I'm thinking about becoming a vegetarian, but the more I research online about it, the more confused I get. Can you break this down for me?
well to put it in simple terms, it is the practice of abstaining from the consumption of meat (red meat, poultry, seafood, and the flesh of any other animal).
Definitely got that part already. What are the usual reasons a person might go vegetarian?
some people object to eating meat out of respect for sentient life
That's true, more of an activist thing I guess. But I'm just more concerned about my health. Is a vegetarian diet as healthy as people make it sound?
Well there are variations of the diet: the ovo-lacto vegetarian diet includes both eggs and diary produects, an ovo-vegetarian diet includes eggs but not diary products which may effect diet
I guess I'll have to keep researching then. There's a lot about a vegetarian diet that could be complicated and nuanced. I'll need to be sure.
Packaged and processed foods, such as cakes, cookies, candies, chocolate, yogurt, and marshmallows, often contain unfamiliar animal ingredients, and so may be a special concern for vegetarians due to the likelihood of such additives. Feelings among vegetarians may vary concerning these ingredients. Some vegetarians scrutinize product labels for animal-derived ingredients while others do not object to consuming cheese made with animal-derived rennet. Some vegetarians are unaware of animal-derived rennet being used in the production of cheese.
Semi-vegetarian diets
it the largest animal rights group in the world. Its slogan is "animals are not ours to eat, wear, experiment on, use for entertainment, or abuse in any other way."
Alternatives and reactions Veganism and vegetarianism.
Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of all animal products, particularly in diet. Vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the consumption of meat (red meat, poultry, seafood, insects and the flesh of any other animal and may also include abstention from by-products