantae]]) and created from [[viosterol]], which in turn is created when ultraviolet light activates [[ergosterol]] (which is found in fungi and named as a [[sterol]] from [[ergot]]). Any [[Ultraviolet light|UV]]-irradiated fungus including [[yeast]] form vitamin D<sub>2</sub>.<ref name=Bowerman>{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-mar-31-he-eat31-story.html |title=If mushrooms see the light |work=Los Angeles Times |date=March 31, 2008 |access-date=March 25, 2010 |first=Susan |last=Bowerman |archive-date=September 4, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110904135924/http://articles.latimes.com/2008/mar/31/health/he-eat31 |url-status=live }}</ref> Human bioavailability of vitamin D<sub>2</sub> from vitamin D<sub>2</sub>-enhanced button mushrooms via UV-B irradiation is effective in improving vitamin D status and not different from a vitamin D<sub>2</sub> supplement according to study.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Bioavailability of vitamin D2 from UV-B-irradiated button mushrooms in healthy adults deficient in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D: a randomized controlled trial|journal=European Journal of Clinical Nutrition|date=May 4, 2011|author1=P Urbain|author2=F Singler|author3=G Ihorst|author4=H-K Biesalski|author5=H Bertz|issue=8|pages= 965–971|doi= 10.1038/ejcn.2011.53|volume=65|pmid=21540874|doi-access=free}}</ref> For example, vitamin D<sub>2</sub> from UV-irradiated yeast baked into bread is bioavailable.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Bioavailability and Efficacy of Vitamin D 2 from UV-Irradiated Yeast in Growing, Vitamin D-Deficient Rats |date=May 24, 2012 |pmid=21332187 |doi=10.1021/jf104679c |volume=59 |issue=6 |pmc=3235799 |vauthors=Hohman EE, Martin BR, Lachcik PJ, Gordon DT, Fleet JC, Weaver CM |journal=J. Agric. Food Chem. |pages=2341–6}}</ref>
A study by the Institute of Preventive and Clinical Medicine, and Institute of Physiological Chemistry looked at a group of 19 vegetarians (lacto-ovo) and used as a comparison a group of 19 omnivorous subjects recruited from the same region. The study found that this group of vegetarians (lacto-ovo) have a significantly higher amount of plasma [[carboxymethyllysine]] and [[advanced glycation endproducts]] (AGEs) compared to this group of non-vegetarians.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.biomed.cas.cz/physiolres/2002/issue3/krajcovic.htm|work = PHYSIOLOGY RESEARCH|title = Advanced Glycation End Products and Nutrition|accessdate =April 11, 2008}}</ref> Carboxymethyllysine is a [[glycation]] product which represents "a general marker of oxidative stress and long-term damage of proteins in aging, atherosclerosis and diabetes." "Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) may play an important adverse role in process of atherosclerosis, diabetes, aging and chronic renal failure."{{cn|date=September 2012}}
By visual assessment or using a chromometer, no significant discoloration of irradiated mushrooms, as measured by the degree of "whiteness", was observed<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Koyyalamudi SR, Jeong SC, Song CH, Cho KY, Pang G | title = Vitamin D<sub>2</sub> formation and bioavailability from Agaricus bisporus button mushrooms treated with ultraviolet irradiation | journal = Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry | volume = 57 | issue = 8 | pages = 3351–5 | year = 2009 | pmid = 19281276 | doi = 10.1021/jf803908q }}</ref> making it hard to discover if they have been treated without labeling. Claims have been made that a normal serving (approx. 3 oz or 1/2 cup, or 60 grams) of mushrooms treated with ultraviolet light increase their vitamin D content to levels up to 80 micrograms,<ref>{{cite web |author=Using Fresh Mushrooms as a Source of Vitamin D |url=http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/healthy-eating/using-fresh-mushrooms-as-a-source-of-vitamin-d.html |title=Using Fresh Mushrooms as a Source of Vitamin D / Nutrition / Healthy Eating |publisher=Fitday.com |access-date=September 12, 2012 |archive-date=September 23, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120923065357/http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/healthy-eating/using-fresh-mushrooms-as-a-source-of-vitamin-d.html |url-status=live }}</ref> or 2700 IU if exposed to just 5 minutes of UV light after being harvested.<ref>{{Cite news|title =Bringing Mushrooms Out of the Dark|date =April 18, 2006|url =http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12370708|work =MSNBC|access-date =August 6, 2007|archive-date =November 1, 2007|archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20071101072649/http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12370708|url-status =dead}}</ref>


===Food safety===
===Choline===
{{Main|Choline}}
E.&nbsp;coli contamination in food has been linked to industrial-scale meat and dairy farms.<ref>{{Cite news
[[Choline]] is a nutrient that helps transfer signals between nerve cells and is involved in liver function. It is highest in dairy foods and meat but it is possible to be obtained through a vegan diet.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Parkinson|first=Caroline|date=August 30, 2019|title=The brain nutrient vegans need to know about|website=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/health-49509504|access-date=April 27, 2020|archive-date=May 21, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200521124416/https://www.bbc.com/news/health-49509504|url-status=live}}</ref>
|last = Sander
|first = Libby
|title = Source of Deadly ''E.&nbsp;Coli'' Is Found
|work=New York Times
|date=October 13, 2006
|url = http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/13/us/13spinach.html
|accessdate =October 13, 2006}}</ref> ''E.&nbsp;coli'' infections in the US during 2006 that were traced to spinach and onions were later determined to have been caused by a neighbouring cattle and wild pig farm whose feces had contaminated the water supply.<ref>{{Cite news| title = E.&nbsp;Coli Outbreak|publisher = NBC News |date=September 15, 2006|url = http://www.kpvi.com/index.cfm?page=nbcstories.cfm&ID=3034|accessdate =December 13, 2006 |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20070314141005/http://www.kpvi.com/index.cfm?page=nbcstories.cfm&ID=3034 |archivedate = March 14, 2007}}</ref><ref>[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16081340/ Taco Bell removes green onions after outbreak]{{Dead link|date=October 2009}} Dec 6, 2006 [[MSNBC]]</ref><ref>[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17755937/ Source of Tainted Spinach Finally Pinpointed]. MSNBC (March 23, 2007). Retrieved on May 25, 2011.</ref>

Transmission of pathogenic ''E. coli'' often occurs via [[fecal-oral route|fecal-oral transmission]].<ref name=Evans>{{cite web|url=http://www.gsbs.utmb.edu/microbook/ch025.htm |title=Escherichia Coli |accessdate=December 2, 2007 |last=Evans Jr. |first=Doyle J. |coauthors=Dolores G. Evans |work=Medical Microbiology, 4th edition |publisher=The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20071102062813/http://www.gsbs.utmb.edu/microbook/ch025.htm |archivedate = November 2, 2007}}</ref><ref name=haccp>{{cite web|url=http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/hret2-a3.html |title=Retail Establishments; Annex 3 – Hazard Analysis |accessdate=December 2, 2007 |month=April|year=2006 |work=Managing Food Safety: A Manual for the Voluntary Use of HACCP Principles for Operators of Food Service and Retail Establishments |publisher=U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Food and Drug Administration Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20070607221204/http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/hret2-a3.html |archivedate = June 7, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|doi=10.2307/4594788|last=Gehlbach |first=S.H. |coauthors=J.N. MacCormack, B.M. Drake, W.V. Thompson |year=1973 |title=Spread of disease by fecal-oral route in day nurseries |journal=Health Service Reports |volume=88 |issue=4 |pages=320–322 |pmid=4574421 |pmc=1616047 |jstor=4594788}}</ref> Common routes of transmission include unhygienic food preparation<ref name=haccp/> and farm contamination.<ref name=spinach>{{Cite news|author=Sabin Russell |title=Spinach E. coli linked to cattle; Manure on pasture had same strain as bacteria in outbreak |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/10/13/MNG71LOT711.DTL |work=San Francisco Chronicle |date= October 13, 2006 |accessdate=December 2, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|author=Heaton JC, Jones K |title=Microbial contamination of fruit and vegetables and the behaviour of enteropathogens in the phyllosphere: a review |journal=J. Appl. Microbiol. |volume=104 |issue=3 |pages=613–26 |year=2008 |pmid=17927745 |doi=10.1111/j.1365-2672.2007.03587.x}}</ref><ref name=DeGregori>{{cite web|author=Thomas R. DeGregori |date=August 17, 2007|url= http://www.cgfi.org/cgficommentary/maddening-media-misinformation-on-biotech-and-industrial-agriculture-part-5-of-5 |title=CGFI: Maddening Media Misinformation on Biotech and Industrial Agriculture |accessdate=December 8, 2007}}</ref> Dairy and beef cattle are primary reservoirs of the ''E. coli'' strain ''O157:H7'',<ref name=bach/> and they can carry it asymptomatically and shed it in their feces.<ref name=bach>{{Cite journal|last=Bach |first=S.J. |coauthors=T.A. McAllister, D.M. Veira, V.P.J. Gannon, and R.A. Holley |year=2002 |title=Transmission and control of ''Escherichia coli'' O157:H7 |journal=Canadian Journal of Animal Science |volume=82 |pages=475–490 |url=http://pubs.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/aic-journals/2002ab/cjas02/dec02/cjas02-021.html |doi=10.4141/A02-021}}</ref> Food products associated with ''E. coli'' outbreaks include raw ground beef,<ref>{{Cite book|last=Institute of Medicine of the National Academies |title=''Escherichia coli'' O157:H7 in Ground Beef: Review of a Draft Risk Assessment |url=http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=10528 |year=2002 |publisher=The National Academies Press |location=Washington, D.C. |isbn=0-309-08627-2}}</ref> raw seed sprouts or spinach,<ref name=spinach/> raw milk, unpasteurized juice, and foods contaminated by infected food workers via fecal-oral route.<ref name=haccp/> In 2005, some people who had consumed triple-washed, pre-packaged lettuce were infected with ''E.&nbsp;coli''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/news/ng.asp?n=63793-fda-lettuce-e-coli |title=FDA targets lettuce industry with '&#39;E. coli'&#39; guidance |publisher=Foodnavigator-usa.com |accessdate=August 9, 2009}}</ref> In 2007, packaged lettuce salads were recalled after they were found to be contaminated with ''E.&nbsp;coli''.<ref>[http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5ijrQVRjYGHS3Jwc71VEnaViGXmdw Dole Lettuce Recalled in U.S., Canada By Lisa Leff]{{Dead link|date=October 2009}} [[Associated Press]]</ref> ''E.&nbsp;coli'' outbreaks have been traced to unpasteurised apples,<ref>[http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/pubs/press/cider_safety.html Apple Cider & E.&nbsp;coli] Food Safety Update Retrieved July 26, 2007</ref> orange juice, milk, alfalfa sprouts,<ref>[http://medicalreporter.health.org/tmr0799/sprouts.html Raw Sprouts pose Salmonella and E.&nbsp;coli 0157 risk, says FDA] Medical Reporter Retrieved July 26, 2007</ref> and water.<ref>{{cite web|author=health &amp; fitness |url=http://health.msn.com/dietfitness/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100136394&wa=wsignin1.0 |title='&#39;E. coli'&#39;: Dangers of eating raw or undercooked foods |publisher=Health.msn.com |accessdate=August 9, 2009}}</ref>

Outbreaks of [[salmonella]] have been traced to peanut butter, frozen pot pies & puffed vegetable snacks.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/04/10/health/webmd/main4007944.shtml|title=CDC: U.S. Food Safety Hasn't Improved|publisher=CBS News|date=April 11, 2008}}</ref>
[[Bovine spongiform encephalopathy]] (BSE), also known as mad cow disease, is linked by the [[World Health Organization]] to [[Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease]] in humans.<ref>WHO 2002 [http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs180/en/ "Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease"], Fact sheet N°180</ref>

There have been reports of fears of [[foot-and-mouth disease]] in sheep, [[Polychlorinated biphenyl|PCBs]] in farmed salmon, [[mercury toxicity|mercury]] in fish, [[polychlorinated dibenzodioxins|dioxin]] concentrations in animal products, artificial [[growth hormone]]s, [[antibiotic]]s, lead and mercury,<ref>{{Cite book| last = Graham Farrell and John E. Orchard|first = Peter Golob| title = Crop Post-Harvest: Science and Technology: Principles and Practice: v. 1| publisher = Blackwell Science Ltd|year=2002| page = 29| isbn = 978-0-632-05723-8}}</ref> pesticide contamination of vegetables and fruits, banned chemicals being used to ripen fruits.<ref>Consumers Union of United States Inc., ''[http://www.consumersunion.org/pdf/Do_You_Know.pdf Do You Know What You're Eating? – an analysis of U.S. government data on pesticide residues in foods]'', February 1999. Retrieved January 9, 2010.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20070013183 |title = NDTV.com: Artificial ripeners used for mangoes |accessdate =June 23, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/05/16/stories/2005051600881500.htm |title = The Hindu Business Line : Something is rotten in fruit trade |accessdate =June 23, 2008}}</ref>

===Medical use===
In [[Western medicine]], patients are sometimes advised to adhere to a vegetarian diet.<ref name="diag">{{Cite book| last = L M Tierney, S J McPhee
| first = M A Papadakis|title = Current medical Diagnosis & Treatment. International edition|publisher = Lange Medical Books/McGraw-Hill |year=2002
| location = New York|isbn = 0-07-137688-7}}</ref>
Vegetarian diets have been used as a treatment for [[rheumatoid arthritis]], but the evidence is inconclusive whether this is effective.<ref>{{Cite journal|author=Hagen KB, Byfuglien MG, Falzon L, Olsen SU, Smedslund G |title=Dietary interventions for rheumatoid arthritis |journal=Cochrane Database Syst Rev |issue=1 |pages=CD006400 |year=2009 |pmid=19160281 |doi=10.1002/14651858.CD006400.pub2}}</ref>
Certain [[alternative medicine]]s, such as [[Ayurveda]] and [[Siddha Medicine|Siddha]], prescribe a vegetarian diet as a normal procedure. [[Maya Tiwari]] notes that [[Ayurveda]] recommends small portions of meat for some people, though "the rules of hunting and killing the animal, practiced by the native peoples, were very specific and detailed". Now that such methods of hunting and killing are not observed, she does not recommend the use of "any animal meat as food, not even for the Vata types".<ref name="ayur">Maya Tiwari. ''Ayurveda: A Life of Balance'' Healing Arts Press. Rochester, VT. 1995.</ref>

===Physiology===
Humans are [[omnivorous]], capable of consuming a wide variety of plant and animal material.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Haenel H |title=Phylogenesis and nutrition |journal=Nahrung |volume=33 |issue=9 |pages=867–87 |year=1989 |pmid=2697806}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|editor=Peter S. Ungar|year=2007|author=Cordain, Loren|title=Evolution of the human diet: the known, the unknown and the unknowable|chapter=Implications of Plio-pleistocene diets for modern humans|quote="Since the evolutionary split between hominins and [[pongids]] approximately 7 million years ago, the available evidence shows that all species of hominins ate an omnivorous diet composed of minimally processed, wild-plant, and animal foods.|pages=264–5}}</ref> Nutritional experts believe that early [[hominid]]s evolved into eating meat as a result of huge climatic changes that took place three to four million years ago, when forests and jungles dried up and became open grasslands and opened hunting and scavenging opportunities.<ref name="milton">Milton, Katharine, "A hypothesis to explain the role of meat-eating in human evolution",Evolutionary Anthropology: Issues, News, and Reviews Volume 8, Issue 1, 1999, Pages: 11–21</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/dimensions/dimensions_health/Transcripts/s792589.htm |title=ABC |publisher=ABC |date=February 25, 2003 |accessdate=August 9, 2009}}</ref>

===Animal-to-human disease transmissions===
The consumption of meat can cause a transmission of a number of diseases from animals to humans.<ref name="hill">{{Cite book|title= The case for vegetarianism |last= Hill |first= John Lawrence |year= 1996 |publisher= Rowman & Littlefield |isbn= 0-8476-8138-6 |page= 89 |url= http://books.google.com/?id=W-XR1T-pXFwC&printsec=frontcover |accessdate=April 26, 2009}}</ref> The connection between infected animal and human illness is well established in the case of [[salmonella]]; an estimated one-third to one-half of all chicken meat marketed in the United States is contaminated with salmonella.<ref name="hill" /> Only recently, however, have scientists begun to suspect that there is a similar connection between animal meat and human cancer, birth defects, mutations, and many other diseases in humans.<ref name="hill" /><ref name="aflatoxins">{{Cite book|title= Health Protection Branch Issues |last= "Aflatoxins" |year= 1990 |publisher= Health Canada, May |location= Ottawa, Ontario |pages= 2–3 |accessdate=April 26, 2009}}</ref> The rate of disease among chickens is so high that the Department of Labor has ranked the poultry industry as one of the most hazardous occupations.<ref name="hill" /> 20% of all cows are afflicted with a variety of cancer known as [[bovine leukemia virus]] (BLV).<ref name="hill" /> Studies have increasingly linked BLV with [[HTLV-1]], the first human retrovirus discovered to cause cancer.<ref name="hill" /> Scientists have found that a [[bovine immunodeficiency virus]] (BIV), the equivalent of the AIDS virus in cows, can also infect human cells.<ref name="hill" /> It is supposed that BIV may have a role in the development of a number of malignant or slow viruses in humans.<ref name="hill" />{{Clarify|date=May 2011}}

The proximity of animals in industrial-scale animal farming leads to an increased rate of disease transmission.<ref>
{{cite web
| publisher = The Humane Farming Association
| title = Factory Farming
| url = http://www.hfa.org/factory/index.html
| date = October 2010
}}</ref>

<blockquote>[[Transmission and infection of H5N1|Transmission]] of animal influenza viruses to humans has been documented, but illness from such cases is rare compared to that caused by the now common human-adapted older influenza viruses,<ref name="brown">{{Cite book|title= Emerging diseases of animals |last= Brown |first= Corrie |year= 2000 |publisher= ASM Press |isbn= 1-55581-201-5 |pages= 116–117 |url= http://books.google.com/?id=yKgsMbsxtfEC&printsec=frontcover |accessdate= April 26, 2009}}</ref> transferred from animals to humans in the more distant past.{{#tag:ref|Sometimes a virus contains both avian adapted genes and human adapted genes. Both the [[H2N2]] and [[H3N2]] pandemic strains contained avian flu virus [[RNA]] segments. "While the pandemic human influenza viruses of 1957 (H2N2) and 1968 (H3N2) clearly arose through reassortment between human and avian viruses, the influenza virus causing the '[[Spanish flu]]' in 1918 appears to be entirely derived from an avian source (Belshe 2005)."<ref>Timm C. Harder and Ortrud Werner, ''[http://www.influenzareport.com/ir/ai.htm Avian Influenza]'', ''Influenza Report 2006'', 2006: Chapter two.</ref> |group="nb"}}<ref>{{Cite journal|author=Taubenberger JK, Reid AH, Lourens RM, Wang R, Jin G, Fanning TG |title=Characterization of the 1918 influenza virus polymerase genes |journal=Nature |volume=437 |issue=7060 |pages=889–93 |year=2005 |pmid=16208372 |doi=10.1038/nature04230}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|author=Antonovics J, Hood ME, Baker CH |title=Molecular virology: was the 1918 flu avian in origin? |journal=Nature |volume=440 |issue=7088 |pages=E9; discussion E9–10 |year=2006 |pmid=16641950 |doi=10.1038/nature04824}}</ref><ref name="pmid18353690">{{Cite journal| author = Vana G, Westover KM| title = Origin of the 1918 Spanish influenza virus: a comparative genomic analysis| journal = Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution| volume = 47| issue = 3| pages = 1100–10| year = 2008| pmid = 18353690| doi = 10.1016/j.ympev.2008.02.003}}</ref> The first documented case was in 1959, and in 1998, 18 new human cases of [[H5N1]] influenza were diagnosed, in which six people died. In 1997 more cases of H5N1 avian influenza were found in chickens in Hong Kong.<ref name="brown"/></blockquote>

Whether [[tuberculosis]] originated in cattle and was then transferred to humans, or diverged from a common ancestor infecting a different species, is currently unclear.<ref name=Pearce-Duvet_2006>{{Cite journal|author=Pearce-Duvet J |title=The origin of human pathogens: evaluating the role of agriculture and domestic animals in the evolution of human disease |journal=Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc |volume=81 |issue=3 |pages=369–82 |year=2006|pmid = 16672105 |doi=10.1017/S1464793106007020}}</ref> The strongest evidence for a domestic-animal origin exists for [[measles]] and [[pertussis]], although the data do not exclude a non-domestic origin.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Pearce-Duvet|first1=Jessica M. C.|title=The origin of human pathogens: evaluating the role of agriculture and domestic animals in the evolution of human disease|journal=Biological Reviews|volume=81|issue=3|pages=369–82|year=2006|pmid=16672105|doi=10.1017/S1464793106007020}}</ref>

According to the 'Hunter Theory', the "simplest and most plausible explanation for the cross-species transmission" the AIDS virus was transmitted from a chimpanzee to a human when a bushmeat hunter was bitten or cut while hunting or butchering an animal.<ref name=Sharp2001>{{Cite journal|author=Sharp PM, Bailes E, Chaudhuri RR, Rodenburg CM, Santiago MO, Hahn BH|title=The origins of acquired immune deficiency syndrome viruses: where and when?| journal=Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci|year=2001|pages=867–76|volume=356|issue=1410|url=http://journals.royalsociety.org/content/lxtlqmn9urgcvb7x/fulltext.pdf|doi=10.1098/rstb.2001.0863|pmid=11405934|pmc=1088480}}</ref>

Historian [[Norman Cantor]] suggests the [[Black Death]] might have been a combination of pandemics including a form of [[anthrax]], a cattle [[murrain]]. He cites many forms of evidence including the fact that meat from infected cattle was known to have been sold in many rural English areas prior to the onset of the plague.<ref>{{Cite book|title= In the Wake of the Plague: The Black Death and the World It Made |last= Cantor |first= Norman |year= 2001 |publisher= Free Press |isbn= 0-684-85735-9}}</ref>

===Eating disorders===
The American Dietetic Association indicates that vegetarian diets may be more common among adolescents with eating disorders but that the evidence suggests that the adoption of a vegetarian diet does not lead to eating disorders, rather that "vegetarian diets may be selected to camouflage an existing eating disorder".<ref name="adajournal"><!-- The URL in this citation is problematic as it is updated every year or so, but it provides the most recent fulltext whereas a link to the adajournal site does not. -->{{Cite journal|title=Position of the American Dietetic Association: vegetarian diets. |journal=J Am Diet Assoc |volume=109 |issue=7 |pages=1266–1282 |year=2009 |pmid=19562864 |doi=10.1016/j.jada.2009.05.027 |url=http://www.eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg/ada/hs.xsl/advocacy_933_ENU_HTML.htm |last1=Craig |first1=WJ |last2=Mangels |first2=AR |last3=American Dietetic |first3=Association}}</ref> Other studies and statements by dietitians and counselors support this conclusion.{{#tag:ref|Vesanto Melina, a [[British Columbia]]n registered dietitian and author of ''Becoming Vegetarian'', stresses there is no cause and effect relationship between vegetarianism and eating disorders, although people who have eating disorders may label themselves as vegetarians "so that they won't have to eat."<ref>Katherine Dedyna, ''[http://www.compulsiveeating.com/news/16-healthy-lifestyle-or-politically-correct-eating-disorder Healthy lifestyle, or politically correct eating disorder?]'', ''Victoria Times Colonist'', CanWest MediaWorks Publications Inc., January 30, 2004. Retrieved January 10, 2010.</ref>
Indeed, research indicates that the large majority of vegetarian or vegan anorexics and bulimics chose their diets after the onset of their disease. The "restricted" eating patterns of vegetarianism and veganism can legitimize the removal of numerous high-fat, energy-dense foods such as meat, eggs, cheese. However, the eating pattern chosen by those with anorexia or bulimia nervosa is far more restrictive than a healthful vegetarian diet, eliminating nuts, seeds, avocados, and limiting overall caloric intake.|group="nb"}}<ref name="veganorexianervosa">{{Cite journal| author=O'Connor MA, Touyz SW, Dunn SM, Beumont PJ|title=Vegetarianism in anorexia nervosa? A review of 116 consecutive cases|journal=Med J Aust|year=1987|pages=540–2|volume=147|issue=11–12|pmid=3696039 |quote=In only four (6.3%) of these did meat avoidance predate the onset of their anorexia nervosa.}}</ref>


==Ethics and diet==
==Ethics and diet==

===General===
{{Main|Ethics of eating meat}}
{{Main|Ethics of eating meat}}
With regard to the ethics of eating meat, scholars consider vegetarianism an [[ideology]] and a [[social movement]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Gorvett|first=Zaria|title=The hidden biases that drive anti-vegan hatred|url=https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200203-the-hidden-biases-that-drive-anti-vegan-hatred|access-date=September 26, 2020|website=www.bbc.com|archive-date=February 9, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200209122636/https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200203-the-hidden-biases-that-drive-anti-vegan-hatred|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Review of Adam D. Shprintzen's "The Vegetarian Crusade" |website=History News Network |date=November 11, 2013 |url=http://historynewsnetwork.org/article/153600 |access-date=September 26, 2020 |archive-date=January 22, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210122035734/http://historynewsnetwork.org/article/153600 |url-status=live }}</ref> Ethical reasons for choosing vegetarianism vary and are usually predicated on the interests of [[non-human animals]]. In many societies, controversies and debates have arisen over the ethics of eating animals. Some people, while not vegetarians, refuse to eat the flesh of certain animals due to cultural [[taboo]], such as cats, dogs, horses or rabbits. Others support meat eating for scientific, nutritional and cultural reasons, including religious ones. Some meat eaters abstain from the meat of animals reared in particular ways, such as [[factory farms]], or avoid certain meats, such as [[veal]] or [[foie gras]]. Some people follow vegetarian or [[Veganism|vegan]] diets not because of moral concerns involving the raising or consumption of animals in general, but because of concerns about the specific treatment and practices involved in the processing of animals for food. Others still avoid meat out of concern that meat production places a greater burden on the environment than production of an equivalent amount of plant [[protein]].<ref>Searchinger, T.D., Wirsenius, S., Beringer, T. et al. Assessing the efficiency of changes in land use for mitigating climate change. Nature 564, 249–253 (2018). {{doi|10.1038/s41586-018-0757-z}}</ref> Ethical objections based on consideration for animals are generally divided into opposition to the act of killing in general, and opposition to certain [[Intensive farming|agricultural practices]] surrounding the [[animal husbandry|production]] of meat.

Various ethical reasons have been suggested for choosing vegetarianism, usually predicated on the interests of non-human animals.

In many societies, controversy and debate have arisen over the ethics of eating animals. Some people, while not vegetarians, refuse to eat the flesh of certain animals due to cultural [[taboo]], such as cats, dogs, horses, or rabbits. Others support meat eating for scientific, nutritional and cultural reasons, including religious ones. Some meat eaters abstain from the meat of animals reared in particular ways, such as [[factory farms]], or avoid certain meats, such as [[veal]] or [[foie gras]]. Some people follow vegetarian or [[vegan]] diets not because of moral concerns involving the raising or consumption of animals in general, but because of concerns about the specific treatment and practises involved in the raising and slaughter of animals, i.e. [[factory farming]] and the industrialisation of [[animal slaughter]]. Others still avoid meat because meat production is claimed to place a greater burden on the environment than production of an equivalent amount of plant [[protein]].

Ethical objections based on consideration for animals are generally divided into opposition to the act of killing in general, and opposition to certain [[intensive agriculture|agricultural practices]] surrounding the [[animal husbandry|production]] of meat.


=== Ethics of killing for food ===
=== Ethics of killing for food ===
{{Main|Bioethics}}
{{Main|Bioethics}}
Ethical vegetarians believe that killing an animal, like killing a human, especially one who has equal or lesser cognitive abilities than the animals in question, can only be justified in extreme circumstances and that consuming a living creature for its enjoyable taste, convenience, or [[nutrition]] value is not a sufficient cause.<ref>{{cite journal | author = Lindeman M., Väänänen M. | year = 2000 | title = Measurement of ethical food choice motives | journal = Appetite | volume = 34 | issue = 1| pages = 55–59 | doi = 10.1006/appe.1999.0293 | pmid = 10744892 | s2cid = 37406748 }}</ref> Another common view is that humans are morally conscious of their behavior in a way other animals are not, and therefore subject to higher standards.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Why the Naive Argument against Moral Vegetarianism Really is Naive|journal=Environmental Values|year=2001|pages=103–112|volume=10|issue=1|doi=10.3197/096327101129340769|author=David Benatar}}</ref> [[Jeff McMahan (philosopher)|Jeff McMahan]] proposes that denying the right to life and humane treatment to animals with equal or greater cognitive abilities than mentally disabled humans is an arbitrary and discriminatory practice based on habit instead of logic.<ref>{{cite book|last1=McMahan|first1=Jeff|title=The Ethics of Killing|date=2002|publisher=Oxford University Press}}</ref> Opponents of ethical vegetarianism argue that animals are not [[Moral equivalence|moral equals]] to humans and so consider the comparison of eating livestock with killing people to be fallacious. This view does not excuse cruelty, but maintains that animals do not possess the rights a human has.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.iep.utm.edu/anim-eth/#SH2b |title=Animals and Ethics [Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy&#93; |publisher=Iep.utm.edu |date=January 13, 2010 |access-date=September 12, 2012 |archive-date=July 5, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110705222257/http://www.iep.utm.edu/anim-eth/#SH2b |url-status=live }}</ref>
[[Princeton University]] professor and founder of the [[animal liberation movement]], [[Peter Singer]], believes that if alternative means of survival exist, one ought to choose the option that does not cause unnecessary harm to animals. Most ethical vegetarians argue that the same reasons exist against killing animals to eat as against killing humans to eat. Singer, in his book ''[[Animal Liberation (book)|Animal Liberation]]'' listed possible qualities of sentience in non-human creatures that gave such creatures the scope to be considered under [[utilitarianism|utilitarian ethics]], and this has been widely referenced by animal rights campaigners and vegetarians. Ethical vegetarians also believe that killing an animal, like killing a human, can only be justified in extreme circumstances and that consuming a living creature for its enjoyable taste, convenience, or nutritional value is not sufficient cause. Another common view is that humans are morally conscious of their behaviour in a way other animals are not, and therefore subject to higher standards.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Why the Naive Argument against Moral Vegetarianism Really is Naive|journal=Environmental Values|year=2001|page=103|volume=10|issue=1|doi=10.3197/096327101129340769|author=David Benatar}}
</ref>


=== Dairy and eggs ===
Opponents of ethical vegetarianism argue that animals are not moral equals to humans and so consider the comparison of eating livestock with killing people to be fallacious. This does not excuse cruelty, but it does mean animals are not [[morally equivalent]] to humans and do not possess the rights a human has.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iep.utm.edu/anim-eth/#SH2b |title=Animals and Ethics [Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy&#93; |publisher=Iep.utm.edu |date=January 13, 2010 |accessdate=September 12, 2012}}</ref>
One of the main differences between a [[vegan]] and a [[Lacto-ovo vegetarianism|lacto-ovo vegetarian diet]] is the avoidance of both [[Egg as food|eggs]] and [[dairy product]]s such as milk, cheese, butter and yogurt. [[Veganism#Ethical veganism|Ethical vegans]] do not consume dairy or eggs because they state that their production causes the animal suffering or a premature death.<ref name=marcus>{{cite book|title=Vegan: The New Ethics of Eating|author=Erik Marcus|year=2000|publisher=McBooks Press, Incorporated |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3hHjqs43t8oC|isbn=9781590133446|access-date=October 27, 2015|archive-date=April 5, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405220137/https://books.google.com/books?id=3hHjqs43t8oC|url-status=live}}</ref>

To produce milk from [[dairy cattle]], farmers separate calves from their mothers soon after birth to retain cow milk for human consumption.<ref name=milk>{{cite web|title=Dairy cows and welfare|author=Vegetarian Society|url=http://www.vegsoc.org/page.aspx?pid=556|access-date=October 18, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130506181359/http://www.vegsoc.org/page.aspx?pid=556|archive-date=May 6, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>


=== Treatment of animals ===
=== Treatment of animals ===
{{main|Animal rights}}
{{main|Animal rights}}
Ethical vegetarianism has become popular in developed countries particularly because of the spread of [[factory farming]], faster communications, and environmental consciousness. Some believe that the current mass demand for meat cannot be satisfied without a mass-production system that disregards the welfare of animals, while others believe that practices like well-managed free-ranging and consumption of game, particularly from species whose natural predators have been significantly eliminated, could substantially alleviate the demand for mass-produced meat. {{Citation needed|date=October 2007}}
[[Ethical vegetarianism]] has become popular in developed countries particularly because of the spread of [[factory farming]] and environmental consciousness. Some believe that the current mass-demand for meat cannot be satisfied without a mass-production system that disregards the welfare of animals, while others believe that practices like well-managed [[free range|free-range]] farming or the consumption of [[game (hunting)|game]] (particularly from species whose natural predators have been significantly eliminated) could substantially alleviate consumer demand for mass-produced meat.<ref>
{{cite journal

| last1 = Ruby
===Classical Greek and Roman philosophy===
| first1 = Matthew B.
Ancient Greek philosophy has a long tradition of vegetarianism. [[Pythagoras]] was reportedly vegetarian (and studied at Mt. Carmel, where some historians say there was a vegetarian community), as his followers were expected to be.
| title = Vegetarianism. A blossoming field of study

| journal = Appetite
Roman writer [[Ovid]] concluded his magnum opus [[Metamorphoses]], in part, with the impassioned argument (uttered by the character of Pythagoras) that in order for humanity to change, or [[metamorphosis|metamorphose]], into a better, more harmonious species, it must strive towards more humane tendencies. He cited vegetarianism as the crucial decision in this metamorphosis, explaining his belief that human life and animal life are so entwined that to kill an animal is virtually the same as killing a fellow human.
| date = 2012

| volume = 58
{{cquote2|Everything changes; nothing dies; the soul roams to and fro, now here, now there, and takes what frame it will, passing from beast to man, from our own form to beast and never dies...Therefore lest appetite and greed destroy the bonds of love and duty, heed my message! Abstain! Never by slaughter dispossess souls that are kin and nourish blood with blood!<ref>[[Ovid]],'' [[Metamorphoses]]'', Book XV, translated by A.D. Melville, Oxford University Press, 1986.</ref>}}
| issue = 1
| pages = 141–150
| issn = 1095-8304
| doi = 10.1016/j.appet.2011.09.019
| pmid = 22001025
| s2cid = 30991920
}}
</ref>


==Religion and diet==
==Religion and diet==
{{Main|Vegetarianism and religion}}
{{Main|Vegetarianism and religion}}
[[Jainism]] teaches vegetarianism as moral conduct, as do some<ref>{{cite web| author = Kochhal, M.| title = Vegetarianism: Jainism and vegetarianism (ahisma)| url = http://www.cs.wayne.edu/~manishk/vegetarianism.htm| date = October 2004| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110720113316/http://www.cs.wayne.edu/~manishk/vegetarianism.htm| archive-date = July 20, 2011}}</ref> sects of [[Hinduism]]. Buddhism in general does not prohibit meat eating, but [[Mahayana|Mahayana Buddhism]] encourages vegetarianism as beneficial for developing compassion.<ref>Teachings on Love, Thich Nhat Hanh, Berkeley: [[Parallax Press]], 1998.</ref> Other denominations that advocate a vegetarian diet include the [[Seventh-day Adventist Church|Seventh-day Adventists]], the [[Rastafari movement]], the [[Ananda Marga]] movement and the [[Hare Krishnas]]. [[Sikhism]]<ref>''Junior Encyclopaedia of Sikhism'' (1985)l by H. S. Singha; p. 124 {{ISBN|0-7069-2844-X}} / 0-7069-2844-X</ref><!-- is this it? {{cite book|last=Singha|first=H. S.|title=Junior encyclopaedia of Sikhism|publisher=Vikas|year=1985|page=124 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uD0vAAAAYAAJ|isbn=0-7069-2844-X}}--><ref>{{cite web |url=http://sgpc.net/sikhism/sikhism4.asp |title=Shiromani Gurudwara Prabhandhak Committee |publisher=Sgpc.net |access-date=August 29, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090525060825/http://www.sgpc.net/sikhism/sikhism4.asp |archive-date=May 25, 2009 }}</ref> does not equate spirituality with diet and does not specify a vegetarian or meat diet.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sikhs.org/meat.htm |title=The Sikhism Home Page |publisher=Sikhs.org |date=February 15, 1980 |access-date=August 29, 2009 |archive-date=June 7, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090607010055/http://www.sikhs.org/meat.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>
[[File:Vegetarian Curry.jpeg|thumb|[[Indian cuisine]] offers a wide range of vegetarian delicacies because [[Hinduism]], practiced by majority of India's populace, encourages vegetarian diet. Shown here is a vegetarian [[thali]].]]
[[Jainism]] teaches vegetarianism as moral conduct as do some major<ref>
{{cite web
| author = Kochhal, M.
| title = Vegetarianism: jainism and vegetarianism (ahisma)
| url = http://www.cs.wayne.edu/~manishk/vegetarianism.htm
| date = October 2004
}}</ref>
sects of [[Hinduism]]. Buddhism in general does not prohibit meat eating, while [[Mahayana|Mahayana Buddhism]] encourages vegetarianism as beneficial for developing compassion.<ref>Teachings on Love, Thich Nhat Hanh, Berkley, Parallax Press, 1998.</ref> Other denominations that advocate a vegetarian diet include the [[Seventh-day Adventist Church|Seventh-day Adventists]], the [[Rastafari movement]], the [[Ananda Marga]] movement and the [[Hare Krishnas]].
[[Sikhism]]<ref>Junior encyclopaedia of Sikhism 1985 By H. S. Singha Page 124 ISBN 0-7069-2844-X / 0-7069-2844-X</ref><ref>{{Cite book|title=Punjab Through the Ages|editor=S.R. Bakshi, Rashmi Pathak,|publisher=Sarup and Sons|location=New Delhi|year=2007|edition=1st|volume=4|page=241|chapter=12|isbn=81-7625-738-9 (Set)|url=http://books.google.com/?id=-dHzlfvHvOsC&pg=PA7&dq=Punjab+Through+the+Ages+By+S.R.+Bakshi,+Rashmi+Pathak,+Rashmi+Pathak+volume+4#v=onepage&q=Punjab%20Through%20the%20Ages%20By%20S.R.%20Bakshi%2C%20Rashmi%20Pathak%2C%20Rashmi%20Pathak%20volume%204|first1=S.R.|last1=Kakshi}}</ref><!-- is this it? {{cite book|last=Singha|first=H. S.|title=Junior encyclopaedia of Sikhism|publisher=Vikas|year=1985|page=124|url=http://books.google.com/?id=uD0vAAAAYAAJ|isbn=0-7069-2844-X}}--><ref>{{cite web|url=http://sgpc.net/sikhism/sikhism4.asp |title=Shiromani Gurudwara Prabhandhak Committee |publisher=Sgpc.net |accessdate=August 29, 2009}}</ref> does not equate spirituality with diet and does not specify a vegetarian or meat diet.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sikhs.org/meat.htm |title=The Sikhism Home Page |publisher=Sikhs.org |date=February 15, 1980 |accessdate=August 29, 2009}}</ref>


===Bahá'í Faith===
===Baháʼí Faith===
While there are no dietary restrictions in the [[Bahá'í Faith]], [[`Abdu'l-Bahá]], the son of the religion's founder, noted that a vegetarian diet consisting of fruits and grains was desirable, except for people with a weak constitution or those that are sick.<ref name="PSmith">{{cite encyclopedia |last= Smith |first= Peter |encyclopedia= A concise encyclopedia of the Bahá'í Faith |title= Diet |year= 2000 |publisher=Oneworld Publications |location= Oxford |isbn= 1-85168-184-1 |pages= 121–122}}</ref> He stated that there are no requirements that Bahá'ís become vegetarian, but that a future society should gradually become vegetarian.<ref name="PSmith"/><ref>{{cite book |author = Esslemont, J.E. |authorlink = John Esslemont |year = 1980 |title = Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era |edition = 5th |publisher = Bahá'í Publishing Trust |location = Wilmette, Illinois, USA |isbn = 0-87743-160-4
While there are no dietary restrictions in the [[Baháʼí Faith]], [[`Abdu'l-Bahá]], the son of the religion's founder, noted that a vegetarian diet consisting of fruits and grains was desirable, except for people with a weak constitution or those that are sick.<ref name="PSmith">{{cite encyclopedia |last= Smith |first= Peter |encyclopedia= A concise encyclopedia of the Baháʼí Faith |title= Diet |year= 2000 |publisher= Oneworld Publications |location= Oxford |isbn= 978-1-85168-184-6 |pages= [https://archive.org/details/conciseencyclope0000smit/page/121 121–122] |url= https://archive.org/details/conciseencyclope0000smit/page/121 }}</ref> He stated that there are no requirements that Baháʼís become vegetarian, but that a future society should gradually become vegetarian.<ref name="PSmith"/><ref>{{cite book |author = Esslemont, J.E. |author-link = John Esslemont |year = 1980 |title = Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era |edition = 5th |publisher = Baháʼí Publishing Trust |location = Wilmette, Illinois, USA |isbn = 978-0-87743-160-2 |url = http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/o/BNE/bne-83.html.iso8859-1 |access-date = October 23, 2010 |archive-date = November 7, 2018 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181107103940/http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/o/BNE/bne-83.html.iso8859-1 |url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last = `Abdu'l-Bahá |editor = MacNutt |author-link = `Abdu'l-Bahá |year = 1912 |publication-date = 1982 |title = The Promulgation of Universal Peace |publisher = Bahá'í Publishing Trust |location = Wilmette, Illinois, US |isbn = 978-0-87743-172-5 |url = http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/ab/PUP/pup-60.html.iso8859-1 |access-date = October 23, 2010 |archive-date = April 26, 2020 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200426051144/https://reference.bahai.org/en/t/ab/PUP/pup-60.html.iso8859-1 |url-status = live }}</ref> `Abdu'l-Bahá also stated that killing animals was contrary to compassion.{{r|PSmith}} While [[Shoghi Effendi]], the head of the Bahá'í Faith in the first half of the 20th century, stated that a purely vegetarian diet would be preferable since it avoided killing animals,<ref>{{cite web|title = Writings Concerning Health, Healing, and Nutrition|url = http://bahai-library.com/compilation_health_healing_nutrition#III|access-date = May 25, 2009|author = Research Department, Universal House of Justice|archive-date = November 12, 2020|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201112030452/https://bahai-library.com/compilation_health_healing_nutrition#III|url-status = live}}</ref> both he and the [[Universal House of Justice]], the governing body of the Baháʼís have stated that these teachings do not constitute a Baháʼí practice and that Baháʼís can choose to eat whatever they wish but should be respectful of others' beliefs.{{r|PSmith}}
|url = http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/o/BNE/bne-83.html.iso8859-1?}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last = `Abdu'l-Bahá |editor = MacNutt |author-link = `Abdu'l-Bahá |year = 1912 |publication-date = 1982 |title = The Promulgation of Universal Peace |publisher = Bahá'í Publishing Trust |location = Wilmette, Illinois, US |isbn = 0-87743-172-8 |url = http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/ab/PUP/pup-60.html.iso8859-1?}}</ref> `Abdu'l-Bahá also stated that killing animals was contrary to compassion.<ref name="PSmith"/> While [[Shoghi Effendi]], the Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith stated that a purely vegetarian diet would be preferable since it avoided killing animals,<ref>{{cite web|title = Writings Concerning Health, Healing, and Nutrition|url = http://bahai-library.com/compilation_health_healing_nutrition#III|accessdate =May 25, 2009|author = Research Department, Universal House of Justice}}</ref> both he and the [[Universal House of Justice]], the governing body of the Bahá'ís have stated that these teachings do not constitute a Bahá'í practice and that Bahá'ís can choose to eat whatever they wish but should be respectful of others' beliefs.<ref name="PSmith"/>


===Buddhism===
===Buddhism===
[[File:Japanese temple vegetarian dinner.jpg|thumb|A vegetarian dinner at a Japanese Buddhist temple]]
{{Main|Buddhist vegetarianism}}
{{Main|Buddhist vegetarianism}}
[[File:Sign promoting vegetarianism at Key Monastery, Spiti, India.jpg|thumb|Sign promoting vegetarianism at [[Key Monastery]], [[Spiti]], India]]
Theravadins in general eat meat.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/dharmadata/fdd21.htm |title=Buddhist Studies: Vegetarianism |website=Buddhanet.net |access-date=March 31, 2015 |archive-date=November 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108124629/http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/dharmadata/fdd21.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> If Buddhist monks "see, hear or know" a living animal was killed specifically for them to eat, they must refuse it or else incur an offense.<ref name=Gunasekara>{{cite web |author=V. A. Gunasekara |title=Buddhism and Vegetarianism, The Rationale for the Buddha's Views on the Consumption of Meat |website=Buddhanet.net |url=http://www.buddhanet.net/budsas/ebud/ebdha069.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131007043230/http://www.buddhanet.net/budsas/ebud/ebdha069.htm |archive-date=October 7, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> However, this does not include eating meat which was given as alms or commercially purchased. In the Theravada canon, [[Shakyamuni Buddha]] did not make any comment discouraging them from eating meat (except specific types, such as human, [[elephant meat|elephant]], [[Horse meat|horse]], [[Dog meat|dog]], [[Snake meat|snake]], lion, tiger, leopard, [[Bear meat|bear]], and hyena flesh<ref>Mahavagga Pali – Bhesajjakkhandhaka – Vinaya Pitaka</ref>) but he specifically refused to institute vegetarianism in his monastic code when a suggestion had been made.{{efn|"The rule of vegetarianism was the fifth of a list of rules which Devadatta had proposed to the Buddha. Devadatta was the founder of the tapasa movement in Buddhism and his special rules involved ascetic and austere practices (forest-dwelling, wearing only rags, etc). The Buddha rejected all the proposed revisions of Devadatta, and it was in this context that he reiterated the tikoiparisuddha rule. (On this see the author's Western Buddhism and a Theravada heterodoxy, BSQ Tracts on Buddhism."<ref name=Gunasekara/>}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma3/meat.html |title=Buddhism and Eating Meat |publisher=Urbandharma.org |access-date=March 31, 2015 |archive-date=August 15, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080815212610/http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma3/meat.html |url-status=live }}</ref>


In several [[Sanskrit]] texts of [[Mahayana Buddhism]], Buddha instructs his followers to avoid meat.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.serv-online.org/Eileen-Weintraub.htm |title=Life as a Vegetarian Tibetan Buddhist Practitioner |publisher=Serv-online.org |access-date=March 31, 2015 |archive-date=July 30, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170730034051/http://www.serv-online.org/Eileen-Weintraub.htm |url-status=usurped }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lmqSoNsRSx8C |title=Apparitions of the Self: The Secret Autobiographies of a Tibetan Visionary - Google Books |date=November 1999 |access-date=March 31, 2015 |isbn=978-0691009483 |last1=Gyatso |first1=Janet |publisher=Princeton University Press |archive-date=April 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405220140/https://books.google.com/books?id=lmqSoNsRSx8C |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bXAUkoM0esMC |title=The Life of Shabkar: The Autobiography of a Tibetan Yogin |date=June 3, 2014 |publisher=Shambhala |access-date=March 31, 2015 |isbn=9781559398749}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Tathagatagarbha Buddhism (18) |website=webspawner.com |url=http://www.webspawner.com/users/tathagatagarbha18/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105032808/http://www.webspawner.com/users/tathagatagarbha18/index.html |archive-date=November 5, 2013}}</ref> However, each branch of Mahayana Buddhism selects which sutra to follow, and some branches, including the majority of Tibetan and Japanese Buddhists, actually do eat meat.<ref>{{cite web |title=Vegetarianism and Animal Ethics in Tibetan Buddhism |url=https://international.ucla.edu/apc/event/13526#:~:text=Vegetarianism%20lies%20at%20the%20center,allows%20monks%20to%20eat%20meat. |access-date=2022-03-14 |website=international.ucla.edu |archive-date=May 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220521000229/https://international.ucla.edu/apc/event/13526#:~:text=Vegetarianism%20lies%20at%20the%20center,allows%20monks%20to%20eat%20meat. |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/9780824851774/pdf#page=265 |doi=10.1515/9780824851774 |title=Going Forth |isbn=9780824851774 |editor1-last=Bodiford |editor1-first=William M. |date=2017 }}</ref>
Theravadins in general eat meat.<ref>[http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/dharmadata/fdd21.htm Dharma Data: Vegetarianism]. Buddhanet.net. Retrieved on May 25, 2011.</ref> If Buddhist monks "see, hear or know" a living animal was killed specifically for them to eat, they must refuse it or else incur an offense.<ref>[http://www.buddhanet.net/budsas/ebud/ebdha069.htm Buddhism and Vegetarianism]. Buddhanet.net. Retrieved on May 25, 2011.</ref> However, this does not include eating meat which was given as alms or commercially purchased. In the Theravada canon, Buddha did not make any comment discouraging them to eat meat (except specific types, such as human, elephant, horse, dog, snake, lion, tiger, leopard, bear, and hyena flesh<ref>Mahavagga Pali – Bhesajjakkhandhaka – Vinaya Pitaka</ref>) but he specifically refused to institute vegetarianism in his monastic code when a suggestion had been made{{citation needed|date=December 2011}}.


Meanwhile, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese Buddhism (in some sectors of [[East Asian Buddhism]]) monks and nuns are expected to abstain from meat, and traditionally, to abstain from eggs and dairy as well.<ref>{{Citation |last=Kieschnick |first=John |title=Buddhist Vegetarianism in China |date=2005 |work=Of Tripod and Palate: Food, Politics, and Religion in Traditional China |pages=186–212 |editor-last=Sterckx |editor-first=Roel |place=New York |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan US |doi=10.1057/9781403979278_10 |isbn=978-1-4039-7927-8}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |author=Shabkar Tsogdruk Rangdrol |title=Food of Bodhisattvas: Buddhist teachings on abstaining from meat |date=2004 |publisher=Shambhala Publications |isbn=978-08-3482-410-2 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TxJ8x9f8BNYC}}</ref><ref>{{cite thesis |author=Yujin Lee |title=The nutritional status of vegetarian Buddhist nuns compared to omnivorous women in South Korea |publisher=Justus-Liebig-University |place=Giessen, Germany |url=https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/56344913.pdf |access-date=31 March 2022 |archive-date=April 12, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220412012945/https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/56344913.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Ho-Pham |first1=LT |last2=Nguyen |first2=PLT |last3=Le |first3=TTT |last4=Doan |first4=TAT |last5=Tran |first5=NT |last6=Le |first6=TA |last7=Nguyen |first7=TV |date=7 April 2009 |title=Veganism, bone mineral density, and body composition: a study in Buddhist nuns |journal=Osteoporosis International |volume=20 |issue=12 |pages=2087–2093 |doi=10.1007/s00198-009-0916-z |pmid=19350341 |s2cid=20305849 |issn=1433-2965}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last=Davidson |first=Jo Ann |year=2007 |title=World Religions and the Vegetarian Diet |magazine=Perspective Digest |volume=12 |issue=1 |at=Article 3 |url=https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1056&context=pd |access-date=31 March 2022 |archive-date=July 31, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210731124258/https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1056&context=pd |url-status=live }}</ref>
In several [[Sanskrit]] texts of [[Mahayana Buddhism]], Buddha instructs his followers to avoid meat.<ref>[http://www.serv-online.org/Eileen-Weintraub.htm Life as a Vegetarian Tibetan Buddhist Practitioner]. Serv-online.org. Retrieved on May 25, 2011.</ref><ref>''[http://books.google.com/books?id=lmqSoNsRSx8C Apparitions of the Self: The Secret Autobiographies of a Tibetan Visionary]''</ref><ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=bXAUkoM0esMC ''The life of Shabkar: the autobiography of a Tibetan yogin]'', page 541</ref><ref>''[http://www.webspawner.com/users/tathagatagarbha18/index.html Angulimaliya Sutra]''</ref> However, each branch of Mahayana Buddhism selects which sutra to follow, and some branches, including the majority of Tibetan and Japanese Buddhists, do eat meat, while many Chinese Buddhist branches do not.

Different Buddhist traditions have differing teachings on diet, which may also vary for ordained monks and nuns compared to others. Many interpret the [[Five Precepts|precept]] "not to kill" to require abstinence from meat, but not all. In Taiwan, ''su'' vegetarianism excludes not only all animal products but also vegetables in the [[allium]] family (which have the characteristic aroma of onion and garlic): onion, garlic, scallions, leeks, chives, or shallots.


===Christianity===
===Christianity===
{{Main|Christian vegetarianism}}
{{Main|Christian vegetarianism}}


Various groups within Christianity have practiced specific dietary restrictions for various reasons.<ref name=Vatican>{{cite web|title=Code of Canon Law|publisher=vatican.va|access-date=July 28, 2013|url=https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/_P4O.HTM#37|archive-date=November 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201129223503/https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/_P4O.HTM#37|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Council of Jerusalem]] in around 50 AD, recommended Christians keep following some of the Jewish food laws concerning meat. The early sect known as the [[Ebionites]] are considered to have practiced vegetarianism. Surviving fragments from their [[Gospel of the Ebionites#Vegetarianism|Gospel]] indicate their belief that – as Christ is the Passover sacrifice and eating the Passover lamb is no longer required – a vegetarian diet may (or should) be observed. However, orthodox Christianity does not accept their teaching as authentic. Indeed, their specific injunction to strict vegetarianism was cited as one of the Ebionites' "errors".<ref>Epiphanius, ''Panarion'', 30.22.4</ref><ref>Isidore of Seville, ''Etymologies'', VIII.v.36</ref>
Vegetarianism is not a common practice in current Christian culture. However, the [[Bible Christian Church (vegetarian)|Bible Christian Church]] founded by Reverend [[William Cowherd]] in 1809 followed a vegetarian diet.<ref name=desc>{{cite web|url=http://www.ivu.org/history/thesis/bible-christian.html|title=The Bible Christian Church|publisher=International Vegetarian Union}}</ref> Cowherd was one of the philosophical forerunners of the [[Vegetarian Society]].<ref name=history>{{cite web|url=http://www.vegsoc.org/page.aspx?pid=827|title=History of Vegetarianism – Early Ideas|publisher=The Vegetarian Society|accessdate=July 8, 2008}}; Gregory, James (2007) ''Of Victorians and Vegetarians''. London: I. B. Tauris pp.&nbsp;30–35.</ref> Cowherd encouraged members to abstain from eating of meat as a form of [[Temperance (virtue)|temperance]].<ref name=oxford>{{cite web|url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/index/101006496/|title=William Cowherd (brief information)|publisher=Oxford Dictionary of National Biography|accessdate=July 8, 2008}}</ref>


At a much later time, the [[Bible Christian Church (vegetarian)|Bible Christian Church]] founded by Reverend [[William Cowherd]] in 1809 followed a vegetarian diet.<ref name=desc>{{cite web|url=http://www.ivu.org/history/thesis/bible-christian.html|title=The Bible Christian Church|publisher=International Vegetarian Union|access-date=January 23, 2012|archive-date=May 5, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120505020050/http://www.ivu.org/history/thesis/bible-christian.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Cowherd was one of the philosophical forerunners of the [[Vegetarian Society]].<ref name=history>{{cite web|url=http://www.vegsoc.org/page.aspx?pid=827|title=History of Vegetarianism – Early Ideas|publisher=The Vegetarian Society|access-date=July 8, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120716205137/http://www.vegsoc.org/page.aspx?pid=827|archive-date=July 16, 2012|url-status=dead}}; Gregory, James (2007) ''Of Victorians and Vegetarians''. London: I. B. Tauris pp.&nbsp;30–35.</ref> Cowherd encouraged members to abstain from eating of meat as a form of [[Temperance (virtue)|temperance]].<ref name=oxford>{{cite web|url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/index/101006496/|title=William Cowherd (brief information)|publisher=Oxford Dictionary of National Biography|access-date=July 8, 2008|archive-date=March 31, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190331022711/http://www.oxforddnb.com/index/101006496/|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[Seventh-day Adventist Church|Seventh-day Adventists]] are required to engage in healthy eating practices, and ova-lacto-vegetarian diets are recommended by the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Nutrition Council (GCNC). They have also sponsored and participated in many scientific studies exploring the impact of dietary decisions upon health outcomes.<ref name=sdada1>{{cite web|url=http://www.sdada.org/position.htm |title=Position Statement on Vegetarian Diet |publisher=Sdada.org |accessdate=September 12, 2012}}</ref> The GCNC has in addition adapted the [[United States Department of Agriculture|USDA]]'s [[Food guide pyramid#USDA food pyramid|food pyramid]] for a vegetarian dietary approach.<ref name=sdada1/><ref>http://www.sdada.org/Pyramid-Vegetarian-01.jpg</ref> However, the only kinds of meat specifically condemned by SDA church doctrine are [[unclean animals|unclean meats]], or those forbidden in scripture.

[[Seventh-day Adventist Church|Seventh-day Adventists]] are encouraged to engage in healthy eating practices, and lacto-ovo-vegetarian diets are recommended by the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Nutrition Council (GCNC). They have also sponsored and participated in many scientific studies exploring the impact of dietary decisions upon health outcomes.<ref name=sdada1>{{cite web |url=http://www.sdada.org/position.htm |title=Position Statement on Vegetarian Diet |publisher=Sdada.org |access-date=September 12, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 29, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120529062331/http://sdada.org/position.htm}}</ref> The GCNC has in addition adapted the [[United States Department of Agriculture|USDA]]'s [[Food guide pyramid#USDA food pyramid|food pyramid]] for a vegetarian dietary approach.<ref name=sdada1/><ref>{{cite web |title=The Vegetarian Food Pyramid |url=http://www.sdada.org/Pyramid-Vegetarian-01.jpg |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130513033958/http://www.sdada.org/Pyramid-Vegetarian-01.jpg|archive-date=May 13, 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref> However, the only kinds of meat specifically frowned upon by the SDA health message are [[unclean animals|unclean meats]], or those forbidden in scripture.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sdada.org/sdahealth.htm |title=The Seventh-day Adventist Health Message |publisher=Sdada.org |access-date=November 28, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 13, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130513031730/http://www.sdada.org/sdahealth.htm}}</ref>

Additionally, some [[monastic orders]] follow a [[pescatarian]] diet, and members of the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]] follow a vegan diet during fasts.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/praxis/pr_fasting.aspx |title=Living an Orthodox Life: Fasting |publisher=Orthodoxinfo.com |date=May 27, 1997 |access-date=February 3, 2010 |archive-date=September 25, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100925050218/http://orthodoxinfo.com/praxis/pr_fasting.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref> There is also a strong association between the [[Quakers]] and vegetarianism dating back at least to the 18th century. The association grew in prominence during the 19th century, coupled with growing Quaker concerns in connection with alcohol consumption, anti-vivisection and social purity. The association between the Quaker tradition and vegetarianism, however, becomes most significant with the founding of the Friends' Vegetarian Society in 1902 "to spread a kindlier way of living amongst the Society of Friends."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ivu.org/history/thesis/quakers.html |title=The Great War and the Interwar Period |publisher=ivu.org |access-date=August 14, 2009 |archive-date=February 17, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090217224500/http://ivu.org/history/thesis/quakers.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

====Seventh-day Adventist====
[[File:San health food.jpg|thumb|right|[[Sanitarium Health Food Company|Sanitarium]] products for sale]]The [[Seventh-day Adventist Church]] is well known for presenting a health message that recommends [[Christian vegetarianism|vegetarianism]] and expects adherence to the [[Kashrut|kosher]] laws in Leviticus 11. Obedience to these laws means abstinence from pork, shellfish, and other animals proscribed as "[[unclean animals|unclean]]". The church discourages its members from consuming [[alcoholic beverage]]s, [[tobacco]] or illegal drugs (compare [[Christianity and alcohol]]). In addition, some Adventists avoid [[coffee]], [[tea]], [[cola]], and other beverages containing [[caffeine]].{{Citation needed|date=February 2024}}

The pioneers of the Adventist Church had much to do with the common acceptance of [[breakfast cereal]]s into the Western diet, and the "modern commercial concept of cereal food" originated among Adventists.<ref>{{cite web |title=breakfast cereal |url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/78499/breakfast-cereal |website=Britannica.com |access-date=July 16, 2016 |archive-date=April 3, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150403134921/http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/78499/breakfast-cereal |url-status=live }}<!-- need to replace this with a secondary (not tertiary) source, and remove the quotation--></ref> [[John Harvey Kellogg]] was one of the early founders of Adventist health work. His development of breakfast cereals as a health food led to the founding of [[Kellogg Company|Kellogg's]] by his brother [[William K. Kellogg|William]]. In both [[Australia]] and [[New Zealand]], the church-owned [[Sanitarium Health and Wellbeing Company]] is a leading manufacturer of health and vegetarian-related products, most prominently [[Weet-Bix]]. Kellogg encouraged his students [[Daniel H. Kress]] and [[Lauretta E. Kress]] to study medicine together at the [[University of Michigan Medical School]] and become public advocates of vegetarianism; together they published an important vegetarian cookbook and became early founders of what was later [[Washington Adventist Hospital]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Kress |first1=Daniel |last2=Kress |first2=Loretta |title=Under the Guiding Hand: Life Experiences of the Doctors Kress |date=1932 |publisher=College Press |location=Washington, DC}}</ref>

Research funded by the U.S. [[National Institutes of Health]] has shown that the average Adventist in [[California]] lives 4 to 10 years longer than the average Californian. [[Adventist Health Studies|The research]], as cited by the cover story of the November 2005 issue of ''[[National Geographic (magazine)|National Geographic]]'', asserts that Adventists live longer because they do not smoke or drink alcohol, have a day of rest every week, and maintain a healthy, low-fat vegetarian diet that is rich in nuts and beans.<ref>{{cite magazine
| url = http://search.epnet.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=anh&an=18574682
| last = Buettner
| first = Dan
| title = The Secrets of Long Life
| magazine = [[National Geographic (magazine)|National Geographic]]
| date = November 16, 2005
| volume = 208
| issue = 5
| pages = 2–27
| issn = 0027-9358
| access-date = June 6, 2006
| archive-date = November 30, 2020
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201130165751/http://search.epnet.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=anh&an=18574682
| url-status = live
}} [http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0511/feature1/index.html Excerpt] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071116202303/http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0511/feature1/index.html |date=November 16, 2007 }}. See also ''National Geographic'', "[http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0511/sights_n_sounds/index.html Sights & Sounds of Longevity] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160722215402/http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0511/sights_n_sounds/index.html |date=July 22, 2016 }}"</ref> The cohesiveness of Adventists' social networks has also been put forward as an explanation for their extended lifespan.<ref>{{cite news
| first = Gina
| last = Kolata
| title = A Surprising Secret to a Long Life: Stay in School
| url = https://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/03/health/03aging.html
| work = The New York Times
| date = January 3, 2007
| access-date = February 20, 2017
| archive-date = May 17, 2017
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170517110147/http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/03/health/03aging.html
| url-status = live
}}</ref>
Since [[Dan Buettner]]'s 2005 ''[[National Geographic (magazine)|National Geographic]]'' story about Adventist longevity, his book, ''The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who've Lived the Longest'', named [[Loma Linda, California]], a "[[Blue Zone|blue zone]]" because of the large concentration of Seventh-day Adventists. He cites the Adventist emphasis on health, diet, and Sabbath-keeping as primary factors for Adventist longevity.<ref>{{cite web|author=Elizabeth Lechleitner|date=May 27, 2008 |title=Researcher says California Adventists are America's 'Blue Zone'|website=Adventist News Network |url=http://news.adventist.org/data/2008/1211899368/index.html.en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090225110752/http://news.adventist.org/data/2008/1211899368/index.html.en |archive-date=February 25, 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref>


An estimated 35% of Adventists practice vegetarianism or [[veganism]], according to a 2002 worldwide survey of local church leaders.<ref>"[http://www.adventist.org/world_church/official_meetings/2002annualcouncil/strategic-issues-report.pdf Three Strategic Issues: A World Survey]". [[General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists]], 2002. See question 26, on page 14 etc. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081202185642/http://www.adventist.org/world_church/official_meetings/2002annualcouncil/strategic-issues-report.pdf |date=December 2, 2008 }}</ref><ref>See also "The Myth of Vegetarianism" Keith Lockhart. ''Spectrum'' 34 (Winter 2006), p22–27</ref> North American Adventist health study recruitments from 2001 to 2007 found a similar prevalence of vegetarianism/veganism. A small majority of Adventists, 54%, were conventional meat-eaters. Of the remaining 46% it was found that 28% were [[Ovo vegetarianism|Ovo]]/[[Lacto vegetarianism|Lacto]]-[[Lacto-ovo vegetarianism|vegetarians]], 10% were [[Pescetarianism|Pesco-vegetarians]] and 8% were vegans. It is common for Adventists who choose to eat meat to also eat plant-based foods; 6% of the "meat-eaters" group restricted their intake of meat/fish to no more than once per week.<ref>{{cite web|title=Adventist Health Study-2 {{!}} Adventist Health Study|url=https://adventisthealthstudy.org/studies/AHS-2|access-date=January 5, 2021|website=adventisthealthstudy.org|archive-date=January 7, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210107145925/https://adventisthealthstudy.org/studies/AHS-2|url-status=live}}</ref>
Additionally, traditional [[monk|monastics]] are vegetarians, and members of the [[Orthodox Church]] follow a vegan diet during fasts.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/praxis/pr_fasting.aspx |title=Living an Orthodox Life: Fasting |publisher=Orthodoxinfo.com |date=May 27, 1997 |accessdate=February 3, 2010}}</ref> There is also a strong association between the [[Quakers]] and vegetarianism dating back at least to the 18th century. The association grew in prominence during the 19th century, coupled with growing Quaker concerns in connection with alcohol consumption, vivisection and social purity. The association between the Quaker tradition and vegetarianism, however, becomes most significant with the founding of the Friends' Vegetarian Society in 1902 "to spread a kindlier way of living amongst the Society of Friends."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ivu.org/history/thesis/quakers.html |title=The Great War and the Interwar Period |publisher=ivu.org |accessdate=August 14, 2009}}</ref>


===Hinduism===
===Hinduism===
{{Main|Diet in Hinduism}}
{{Main|Diet in Hinduism}}
{{multiple image
| perrow = 2
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| caption_align = center
| image1 = Vegetarian Curry.jpeg
| image2 = The Complete Meal.jpg
| image3 = '8' A Thali, a traditional style of serving meal in India.jpg
| footer = Illustrative of vegetarian Hindu meals
| footer_align = center
}}
Though there is no strict rule on what to consume and what not to, the food habits of Hindus vary according to their specific caste and sub-caste, community, location, custom and varying traditions. Historically and currently, a majority of [[Hindus]] (about 70%) eat meat, while a large proportion of Hindus are vegetarian (about 30%).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/seta/2004/10/21/stories/2004102100111600.htm |website=The Hindu |title=Sci Tech / Speaking Of Science : Changes in the Indian menu over the ages |date=October 21, 2004 |access-date=February 3, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100826122930/http://www.hinduonnet.com/seta/2004/10/21/stories/2004102100111600.htm |archive-date=August 26, 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref>


Most major paths of [[Hinduism]] hold vegetarianism as an ideal. There are three main reasons for this: the principle of nonviolence ([[ahimsa]]) applied to animals;<ref>Tähtinen, Unto: ''Ahimsa. Non-Violence in Indian Tradition'', London 1976, p. 107–109.</ref> the intention to offer only "pure" (vegetarian) food to a deity and then to receive it back as [[prasad]];{{cn|date=June 2012}} and the conviction that a [[sattvic diet|sentient diet]] is beneficial for a healthy body and mind and that non-vegetarian food is detrimental for the mind and for spiritual development. Hindu vegetarians usually eschew eggs but consume milk and dairy products, so they are lacto-vegetarians.{{cn|date=June 2012}}
Some sects of [[Hinduism]] such as [[Vaishnavism]] follow the purest form of vegetarianism as an ideal while [[Shaktism]] and [[Tantric hinduism|Tantric]] sects freely consume chicken, mutton (goat and sheep meat), fish and eggs. The reasons stated by [[Jains]] and [[Vaishnav]]as are: the principle of nonviolence (''[[ahimsa]]'') applied to animals;<ref>Tähtinen, Unto: ''Ahimsa. Non-Violence in Indian Tradition'', London 1976, p. 107–109.</ref> the intention to offer only "pure" (vegetarian) food to a deity and then to receive it back as ''[[prasad]]a''; and the conviction that a [[sattvic diet|''sattvic'' diet]] is beneficial for a healthy body. A ''sattvic'' diet is [[Lacto vegetarianism|lacto-vegetarian]], which includes dairy, but excludes eggs.<ref>Paul Insel (2013), Discovering Nutrition, Jones & Bartlett Publishers, {{ISBN|978-1284021165}}, page 231</ref> An overwhelming majority of the Hindus consider the cow to be a holy and sacred animal whose [[Cattle slaughter in India|slaughter]] for meat is forbidden. Thus, [[beef]] is a taboo for the majority of Hindus, Jains and Sikhs<ref>{{cite news|title=The states where cow slaughter is legal in India|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-no-beef-nation/|work=The Indian Express|date=October 8, 2015|access-date=November 26, 2015|archive-date=January 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210125132322/https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-no-beef-nation/|url-status=live}}</ref>

However, the food habits of Hindus vary according to their community and according to regional traditions. Historically and currently, those [[Hindus]] who eat meat prescribe [[Jhatka]] meat.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/seta/2004/10/21/stories/2004102100111600.htm |title=The Hindu : Sci Tech / Speaking Of Science : Changes in the Indian menu over the ages |publisher=Hinduonnet.com |date=October 21, 2004 |accessdate=February 3, 2010}}</ref>


===Islam===
===Islam===
{{See also|Islam and animals}}
{{See also|Animals in Islam|Islamic dietary laws}}
Some followers of Islam, or Muslims, chose to be vegetarian for health, ethical, or personal reasons. However, the choice to become vegetarian for non-medical reasons can sometimes be controversial due to conflicting [[fatwas]] and differing interpretations of the [[Quran]]. Though some more traditional Muslims may keep quiet about their vegetarian diet, the number of vegetarian Muslims is increasing.<ref name="huffpostca">{{cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/anila-muhammad/vegetarian-msulim_b_3124110.html|title=Vegetarian Muslim: Turning Away From a Meat-Based Diet|work=[[Huffington Post]]|access-date=June 14, 2016|archive-date=June 14, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160614030807/http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/anila-muhammad/vegetarian-msulim_b_3124110.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Muslims can't be vegetarian">{{cite web |url=http://ipaki.com/content/html/28/1203.html |title=Muslims can't be Vegetarian? : Islam : Dietery Law |publisher=Ipaki.com |access-date=March 31, 2015 |archive-date=December 20, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141220035357/http://ipaki.com/content/html/28/1203.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>


Sri Lankan Sufi master [[Bawa Muhaiyaddeen]], who established The Bawa Muhaiyaddeen Fellowship of North America in Philadelphia.{{Clarification needed|date=January 2023}} The former [[President of India|Indian president]] Dr. [[A. P. J. Abdul Kalam]] was also famously a vegetarian.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.news18.com/news/india/apj-abdul-kalams-death-anniversary-10-lesser-known-facts-about-the-11th-president-of-india-2247985.html|title=APJ Abdul Kalam's Death Anniversary: 10 Lesser Known Facts About the 11th President of India|website=News18|date=July 27, 2019|access-date=December 10, 2019|archive-date=February 11, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200211233828/https://www.news18.com/news/india/apj-abdul-kalams-death-anniversary-10-lesser-known-facts-about-the-11th-president-of-india-2247985.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="kalam">{{cite web |url=http://www.lokpriya.com/personalities/scientists/kalam.html |title=lokpriya! |publisher=Lokpriya.com |access-date=March 31, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150321042322/http://www.lokpriya.com/personalities/scientists/kalam.html |archive-date=March 21, 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
Followers of Islam, or Muslims, have the freedom of choice to be vegetarian for medical reasons or if they do not personally like the taste of meat. However, the choice to become vegetarian for non-medical reasons can sometimes be controversial. Though some more traditional Muslims may keep quiet about their vegetarian diet, the number of vegetarian Muslims is increasing.<ref name="Muslims can’t be vegetarian">[http://ipaki.com/content/html/28/1203.html Muslims can’t be vegetarian?] Retrieved May 16, 2008</ref>


In January 1996, The International Vegetarian Union announced the formation of the Muslim Vegetarian/Vegan Society.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ivu.org/news/1-96/muslim.html |title=IVU News – Islam and Vegetarianism |publisher=Ivu.org |access-date=August 9, 2009 |archive-date=May 5, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090505120844/http://www.ivu.org/news/1-96/muslim.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
Vegetarianism has been practiced by some influential Muslims including the Iraqi theologian, female mystic and poet [[Rabia al-Adawiyya|Râbi‘ah al-‘Adawîyah of Basrah]], who died in the year 801, and the Sri Lankan sufi master [[Bawa Muhaiyaddeen]] who established The Bawa Muhaiyaddeen Fellowship of North America in Philadelphia.<ref>[http://members.aol.com/yahyam/bawaveg.html Vegetarian quotations from Bawa Muhaiyaddeen] Retrieved May 16, 2008</ref> The former [[President of India|Indian president]] Dr. [[A. P. J. Abdul Kalam]] is also famously a vegetarian.<ref name="kalam">''[http://www.lokpriya.com/personalities/scientists/kalam.html Wings of Fire]'', A.P.J. Abdul Kalam biography. Retrieved December 28, 2010.</ref>


Many non-vegetarian Muslims will select vegetarian (or seafood) options when dining in non-[[halal]] restaurants. However, this is a matter of not having the right kind of meat rather than preferring not to eat meat on the whole.<ref name="Muslims can't be vegetarian"/>
In January 1996, The International Vegetarian Union announced the formation of the Muslim Vegetarian/Vegan Society.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ivu.org/news/1-96/muslim.html |title=IVU News – Islam and Vegetarianism |publisher=Ivu.org |accessdate=August 9, 2009}}</ref>

Many non-vegetarian Muslims will select vegetarian (or seafood) options when dining in non-[[halal]] restaurants. However, this is a matter of not having the right kind of meat rather than preferring not to eat meat on the whole.<ref name="Muslims can’t be vegetarian"/>


===Jainism===
===Jainism===
{{Main|Jain vegetarianism}}
{{Main|Jain vegetarianism}}
{{More citations needed|section|date=September 2020}}
Followers of [[Jainism]] believe that everything from animals to inanimate objects have life in different degree and they go to great lengths to minimise any harm to it. Most Jains are lacto-vegetarians but more devout Jains do not eat root vegetables because this would involve the killing of plants. Instead they focus on eating beans and fruits, whose cultivation do not involve killing of plants. No products obtained from dead animals are allowed. Jains hold self termination from starvation as the ideal state and some dedicated monks do perform this act of self annihilation. This is for them an indispensable condition for spiritual progress.<ref>[http://www.jainstudy.org/JSC6.02-Vegetarianism.htm "Vegetarianism Good For The Self And Good For The Environment"] at [http://www.jainstudy.org/ The Jain Study Circle]</ref><ref>[http://www.vsc.org/spiritual.htm "Spiritual Traditions and Vegetarianism"]{{Dead link|date=October 2009}} at the [http://www.vsc.org/index.htm Vegetarian Society of Colorado] website.</ref> Some particularly dedicated individuals are [[fruitarianism|fruitarians]].<ref>Matthews, Warren: ''World Religions'', 4th edition, Belmont: Thomson/Wadsworth 2004, p. 180. ISBN 0-534-52762-0</ref> Honey is forbidden, because its collection is seen as violence against the bees. Some Jains do not consume plant parts that grow underground such as roots and bulbs, because tiny animals may be killed when the plants are pulled up.<ref>[http://www.jainuniversity.org/jainism.aspx "Jainism"] at JainUniversity.org</ref>
[[File:Jain Vegetarianism Illustration.jpg|thumb|The food choices of Jains are based on the value of [[Ahimsa|Ahimsa (non-violence)]].]]
Followers of [[Jainism]] believe that all living organisms, including microorganisms, are living and have a soul, and have one or more senses out of five senses. They go to great lengths to minimise any harm to any living organism. Most Jains are lacto-vegetarians, but more devout Jains do not eat root vegetables, because they believe that root vegetables contain many more microorganisms as compared to other vegetables, and that, by eating them, violence against these microorganisms is inevitable. They therefore prefer eating beans and fruits, whose cultivation involves killing fewer microorganisms. No products obtained from already-dead animals are allowed because of potential violence against decomposing microorganisms.<ref>[http://www.jainstudy.org/JSC6.02-Vegetarianism.htm "Vegetarianism Good For The Self And Good For The Environment"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160101203447/http://www.jainstudy.org/JSC6.02-Vegetarianism.htm |date=January 1, 2016 }} at The Jain Study Circle</ref><ref>[http://www.vsc.org/spiritual.htm "Spiritual Traditions and Vegetarianism"] at the Vegetarian Society of Colorado website. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140301215408/http://www.vsc.org/spiritual.htm |date=March 1, 2014 }}</ref> Some particularly dedicated individuals are [[fruitarianism|fruitarians]].<ref>Matthews, Warren: ''World Religions'', 4th edition, Belmont: [[Thomson/Wadsworth]] 2005, p. 180. {{ISBN|0-534-52762-0}}</ref> Honey is forbidden, being the regurgitation of nectar by bees <ref>{{cite web|author=Noah Lewis|title=Why honey is not vegan|website=vegetus.org|url=http://www.vegetus.org/honey/honey.htm|access-date=December 30, 2015|archive-date=January 5, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190105235044/http://www.vegetus.org/honey/honey.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> and potentially containing eggs, excreta and dead bees. Many Jains do not consume plant parts that grow underground such as roots and bulbs, because the plants themselves and tiny animals may be killed when the plants are pulled up.<ref>{{cite web |title=Jainism Sect |website=JainUniversity.org |url=http://www.jainuniversity.org/jainism.aspx|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 2, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002010300/http://www.jainuniversity.org/jainism.aspx}}</ref>


===Judaism===
===Judaism===
{{Main|Jewish vegetarianism}}
While classical Jewish law neither requires nor prohibits the consumption of meat, Jewish vegetarians often cite Jewish principles regarding [[Jewish ethics#Treatment of animals|animal welfare]], [[Jewish ethics#Environmental ethics|environmental ethics]], moral character, and [[Jewish ethics#Health and self-respect|health]] as reasons for adopting a vegetarian or vegan diet.<ref>Mary L. Zamore, ed. The Sacred Table: Creating a Jewish Food Ethic (New York, NY: CCAR Press, 2011).</ref>


Rabbis may advocate vegetarianism or veganism primarily because of concerns about animal welfare, especially in light of the traditional prohibition on causing unnecessary "pain to living creatures" ([[Tza'ar ba'alei chayim|tza'ar ba'alei hayyim]]).<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KPOODwAAQBAJ|title=Jewish Veganism and Vegetarianism: Studies and New Directions|last1=Labendz|first1=Jacob Ari|last2=Yanklowitz|first2=Shmuly|date=March 25, 2019|publisher=SUNY Press|isbn=978-1-4384-7361-1|access-date=November 27, 2019|archive-date=April 5, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405220129/https://books.google.com/books?id=KPOODwAAQBAJ|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|title=Rabbis and Vegetarianism: An Evolving Tradition|last=Kalechofsky|first=Roberta|publisher=Micah Publications|year=1995}}</ref> Some Jewish vegetarian groups and activists believe that the [[halakha|halakhic]] permission to eat meat is a temporary leniency for those who are not ready yet to accept the vegetarian diet.<ref>{{cite web |title=Judaism & Vegetarianism |publisher=Jewishveg.com |url=http://www.jewishveg.com/torah.html |access-date=August 9, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090902154013/http://www.jewishveg.com/torah.html |archive-date=September 2, 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
[[File:BikurimS.jpg|thumb|Basket of fresh fruit and vegetables grown in [[Israel]]]]
While it is neither required nor prohibited for Jews to eat meat, a number of medieval scholars of [[Judaism|Jewish religion]] (e.g., [[Joseph Albo]] and [[Isaac Arama]]) regard vegetarianism as a moral ideal, not just because of a concern for the welfare of animals, but because the slaughter of animals might cause the individual who performs such acts to develop negative character traits. Therefore, their concern was with regard to possible harmful effects upon human character rather than with animal welfare. Indeed, Rabbi Joseph Albo maintains that renunciation of the consumption of meat for reasons of concern for animal welfare is not only morally erroneous but even repugnant.<ref name="innernet1">{{cite web|url=http://www.innernet.org.il/article.php?aid=107.html |title=J. David Bleich – Contemporary Halakhic Problems |publisher=Innernet.org.il |accessdate=August 9, 2009}}</ref>

One modern-day scholar who is often cited as in favour of vegetarianism is the late Rabbi [[Abraham Isaac Kook]], the Chief Rabbi of [[British Mandate for Palestine|Mandate]] [[Palestine]]. In his writings, Rabbi Kook speaks of vegetarianism as an ideal, and points to the fact that Adam did not partake of the flesh of animals. In context, Rabbi Kook makes those comments in his portrayal of the eschatological (messianic) era. However, he personally refrained from eating meat except on the Sabbath and Festivals, and one of his leading disciples, Rabbi [[David Cohen (rabbi)|David Cohen]], known as the "[[Nazirite]]" of Jerusalem, was a devout vegetarian. Several other members of Rabbi Kook's circle were also vegetarians.


The book of Daniel starts in its [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/e/et/et3401.htm first chapter] with the benefits of vegetarianism. Due to its size, its late time of origin and its revealing content, the book is of particular importance for the time of the following exile, which lasts now for 2000 years and technically still goes on until the Temple in Jerusalem is rebuilt. A diet described as "pulse and water" is presented along benefits such as accordance with the biblical dietary laws, health, beauty, wisdom and vision. Vegetarianism can be seen as a safeguard around the dietary laws or the beautification of them.
According to some [[Kabbalah|Kabbalists]], only a mystic, who is able to sense and elevate the reincarnated human souls and "divine sparks", is permitted to consume meat, though eating the flesh of an animal might still cause spiritual damage to the soul. A number of Orthodox Jewish vegetarian groups and activists promote such ideas and believe that the [[halakha|halakhic]] permission to eat meat is a temporary leniency for those who are not ready yet to accept the vegetarian diet.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jewishveg.com/torah.html |title=Judaism & Vegetarianism |publisher=Jewishveg.com |accessdate=August 9, 2009}}</ref>


Jewish vegetarianism and veganism have become especially popular among Israeli Jews. In 2016, Israel was described as "the most vegan country on Earth", as five percent of its population eschewed all animal products.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.thetower.org/article/how-israel-became-the-global-center-of-veganism/|title=How Israel Became the Global Center of Veganism|work=The Tower|access-date=May 23, 2018|archive-date=December 23, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201223220922/http://www.thetower.org/article/how-israel-became-the-global-center-of-veganism/|url-status=live}}</ref> Interest in veganism has grown among both non-Orthodox and Orthodox Jews in Israel.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-life-and-religion/197361/life-after-brisket|title=The Rise of Israel's Orthodox Vegan Movement|website=Tablet Magazine|access-date=May 23, 2018|date=February 16, 2016|archive-date=May 9, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190509192452/https://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-life-and-religion/197361/life-after-brisket|url-status=live}}</ref>
Translation of the [[Torah]]'s Ten Commandments states, "Thou shalt not murder."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jewishveg.com/schwartz/killormurder.html |title=Judaism and Vegetarianism: Schwartz Collection – Thou Shalt Not "Kill" or "Murder"? |publisher=Jewishveg.com |accessdate=August 9, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0220.htm |title=Exodus 20 / Hebrew – English Bible / Mechon-Mamre |publisher=Mechon-mamre.org |accessdate=August 9, 2009}}</ref> Some people argue that this can also be taken as meaning not to kill at all, animals nor humans, or at least "that one shall not kill unnecessarily," in the same manner that onerous restrictions on slavery in the Bible have been interpreted by modern theologians as to suggest banning the practice.<ref>[http://www.europeanvegetarian.org/evu/english/news/news974/jewish.html Jewish philosophy of vegetarianism] article by Philip L. Pick</ref> The Torah also commands people to ritually slaughter animals when killing them, and goes into precise detail on the rituals of both animal sacrifice and ordinary slaughter ([[shechita]]). According to medieval sage Rabbi [[Shlomo Ephraim Luntschitz]], author of the Torah commentary [[Kli Yakar]], the complexity of these laws was intended to discourage the consumption of meat.<ref>"The Vision of Eden: Animal Welfare and Vegetarianism" in "Jewish Law and Mysticism", Orot 2003</ref>


===Rastafari===
===Rastafari===
Within the Afro-Caribbean community, a minority are [[Rastafari movement|Rastafari]] and follow the dietary regulations with varying degrees of strictness. The most orthodox eat only "[[Ital]]" or natural foods, in which the matching of herbs or spices with vegetables is the result of long tradition originating from the African ancestry and cultural heritage of Rastafari.<ref>Osborne, L (1980), ''The Rasta Cookbook'', 3rd ed. Mac Donald, London.</ref> Most Rastafari are vegetarian.<ref>
Within the Afro-Caribbean community, a minority are [[Rastafari movement|Rastafari]] and follow the dietary regulations with varying degrees of strictness. The most orthodox eat only "[[Ital]]" or natural foods, in which the matching of herbs or spices with vegetables is the result of long tradition originating from the African ancestry and cultural heritage of Rastafari.<ref>Osborne, L (1980), ''The Rasta Cookbook'', 3rd ed. Mac Donald, London.</ref> "Ital", which is derived from the word vital, means essential to human existence. Ital cooking in its strictest form prohibits the use of salt, meat (especially pork), preservatives, colorings, flavorings and anything artificial.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ital Cooking|url=http://eatjamaican.com/ital-recipes/rastafarian-cooking.html|publisher=Eat Jamaican|access-date=March 31, 2015|archive-date=August 7, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200807190919/https://www.eatjamaican.com/ital-recipes/rastafarian-cooking.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Most Rastafari are vegetarian.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors=Kebede A, Knotternus D |title=Beyond the pales of babylon: the ideational components and social psychological foundations of rastafari |journal=Sociological Perspectives |volume=41 |issue=3 |pages=499–517 |year=1998 |doi=10.2307/1389561 |jstor=1389561 |s2cid=147000068|doi-access=free }}</ref>
{{cite journal
| author = Kebede, A., & Knotternus, D.
| title = Beyond the pales of babylon: the ideational components and social psychological foundations of rastafari
| journal = Sociological Perspectives
| volume = 41
| issue = 3
| pages = 499–517
| year = 1998
}}</ref>
Utensils made from natural material such as stone or earthenware are preferred.{{Citation needed|date=May 2010}}


===Sikhism===
===Sikhism===
{{Main|Diet in Sikhism}}
{{Main|Diet in Sikhism}}
[[File:Langar.jpg|thumb|At the Sikh [[Langar (Sikhism)|langar]], all people eat a vegetarian meal as equals.]]
The tenets of [[Sikhism]] do not advocate a particular stance on either vegetarianism or the consumption of meat,<ref name = "SHP">[http://www.sikhs.org/meat_au.htm "Misconceptions About Eating Meat"], Sikhism Home Page</ref><ref>I.J. Singh, ''Sikhs and Sikhism'', Manohar, Delhi ISBN 978-81-7304-058-0: "Throughout Sikh history, there have been movements or subsects of Sikhism which have espoused vegetarianism. I think there is no basis for such dogma or practice in Sikhism."</ref><ref>Surindar Singh Kohli, ''Guru Granth Sahib, An Analytical Study'', Singh Bros. Amritsar ISBN 81-7205-060-7: "The ideas of devotion and service in Vaishnavism have been accepted by Adi Granth, but the insistence of Vaishnavas on vegetarian diet has been rejected."</ref><ref name="hsp">Gopal Singh, ''History of the Sikh People'', World Sikh Univ. Press, Delhi, ISBN 978-81-7023-139-4: "Nowadays in the Community Kitchen attached to the Sikh temples, and called the Guru's Kitchen (or ''Guru-ka-langar''), meat dishes are not served at all. Maybe it is on account of its being, perhaps, expensive or not easy to keep for long. Or perhaps the Vaishnava tradition is too strong to be shaken off."</ref> but leave the decision of diet to the individual.<ref name="fool">Randip Singh, ''[http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/sikh-sikhi-sikhism/8828-fools-who-wrangle-over-flesh.html Fools Who Wrangle Over Flesh]'', Sikh Philosophy Network, December 7, 2006. Retrieved January 15, 2010.</ref> The tenth guru, [[Guru Gobind Singh]], however, prohibited "Amritdhari" Sikhs, or those that follow the [[Sikh Rehat Maryada]] (the Official Sikh Code of Conduct)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sgpc.net/sikhism/sikh-dharma-manual.html |title=Sikh Reht Maryada, The Definition of Sikh, Sikh Conduct & Conventions, Sikh Religion Living, India |publisher=sgpc.net |accessdate=August 29, 2009}}</ref> from eating [[Kutha meat]], or meat which has been obtained from animals which have been killed in a ritualistic way. This is understood to have been for the political reason of maintaining independence from the then-new Muslim hegemony, as Muslims largely adhere to the ritualistic [[halal]] diet.<ref name="SHP"/><ref name="fool"/>
The tenets of [[Sikhism]] do not advocate a particular stance on either vegetarianism or the consumption of meat,<ref name = "SHP">{{cite web |url=http://www.sikhs.org/meat_au.htm |title=Sikhism Religion of the Sikh People |publisher=Sikhs.org |access-date=March 31, 2015 |archive-date=December 28, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081228061910/http://www.sikhs.org/meat_au.htm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>I.J. Singh, ''Sikhs and Sikhism'', Manohar, Delhi {{ISBN|978-81-7304-058-0}}: "Throughout Sikh history, there have been movements or subsects of Sikhism which have espoused vegetarianism. I think there is no basis for such dogma or practice in Sikhism."</ref><ref>Surindar Singh Kohli, ''Guru Granth Sahib, An Analytical Study'', Singh Bros. Amritsar {{ISBN|81-7205-060-7}}: "The ideas of devotion and service in Vaishnavism have been accepted by Adi Granth, but the insistence of Vaishnavas on vegetarian diet has been rejected."</ref><ref name="hsp">Gopal Singh, ''History of the Sikh People'', World Sikh Univ. Press, Delhi, {{ISBN|978-81-7023-139-4}}: "Nowadays in the Community Kitchen attached to the Sikh temples, and called the Guru's Kitchen (or ''Guru-ka-langar''), meat dishes are not served at all. Maybe it is on account of its being, perhaps, expensive or not easy to keep for long. Or perhaps the Vaishnava tradition is too strong to be shaken off."</ref> but leave the decision of diet to the individual.<ref name="fool">Randip Singh, ''[http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/sikh-sikhi-sikhism/8828-fools-who-wrangle-over-flesh.html Fools Who Wrangle Over Flesh] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100626010926/http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/sikh-sikhi-sikhism/8828-fools-who-wrangle-over-flesh.html |date=June 26, 2010 }}'', Sikh Philosophy Network, December 7, 2006. Retrieved January 15, 2010.</ref> The tenth guru, [[Guru Gobind Singh]], however, prohibited "Amritdhari" Sikhs, or those that follow the [[Sikh Rehat Maryada]] (the Official Sikh Code of Conduct)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sgpc.net/sikhism/sikh-dharma-manual.html |title=Sikh Reht Maryada, The Definition of Sikh, Sikh Conduct & Conventions, Sikh Religion Living, India |publisher=sgpc.net |access-date=August 29, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 20, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090820234942/http://www.sgpc.net/sikhism/sikh-dharma-manual.html}}</ref> from eating [[Kutha meat]], or meat which has been obtained from animals which have been killed in a ritualistic way. This is understood to have been for the political reason of maintaining independence from the then-new Muslim hegemony, as Muslims largely adhere to the ritualistic [[halal]] diet.{{r|SHP|fool}}


"Amritdharis" that belong to some Sikh sects (e.g. [[Akhand Kirtani Jatha]], [[Damdami Taksal]], [[Namdhari]]<ref>Jane Srivastava, "[http://www.hinduismtoday.com/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=1541 Vegetarianism and Meat-Eating in 8 Religions]", ''[[Hinduism Today]]'', Spring 2007. Retrieved January 9, 2010.</ref> and Rarionwalay,<ref>Gyani Sher Singh, ''Philosophy of Sikhism'', Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, Amritsar: "As a true Vaisnavite, Kabir remained a strict vegetarian. Kabir, far from defying Brahmanical tradition as to the eating of meat, would not permit so much as the plucking of a flower (G.G.S. p. 479), whereas Nanak deemed all such scruples to be superstitions."</ref> etc.) are vehemently against the consumption of meat and eggs (though they do consume and encourage the consumption of milk, butter and cheese).<ref>Harjinder Singh, [http://www.sikhwomen.com/Community/Volunteer/langar.htm "Guru ka Langar"]. Retrieved December 28, 2010.</ref> This vegetarian stance has been traced back to the times of the [[British Raj]], with the advent of many new [[Vaishnava]] converts.<ref name="fool"/> In response to the varying views on diet throughout the Sikh population, [[Sikh Gurus]] have sought to clarify the Sikh view on diet, stressing their preference only for simplicity of diet. [[Guru Nanak]] said that over-consumption of food ([[Lobh]], Greed) involves a drain on the Earth's resources and thus on life.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sikhs.org/meat_gn.htm |title=Sikhism Home Page |publisher=Sikhs.org |accessdate=August 9, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Singh|first=Prithi Pal |title=The History of Sikh Gurus|publisher=Lotus Press|location=New Delhi|year=2006|page=38|chapter=3 Guru Amar Das|isbn=81-8382-075-1|url=http://books.google.com/?id=EhGkVkhUuqoC}}</ref> Passages from the ''[[Guru Granth Sahib]]'' (the holy book of Sikhs, also known as the ''Adi Granth'') say that it is "foolish" to argue for the superiority of animal life, because though all life is related, only human life carries more importance: "Only fools argue whether to eat meat or not. Who can define what is meat and what is not meat? Who knows where the sin lies, being a vegetarian or a non-vegetarian?"<ref name="fool"/> The Sikh [[Langar (Sikhism)|langar]], or free temple meal, is largely lacto-vegetarian, though this is understood to be a result of efforts to present a meal that is respectful of the diets of any person who would wish to dine, rather than out of dogma.<ref name="hsp"/><ref name="fool"/>
"Amritdharis" that belong to some Sikh sects (e.g. [[Akhand Kirtani Jatha]], [[Damdami Taksal]], [[Namdhari]]<ref>Jane Srivastava, "[http://www.hinduismtoday.com/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=1541 Vegetarianism and Meat-Eating in 8 Religions] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110614225808/http://www.hinduismtoday.com/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=1541 |date=June 14, 2011 }}", ''[[Hinduism Today]]'', Spring 2007. Retrieved January 9, 2010.</ref> and Rarionwalay,<ref>Gyani Sher Singh, ''Philosophy of Sikhism'', Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, Amritsar: "As a true Vaisnavite, Kabir remained a strict vegetarian. Kabir, far from defying Brahmanical tradition as to the eating of meat, would not permit so much as the plucking of a flower (G.G.S. p. 479), whereas Nanak deemed all such scruples to be superstitions."</ref> etc.) are vehemently against the consumption of meat and eggs (though they do consume and encourage the consumption of milk, butter and cheese).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sikhwomen.com/Community/Volunteer/langar.htm |title=Volunteer. Guru Ka Langar. Mata Khivi Made Langar a Reality |publisher=Sikhwomen.com |date=March 6, 2005 |access-date=March 31, 2015 |archive-date=May 2, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090502042059/http://www.sikhwomen.com/Community/Volunteer/langar.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> This vegetarian stance has been traced back to the times of the [[British Raj]], with the advent of many new [[Vaishnava]] converts.<ref name="fool"/> In response to the varying views on diet throughout the Sikh population, [[Sikh Gurus]] have sought to clarify the Sikh view on diet, stressing their preference only for simplicity of diet. [[Guru Nanak]] said that over-consumption of food ([[Lobh]], Greed) involves a drain on the Earth's resources and thus on life.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sikhs.org/meat_gn.htm |title=Sikhism Home Page |publisher=Sikhs.org |access-date=August 9, 2009 |archive-date=June 27, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090627192504/http://www.sikhs.org/meat_gn.htm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Singh|first=Prithi Pal |title=The History of Sikh Gurus|publisher=Lotus Press|location=New Delhi|year=2006|page=38|chapter=3 Guru Amar Das|isbn=978-81-8382-075-2|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EhGkVkhUuqoC}}</ref> Passages from the ''[[Guru Granth Sahib]]'' (the holy book of Sikhs, also known as the ''Adi Granth'') say that it is "foolish" to argue for the superiority of animal life, because though all life is related, only human life carries more importance: "Only fools argue whether to eat meat or not. Who can define what is meat and what is not meat? Who knows where the sin lies, being a vegetarian or a non-vegetarian?"<ref name="fool"/> The Sikh [[Langar (Sikhism)|langar]], or free temple meal, is largely lacto-vegetarian, though this is understood to be a result of efforts to present a meal that is respectful of the diets of any person who would wish to dine, rather than out of dogma.{{r|hsp|fool}}


==Environment and diet==
==Environment and diet==
{{Main|Environmental vegetarianism}}
{{Main|Environmental vegetarianism}}
{{Further|Food vs. feed}}
Environmental vegetarianism is based on the concern that the production of meat and animal products for mass consumption, especially through [[factory farming]], is [[environmentalism|environmentally]] [[sustainable development|unsustainable]]. According to a 2006 United Nations initiative, the livestock industry is one of the largest contributors to [[environmental degradation]] worldwide, and modern practices of raising animals for food contribute on a "massive scale" to air and water pollution, [[land degradation]], climate change, and [[Biodiversity loss|loss of biodiversity]]. The initiative concluded that "the livestock sector emerges as one of the top two or three most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to global."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fao.org/docrep/010/a0701e/a0701e00.HTM |title=Livestock's Long Shadow – Environmental issues and options |publisher=Fao.org |access-date=August 9, 2009 |archive-date=July 26, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080726214204/http://www.fao.org/docrep/010/a0701e/a0701e00.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>


In addition, animal agriculture is a large source of greenhouse gases. According to a 2006 report it is responsible for 18% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions as estimated in 100-year CO<sub>2</sub> equivalents. Livestock sources (including enteric fermentation and manure) account for about 3.1 percent of US anthropogenic GHG emissions expressed as carbon dioxide equivalents.<ref>EPA. 2011. Inventory of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and sinks: 1990–2009. United States Environmental Protection Agency. EPA 430-R-11-005. 459 pp.</ref> This EPA estimate is based on methodologies agreed to by the Conference of Parties of the UNFCCC, with 100-year global warming potentials from the IPCC Second Assessment Report used in estimating GHG emissions as carbon dioxide equivalents.
Environmental vegetarianism is based on the concern that the production of meat and animal products for mass consumption, especially through [[factory farming]], is [[environmentalism|environmentally]] [[sustainable development|unsustainable]]. According to a 2006 United Nations initiative, the livestock industry is one of the largest contributors to environmental degradation worldwide, and modern practices of raising animals for food contribute on a "massive scale" to air and water pollution, land degradation, climate change, and loss of biodiversity. The initiative concluded that "the livestock sector emerges as one of the top two or three most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to global."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fao.org/docrep/010/a0701e/a0701e00.HTM |title=Livestock's long shadow – Environmental issues and options |publisher=Fao.org |accessdate=August 9, 2009}}</ref>

In addition, animal agriculture is a large source of greenhouse gases. According to a 2006 report it is responsible for 18% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions as measured in CO<sub>2</sub> equivalents. Livestock sources (including enteric fermentation and manure) account for about 3.1 percent of US anthropogenic GHG emissions expressed as carbon dioxide equivalents.<ref>EPA. 2011. Inventory of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and sinks: 1990–2009. United States Environmental Protection Agency. EPA 430-R-11-005. 459 pp.</ref> This EPA estimate is based on methodologies agreed to by the Conference of Parties of the UNFCCC, with 100-year global warming potentials from the IPCC Second Assessment Report used in estimating GHG emissions as carbon dioxide equivalents.


Meat produced in a laboratory (called [[in vitro meat]]) may be more environmentally sustainable than regularly produced meat.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg19926635.600-comment-growing-m |title=Comment: Lab-grown meat could ease food shortage |last=Olsson |first=Anna |periodical= New Scientist |publication-date=2008-07-08 |accessdate=November 17, 2008}}</ref>
Meat produced in a laboratory (called [[in vitro meat]]) may be more environmentally sustainable than regularly produced meat.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg19926635.600-comment-growing-m |title=Comment: Lab-grown meat could ease food shortage |last=Olsson |first=Anna |periodical=New Scientist |date=July 8, 2008 |access-date=November 17, 2008 |archive-date=December 27, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081227154639/http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg19926635.600-comment-growing-m |url-status=live }}</ref> Reactions of vegetarians vary.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17113214 |title=Could vegetarians eat a 'test tube' burger? - BBC News |publisher=Bbc.co.uk |date=February 23, 2012 |access-date=March 31, 2015 |work=BBC News |last1=Izundu |first1=Chi Chi |archive-date=April 3, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150403084652/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17113214 |url-status=live }}</ref> Rearing a relatively small number of grazing animals can be beneficial, as the Food Climate Research Network at Surrey University reports: "A little bit of livestock production is probably a good thing for the environment".<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2007/nov/11/food.climatechange |title=Why eating less meat could cut global warming &#124; Environment |work=Guardian.co.uk |date=November 10, 2007 |access-date=March 31, 2015 |archive-date=June 26, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150626180221/http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2007/nov/11/food.climatechange |url-status=live }}</ref>


In May 2009, [[Ghent]], Belgium, was reported to be "the first [city] in the world to go vegetarian at least once a week" for environmental reasons, when local authorities decided to implement a "weekly meatless day". Civil servants would eat vegetarian meals one day per week, in recognition of the United Nations' report. Posters were put up by local authorities to encourage the population to take part on vegetarian days, and "veggie street maps" were printed to highlight vegetarian restaurants. In September 2009, schools in Ghent are due to have a weekly ''veggiedag'' ("vegetarian day") too.<ref>{{cite news |last=Mason |first=Chris |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8046970.stm |title=Europe &#124; Belgian city plans 'veggie' days |publisher=News.bbc.co.uk |date=May 12, 2009 |access-date=March 31, 2015 |archive-date=May 23, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150523194537/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8046970.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>
Rearing a relatively small number of grazing animals can be beneficial, as the Food Climate Research Network at Surrey University reports: "A little bit of livestock production is probably a good thing for the environment.<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2007/nov/11/food.climatechange Why eating less meat could cut global warming] Guardian</ref>


Public opinion and acceptance of meat-free food is expected to be more successful if its descriptive words focus less on the health aspects and more on the flavor.<ref>{{Cite news|title=How To Get Meat Eaters To Eat More Plant-Based Foods? Make Their Mouths Water|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2019/02/10/692114918/how-to-get-meat-eaters-to-eat-more-plant-based-foods-make-their-mouths-water|website=NPR.org|access-date=February 11, 2019|archive-date=February 11, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190211022315/https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2019/02/10/692114918/how-to-get-meat-eaters-to-eat-more-plant-based-foods-make-their-mouths-water|url-status=live}}</ref>
In May 2009, [[Ghent]], Belgium, was reported to be "the first [city] in the world to go vegetarian at least once a week" for environmental reasons, when local authorities decided to implement a "weekly meatless day". Civil servants would eat vegetarian meals one day per week, in recognition of the United Nations' report. Posters were put up by local authorities to encourage the population to take part on vegetarian days, and "veggie street maps" were printed to highlight vegetarian restaurants. In September 2009, schools in Ghent are due to have a weekly ''veggiedag'' ("vegetarian day") too.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8046970.stm "Belgian city plans 'veggie' days"], Chris Mason, BBC, May 12, 2009</ref>


==Labor conditions and diet==
==Labor conditions and diet==
Some groups, such as [[PETA]], promote vegetarianism as a way to offset poor treatment and working conditions of workers in the contemporary meat industry.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.goveg.com/workerrights.asp|title=Killing for a Living: How the Meat Industry Exploits Workers|accessdate=July 16, 2009}}</ref> These groups cite studies showing the psychological damage caused by working in the meat industry, especially in factory and industrialised settings, and argue that the meat industry violates its labourers' human rights by assigning difficult and distressing tasks without adequate counselling, training and debriefing.<ref name="labor">{{cite web|url=http://www.hrw.org/reports/2005/usa0105/4.htm |title=Worker Health and Safety in the Meat and Poultry Industry |publisher=Hrw.org |accessdate=August 9, 2009}}</ref><ref name="labor2">{{cite web|url=http://www.ncrlc.com/academic-SR-webpages/food_safety.html |title=Food Safety, the Slaughterhouse, and Rights |publisher=Ncrlc.com |date=March 30, 2004 |accessdate=August 9, 2009 |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20071223175929/http://www.ncrlc.com/academic-SR-webpages/food_safety.html |archivedate = December 23, 2007}}</ref><ref name="labor3">[http://www.safework.sa.gov.au/contentPages/docs/meatCultureLiteratureReviewV81.pdf Positive Safety Culture. The key to a safer meat industry], A literature review July 2000, safework.sa.gov.au</ref> However, the working conditions of agricultural workers as a whole, particularly non-permanent workers, remain poor and well below conditions prevailing in other economic sectors.<ref>[http://www.ilo.org/public/english/dialogue/sector/sectors/agri/wkingcond.htm Working conditions in agriculture] [[International Labour Organization]]</ref> Accidents, including pesticide poisoning, among farmers and plantation workers contribute to increased health risks, including increased mortality.<ref>[http://www.evb.ch/en/p5785.html Working conditions in agriculture] Berne Declaration</ref> According to the [[International Labour Organization]], agriculture is one of the three most dangerous jobs in the world.<ref>World Development Report 2008: Agriculture for Development, Published by World Bank Publications p. 207</ref>
Some groups, such as [[PETA]], promote vegetarianism as a way to offset poor treatment and working conditions of workers in the contemporary [[meat industry]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.goveg.com/workerrights.asp|title=Killing for a Living: How the Meat Industry Exploits Workers|access-date=July 16, 2009|archive-date=March 10, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090310171835/http://www.goveg.com/workerrights.asp|url-status=live}}</ref> These groups cite studies showing the psychological damage caused by working in the meat industry, especially in factory and industrialised settings, and argue that the meat industry violates its labourers' human rights by assigning difficult and distressing tasks without adequate counselling, training and debriefing.<ref name="labor">{{cite web |url=https://www.hrw.org/reports/2005/usa0105/4.htm |title=Worker Health and Safety in the Meat and Poultry Industry |publisher=Hrw.org |access-date=August 9, 2009 |archive-date=June 12, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090612080111/http://www.hrw.org/reports/2005/usa0105/4.htm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="labor2">{{cite web |url=http://www.ncrlc.com/academic-SR-webpages/food_safety.html |title=Food Safety, the Slaughterhouse, and Rights |publisher=Ncrlc.com |date=March 30, 2004 |access-date=August 9, 2009 |archive-date=December 23, 2007 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20071223175929/http://www.ncrlc.com/academic-SR-webpages/food_safety.html}}</ref><ref name="labor3">[http://www.safework.sa.gov.au/contentPages/docs/meatCultureLiteratureReviewV81.pdf Positive Safety Culture. The key to a safer meat industry] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110412054210/http://www.safework.sa.gov.au/contentPages/docs/meatCultureLiteratureReviewV81.pdf |date=April 12, 2011 }}, A literature review July 2000, safework.sa.gov.au</ref> However, the working conditions of agricultural workers as a whole, particularly non-permanent workers, remain poor and well below conditions prevailing in other economic sectors.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ilo.org/public/english/dialogue/sector/sectors/agri/wkingcond.htm |title=Sectoral Policies Department (SECTOR) |publisher=Ilo.org |access-date=March 31, 2015 |archive-date=June 4, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604191552/http://www.ilo.org/public/english/dialogue/sector/sectors/agri/wkingcond.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> Accidents, including pesticide poisoning, among farmers and plantation workers contribute to increased health risks, including increased mortality.<ref>{{cite web |title=Working conditions in agriculture |url=http://www.evb.ch/en/p5785.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203125355/http://www.evb.ch/en/p5785.html |archive-date=December 3, 2013}}</ref> According to the [[International Labour Organization]], agriculture is one of the three most dangerous jobs in the world{{clarify|date=March 2021}}.<ref>World Development Report 2008: Agriculture for Development, Published by World Bank Publications p. 207</ref>


==Economics and diet==
==Economics and diet==
Similar to environmental vegetarianism is the concept of [[economic vegetarianism]]. An economic vegetarian is someone who practices vegetarianism from either the philosophical viewpoint concerning issues such as public health and curbing world starvation, the belief that the consumption of meat is economically unsound, part of a conscious [[simple living]] strategy or just out of necessity. According to the [[Worldwatch Institute]], "Massive reductions in meat consumption in industrial nations will ease their health care burden while improving public health; declining livestock herds will take pressure off rangelands and grainlands, allowing the agricultural resource base to rejuvenate. As populations grow, lowering meat consumption worldwide will allow more efficient use of declining per capita land and water resources, while at the same time making grain more affordable to the world's chronically hungry."<ref>Worldwatch Institute, News July 2, 1998, [https://www.worldwatch.org/press/news/1998/07/02 United States Leads World Meat Stampede]</ref>
Similar to environmental vegetarianism is the concept of [[economic vegetarianism]]. An economic vegetarian is someone who practices vegetarianism from either the philosophical viewpoint concerning issues such as public health and curbing world starvation, the belief that the consumption of meat is economically unsound, part of a conscious [[simple living]] strategy or just out of necessity. According to the [[Worldwatch Institute]], "Massive reductions in meat consumption in industrial nations will ease their health care burden while improving public health; declining livestock herds will take pressure off rangelands and grainlands, allowing the agricultural resource base to rejuvenate. As populations grow, lowering meat consumption worldwide will allow more efficient use of declining per capita land and water resources, while at the same time making grain more affordable to the world's chronically hungry."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.worldwatch.org/press/news/1998/07/02 |title=United States Leads World Meat Stampede|publisher=WorldWatch Institute |access-date=February 6, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517050751/http://www.worldwatch.org/press/news/1998/07/02/ |archive-date=May 17, 2008}}</ref> According to estimates in 2016, adoption of vegetarianism would contribute substantially to global healthcare and environmental savings.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Springmann |first1=Marco |last2=Godfray |first2=H.C.J. |last3=Raynar |first3=Mike |last4=Scarborough |first4=Peter |date=February 9, 2016 |title=Analysis and valuation of the health and climate change cobenefits of dietary change |url=https://www.pnas.org/content/pnas/early/2016/03/16/1523119113.full.pdf |journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences |volume=113 |issue=15 |pages=4146–4151 |doi=10.1073/pnas.1523119113 |pmid=27001851 |pmc=4839446 |access-date=May 28, 2019 |bibcode=2016PNAS..113.4146S |doi-access=free |archive-date=July 8, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190708194554/https://www.pnas.org/content/pnas/early/2016/03/16/1523119113.full.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[File:Chinese-buddhist-cuisine-taiwan-1.jpg|thumb|Taiwanese Buddhist cuisine]]


==Demographics==
==Demographics==
Prejudice researcher Gordon Hodson argues that vegetarians and vegans frequently face [[discrimination]] where eating meat is held as a cultural norm.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Prejudice Against "Group X" (Asexuals)|url=http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/without-prejudice/201209/prejudice-against-group-x-asexuals|magazine=[[Psychology Today]]|last=Hodson|first=Gordon|date=September 1, 2012|access-date=December 30, 2013}}</ref>
A research study conducted on more than 8,000 people, and published in the ''[[British Medical Journal]]'', suggested that children with an above-average IQ may have a higher chance of becoming vegetarians in their adulthood.<ref>[http://www.soton.ac.uk/mediacentre/news/2006/dec/06_138.shtml Children with a high IQ are more likely to become vegetarian :: University of Southampton]. Soton.ac.uk (December 15, 2006). Retrieved on May 25, 2011.</ref>


===Gender===
===Turnover===
Research suggests that, at least in the United States, vegetarianism has a high turnover rate, with less than 20% of adopters persisting for more than a year.<ref>{{Cite journal|doi=10.1007/s11196-018-9543-3 |title=The Politics and the Demographics of Veganism: Notes for a Critical Analysis|year=2018 |last1=Martinelli|first1=Dario|last2=Berkmanienė|first2=Aušra|journal=International Journal for the Semiotics of Law|volume=31|issue=3|pages=501–530 |s2cid=149235953}}</ref> Research shows that lacking social support contributes to lapses.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Melnick |first1=Meredith |title=Turns Out, Your Vegetarianism Probably Is Just A Phase |work=HuffPost |date=May 12, 2014 |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/vegetarian-phase_n_6270584 |archive-date=March 23, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210323020140/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/vegetarian-phase_n_6270584 }} [https://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/entry/vegetarian-phase_us_6270584 Alt URL] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181023071424/https://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/entry/vegetarian-phase_us_6270584 |date=October 23, 2018 }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Schultz |first1=Colin |title=Most Vegetarians Lapse After Only a Year |magazine=Smithsonian Magazine |url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/most-vegetarians-lapse-after-only-year-180953565/ |access-date=February 27, 2021 |date=December 9, 2014 |archive-date=March 5, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210305044724/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/most-vegetarians-lapse-after-only-year-180953565/ |url-status=live }}</ref>{{better source needed|date=March 2022}} A 2019 analysis found that adhering to any kind of restricted diet (gluten-free, vegetarian, kosher, teetotal) was associated with feelings of loneliness and increased social isolation.<ref>{{cite journal |title= Food restriction and the experience of social isolation |journal= Journal of Personality and Social Psychology|year= 2020|doi=10.1037/pspi0000223|last1= Woolley|first1= Kaitlin|last2= Fishbach|first2= Ayelet|last3= Wang|first3= Ronghan (Michelle)|volume= 119|issue= 3|pages= 657–671 |pmid= 31724417|s2cid= 208018174}}</ref>
A 1992 market research study conducted by the Yankelovich research organisation claimed that "of the 12.4 million people [in the US] who call themselves vegetarian, 68% are female, while only 32% are male".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0820/is_n210/ai_16019829 |title=The gender gap: if you're a vegetarian, odds are you're a woman. Why? |accessdate=October 27, 2007 |date=February 1, 2005 |publisher=[[Vegetarian Times]]}}</ref>


Vegetarians or vegans who adopted their diet abruptly might be more likely to eventually abandon it when compared to individuals adopting their diet gradually with incremental changes.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Haverstock|first1=Katie|last2=Forgays|first2=Deborah Kirby|date=June 1, 2012|title=To eat or not to eat. A comparison of current and former animal product limiters|url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195666312000906|journal=Appetite|volume=58|issue=3|pages=1030–1036|doi=10.1016/j.appet.2012.02.048|pmid=22387715|s2cid=13886878|issn=0195-6663|access-date=March 20, 2021|archive-date=August 6, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120806013344/http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195666312000906|url-status=live}}</ref>
At least one study indicates that vegetarian women are more likely to have female babies. A study of 6,000 pregnant women in 1998 "found that while the national average in Britain is 106 boys born to every 100 girls, for vegetarian mothers the ratio was just 85 boys to 100 girls".<ref name="Babies">{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/869696.stm |title='More girl babies' for vegetarians |publisher=BBC News |date=August 7, 2000 |accessdate=August 9, 2009}}</ref> Catherine Collins of the British Dietetic Association has dismissed this as a "statistical fluke".<ref name="Babies" />


===Country-specific information===
===Country-specific information===
{{main|Vegetarianism in specific countries}}
{{main|Vegetarianism by country}}

The rate of vegetarianism by country varies substantially from relatively low levels in countries such as the Netherlands (5%)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vegetariers.nl/bewust/veelgestelde-vragen/hoeveel-vegetariers-zijn-er|language=nl|title=Hoeveel vegetariërs zijn er?|website=vegetariers.nl|access-date=December 13, 2020|archive-date=November 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112022039/https://www.vegetariers.nl/bewust/veelgestelde-vragen/hoeveel-vegetariers-zijn-er|url-status=live}}</ref> to more considerable levels in India (20–40%).<ref name=":7">{{Cite news|date=April 3, 2018|title=The myth of the Indian vegetarian nation|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-43581122|access-date=November 12, 2020|archive-date=August 8, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180808011417/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-43581122|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |date=June 4, 2014|title=Nutritional profile of Indian vegetarian diets – the Indian Migration Study (IMS)|journal=Nutrition Journal|volume=13|doi=10.1186/1475-2891-13-55|pmid=24899080|pmc = 4055802|last1 = Shridhar|first1 = Krithiga|last2 = Dhillon|first2 = Preet Kaur|last3 = Bowen|first3 = Liza|last4 = Kinra|first4 = Sanjay|last5 = Bharathi|first5 = Ankalmadugu Venkatsubbareddy|last6 = Prabhakaran|first6 = Dorairaj|last7 = Reddy|first7 = Kolli Srinath|last8 = Ebrahim|first8 = Shah|page = 55 |doi-access=free }}</ref> Estimates for the number of vegetarians per country can be subject to methodological difficulties, as respondents may identify as vegetarian even if they include some meat in their diet, and thus some researchers suggest the percentage of vegetarians may be significantly overestimated.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Why Are There So Few Vegetarians?|magazine=[[Psychology Today]]|url=https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/animals-and-us/201109/why-are-there-so-few-vegetarians|last=Herzog|first=Hal|date=September 6, 2011|access-date=January 20, 2021}}</ref>

==Media==
Vegetarianism is occasionally [[List of fictional vegetarian characters|depicted in mass media]]. Some scholars have argued that [[mass media]] serves as a "source of information for individuals" interested in vegetarianism or [[veganism]],<ref>{{cite thesis |last=Reymond |first=Stephane |date=June 1, 2016 |title=Vegetarianism/Veganism: A Sociological Analysis |type=Masters |publisher=Texas A&M University |url=https://oaktrust.library.tamu.edu/bitstream/handle/1969.1/157868/REYMOND-THESIS-2016.pdf |pages=39, 41, 57 |access-date=September 6, 2020 |archive-date=October 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201007215518/https://oaktrust.library.tamu.edu/bitstream/handle/1969.1/157868/REYMOND-THESIS-2016.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> while there are "increasing social sanctions against eating meat".<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Rothgerber |first1=Hank |date=November 12, 2012 |title=Real Men Don't Eat (Vegetable) Quiche: Masculinity and the Justification of Meat Consumption |url=https://foodethics.univie.ac.at/fileadmin/user_upload/p_foodethik/Rothgerber__Hank_2012._Real_Men_Dont_Eat_-Vegetable-__Quiche._Masculinity_and_the_Justification_of_Meat_Consumption.pdf |journal=Psychology of Men & Masculinity |volume=14 |issue=4 |pages=2–3 |doi=10.1037/a0030379 |access-date=September 6, 2020 |archive-date=September 20, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200920042212/https://foodethics.univie.ac.at/fileadmin/user_upload/p_foodethik/Rothgerber__Hank_2012._Real_Men_Dont_Eat_-Vegetable-__Quiche._Masculinity_and_the_Justification_of_Meat_Consumption.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Consumer Attitudes Towards Environm">{{cite journal |last1=Sanchez-Sabate |first1=Ruben |last2=Sabaté |first2=Joan |date=April 2019 |title=Consumer Attitudes Towards Environmental Concerns of Meat Consumption: A Systematic Review |journal=International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health |volume=16 |issue=7 |page=1220 |doi=10.3390/ijerph16071220 |pmid=30959755 |pmc=6479556 |doi-access=free }}</ref> Over time, societal attitudes of vegetarianism have changed, as have perceptions of vegetarianism in popular culture, leading to more "vegetarian sentiment".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://themillions.com/2018/06/what-the-caged-bird-feels-a-list-of-writers-in-support-of-vegetarianism.html |title=What the Caged Bird Feels: A List of Writers in Support of Vegetarianism |last=Kim |first=Elizabeth Solis |date=June 29, 2018 |website=[[The Millions]] |access-date=December 3, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201007120153/https://themillions.com/2018/06/what-the-caged-bird-feels-a-list-of-writers-in-support-of-vegetarianism.html |archive-date=October 7, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> Even so, there are still existing "meat-based" food metaphors which infuse daily speech,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://theconversation.com/how-the-rise-of-veganism-may-tenderise-fictional-language-106576 |title=How the rise of veganism may tenderise fictional language |last=Hazmah |first=Shareena Z. |date=November 22, 2018 |website=[[The Conversation (website)|The Conversation]] |access-date=December 3, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124225850/https://theconversation.com/how-the-rise-of-veganism-may-tenderise-fictional-language-106576 |archive-date=November 24, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> and those who are vegetarian and vegan are met with "acceptance, tolerance, or hostility" after they divulge they are vegetarian or vegan.<ref>{{cite thesis |last=Lindquist |first=Anna |date=May 2013 |chapter=Introduction |title=Beyond Hippies and Rabbit Food: The Social Effects of Vegetarianism and Veganism |type=Undergraduate |publisher=[[University of Puget Sound]] |chapter-url=https://soundideas.pugetsound.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1004&context=csoc_theses |access-date=December 3, 2020 |pages=1, 3, 6 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201009005124/https://soundideas.pugetsound.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1004&context=csoc_theses |archive-date=October 9, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> Some writers, such as John L. Cunningham, editor of the Vegetarian Resource Group's newsletter, have argued for "more sympathetic vegetarian characters in the mass media".<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Cunningham |first=June L. |date=June 2002 |title=Notes from the Editor |url=https://www.vrg.org/vrgnews/2002jun.htm |magazine=The Vegetarian Resource Group Newsletter |publisher=Vegetarian Resource Group |access-date=December 10, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170618044614/https://www.vrg.org/vrgnews/2002jun.htm |archive-date=June 18, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref>

===Literature===
In Western literature, vegetarianism, and topics that relate to it, have informed a "gamut of literary genres", whether [[literary fiction]] or those fictions focusing on [[utopias]], [[dystopias]], or [[apocalypses]], with authors shaped by questions about human identity and "our relation to the environment", implicating vegetarianism and veganism.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/nov/20/top-10-books-about-vegetarians |title=Top 10 books about vegetarians |last=Kirshenbaum |first=Binnie |date=November 20, 2019 |website=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=December 4, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200229181842/https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/nov/20/top-10-books-about-vegetarians |archive-date=February 29, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theoxfordblue.co.uk/2020/09/01/love-death-and-quorn-vegetarianism-in-literature/ |title=Love, death and Quorn: vegetarianism in literature |last=Khulusi |first=Ella |date=September 1, 2020 |website=The Oxford Blue |access-date=December 4, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201012025604/https://www.theoxfordblue.co.uk/2020/09/01/love-death-and-quorn-vegetarianism-in-literature/ |archive-date=October 12, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> Others have pointed to the lack of "memorable characters" who are vegetarian.<ref name="Martin2016">{{cite news |url=https://lithub.com/5-fictional-vegetarians-who-defy-stereotypes/ |title=5 Fictional Vegetarians Who Defy Stereotypes |last=Martin |first=Kristen |date=August 17, 2016 |work=Lit Hub |access-date=September 6, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200617192439/https://lithub.com/5-fictional-vegetarians-who-defy-stereotypes/ |archive-date=June 17, 2020}}</ref> There are also vegetarian themes in [[horror fiction]],<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Packham |first1=Jimmy |date=September 14, 2019 |title=Children of the Quorn: The Vegetarian, Raw, and the Horrors of Vegetarianism |url=https://gothicnaturejournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Packham_78-102_Gothic-Nature-1_2019.pdf |journal=Gothic Nature |volume=1 |pages=78–102 |access-date=December 4, 2020 |archive-date=March 31, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220331062307/https://gothicnaturejournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Packham_78-102_Gothic-Nature-1_2019.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> [[science fiction]]<ref>{{cite book |last=Bulleid |first=Joshua |date=2020 |editor1-last=Kendal |editor1-first=Zachary |editor2-last=Smith |editor2-first=Aisling |editor3-last=Champion |editor3-first=Giulia |editor4-last=Milner |editor4-first=Andrew |chapter=Better Societies for the Ethical Treatment of Animals: Vegetarianism and the Utopian Tradition |title=Ethical Futures and Global Science Fiction |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hKbMDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA65 |location=[[London]] |publisher=[[Springer Nature]] |pages=65–66 |isbn=9783030278939 |access-date=December 12, 2022 |archive-date=December 12, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221212023409/https://books.google.com/books?id=hKbMDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA65 |url-status=live }}</ref> and poetry.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Rourke |first=Lee |date=May 11, 2015 |title=Trauma, vegetarianism, and poetry: the best new novels |url=https://newhumanist.org.uk/articles/4872/trauma-vegetarianism-and-poetry-the-best-new-novels |magazine=[[New Humanist]] |location=[[London]] |access-date=December 4, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200724221027/https://newhumanist.org.uk/articles/4872/trauma-vegetarianism-and-poetry-the-best-new-novels |archive-date=July 24, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1818, [[Mary Shelley]] published the novel ''[[Frankenstein]]''. Writer and [[animal rights]] advocate [[Carol J. Adams]] argued in her seminal book, ''[[The Sexual Politics of Meat]]'' that [[Frankenstein's monster|the unnamed creature]] in the novel was a vegetarian.<ref>{{cite book |last=Adams |first=Carol J. |year=2010 |orig-year=1990 |chapter=Frankenstein's Vegetarian Monster |title=The Sexual Politics of Meat: A Feminist-Vegetarian Critical Theory |edition=20th Anniversary |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_uK-RFEqfu0C&pg=PA148 |location=[[London]] |publisher=[[A&C Black]] |pages=148–161 |isbn=978-1441173287 |access-date=December 12, 2022 |archive-date=December 12, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221212023406/https://books.google.com/books?id=_uK-RFEqfu0C&pg=PA148 |url-status=live }}</ref> She argued that the book was "indebted to the vegetarian climate" of its day and that vegetarianism is a major theme in the novel as a whole. She notes that the creature gives an "emotional speech" talking about its dietary principles, which makes it a "more sympathetic being" than others. She also said that it connected with [[Vegetarianism in the Romantic Era]] who believed that the [[Garden of Eden]] was meatless, rewrote the myth of [[Prometheus]], the ideas of [[Jean-Jacques Rousseau]], and [[feminist]] symbolism. Adams concludes that it is more likely that the "vegetarian revelations" in the novel are "silenced" due to the lack of a "framework into which we can assimilate them." Apart from Adams, scholar Suzanne Samples pointed to "gendered spaces of eating and consumption" within [[Victorian era|Victorian England]] which influenced literary characters of the time.<ref name="samples">{{cite thesis |last=Samples |first=Suzanne |date=August 3, 2013 |title=Disorderly Eating in Victorian England |type=PhD |publisher=[[Auburn University]] |url=https://etd.auburn.edu/bitstream/handle/10415/3775/DISSERTATION2013Samples.pdf;jsessionid=D4DD20AEADBEECFE93EDD75AE969B7DC?sequence=2 |access-date=December 10, 2020 |pages=ii, 1-31, 39-40, 57-58 |archive-date=October 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201008213232/https://etd.auburn.edu/bitstream/handle/10415/3775/DISSERTATION2013Samples.pdf;jsessionid=D4DD20AEADBEECFE93EDD75AE969B7DC?sequence=2 |url-status=live }}</ref> This included works such as [[Alfred, Lord Tennyson]]'s poem titled ''[[The Charge of the Light Brigade (poem)|The Charge of the Light Brigade]],'' [[Christina Rossetti]]'s volume of poetry titled ''[[Goblin Market and Other Poems]]'', [[Lewis Carroll]]'s ''[[Alice's Adventures in Wonderland]]'', [[Mary Seacole]]'s autographical account titled ''[[Wonderful Adventures of Mrs. Seacole in Many Lands]]'', and [[Anthony Trollope]]'s novel titled ''[[Orley Farm (novel)|Orley Farm]]''. Samples also argued that vegetarianism in the Victorian era "presented a unique lifestyle choice that avoided meat but promoted an awareness of health", which initially was seen as rebellious but later became more normalized.<ref name="samples" />

In [[Irene Clyde]]'s 1909 [[feminist utopia]]n novel, ''[[Beatrice the Sixteenth]]'', Mary Hatherley accidentally [[Time travel|travels through time]], discovering a [[lost world]], which is a [[Postgenderism|postgender]] society named Armeria, with the inhabitants following a strict vegetarian diet, having ceased to slaughter animals for over a thousand years. Some reviewers of the book praised the vegetarianism of the Armerians.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=G.|first=A.|date=January 1910|title=In Womanland|url=https://www.nevillegoddardbooks.com/PDF%20BOOKS/theosophist_v31_n4_jan_1910.pdf|journal=The Theosophist|volume=31|issue=4|pages=538|access-date=December 12, 2022|archive-date=November 27, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221127142618/https://www.nevillegoddardbooks.com/PDF%20BOOKS/theosophist_v31_n4_jan_1910.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[James Joyce]]'s 1922 novel, ''[[Ulysses (novel)|Ulysses]]'' is said to have vegetarian themes. Scholar Peter Adkins argued that while Joyce was critical of the vegetarianism of George A.E. Russell, the novel engages with "questions of animal ethics through its portrayal of Ireland's cattle industry, animal slaughter and the cultural currency of meat," unlike some of his other novels. He also stated that the novel "historicizes and theorizes animal life and death," and that it demonstrates the ways that symbolism and materiality of meat are "co-opted within patriarchal political structures," putting it in the same space as theorists like [[Carol J. Adams]], [[Donna J. Haraway]], [[Laura Wright]], and [[Cary Wolfe]], and writers such as [[J. M. Coetzee]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Adkins |first1=Peter |date=2017 |title=The Eyes of That Cow: Eating Animals and Theorizing Vegetarianism in James Joyce'sUlysses |journal=Humanities |volume=6 |issue=46 |pages=2–6 |doi=10.3390/H6030046 |s2cid=157246928 |doi-access=free |hdl=20.500.11820/9ff4960b-064d-4cc4-a54c-a0a1f50fbff9 |hdl-access=free }} [https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0787/6/3/46 ALT URL] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221212023409/https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0787/6/3/46 |date=December 12, 2022 }}</ref>

In 1997, S. Reneé Wheeler wrote in the ''Vegetarian Journal'', saying that "finding books with vegetarian themes" is important for helping children "feel legitimate in being vegetarian."<ref>{{cite journal |last=Wheeler |first=S. Reneé |title=The Importance of Vegetarian Culture |journal=Vegetarian Journal |date=September–October 1997 |volume=16 |issue=5 |url=https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj97sep/979cult.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180119074124/https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj97sep/979cult.htm |archive-date=January 19, 2018 |url-status=live |access-date=December 10, 2020}}</ref> In 2004, writer [[J. M. Coetzee]] argued that since the "mode of consciousness of nonhuman species is quite different from human consciousness," it is hard for writers to realize this for animals, with a "temptation to project upon them feelings and thoughts that [[Anthropomorphism|may belong only to our own human mind and heart]]," and stated that reviewers have ignored the presence of animals in his books. He also stated that animals are present in his "fiction either not at all or in a merely subsidiary role" because they occupy "a subsidiary place in our lives" and argued that it is not "possible to write about the inner lives of animals in any complex way."<ref>{{cite interview |last=Coetzee |first=J.M. |subject-link=J. M. Coetzee |interviewer=Henrik Engström |title=Animals, Humans, Cruelty and Literature: A Rare Interview with J. M. Coetzee |url=http://www.satyamag.com/may04/coetzee.html |publisher=Setya |location=Sweden |date=May 2004 |work=Djurens Rätt |access-date=December 10, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201014003320/http://www.satyamag.com/may04/coetzee.html |archive-date=October 14, 2020 |url-status=live}} Reprinted from Djurens Rätt (magazine)</ref>

In 2014, ''[[The New Yorker]]'' published a [[short story]] by [[Jonathan Lethem]] titled "Pending Vegan"<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Lethem |first=Jonathan |date=March 31, 2014 |title=Pending Vegan |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/04/07/pending-vegan |magazine=[[The New Yorker]] |location=United States |access-date=December 10, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201022094643/https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/04/07/pending-vegan |archive-date=October 22, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> which follows "one family, a husband and wife and their four-year-old twin daughters" on a trip to [[SeaWorld]] in [[San Diego]], [[California]]. The protagonist of the story, Paul Espeseth, renames himself "Pending Vegan" in order to acknowledge his "increasing uneasiness with the relationship between man and beast."<ref>{{cite interview |last=Lethem |first=Jonathan |interviewer=Cressida Leyshon |title=This Week in Fiction: Jonathan Lethem |url=https://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/this-week-in-fiction-jonathan-lethem |location=United States |date=March 30, 2014 |work=[[The New Yorker]] |access-date=December 4, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170116131207/http://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/this-week-in-fiction-jonathan-lethem |archive-date=January 16, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2016, a three-part Korean novel by [[Han Kang]] titled ''[[The Vegetarian]]'' was published in the U.S.,{{efn|It was published in 2015 in the U.K. and in [[South Korea]] in 2007}} which focuses on a woman named Young-hye, who "sees vegetarianism as a way of not inflicting harm on anything," with eating meat symbolizing human violence itself, and later identifies as a plant rather than as a human "and stops eating entirely."<ref>{{cite interview |last=Kang |first=Han |subject-link=Han Kang |title=K-Literature Writers: Han Kang |url=https://library.ltikorea.or.kr/node/15724 |publisher=Digital Library of Korean Literature |location=Online |date=October 20, 2014 |access-date=December 10, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201210211740/https://library.ltikorea.or.kr/node/15724 |archive-date=December 10, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> Some argued the book was
more about [[mental illness]] than vegetarianism.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.crf.org.sg/blogs/uncategorized/reading-while-vegan-review-of-sapiens |title=Reading While Vegan: Review of 'Sapiens' |last=Jacobs |first=George |date=2020 |website=Center for a Responsible Future |access-date=December 4, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201007180433/https://www.crf.org.sg/blogs/uncategorized/reading-while-vegan-review-of-sapiens |archive-date=October 7, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> Others compared it to fictional works by [[Margaret Atwood]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Taylor |first1=Chloë |year=2020 |chapter=Vegan madness: Han Kang's The Vegetarian |chapter-url=https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/e/9781003014270/chapters/10.4324/9781003014270-16 |editor1-last=Jenkins |editor1-first=Stephanie |editor2-last=Montford |editor2-first=Kelly Struthers |editor3-last=Taylor |editor3-first=Chloë |title=Disability and Animality Crip Perspectives in Critical Animal Studies |url=https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/e/9781003014270 |language=en |location=[[London]] |publisher=[[Taylor & Francis]] |doi=10.4324/9781003014270 |isbn=9781003014270 |s2cid=214241975 |access-date=December 12, 2022 |archive-date=April 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405220130/https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/edit/10.4324/9781003014270/disability-animality-chlo%C3%AB-taylor-kelly-struthers-montford-stephanie-jenkins |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Television===
Vegetarians, and vegetarian themes, have appeared in various TV shows, such as ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'', ''[[True Blood]]'', ''[[The Simpsons]]'', ''[[King of the Hill]]'', and ''[[South Park]]''.<ref name="publicbooks">{{cite web |url=https://www.publicbooks.org/the-vegan-resistance/ |title=The Vegan Resistance |last=Zieger |first=Susan |date=July 26, 2017 |website=Public Books |access-date=December 4, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200323032039/https://www.publicbooks.org/the-vegan-resistance/ |archive-date=March 23, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="avclub" /><ref name="siegel2015" /><ref name=commentary />

Mr. [[Spock]] of ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series|Star Trek]]'' has been called "television's first vegetarian." He and his fellow [[Vulcans]] do not eat meat due to a "philosophy of non-violence."<ref name="Laughton">{{cite news |url=https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/you-dont-win-friends-with-saladtvs-best-and-worst-vegetarians-20150918-gjpo0b.html |title='You don't win friends with salad': TV's best (and worst) vegetarians |last=Laughton |first=Ellen |date=September 21, 2015 |work=[[Sydney Morning Herald]] |access-date=September 6, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200906233350/https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/you-dont-win-friends-with-saladtvs-best-and-worst-vegetarians-20150918-gjpo0b.html |archive-date=September 6, 2020}}</ref> He is identified as vegetarian following an episode where he was "transported back to pre-civilised times" and ate meat, and in Richard Marranca, in an issue of the ''Vegetarian Journal'', said that for Spock, like [[Kwai Chang Caine]] in [[Kung Fu (1972 TV series)|''Kung Fu'']], "vegetarianism was something authentic and taken for granted; it was the right thing to do based on compassion and logic."<ref>{{cite journal |last=Marranca |first=Richard |title=Vegging Out with Kung Fu and Star Trek |journal=Vegetarian Journal |date=2007 |issue=4 |url=https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2007issue4/2007_issue4_vegging_out.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201211014925/https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2007issue4/2007_issue4_vegging_out.php |archive-date=December 11, 2020 |url-status=live |access-date=December 10, 2020}}</ref>

In 1995, ''The Simpsons'' episode "[[Lisa the Vegetarian]]" aired. Before recording their lines for the episode, showrunner David Mirkin, who had recently stopped consuming meat, gave Linda and Paul McCartney "a container of his favorite turkey substitute," with both voicing characters in an episode which focused around vegetarianism.<ref name="siegel2015">{{cite web |url=https://slate.com/culture/2015/10/the-simpsons-lisa-the-vegetarian-episode-changed-the-image-of-vegetarians-on-tv.html |title=Celebrating "Lisa the Vegetarian," the Simpsons Episode That Changed the Image of Vegetarians on TV |last=Siegel |first=Alan |date=October 12, 2015 |website=[[Slate (website)|Slate]] |access-date=December 10, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200328051904/https://slate.com/culture/2015/10/the-simpsons-lisa-the-vegetarian-episode-changed-the-image-of-vegetarians-on-tv.html |archive-date=March 28, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> Critic Alan Siegel said that before the episode vegetarians had been portrayed as "rarely as anything but one-dimensional hippies" but that this episode was different as it was "told from the point of view of the person becoming a vegetarian." He said that the episode was one of the "first times on television that vegetarians saw an honest depiction of themselves" and of people's reaction to their dietary choices. The idea for the episode was originally proposed by [[David X. Cohen]] and the McCartneys agreed on the condition that Lisa remain a vegetarian, with both satisfied with how the episode turned out.<ref name="siegel2015" /> In the episode, Lisa decides to stop eating meat after bonding with a lamb at a petting zoo. Her schoolmates and family members ridicule her for her beliefs, but with the help of Apu as well as [[Paul McCartney|Paul]] and [[Linda McCartney]], she commits to vegetarianism.<ref name="BBC">{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season7/page5.shtml |title=Lisa the Vegetarian |access-date=November 30, 2008 |author1=Martyn, Warren |author2=Wood, Adrian |year=2000 |publisher=[[BBC|British Broadcasting Corporation]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050309230714/https://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season7/page5.shtml|archive-date=March 9, 2005}}</ref> The staff promised that she would remain a vegetarian,<ref name="NZ">{{cite news |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sideswipe/news/article.cfm?c_id=702&objectid=10593582 |title=Sideswipe: McCartney keeps Lisa vegetarian |date=August 28, 2009 |work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |access-date=August 27, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200220021534/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sideswipe/news/article.cfm?c_id=702&objectid=10593582 |archive-date=February 20, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://variety.com/2007/tv/news/simpsons-chat-closes-paley-fest-1117961291/ |title='Simpsons' chat closes Paley fest |last=Schneider |first=Michael |date=March 16, 2007 |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |access-date=December 28, 2008|url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070324120018/http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117961291.html?categoryid=14&cs=1|archive-date=March 24, 2007}}</ref> resulting in one of the few permanent character changes made in the show.<ref name="Groening">Groening, Matt (2005). Commentary for "Lisa the Vegetarian", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/a173417/david-mirkin-the-simpsons.html |title=David Mirkin ('The Simpsons') |last=French |first=Dan |date=August 24, 2009 |website=[[Digital Spy]] |access-date=August 25, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180528214815/http://www.digitalspy.com/tv/interviews/a173417/david-mirkin-the-simpsons/|archive-date=May 28, 2018}}</ref> In an August 2020 interview, McCartney said that he and is wife were worried that Lisa "would be a vegetarian for a week, then Homer would persuade her to eat a hot dog," but were assured by the producers that she would remain that way, and he was delighted that they "kept their word."<ref>{{cite interview |last=McCartney |first=Paul |interviewer=Dylan Jones |title=At home with Paul McCartney: His most candid interview yet |type=Online |url=https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/culture/article/paul-mccartney-interview |work=[[GQ (magazine)|GQ]] |date=August 4, 2020 |access-date=December 10, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201210110859/https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/culture/article/paul-mccartney-interview |archive-date=December 10, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In September 1998, the ''[[King of the Hill]]'' episode "And They Call It Bobby Love" aired on FOX. In the episode, "[[Bobby Hill (King of the Hill)|Bobby]] has a relationship with a vegetarian named Marie. She later dumps him after he eats a steak in front of her."<ref name="avclub">{{cite web |url=https://www.avclub.com/article/10-episodes-that-made-iking-of-the-hilli-one-of-th-99687 |title=10 episodes that made King Of The Hill one of the most human cartoons ever |last=Koski |first=Genevieve |date=July 3, 2013 |publisher=[[The A.V. Club]] |access-date=September 6, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200610051623/https://tv.avclub.com/10-episodes-that-made-king-of-the-hill-one-of-the-most-1798239025 |archive-date=June 10, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> In the March 2002 ''[[South Park]]'' episode "[[Fun with Veal]]", [[Stan Marsh]] becomes a vegetarian after he learns that veal is made of baby cows, which Cartman makes fun of. The episode ends with the boys, including Stan, getting grounded, but not before going out with their parents for burgers, meaning that Stan is no longer a vegetarian. In the DVD commentary, the creators said they wanted to balance their message of not eating baby animals, by at the same time not advocating people abstain from meat consumption altogether.<ref name=commentary>{{cite video | people=Trey Parker, Matt Stone|year=2005|title=South Park: The Complete Sixth Season: "Freak Strike"|medium=DVD|publisher=Comedy Central}}</ref>

[[Aang]], in the animated series ''[[Avatar: The Last Airbender]]'' and ''[[The Legend of Korra]]'' was vegetarian. According to the show's creators, "Buddhism and [[Taoism]] have been huge inspirations behind the idea for ''Avatar''."<ref name="NickMagInterview2" /> As shown in "The King of Omashu"<ref name="The King of Omashu">{{cite episode|title=The King of Omashu|airdate=2005-03-18|season=1|number=5|credits=Director: Anthony Lioi; Writer: John O'Bryan|series=Avatar: The Last Airbender|network=Nickelodeon}}</ref> and "The Headband",<ref name="The Headband">{{cite episode|title=The Headband|airdate=2007-09-28|season=3|number=2|credits=Director: Joaquim dos Santos; Writer: John O'Bryan|series=Avatar: The Last Airbender|network=Nickelodeon}}</ref> a notable aspect of Aang's character is his vegetarian diet,<ref name="Dean">{{Cite web|url=https://www.diversetechgeek.com/10-vegetarian-cartoon-characters/|title=10 noteworthy vegetarian cartoon characters|last1=Dean|first1=Anthony|website=Diverse Tech Geek|access-date=September 6, 2020|date=November 5, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200906204226/https://www.diversetechgeek.com/10-vegetarian-cartoon-characters/|archive-date=September 6, 2020}}</ref> which is consistent with [[Buddhism]], [[Hinduism]], and [[Taoism]].<ref name="NickMagInterview2">{{cite journal|last=DiMartino|first=Michael Dante|author-link=Michael Dante DiMartino|author2=Konietzko, Bryan|title=Myth Conceptions|journal=Nickelodeon Magazine|page=7|date=2006|issue=Winter 2006}}</ref> In the [[Brahmajala Sutta (Theravada)|Brahmajala Sutra]], a Buddhist code of ethics, vegetarianism is encouraged.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.purifymind.com/BrahmaNetSutra.htm|title=Brahmajala Sutra Translated Text|access-date=2008-02-12|last=Jing|first=Fanwang|publisher=Purify Out Mind|page=4|quote=He must not create the causes ... and shall not intentionally kill any living creature.| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080204235921/http://www.purifymind.com/BrahmaNetSutra.htm| archive-date= 4 February 2008 |url-status= live}}</ref>

Other fictional characters who are vegetarians include [[Count Duckula#Count Duckula|Count Duckula]] in ''[[Count Duckula]]'',<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.viva.org.uk/what-we-do/celebrity-supporters/count-duckula|title=Count Duckula|website=[[Viva! (organisation)|VIVA!]]|access-date=December 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150511162230/https://www.viva.org.uk/what-we-do/celebrity-supporters/count-duckula|archive-date=May 11, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Beast Boy]] in ''[[Teen Titans (TV series)|Teen Titans]]'' and ''[[Teen Titans Go!]]'', [[List of Supernatural characters#Vampires|Lenore]] in ''[[Supernatural (American TV series)|Supernatural]]'',<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/gallery/buffy-the-vampire-slayer-cast-then-and-now |title=The Buffy the Vampire Slayer cast 20 years later... |last=Bayley |first=Leanne |date=March 2017 |work=[[Glamour (magazine)|Glamour]] |access-date=September 6, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180715183045/http://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/gallery/buffy-the-vampire-slayer-cast-then-and-now |archive-date=July 15, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> and [[Shaggy Rogers|Norville "Shaggy" Rogers]] in the animated series ''[[What's New, Scooby Doo?]]''.<ref name="screenrant2020" /><ref>{{cite web|last=Thienenkamp|first=Marius|url=https://comicsverse.com/saving-human-lives-vegetarian-superheroes-animal-rights/|title=Saving Human Lives Only? Vegetarian Superheroes and Animal Rights|website=Comicsverse|date=January 26, 2015|access-date=December 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211229171850/https://comicsverse.com/saving-human-lives-vegetarian-superheroes-animal-rights/|archive-date=December 29, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref> Before the latter animated series, Shaggy was known for having an "enormous appetite" earlier in the Scooby-Doo franchise. The decision to make Shaggy a vegetarian occurred after his voice actor, [[Casey Kasem]], convinced the producers to do so, since he was a vegan who supported [[animal rights]] and opposed [[factory farming]], saying he would refuse to voice Shaggy unless the character was vegetarian.<ref name="screenrant2020">{{Cite web|url=https://screenrant.com/scooby-doo-shaggy-vegetarian-casey-kasem-true-story/|title=Why Scooby-Doo Made Shaggy A Vegetarian: True Story Explained|last=Raymond|first=Nicholas|website=[[Screen Rant]]|access-date=September 6, 2020|date=May 25, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200604031413/https://screenrant.com/scooby-doo-shaggy-vegetarian-casey-kasem-true-story/|archive-date=June 4, 2020}}</ref><ref name="Laughton" />

Also, a Netflix original, ''[[Okja]]'', focused on vegetarianism, while an October 2019 ''[[South Park]]'' episode, "[[Let Them Eat Goo]]", featured a vegetarian character.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.foodrepublic.com/2018/02/07/okja-convincing-case-vegetarianism/ |title=Why Okja Is A More Convincing Case For Vegetarianism |last=Do |first=Tiffany |date=February 7, 2018 |website=Food Republic |access-date=December 10, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201011174939/https://www.foodrepublic.com/2018/02/07/okja-convincing-case-vegetarianism/ |archive-date=October 11, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.avclub.com/south-park-takes-on-the-impossible-burger-while-cartma-1839119348|title=South Park takes on the Impossible Burger, while Cartman and Randy's antics drive another strong episode|last=Hugar|first=John|website=[[The A.V. Club]]|access-date=December 10, 2020|date=October 17, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191103014434/https://tv.avclub.com/south-park-takes-on-the-impossible-burger-while-cartma-1839119348|archive-date=November 3, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> Additionally, [[Steven Universe (character)|Steven Universe]], the protagonist in the show ''[[Steven Universe]]'' and the limited epilogue series, ''[[Steven Universe Future]]'', is a vegetarian. In the episode "Snow Day" of ''[[Steven Universe Future]]'', Steven tells the Gems he lives with that he has been a vegetarian for a month, drinks protein shakes and mentions that he does "his own skincare routine."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.avclub.com/everyone-is-growing-up-fast-on-steven-universe-future-1840444830|last=Searles|first=Jourdain|title=Everyone is growing up fast on Steven Universe Future|website=[[The A.V. Club]]|date=December 21, 2019|access-date=September 6, 2020|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200607081658/https://tv.avclub.com/everyone-is-growing-up-fast-on-steven-universe-future-1840444830|archive-date=June 7, 2020}}</ref>

===Film===
In the 1999 film, ''[[Notting Hill (film)|Notting Hill]]'', Keziah, played by Emma Bernard is a vegetarian. In one scene, Keziah tells William "Will" Thacker (played by [[Hugh Grant]]), that she is a [[fruitarian]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/j5exq4/inside-the-strange-world-of-fruitarians-who-only-eat-raw-fruit|title=Inside the Strange World of 'Fruitarians,' Who Only Eat Raw Fruit|last=Marthe|first=Emalie|website=[[Vice News]]|access-date=September 30, 2020|date=September 3, 2016|archive-url=https://archive.today/20201001001519/https://www.vice.com/en/article/j5exq4/inside-the-strange-world-of-fruitarians-who-only-eat-raw-fruit|archive-date=October 1, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> She says she believes that "fruits and vegetables have feeling", meaning she opposes cooking them, only eating things that have "actually fallen off a tree or bush" and that are dead already, leading to what some describe as a negative depiction.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://unherd.com/2019/03/what-will-the-woke-folk-make-of-notting-hill/|title=What will the woke folk make of Notting Hill?|last=Tyrone|first=Nick|website=[[UnHerd]]|access-date=September 30, 2020|date=March 15, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191211152149/https://unherd.com/2019/03/what-will-the-woke-folk-make-of-notting-hill/|archive-date=December 11, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

In the 2000 film, ''[[But I'm A Cheerleader]]'', before Megan, one of the film's protagonists, is sent to a [[conversion therapy]] camp, her parents and others claim she is a lesbian because she is a vegetarian.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://old.post-gazette.com/movies/20000915cheer.asp|title=It's hard to know what to make of 'But I'm a Cheerleader'|last=Paris|first=Barry|website=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]|access-date=September 6, 2020|date=September 15, 2000|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190408202723/https://old.post-gazette.com/movies/20000915cheer.asp|archive-date=April 8, 2019}}</ref> ''[[Legally Blonde]]'', a 2001 film, also featured a vegetarian. When Elle Wood introduces herself at [[Harvard Law School]], she describes herself and her dog as "Gemini vegetarians".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.elle.com/uk/life-and-culture/culture/a32065693/legally-blonde-3/|title=Legally Blonde 3: Release Date, Spoilers, Cast, Trailer And Plot Lines|first=Blair|last=Olivia|date=May 19, 2010|work=[[Elle (magazine)|Elle]]|access-date=September 6, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200608075808/https://www.elle.com/uk/life-and-culture/culture/a32065693/legally-blonde-3/|archive-date=June 8, 2020}}</ref>

In the 2012 film, ''[[Life of Pi (film)|Life of Pi]]'', Pi, played by [[Suraj Sharma]], is a vegetarian based on his 3 religions: Hindu, Christian, and Muslim. And in the ship scene, one Taiwanese Sailor, played by Bo-Chieh Wang, is a vegetarian from his Buddhism religion to eat rice and the vegetarian gravy.

In the 2018 Hollywood blockbuster, ''[[Black Panther (film)|Black Panther]]'', M’Baku (voiced by [[Winston Duke]]), the Jabari tribe leader who lives in the mountains of Wakanda, declares to a White CIA agent named Everett Ross (voiced by [[Martin Freeman]]), "if you say one more word, I'll feed you to my children!" After Everett is shaken by these words, he jokes, saying he is kidding because all those in his tribe, including himself, are vegetarians.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theringer.com/movies/2018/2/20/17033330/winston-duke-mbaku-black-panther-breakout |title=M'Baku Is the Best Surprise of 'Black Panther' |last=Giorgis |first=Hannah |date=February 20, 2018 |website=[[The Ringer (website)|The Ringer]] |access-date=December 10, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417152603/https://www.theringer.com/movies/2018/2/20/17033330/winston-duke-mbaku-black-panther-breakout |archive-date=April 17, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref> Some praised this scene for challenging a stereotype of Black culture and the perception of what vegetarians look like.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.eater.com/2018/2/16/17020564/black-panther-food-wakanda |title='Black Panther' Challenges a Bogus Food Stereotype |last=Selvam |first=Ashok |date=February 16, 2018 |website=[[Eater (website)|Eater]] |access-date=December 10, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109031639/https://www.eater.com/2018/2/16/17020564/black-panther-food-wakanda |archive-date=November 9, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> Duke later said that some Black outlets cooked vegan meals for him, and said that the scene is "kind of teaching kids that eating vegetables is cool," which is something he is for.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2018/04/black-panther-star-winston-duke-talks-mbakus-vegetarian-co-signs |title='Black Panther' Star Winston Duke Talks M'Baku's Vegetarian Co-Signs |last=Elder |first=Sajae |date=April 24, 2018 |website=[[Complex (magazine)|Complex]] |access-date=December 10, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109040543/https://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2018/04/black-panther-star-winston-duke-talks-mbakus-vegetarian-co-signs |archive-date=November 9, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Vegetarian themes have also been noted in the ''Twilight'' [[Twilight (novel series)|novel]] (2005–2008) and [[The Twilight Saga (film series)|film]] franchise (2008–2012), ''[[The Road]]'' (2006) and ''[[The Year of the Flood]]'' (2009).<ref name="publicbooks" /> In March 2020, scholar Nathan Poirer reviewed ''Thinking Veganism in Literature and Culture: Towards a Vegan Theory'', a book edited by Emelia Quinn and Benjamin Westwood, and he concluded that veganism could "infiltrate popular culture without being perceived as threatening," while noting others who contribute to the book examining vegan cinema that "challenges the normality of human supremacy by situating humans as potential prey," and stating that the essays outline ways veganism can be successful in popular culture.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Poirier |first1=Nathan |date=March 13, 2020 |title= Thinking Veganism in Literature and Culture: Towards a Vegan Theory [Review] |journal=The Journal of Popular Culture |volume=53 |issue=1 |pages=235–237 |doi=10.1111/jpcu.12876 |doi-access=free }}</ref>

Other scholars noted vegetarian themes in the films ''[[The Fault in Our Stars (film)|The Fault in Our Stars]]'',<ref name="thehub">{{cite news |url=http://www.yalsa.ala.org/thehub/2013/10/23/vegetarian-awareness-month/ |title=Celebrate Vegetarian Awareness Month with Vegetarian Characters in YA Lit |last=Lind |first=Jessica |date=October 23, 2013 |work=[[Young Adult Library Services Association]] |access-date=September 6, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160603044358/http://www.yalsa.ala.org/thehub/2013/10/23/vegetarian-awareness-month/ |archive-date=June 3, 2016}}</ref> ''[[The Princess Diaries (film)|The Princess Diaries]]'' series,<ref name="Martin2016" /><ref name="thehub" /> and the 2009 film, ''[[Vegetarian (film)|Vegetarian]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2010/film/markets-festivals/vegetarian-1117942042/|title=Review: 'Vegetarian'|first=Justin|last=Chang|date=February 1, 2010|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|access-date=October 21, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180703221048/https://variety.com/2010/film/markets-festivals/vegetarian-1117942042/|archive-date=July 3, 2018}}</ref>


==See also==
==See also==

{{Portal|Food|Medicine}}
<!-- Please keep entries in alphabetical order and add a short description [[WP:SEEALSO]] -->
{{colbegin}}
* [[European Vegetarian Union]]
* [[Environmental impact of meat production]]
* [[List of diets]]
* [[International Vegetarian Union]]
* [[List of vegetarians]]
* [[List of vegetarians]]
* [[Meat-free day]]
* [[Plant-based diet]]
* [[ProVeg International]]
* [[Vegetarian and vegan symbolism]]
* [[Vegetarian cuisine]]
* [[Vegetarian cuisine]]
* [[Vegetarian Diet Pyramid]]
* [[Vegetarian Diet Pyramid]]
* [[Vegetarian nutrition]]
* [[Vegetarianism and Romanticism]]
<!-- Please keep entries in alphabetical order -->
{{colend}}

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=nb}}


==References==
==References==
{{notelist}}
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}
{{reflist|30em}}


==External links==
==External links==
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* [https://www.pdfmx.com/the-complete-vegetarian-cookbook-pdf-free/ The Complete Vegetarian Cookbook]
{{refbegin}}
* [https://gutenberg.org/ebooks/49949 The Logic of Vegetarianism: Essays and Dialogues by Henry S. Salt]
* [http://www.goveg.com/ Vegetarian and Vegan Information]
{{Veganism and vegetarianism|state=expanded}}
* [http://www.happycow.net/becoming_vegetarian.html Resources/Support for Vegetarians ]
* [http://www.vegetariannutrition.org/ International Congress on Vegetarian Nutrition]
* [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kathy-freston/shattering-the-meat-myth_b_214390.html Shattering The Meat Myth: Humans Are Natural Vegetarians] by Kathy Freston, ''The Huffington Post'', June 11, 2009
* [http://www.life.com/image/first/in-gallery/55201/famous-vegetarians#index/0 Famous Vegetarians] – slideshow by ''[[Life magazine]]''
* [http://greenliving.nationalgeographic.com/side-effects-becoming-vegetarian-2184.html?source=glflyout Side Effects of Becoming a Vegetarian], ''[[National Geographic Society|National Geographic]]''
{{refend}}

{{Diets}}
{{Diets}}
{{Veganism and vegetarianism}}
{{Animal rights}}
{{Animal rights}}
{{Simple living}}
{{Meat}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Portal bar|Food|Medicine}}


[[Category:Vegetarianism| ]]
[[Category:Vegetables|*]]
[[Category:Diets]]
[[Category:Diets]]
[[Category:Ethical theories]]
[[Category:Applied ethics]]
[[Category:Intentional living]]
[[Category:Intentional living]]
[[Category:Vegetarianism| ]]
[[Category:Nonviolence]]

{{Link GA|de}}
{{Link GA|eo}}
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[[ar:النباتية]]
[[az:Vegetarianizm]]
[[be:Вегетарыянства]]
[[bg:Вегетарианство]]
[[ca:Vegetarianisme]]
[[cs:Vegetariánství]]
[[cy:Llysieuaeth]]
[[da:Vegetarisme]]
[[de:Vegetarismus]]
[[et:Taimetoitlus]]
[[el:Χορτοφαγία]]
[[es:Vegetarianismo]]
[[eo:Vegetarismo]]
[[fa:گیاه‌خواری]]
[[fr:Végétarisme]]
[[fy:Fegetarisme]]
[[ga:An feoilséanadh]]
[[gl:Vexetarianismo]]
[[ko:채식주의]]
[[hi:शाकाहार]]
[[hr:Vegetarijanska prehrana]]
[[id:Vegetarian]]
[[is:Grænmetishyggja]]
[[it:Vegetarianismo]]
[[he:צמחונות]]
[[jv:Vegetarian]]
[[ka:ვეგეტარიანელობა]]
[[kk:Вегетарианшылық]]
[[la:Vegetarianismus]]
[[lv:Veģetārisms]]
[[lt:Vegetarizmas]]
[[jbo:nalre'ucti]]
[[hu:Vegetarianizmus]]
[[mk:Вегетаријанство]]
[[ms:Vegetarian]]
[[nl:Vegetarisme]]
[[ja:ベジタリアニズム]]
[[no:Vegetarianisme]]
[[or:ଶାକାହାର]]
[[ps:سابه خوړونکي]]
[[pl:Wegetarianizm]]
[[pt:Vegetarianismo]]
[[ro:Vegetarianism]]
[[ru:Вегетарианство]]
[[simple:Vegetarianism]]
[[sk:Vegetariánstvo]]
[[sl:Vegetarijanstvo]]
[[sr:Vegetarijanstvo]]
[[sh:Vegetarijanstvo]]
[[fi:Kasvissyönti]]
[[sv:Vegetarianism]]
[[ta:தாவர உணவு முறை]]
[[th:มังสวิรัตินิยม]]
[[tr:Vejetaryenlik]]
[[uk:Вегетаріанство]]
[[vi:Ăn chay]]
[[yi:וועגעטאריאניזם]]
[[zh:素食主義]]

Latest revision as of 11:27, 1 December 2024

Vegetarianism
DescriptionDiet derived from plants, with or without eggs and dairy
VarietiesOvo, lacto, Lacto-ovo, veganism, raw veganism, fruitarianism, Buddhist vegetarianism, Jain vegetarianism, Jewish vegetarianism, Christian vegetarianism, Sattvic vegetarianism

Vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the consumption of meat (red meat, poultry, seafood, insects, and the flesh of any other animal). It may also include abstaining from eating all by-products of animal slaughter.[1][2] A person who practices vegetarianism is known as a vegetarian.

Vegetarianism may be adopted for various reasons. Many people object to eating meat out of respect for sentient animal life. Such ethical motivations have been codified under various religious beliefs as well as animal rights advocacy. Other motivations for vegetarianism are health-related, political, environmental, cultural, aesthetic, economic, taste-related, or relate to other personal preferences.

There are many variations of the vegetarian diet: an ovo-vegetarian diet includes eggs and a lacto-vegetarian diet includes dairy products, while a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet includes both. As the strictest of vegetarian diets, a vegan diet excludes all animal products, and can be accompanied by abstention from the use of animal-derived products, such as leather shoes.

Vegetarian diets pose some difficulties. For vitamin B12, depending on the presence or absence of eggs and dairy products in the diet or other reliable B12 sources, vegetarians may incur a nutritional deficiency.[3] Packaged and processed foods may contain minor quantities of animal ingredients.[2][4] While some vegetarians scrutinize product labels for such ingredients, others do not object to consuming them, or are unaware of their presence.[2][5][6]

Etymology

[edit]

The first written use of the term "vegetarian" originated in the early 19th century, when authors referred to a vegetable regimen diet.[7] Historically, 'vegetable' could be used to refer to any type of edible vegetation.[8] Modern dictionaries explain its origin as a compound of vegetable (adjective) and the suffix -arian (in the sense of agrarian).[9] The term was popularized with the foundation of the Vegetarian Society in Manchester in 1847,[10] although it may have appeared in print before 1847.[10][11][12] The earliest occurrences of the term seem to be related to Alcott House—a school on the north side of Ham Common, London—which was opened in July 1838 by James Pierrepont Greaves.[11][12][13] From 1841, it was known as A Concordium, or Industry Harmony College, and the institution then began to publish its own pamphlet, The Healthian. It provides some of the earliest appearances of the term "vegetarian".[11]

History

[edit]
Parshwanatha founded Jain vegetarianism in the 9th century BCE

The earliest record of vegetarianism comes from the 9th century BCE,[14] inculcating tolerance towards all living beings.[15][16] Parshwanatha and Mahavira, the 23rd and 24th tirthankaras in Jainism, respectively, revived and advocated ahimsa and Jain vegetarianism between the 8th and 6th centuries BCE; the most comprehensive and strictest form of vegetarianism.[17][18][19] In Indian culture, vegetarianism has been closely connected with the attitude of nonviolence towards animals (called ahimsa in India) for millennia and was promoted by religious groups and philosophers.[20] The Ācārāṅga Sūtra from 5th century BCE advocates Jain-vegetarianism; and forbids the monks from walking on grass in order to avoid inflicting pain on them and prevent small insects dwelling inside from getting killed.[21] The ancient Indian work of the Tirukkuṟaḷ, dated before the 5th century CE, explicitly and unambiguously emphasizes shunning meat and non-killing as a common man's virtues.[22]: 156–171 [23]: 13 [24]: 127–129  Chapter 26 of the Tirukkural, particularly couplets 251–260, deals exclusively on moral vegetarianism or veganism.[25]: 156–171 [26]

Vegetarianism in ancient India
Throughout the whole country the people do not kill any living creature, nor drink intoxicating liquor, nor eat onions or garlic. The only exception is that of the Chandalas. That is the name for those who are (held to be) wicked men, and live apart from others. ... In that country they do not keep pigs and fowls, and do not sell live cattle; in the markets there are no butchers' shops and no dealers in intoxicating drink. In buying and selling commodities they use cowries. Only the Chandalas are fishermen and hunters, and sell flesh meat.

Faxian, Chinese pilgrim to India (4th/5th century CE), A Record of Buddhistic Kingdoms (translated by James Legge)[27][28]

Among the Hellenes, Egyptians, and others, vegetarianism had medical or ritual purification purposes. Vegetarianism was also practiced in ancient Greece and the earliest reliable evidence for vegetarian theory and practice in Greece dates from the 6th century BCE. The Orphics, a religious movement spreading in Greece at that time, also practiced and promoted vegetarianism.[29] Greek teacher Pythagoras, who promoted the altruistic doctrine of metempsychosis, may have practiced vegetarianism,[30] but is also recorded as eating meat.[31] A fictionalized portrayal of Pythagoras appears in Ovid's Metamorphoses, in which he advocates a form of strict vegetarianism.[32] It was through this portrayal that Pythagoras was best known to English-speakers throughout the early modern period and, prior to the coinage of the word "vegetarianism", vegetarians were referred to in English as "Pythagoreans".[32] Vegetarianism was also practiced about six centuries later in another instance (30 BCE–50 CE) in the northern Thracian region by the Moesi tribe (who inhabited present-day Serbia and Bulgaria), feeding themselves on honey, milk, and cheese.[33]

Emperor Tenmu began bans on killing and eating meat in 675 CE in Japan.

In Japan in 675, the Emperor Tenmu prohibited the killing and the eating of meat during the busy farming period between April and September but excluded the eating of wild birds and wild animals. These bans and several others that followed over the centuries were overturned in the nineteenth century during the Meiji Restoration.[34] In China, during the Song dynasty, Buddhist cuisine became popular enough that vegetarian restaurants appeared where chefs used ingredients such as beans, gluten, root vegetables and mushrooms to create meat analogues including pork, fowl, eggs and crab roe[35][36] and many meat substitutes used even today such as tofu, seitan and konjac originate in Chinese Buddhist cuisine.

Labeling is mandatory in India to distinguish vegetarian products (green) from non-vegetarian products (brown).[37]

Following the Christianization of the Roman Empire in late antiquity, vegetarianism practically disappeared from Europe, as it did elsewhere, except in India.[38] Several orders of monks in medieval Europe restricted or banned the consumption of meat for ascetic reasons, but none of them eschewed fish.[39] Moreover, the medieval definition of "fish" included such animals as seals, porpoises, dolphins, barnacle geese, puffins, and beavers.[40] Vegetarianism re-emerged during the Renaissance,[41] becoming more widespread in the 19th and 20th centuries. In 1847, the first Vegetarian Society was founded in the United Kingdom;[42] Germany, the Netherlands, and other countries followed. In 1886, the vegetarian colony Nueva Germania was founded in Paraguay, though its vegetarian aspect would prove short-lived.[43]: 345–358  The International Vegetarian Union, an association of the national societies, was founded in 1908. In the Western world, the popularity of vegetarianism grew during the 20th century as a result of nutritional, ethical, and—more recently—environmental and economic concerns.

Varieties

[edit]
A variety of vegan and vegetarian deli foods
A vegetarian hamburger with potato slices
Comparison of the main vegetarian diets
Meat Eggs Dairy
Ovo vegetarianism No Yes No
Lacto-ovo vegetarianism No Yes Yes
Lacto vegetarianism No No Yes
Vegan diet No No No
Comparison of selected vegetarian and semi-vegetarian diets (view template)
Plants Dairy Eggs Seafood Poultry All other animals
Vegetarianism Lacto-ovo vegetarianism Yes Yes Yes No No No
Lacto vegetarianism Yes Yes No No No No
Ovo vegetarianism Yes No Yes No No No
Veganism Yes No No No No No
Semi-vegetarianism Flexitarianism Yes Yes Yes Sometimes Sometimes Sometimes
Pollotarianism Yes Maybe Maybe Maybe Yes No
Pescetarianism Yes Maybe Maybe Yes No No

There are a number of vegetarian diets that exclude or include various foods:

Within the "ovo-" groups, there are many who refuse to consume fertilized eggs (with balut being an extreme example); however, such distinction is typically not specifically addressed.

Some vegetarians also avoid products that may use animal ingredients not included in their labels or which use animal products in their manufacturing. For example, sugars that are whitened with bone char, cheeses that use animal rennet (enzymes from animal stomach lining), gelatin (derived from the collagen inside animals' skin, bones, and connective tissue), some cane sugar (but not beet sugar) and beverages (such as apple juice and alcohol) clarified with gelatin or crushed shellfish and sturgeon, while other vegetarians are unaware of, or do not mind, such ingredients.[2][4][5] In the 21st century, 90% of rennet and chymosin used in cheesemaking are derived from industrial fermentation processes, which satisfy both kosher and halal requirements.[46]

Individuals sometimes label themselves "vegetarian" while practicing a semi-vegetarian diet,[47][48][49] as some dictionary definitions describe vegetarianism as sometimes including the consumption of fish,[50] or only include mammalian flesh as part of their definition of meat,[50][51] while other definitions exclude fish and all animal flesh.[52] In other cases, individuals may describe themselves as "flexitarian".[48][53] These diets may be followed by those who reduce animal flesh consumed as a way of transitioning to a complete vegetarian diet or for health, ethical, environmental, or other reasons. Semi-vegetarian diets include:

Semi-vegetarianism is contested by vegetarian groups, such as the Vegetarian Society, which states that vegetarianism excludes all animal flesh.[52]

Consumption of eggs is not considered to be a part of a vegetarian diet in India, as egg is an animal product that gives birth to the next generation of the relevant species.

Health research

[edit]

On average, vegetarians consume a lower proportion of calories from fat (particularly saturated fatty acids), fewer overall calories, more fiber, potassium, and vitamin C, than do non-vegetarians. Vegetarians generally have a lower body mass index. These characteristics and other lifestyle factors associated with a vegetarian diet may contribute to the positive health outcomes that have been identified among vegetarians.

Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010 – A report issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services[54]
Countries' positions on vegetarian diets within their food-based dietary guidelines:
  Supporters
  Informers
  Uninformed
  Critics
  No guidelines
  Guideline not analysed
Acorn noodle soup
A fruit stall in Barcelona

In Western countries, the most common motive for people practicing vegetarianism is health consciousness.[55][56] The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has stated that at all stages of life, a properly planned vegetarian diet can be "healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may be beneficial in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases."[57] Vegetarian diets offer lower levels of saturated fat, cholesterol and animal protein, and higher levels of carbohydrates, fibre, magnesium, potassium, folate, vitamins C and E, and phytochemicals.[57][58]

Bones

[edit]

Studies have shown that a (non-lacto) vegetarian diet may increase the risk of calcium deficiency and low bone mineral density.[59] A 2019 review found that vegetarians have lower bone mineral density at the femoral neck and lumbar spine compared to omnivores.[60] A 2020 meta-analysis found that infants fed a lacto-vegetarian diet exhibited normal growth and development.[59] A 2021 review found no differences in growth between vegetarian and meat-eating children.[61]

Diabetes

[edit]

Vegetarian diets are under preliminary research for their potential to help people with type 2 diabetes.[57][62][63]

Cardiovascular system

[edit]

Meta-analyses have reported a reduced risk of death from ischemic heart disease and from cerebrovascular disease among vegetarians.[64]

Mental health

[edit]

Reviews of vegan and vegetarian diets showed a possible association with depression and anxiety, particularly among people under 26 years old.[65][66] Another review found no significant associations between a vegetarian diet and depression or anxiety.[67]

Eating disorders

[edit]

The American Dietetic Association discussed that vegetarian diets may be more common among adolescents with eating disorders, indicating that vegetarian diets do not cause eating disorders, but rather "vegetarian diets may be selected to camouflage an existing eating disorder".[68]

Mortality risk

[edit]

A 2012 study found a reduced risk in all-cause mortality in vegetarians.[69] A 2017 review found a lower mortality (−25%) from ischemic heart disease.[70]

Diet composition and nutrition

[edit]

Western vegetarian diets are typically high in carotenoids, but relatively low in omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin B12.[71] Vegans can have particularly low intake of vitamin B and calcium if they do not eat enough items such as collard greens, leafy greens, tempeh and tofu (soy).[72] High levels of dietary fiber, folic acid, vitamins C and E, and magnesium, and low consumption of saturated fat are all considered to be beneficial aspects of a vegetarian diet.[73] A well planned vegetarian diet will provide all nutrients in a meat-eater's diet to the same level for all stages of life.[74]

Protein

[edit]

Protein intake in vegetarian diets tends to be lower than in meat diets but can meet the daily requirements for most people.[75] Studies at Harvard University as well as other studies conducted in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and various European countries, confirmed that vegetarian diets provide sufficient protein intake as long as a variety of plant sources are available and consumed.[76]

Iron

[edit]

Vegetarian diets typically contain similar levels of iron to non-vegetarian diets, but this has lower bioavailability than iron from meat sources, and its absorption can sometimes be inhibited by other dietary constituents.[77] According to the Vegetarian Resource Group, consuming food that contains vitamin C, such as citrus fruit or juices, tomatoes, or broccoli, is a good way to increase the amount of iron absorbed at a meal.[78] Vegetarian foods rich in iron include black beans, cashews, hempseed, kidney beans, broccoli, lentils, oatmeal, raisins, jaggery, spinach, cabbage, lettuce, black-eyed peas, soybeans, many breakfast cereals, sunflower seeds, chickpeas, tomato juice, tempeh, molasses, thyme, and whole-wheat bread.[79][failed verification] The related vegan diets can often be higher in iron than vegetarian diets, because dairy products are low in iron.[73] Iron stores often tend to be lower in vegetarians than non-vegetarians, and a few small studies report very high rates of iron deficiency (up to 40%,[80] and 58%[81] of the respective vegetarian or vegan groups). However, the American Dietetic Association states that iron deficiency is no more common in vegetarians than non-vegetarians (adult males are rarely iron deficient); iron deficiency anaemia is rare no matter the diet.[82]

Vitamin B12

[edit]

Vitamin B12 is not generally present in plants but is naturally found in foods of animal origin.[83][84] Lacto-ovo vegetarians can obtain B12 from dairy products and eggs, and vegans can obtain it from manufactured fortified foods (including plant-based products and breakfast cereals) and dietary supplements.[83][85][86] A strict vegan diet avoiding consumption of all animal products risks vitamin B12 deficiency, which can lead to hyperhomocysteinemia, a risk factor for several health disorders, including anemia, neurological deficits, gastrointestinal problems, platelet disorders, and increased risk for cardiovascular diseases.[83][87] The recommended daily dietary intake of B12 in the United States and Canada is 0.4 mcg (ages 0–6 months), rising to 1.8 mcg (9–13 years), 2.4 mcg (14+ years), and 2.8 mcg (lactating female).[84] While the body's daily requirement for vitamin B12 is in microgram amounts, deficiency of the vitamin through strict practice of a vegetarian diet without supplementation can increase the risk of several chronic diseases.[83][87][84]

Fatty acids

[edit]

Plant-based, or vegetarian, sources of Omega 3 fatty acids include soy, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, canola oil, kiwifruit, hempseed, algae, chia seed, flaxseed, echium seed and leafy vegetables such as lettuce, spinach, cabbage and purslane. Purslane contains more Omega 3 than any other known leafy green. Olives (and olive oil) are another important plant source of unsaturated fatty acids. Plant foods can provide alpha-linolenic acid which the human body uses to synthesize the long-chain n-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. EPA and DHA can be obtained directly in high amounts from oily fish, fish oil, or algae oil. Vegetarians, and particularly vegans, have lower levels of EPA and DHA than meat-eaters. While the health effects of low levels of EPA and DHA are unknown, it is unlikely that supplementation with alpha-linolenic acid will significantly increase levels.[88][clarification needed]. Significantly, for vegetarians, certain algae such as spirulina are good sources of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), linoleic acid (LA), stearidonic acid (SDA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and arachidonic acid (AA).[89][90]

Calcium

[edit]

Calcium intake in vegetarians and vegans can be similar to non-vegetarians, as long as the diet is properly planned.[91] Lacto-ovo vegetarians that include dairy products can still obtain calcium from dairy sources like milk, yogurt, and cheese.[92]

Non-dairy milks that are fortified with calcium, such as soymilk and almond milk can also contribute a significant amount of calcium in the diet.[93] Broccoli, bok choy, and kale have also been found to have calcium that is well absorbed in the body.[91][92][94] Though the calcium content per serving is lower in these vegetables than a glass of milk, the absorption of the calcium into the body is higher.[92][94] Other foods that contain calcium include calcium-set tofu, blackstrap molasses, turnip greens, mustard greens, soybeans, tempeh, almonds, okra, dried figs, and tahini.[91][93] Though calcium can be found in Spinach, swiss chard, beans and beet greens, they are generally not considered to be a good source since the calcium binds to oxalic acid and is poorly absorbed into the body.[92] Phytic acid found in nuts, seeds, and beans may also impact calcium absorption rates.[92] See the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements for calcium needs for various ages,[92] the Vegetarian Resource Group[93] and the Vegetarian Nutrition Calcium Fact Sheet from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics[91] for more specifics on how to obtain adequate calcium intake on a vegetarian or vegan diet.

Vitamin D

[edit]

Vitamin D needs can be met via the human body's own generation upon sufficient and sensible exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light in sunlight.[95][96] Products including milk, soy milk and cereal grains may be fortified to provide a source of vitamin D.[97] For those who do not get adequate sun exposure or food sources, vitamin D supplementation may be necessary.

Vitamin D2

[edit]
  • Plants
    • Alfalfa (Medicago sativa subsp. sativa), shoot: 4.8 μg (192 IU) vitamin D2, 0.1 μg (4 IU) vitamin D3[98]
  • Fungus, from USDA nutrient database,[99] per 100 g:
    • Mushrooms, portabella, exposed to ultraviolet light, raw: Vitamin D2: 11.2 μg (446 IU)
    • Mushrooms, portabella, exposed to ultraviolet light, grilled: Vitamin D2: 13.1 μg (524 IU)
    • Mushrooms, shiitake, dried: Vitamin D2: 3.9 μg (154 IU)
    • Mushrooms, shiitake, raw: Vitamin D2: 0.4 μg (18 IU)
    • Mushrooms, portabella, raw: Vitamin D2: 0.3 μg (10 IU)
    • Mushroom powder, any species, illuminated with sunlight or artificial ultraviolet light sources

Vitamin D2, or ergocalciferol is found in fungus (except alfalfa which is a plantae) and created from viosterol, which in turn is created when ultraviolet light activates ergosterol (which is found in fungi and named as a sterol from ergot). Any UV-irradiated fungus including yeast form vitamin D2.[100] Human bioavailability of vitamin D2 from vitamin D2-enhanced button mushrooms via UV-B irradiation is effective in improving vitamin D status and not different from a vitamin D2 supplement according to study.[101] For example, vitamin D2 from UV-irradiated yeast baked into bread is bioavailable.[102] By visual assessment or using a chromometer, no significant discoloration of irradiated mushrooms, as measured by the degree of "whiteness", was observed[103] making it hard to discover if they have been treated without labeling. Claims have been made that a normal serving (approx. 3 oz or 1/2 cup, or 60 grams) of mushrooms treated with ultraviolet light increase their vitamin D content to levels up to 80 micrograms,[104] or 2700 IU if exposed to just 5 minutes of UV light after being harvested.[105]

Choline

[edit]

Choline is a nutrient that helps transfer signals between nerve cells and is involved in liver function. It is highest in dairy foods and meat but it is possible to be obtained through a vegan diet.[106]

Ethics and diet

[edit]

General

[edit]

With regard to the ethics of eating meat, scholars consider vegetarianism an ideology and a social movement.[107][108] Ethical reasons for choosing vegetarianism vary and are usually predicated on the interests of non-human animals. In many societies, controversies and debates have arisen over the ethics of eating animals. Some people, while not vegetarians, refuse to eat the flesh of certain animals due to cultural taboo, such as cats, dogs, horses or rabbits. Others support meat eating for scientific, nutritional and cultural reasons, including religious ones. Some meat eaters abstain from the meat of animals reared in particular ways, such as factory farms, or avoid certain meats, such as veal or foie gras. Some people follow vegetarian or vegan diets not because of moral concerns involving the raising or consumption of animals in general, but because of concerns about the specific treatment and practices involved in the processing of animals for food. Others still avoid meat out of concern that meat production places a greater burden on the environment than production of an equivalent amount of plant protein.[109] Ethical objections based on consideration for animals are generally divided into opposition to the act of killing in general, and opposition to certain agricultural practices surrounding the production of meat.

Ethics of killing for food

[edit]

Ethical vegetarians believe that killing an animal, like killing a human, especially one who has equal or lesser cognitive abilities than the animals in question, can only be justified in extreme circumstances and that consuming a living creature for its enjoyable taste, convenience, or nutrition value is not a sufficient cause.[110] Another common view is that humans are morally conscious of their behavior in a way other animals are not, and therefore subject to higher standards.[111] Jeff McMahan proposes that denying the right to life and humane treatment to animals with equal or greater cognitive abilities than mentally disabled humans is an arbitrary and discriminatory practice based on habit instead of logic.[112] Opponents of ethical vegetarianism argue that animals are not moral equals to humans and so consider the comparison of eating livestock with killing people to be fallacious. This view does not excuse cruelty, but maintains that animals do not possess the rights a human has.[113]

Dairy and eggs

[edit]

One of the main differences between a vegan and a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet is the avoidance of both eggs and dairy products such as milk, cheese, butter and yogurt. Ethical vegans do not consume dairy or eggs because they state that their production causes the animal suffering or a premature death.[114]

To produce milk from dairy cattle, farmers separate calves from their mothers soon after birth to retain cow milk for human consumption.[115]

Treatment of animals

[edit]

Ethical vegetarianism has become popular in developed countries particularly because of the spread of factory farming and environmental consciousness. Some believe that the current mass-demand for meat cannot be satisfied without a mass-production system that disregards the welfare of animals, while others believe that practices like well-managed free-range farming or the consumption of game (particularly from species whose natural predators have been significantly eliminated) could substantially alleviate consumer demand for mass-produced meat.[116]

Religion and diet

[edit]

Jainism teaches vegetarianism as moral conduct, as do some[117] sects of Hinduism. Buddhism in general does not prohibit meat eating, but Mahayana Buddhism encourages vegetarianism as beneficial for developing compassion.[118] Other denominations that advocate a vegetarian diet include the Seventh-day Adventists, the Rastafari movement, the Ananda Marga movement and the Hare Krishnas. Sikhism[119][120] does not equate spirituality with diet and does not specify a vegetarian or meat diet.[121]

Baháʼí Faith

[edit]

While there are no dietary restrictions in the Baháʼí Faith, `Abdu'l-Bahá, the son of the religion's founder, noted that a vegetarian diet consisting of fruits and grains was desirable, except for people with a weak constitution or those that are sick.[122] He stated that there are no requirements that Baháʼís become vegetarian, but that a future society should gradually become vegetarian.[122][123][124] `Abdu'l-Bahá also stated that killing animals was contrary to compassion.[122] While Shoghi Effendi, the head of the Bahá'í Faith in the first half of the 20th century, stated that a purely vegetarian diet would be preferable since it avoided killing animals,[125] both he and the Universal House of Justice, the governing body of the Baháʼís have stated that these teachings do not constitute a Baháʼí practice and that Baháʼís can choose to eat whatever they wish but should be respectful of others' beliefs.[122]

Buddhism

[edit]
Sign promoting vegetarianism at Key Monastery, Spiti, India

Theravadins in general eat meat.[126] If Buddhist monks "see, hear or know" a living animal was killed specifically for them to eat, they must refuse it or else incur an offense.[127] However, this does not include eating meat which was given as alms or commercially purchased. In the Theravada canon, Shakyamuni Buddha did not make any comment discouraging them from eating meat (except specific types, such as human, elephant, horse, dog, snake, lion, tiger, leopard, bear, and hyena flesh[128]) but he specifically refused to institute vegetarianism in his monastic code when a suggestion had been made.[a][129]

In several Sanskrit texts of Mahayana Buddhism, Buddha instructs his followers to avoid meat.[130][131][132][133] However, each branch of Mahayana Buddhism selects which sutra to follow, and some branches, including the majority of Tibetan and Japanese Buddhists, actually do eat meat.[134][135]

Meanwhile, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese Buddhism (in some sectors of East Asian Buddhism) monks and nuns are expected to abstain from meat, and traditionally, to abstain from eggs and dairy as well.[136][137][138][139][140]

Different Buddhist traditions have differing teachings on diet, which may also vary for ordained monks and nuns compared to others. Many interpret the precept "not to kill" to require abstinence from meat, but not all. In Taiwan, su vegetarianism excludes not only all animal products but also vegetables in the allium family (which have the characteristic aroma of onion and garlic): onion, garlic, scallions, leeks, chives, or shallots.

Christianity

[edit]

Various groups within Christianity have practiced specific dietary restrictions for various reasons.[141] The Council of Jerusalem in around 50 AD, recommended Christians keep following some of the Jewish food laws concerning meat. The early sect known as the Ebionites are considered to have practiced vegetarianism. Surviving fragments from their Gospel indicate their belief that – as Christ is the Passover sacrifice and eating the Passover lamb is no longer required – a vegetarian diet may (or should) be observed. However, orthodox Christianity does not accept their teaching as authentic. Indeed, their specific injunction to strict vegetarianism was cited as one of the Ebionites' "errors".[142][143]

At a much later time, the Bible Christian Church founded by Reverend William Cowherd in 1809 followed a vegetarian diet.[144] Cowherd was one of the philosophical forerunners of the Vegetarian Society.[145] Cowherd encouraged members to abstain from eating of meat as a form of temperance.[146]

Seventh-day Adventists are encouraged to engage in healthy eating practices, and lacto-ovo-vegetarian diets are recommended by the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Nutrition Council (GCNC). They have also sponsored and participated in many scientific studies exploring the impact of dietary decisions upon health outcomes.[147] The GCNC has in addition adapted the USDA's food pyramid for a vegetarian dietary approach.[147][148] However, the only kinds of meat specifically frowned upon by the SDA health message are unclean meats, or those forbidden in scripture.[149]

Additionally, some monastic orders follow a pescatarian diet, and members of the Eastern Orthodox Church follow a vegan diet during fasts.[150] There is also a strong association between the Quakers and vegetarianism dating back at least to the 18th century. The association grew in prominence during the 19th century, coupled with growing Quaker concerns in connection with alcohol consumption, anti-vivisection and social purity. The association between the Quaker tradition and vegetarianism, however, becomes most significant with the founding of the Friends' Vegetarian Society in 1902 "to spread a kindlier way of living amongst the Society of Friends."[151]

Seventh-day Adventist

[edit]
Sanitarium products for sale

The Seventh-day Adventist Church is well known for presenting a health message that recommends vegetarianism and expects adherence to the kosher laws in Leviticus 11. Obedience to these laws means abstinence from pork, shellfish, and other animals proscribed as "unclean". The church discourages its members from consuming alcoholic beverages, tobacco or illegal drugs (compare Christianity and alcohol). In addition, some Adventists avoid coffee, tea, cola, and other beverages containing caffeine.[citation needed]

The pioneers of the Adventist Church had much to do with the common acceptance of breakfast cereals into the Western diet, and the "modern commercial concept of cereal food" originated among Adventists.[152] John Harvey Kellogg was one of the early founders of Adventist health work. His development of breakfast cereals as a health food led to the founding of Kellogg's by his brother William. In both Australia and New Zealand, the church-owned Sanitarium Health and Wellbeing Company is a leading manufacturer of health and vegetarian-related products, most prominently Weet-Bix. Kellogg encouraged his students Daniel H. Kress and Lauretta E. Kress to study medicine together at the University of Michigan Medical School and become public advocates of vegetarianism; together they published an important vegetarian cookbook and became early founders of what was later Washington Adventist Hospital.[153]

Research funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health has shown that the average Adventist in California lives 4 to 10 years longer than the average Californian. The research, as cited by the cover story of the November 2005 issue of National Geographic, asserts that Adventists live longer because they do not smoke or drink alcohol, have a day of rest every week, and maintain a healthy, low-fat vegetarian diet that is rich in nuts and beans.[154] The cohesiveness of Adventists' social networks has also been put forward as an explanation for their extended lifespan.[155] Since Dan Buettner's 2005 National Geographic story about Adventist longevity, his book, The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who've Lived the Longest, named Loma Linda, California, a "blue zone" because of the large concentration of Seventh-day Adventists. He cites the Adventist emphasis on health, diet, and Sabbath-keeping as primary factors for Adventist longevity.[156]

An estimated 35% of Adventists practice vegetarianism or veganism, according to a 2002 worldwide survey of local church leaders.[157][158] North American Adventist health study recruitments from 2001 to 2007 found a similar prevalence of vegetarianism/veganism. A small majority of Adventists, 54%, were conventional meat-eaters. Of the remaining 46% it was found that 28% were Ovo/Lacto-vegetarians, 10% were Pesco-vegetarians and 8% were vegans. It is common for Adventists who choose to eat meat to also eat plant-based foods; 6% of the "meat-eaters" group restricted their intake of meat/fish to no more than once per week.[159]

Hinduism

[edit]
Illustrative of vegetarian Hindu meals

Though there is no strict rule on what to consume and what not to, the food habits of Hindus vary according to their specific caste and sub-caste, community, location, custom and varying traditions. Historically and currently, a majority of Hindus (about 70%) eat meat, while a large proportion of Hindus are vegetarian (about 30%).[160]

Some sects of Hinduism such as Vaishnavism follow the purest form of vegetarianism as an ideal while Shaktism and Tantric sects freely consume chicken, mutton (goat and sheep meat), fish and eggs. The reasons stated by Jains and Vaishnavas are: the principle of nonviolence (ahimsa) applied to animals;[161] the intention to offer only "pure" (vegetarian) food to a deity and then to receive it back as prasada; and the conviction that a sattvic diet is beneficial for a healthy body. A sattvic diet is lacto-vegetarian, which includes dairy, but excludes eggs.[162] An overwhelming majority of the Hindus consider the cow to be a holy and sacred animal whose slaughter for meat is forbidden. Thus, beef is a taboo for the majority of Hindus, Jains and Sikhs[163]

Islam

[edit]

Some followers of Islam, or Muslims, chose to be vegetarian for health, ethical, or personal reasons. However, the choice to become vegetarian for non-medical reasons can sometimes be controversial due to conflicting fatwas and differing interpretations of the Quran. Though some more traditional Muslims may keep quiet about their vegetarian diet, the number of vegetarian Muslims is increasing.[164][165]

Sri Lankan Sufi master Bawa Muhaiyaddeen, who established The Bawa Muhaiyaddeen Fellowship of North America in Philadelphia.[clarification needed] The former Indian president Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam was also famously a vegetarian.[166][167]

In January 1996, The International Vegetarian Union announced the formation of the Muslim Vegetarian/Vegan Society.[168]

Many non-vegetarian Muslims will select vegetarian (or seafood) options when dining in non-halal restaurants. However, this is a matter of not having the right kind of meat rather than preferring not to eat meat on the whole.[165]

Jainism

[edit]
The food choices of Jains are based on the value of Ahimsa (non-violence).

Followers of Jainism believe that all living organisms, including microorganisms, are living and have a soul, and have one or more senses out of five senses. They go to great lengths to minimise any harm to any living organism. Most Jains are lacto-vegetarians, but more devout Jains do not eat root vegetables, because they believe that root vegetables contain many more microorganisms as compared to other vegetables, and that, by eating them, violence against these microorganisms is inevitable. They therefore prefer eating beans and fruits, whose cultivation involves killing fewer microorganisms. No products obtained from already-dead animals are allowed because of potential violence against decomposing microorganisms.[169][170] Some particularly dedicated individuals are fruitarians.[171] Honey is forbidden, being the regurgitation of nectar by bees [172] and potentially containing eggs, excreta and dead bees. Many Jains do not consume plant parts that grow underground such as roots and bulbs, because the plants themselves and tiny animals may be killed when the plants are pulled up.[173]

Judaism

[edit]

While classical Jewish law neither requires nor prohibits the consumption of meat, Jewish vegetarians often cite Jewish principles regarding animal welfare, environmental ethics, moral character, and health as reasons for adopting a vegetarian or vegan diet.[174]

Rabbis may advocate vegetarianism or veganism primarily because of concerns about animal welfare, especially in light of the traditional prohibition on causing unnecessary "pain to living creatures" (tza'ar ba'alei hayyim).[175][176] Some Jewish vegetarian groups and activists believe that the halakhic permission to eat meat is a temporary leniency for those who are not ready yet to accept the vegetarian diet.[177]

The book of Daniel starts in its first chapter with the benefits of vegetarianism. Due to its size, its late time of origin and its revealing content, the book is of particular importance for the time of the following exile, which lasts now for 2000 years and technically still goes on until the Temple in Jerusalem is rebuilt. A diet described as "pulse and water" is presented along benefits such as accordance with the biblical dietary laws, health, beauty, wisdom and vision. Vegetarianism can be seen as a safeguard around the dietary laws or the beautification of them.

Jewish vegetarianism and veganism have become especially popular among Israeli Jews. In 2016, Israel was described as "the most vegan country on Earth", as five percent of its population eschewed all animal products.[178] Interest in veganism has grown among both non-Orthodox and Orthodox Jews in Israel.[179]

Rastafari

[edit]

Within the Afro-Caribbean community, a minority are Rastafari and follow the dietary regulations with varying degrees of strictness. The most orthodox eat only "Ital" or natural foods, in which the matching of herbs or spices with vegetables is the result of long tradition originating from the African ancestry and cultural heritage of Rastafari.[180] "Ital", which is derived from the word vital, means essential to human existence. Ital cooking in its strictest form prohibits the use of salt, meat (especially pork), preservatives, colorings, flavorings and anything artificial.[181] Most Rastafari are vegetarian.[182]

Sikhism

[edit]
At the Sikh langar, all people eat a vegetarian meal as equals.

The tenets of Sikhism do not advocate a particular stance on either vegetarianism or the consumption of meat,[183][184][185][186] but leave the decision of diet to the individual.[187] The tenth guru, Guru Gobind Singh, however, prohibited "Amritdhari" Sikhs, or those that follow the Sikh Rehat Maryada (the Official Sikh Code of Conduct)[188] from eating Kutha meat, or meat which has been obtained from animals which have been killed in a ritualistic way. This is understood to have been for the political reason of maintaining independence from the then-new Muslim hegemony, as Muslims largely adhere to the ritualistic halal diet.[183][187]

"Amritdharis" that belong to some Sikh sects (e.g. Akhand Kirtani Jatha, Damdami Taksal, Namdhari[189] and Rarionwalay,[190] etc.) are vehemently against the consumption of meat and eggs (though they do consume and encourage the consumption of milk, butter and cheese).[191] This vegetarian stance has been traced back to the times of the British Raj, with the advent of many new Vaishnava converts.[187] In response to the varying views on diet throughout the Sikh population, Sikh Gurus have sought to clarify the Sikh view on diet, stressing their preference only for simplicity of diet. Guru Nanak said that over-consumption of food (Lobh, Greed) involves a drain on the Earth's resources and thus on life.[192][193] Passages from the Guru Granth Sahib (the holy book of Sikhs, also known as the Adi Granth) say that it is "foolish" to argue for the superiority of animal life, because though all life is related, only human life carries more importance: "Only fools argue whether to eat meat or not. Who can define what is meat and what is not meat? Who knows where the sin lies, being a vegetarian or a non-vegetarian?"[187] The Sikh langar, or free temple meal, is largely lacto-vegetarian, though this is understood to be a result of efforts to present a meal that is respectful of the diets of any person who would wish to dine, rather than out of dogma.[186][187]

Environment and diet

[edit]

Environmental vegetarianism is based on the concern that the production of meat and animal products for mass consumption, especially through factory farming, is environmentally unsustainable. According to a 2006 United Nations initiative, the livestock industry is one of the largest contributors to environmental degradation worldwide, and modern practices of raising animals for food contribute on a "massive scale" to air and water pollution, land degradation, climate change, and loss of biodiversity. The initiative concluded that "the livestock sector emerges as one of the top two or three most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to global."[194]

In addition, animal agriculture is a large source of greenhouse gases. According to a 2006 report it is responsible for 18% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions as estimated in 100-year CO2 equivalents. Livestock sources (including enteric fermentation and manure) account for about 3.1 percent of US anthropogenic GHG emissions expressed as carbon dioxide equivalents.[195] This EPA estimate is based on methodologies agreed to by the Conference of Parties of the UNFCCC, with 100-year global warming potentials from the IPCC Second Assessment Report used in estimating GHG emissions as carbon dioxide equivalents.

Meat produced in a laboratory (called in vitro meat) may be more environmentally sustainable than regularly produced meat.[196] Reactions of vegetarians vary.[197] Rearing a relatively small number of grazing animals can be beneficial, as the Food Climate Research Network at Surrey University reports: "A little bit of livestock production is probably a good thing for the environment".[198]

In May 2009, Ghent, Belgium, was reported to be "the first [city] in the world to go vegetarian at least once a week" for environmental reasons, when local authorities decided to implement a "weekly meatless day". Civil servants would eat vegetarian meals one day per week, in recognition of the United Nations' report. Posters were put up by local authorities to encourage the population to take part on vegetarian days, and "veggie street maps" were printed to highlight vegetarian restaurants. In September 2009, schools in Ghent are due to have a weekly veggiedag ("vegetarian day") too.[199]

Public opinion and acceptance of meat-free food is expected to be more successful if its descriptive words focus less on the health aspects and more on the flavor.[200]

Labor conditions and diet

[edit]

Some groups, such as PETA, promote vegetarianism as a way to offset poor treatment and working conditions of workers in the contemporary meat industry.[201] These groups cite studies showing the psychological damage caused by working in the meat industry, especially in factory and industrialised settings, and argue that the meat industry violates its labourers' human rights by assigning difficult and distressing tasks without adequate counselling, training and debriefing.[202][203][204] However, the working conditions of agricultural workers as a whole, particularly non-permanent workers, remain poor and well below conditions prevailing in other economic sectors.[205] Accidents, including pesticide poisoning, among farmers and plantation workers contribute to increased health risks, including increased mortality.[206] According to the International Labour Organization, agriculture is one of the three most dangerous jobs in the world[clarification needed].[207]

Economics and diet

[edit]

Similar to environmental vegetarianism is the concept of economic vegetarianism. An economic vegetarian is someone who practices vegetarianism from either the philosophical viewpoint concerning issues such as public health and curbing world starvation, the belief that the consumption of meat is economically unsound, part of a conscious simple living strategy or just out of necessity. According to the Worldwatch Institute, "Massive reductions in meat consumption in industrial nations will ease their health care burden while improving public health; declining livestock herds will take pressure off rangelands and grainlands, allowing the agricultural resource base to rejuvenate. As populations grow, lowering meat consumption worldwide will allow more efficient use of declining per capita land and water resources, while at the same time making grain more affordable to the world's chronically hungry."[208] According to estimates in 2016, adoption of vegetarianism would contribute substantially to global healthcare and environmental savings.[209]

Demographics

[edit]

Prejudice researcher Gordon Hodson argues that vegetarians and vegans frequently face discrimination where eating meat is held as a cultural norm.[210]

Turnover

[edit]

Research suggests that, at least in the United States, vegetarianism has a high turnover rate, with less than 20% of adopters persisting for more than a year.[211] Research shows that lacking social support contributes to lapses.[212][213][better source needed] A 2019 analysis found that adhering to any kind of restricted diet (gluten-free, vegetarian, kosher, teetotal) was associated with feelings of loneliness and increased social isolation.[214]

Vegetarians or vegans who adopted their diet abruptly might be more likely to eventually abandon it when compared to individuals adopting their diet gradually with incremental changes.[215]

Country-specific information

[edit]

The rate of vegetarianism by country varies substantially from relatively low levels in countries such as the Netherlands (5%)[216] to more considerable levels in India (20–40%).[217][218] Estimates for the number of vegetarians per country can be subject to methodological difficulties, as respondents may identify as vegetarian even if they include some meat in their diet, and thus some researchers suggest the percentage of vegetarians may be significantly overestimated.[219]

Media

[edit]

Vegetarianism is occasionally depicted in mass media. Some scholars have argued that mass media serves as a "source of information for individuals" interested in vegetarianism or veganism,[220] while there are "increasing social sanctions against eating meat".[221][222] Over time, societal attitudes of vegetarianism have changed, as have perceptions of vegetarianism in popular culture, leading to more "vegetarian sentiment".[223] Even so, there are still existing "meat-based" food metaphors which infuse daily speech,[224] and those who are vegetarian and vegan are met with "acceptance, tolerance, or hostility" after they divulge they are vegetarian or vegan.[225] Some writers, such as John L. Cunningham, editor of the Vegetarian Resource Group's newsletter, have argued for "more sympathetic vegetarian characters in the mass media".[226]

Literature

[edit]

In Western literature, vegetarianism, and topics that relate to it, have informed a "gamut of literary genres", whether literary fiction or those fictions focusing on utopias, dystopias, or apocalypses, with authors shaped by questions about human identity and "our relation to the environment", implicating vegetarianism and veganism.[227][228] Others have pointed to the lack of "memorable characters" who are vegetarian.[229] There are also vegetarian themes in horror fiction,[230] science fiction[231] and poetry.[232]

In 1818, Mary Shelley published the novel Frankenstein. Writer and animal rights advocate Carol J. Adams argued in her seminal book, The Sexual Politics of Meat that the unnamed creature in the novel was a vegetarian.[233] She argued that the book was "indebted to the vegetarian climate" of its day and that vegetarianism is a major theme in the novel as a whole. She notes that the creature gives an "emotional speech" talking about its dietary principles, which makes it a "more sympathetic being" than others. She also said that it connected with Vegetarianism in the Romantic Era who believed that the Garden of Eden was meatless, rewrote the myth of Prometheus, the ideas of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and feminist symbolism. Adams concludes that it is more likely that the "vegetarian revelations" in the novel are "silenced" due to the lack of a "framework into which we can assimilate them." Apart from Adams, scholar Suzanne Samples pointed to "gendered spaces of eating and consumption" within Victorian England which influenced literary characters of the time.[234] This included works such as Alfred, Lord Tennyson's poem titled The Charge of the Light Brigade, Christina Rossetti's volume of poetry titled Goblin Market and Other Poems, Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Mary Seacole's autographical account titled Wonderful Adventures of Mrs. Seacole in Many Lands, and Anthony Trollope's novel titled Orley Farm. Samples also argued that vegetarianism in the Victorian era "presented a unique lifestyle choice that avoided meat but promoted an awareness of health", which initially was seen as rebellious but later became more normalized.[234]

In Irene Clyde's 1909 feminist utopian novel, Beatrice the Sixteenth, Mary Hatherley accidentally travels through time, discovering a lost world, which is a postgender society named Armeria, with the inhabitants following a strict vegetarian diet, having ceased to slaughter animals for over a thousand years. Some reviewers of the book praised the vegetarianism of the Armerians.[235]

James Joyce's 1922 novel, Ulysses is said to have vegetarian themes. Scholar Peter Adkins argued that while Joyce was critical of the vegetarianism of George A.E. Russell, the novel engages with "questions of animal ethics through its portrayal of Ireland's cattle industry, animal slaughter and the cultural currency of meat," unlike some of his other novels. He also stated that the novel "historicizes and theorizes animal life and death," and that it demonstrates the ways that symbolism and materiality of meat are "co-opted within patriarchal political structures," putting it in the same space as theorists like Carol J. Adams, Donna J. Haraway, Laura Wright, and Cary Wolfe, and writers such as J. M. Coetzee.[236]

In 1997, S. Reneé Wheeler wrote in the Vegetarian Journal, saying that "finding books with vegetarian themes" is important for helping children "feel legitimate in being vegetarian."[237] In 2004, writer J. M. Coetzee argued that since the "mode of consciousness of nonhuman species is quite different from human consciousness," it is hard for writers to realize this for animals, with a "temptation to project upon them feelings and thoughts that may belong only to our own human mind and heart," and stated that reviewers have ignored the presence of animals in his books. He also stated that animals are present in his "fiction either not at all or in a merely subsidiary role" because they occupy "a subsidiary place in our lives" and argued that it is not "possible to write about the inner lives of animals in any complex way."[238]

In 2014, The New Yorker published a short story by Jonathan Lethem titled "Pending Vegan"[239] which follows "one family, a husband and wife and their four-year-old twin daughters" on a trip to SeaWorld in San Diego, California. The protagonist of the story, Paul Espeseth, renames himself "Pending Vegan" in order to acknowledge his "increasing uneasiness with the relationship between man and beast."[240]

In 2016, a three-part Korean novel by Han Kang titled The Vegetarian was published in the U.S.,[b] which focuses on a woman named Young-hye, who "sees vegetarianism as a way of not inflicting harm on anything," with eating meat symbolizing human violence itself, and later identifies as a plant rather than as a human "and stops eating entirely."[241] Some argued the book was more about mental illness than vegetarianism.[242] Others compared it to fictional works by Margaret Atwood.[243]

Television

[edit]

Vegetarians, and vegetarian themes, have appeared in various TV shows, such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, True Blood, The Simpsons, King of the Hill, and South Park.[244][245][246][247]

Mr. Spock of Star Trek has been called "television's first vegetarian." He and his fellow Vulcans do not eat meat due to a "philosophy of non-violence."[248] He is identified as vegetarian following an episode where he was "transported back to pre-civilised times" and ate meat, and in Richard Marranca, in an issue of the Vegetarian Journal, said that for Spock, like Kwai Chang Caine in Kung Fu, "vegetarianism was something authentic and taken for granted; it was the right thing to do based on compassion and logic."[249]

In 1995, The Simpsons episode "Lisa the Vegetarian" aired. Before recording their lines for the episode, showrunner David Mirkin, who had recently stopped consuming meat, gave Linda and Paul McCartney "a container of his favorite turkey substitute," with both voicing characters in an episode which focused around vegetarianism.[246] Critic Alan Siegel said that before the episode vegetarians had been portrayed as "rarely as anything but one-dimensional hippies" but that this episode was different as it was "told from the point of view of the person becoming a vegetarian." He said that the episode was one of the "first times on television that vegetarians saw an honest depiction of themselves" and of people's reaction to their dietary choices. The idea for the episode was originally proposed by David X. Cohen and the McCartneys agreed on the condition that Lisa remain a vegetarian, with both satisfied with how the episode turned out.[246] In the episode, Lisa decides to stop eating meat after bonding with a lamb at a petting zoo. Her schoolmates and family members ridicule her for her beliefs, but with the help of Apu as well as Paul and Linda McCartney, she commits to vegetarianism.[250] The staff promised that she would remain a vegetarian,[251][252] resulting in one of the few permanent character changes made in the show.[253][254] In an August 2020 interview, McCartney said that he and is wife were worried that Lisa "would be a vegetarian for a week, then Homer would persuade her to eat a hot dog," but were assured by the producers that she would remain that way, and he was delighted that they "kept their word."[255]

In September 1998, the King of the Hill episode "And They Call It Bobby Love" aired on FOX. In the episode, "Bobby has a relationship with a vegetarian named Marie. She later dumps him after he eats a steak in front of her."[245] In the March 2002 South Park episode "Fun with Veal", Stan Marsh becomes a vegetarian after he learns that veal is made of baby cows, which Cartman makes fun of. The episode ends with the boys, including Stan, getting grounded, but not before going out with their parents for burgers, meaning that Stan is no longer a vegetarian. In the DVD commentary, the creators said they wanted to balance their message of not eating baby animals, by at the same time not advocating people abstain from meat consumption altogether.[247]

Aang, in the animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra was vegetarian. According to the show's creators, "Buddhism and Taoism have been huge inspirations behind the idea for Avatar."[256] As shown in "The King of Omashu"[257] and "The Headband",[258] a notable aspect of Aang's character is his vegetarian diet,[259] which is consistent with Buddhism, Hinduism, and Taoism.[256] In the Brahmajala Sutra, a Buddhist code of ethics, vegetarianism is encouraged.[260]

Other fictional characters who are vegetarians include Count Duckula in Count Duckula,[261] Beast Boy in Teen Titans and Teen Titans Go!, Lenore in Supernatural,[262] and Norville "Shaggy" Rogers in the animated series What's New, Scooby Doo?.[263][264] Before the latter animated series, Shaggy was known for having an "enormous appetite" earlier in the Scooby-Doo franchise. The decision to make Shaggy a vegetarian occurred after his voice actor, Casey Kasem, convinced the producers to do so, since he was a vegan who supported animal rights and opposed factory farming, saying he would refuse to voice Shaggy unless the character was vegetarian.[263][248]

Also, a Netflix original, Okja, focused on vegetarianism, while an October 2019 South Park episode, "Let Them Eat Goo", featured a vegetarian character.[265][266] Additionally, Steven Universe, the protagonist in the show Steven Universe and the limited epilogue series, Steven Universe Future, is a vegetarian. In the episode "Snow Day" of Steven Universe Future, Steven tells the Gems he lives with that he has been a vegetarian for a month, drinks protein shakes and mentions that he does "his own skincare routine."[267]

Film

[edit]

In the 1999 film, Notting Hill, Keziah, played by Emma Bernard is a vegetarian. In one scene, Keziah tells William "Will" Thacker (played by Hugh Grant), that she is a fruitarian.[268] She says she believes that "fruits and vegetables have feeling", meaning she opposes cooking them, only eating things that have "actually fallen off a tree or bush" and that are dead already, leading to what some describe as a negative depiction.[269]

In the 2000 film, But I'm A Cheerleader, before Megan, one of the film's protagonists, is sent to a conversion therapy camp, her parents and others claim she is a lesbian because she is a vegetarian.[270] Legally Blonde, a 2001 film, also featured a vegetarian. When Elle Wood introduces herself at Harvard Law School, she describes herself and her dog as "Gemini vegetarians".[271]

In the 2012 film, Life of Pi, Pi, played by Suraj Sharma, is a vegetarian based on his 3 religions: Hindu, Christian, and Muslim. And in the ship scene, one Taiwanese Sailor, played by Bo-Chieh Wang, is a vegetarian from his Buddhism religion to eat rice and the vegetarian gravy.

In the 2018 Hollywood blockbuster, Black Panther, M’Baku (voiced by Winston Duke), the Jabari tribe leader who lives in the mountains of Wakanda, declares to a White CIA agent named Everett Ross (voiced by Martin Freeman), "if you say one more word, I'll feed you to my children!" After Everett is shaken by these words, he jokes, saying he is kidding because all those in his tribe, including himself, are vegetarians.[272] Some praised this scene for challenging a stereotype of Black culture and the perception of what vegetarians look like.[273] Duke later said that some Black outlets cooked vegan meals for him, and said that the scene is "kind of teaching kids that eating vegetables is cool," which is something he is for.[274]

Vegetarian themes have also been noted in the Twilight novel (2005–2008) and film franchise (2008–2012), The Road (2006) and The Year of the Flood (2009).[244] In March 2020, scholar Nathan Poirer reviewed Thinking Veganism in Literature and Culture: Towards a Vegan Theory, a book edited by Emelia Quinn and Benjamin Westwood, and he concluded that veganism could "infiltrate popular culture without being perceived as threatening," while noting others who contribute to the book examining vegan cinema that "challenges the normality of human supremacy by situating humans as potential prey," and stating that the essays outline ways veganism can be successful in popular culture.[275]

Other scholars noted vegetarian themes in the films The Fault in Our Stars,[276] The Princess Diaries series,[229][276] and the 2009 film, Vegetarian.[277]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
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  2. ^ It was published in 2015 in the U.K. and in South Korea in 2007
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