VEGETARIAN

The Latin word vegetarian came to our language as a vegetarian . It is an adjective that refers to something related to vegetarianism or to one who is adept at this food doctrine.

Vegetarianism consists in not ingesting meat of any kind (beef, pork, chicken, fish, etc.): therefore, it limits the diet to foods of plant origin. Vegetarian individuals also tend to protect animals in other contexts (for example, rejecting the use of hides and skins for making clothing).

Historians claim that vegetarianism already existed several centuries before Christ . Many people, at that time, were vegetarians since they adhered to the postulates of philosophers and religious that condemned all kinds of violence , including those that cause the death of animals to turn them into objects of consumption.

After a time when it lost popularity, vegetarianism re-emerged in the 19th century . At present, there are several branches of vegetarianism according to how strict the diet is .

In general, those who do not eat meat, but eat products derived from animals , such as eggs, milk and honey , are called vegetarian or ovolactovegetarian . Other people are vegetarians but reject the consumption of eggs (they are called lacto-vegetarians ), while some consume eggs but not dairy ( ovo- vegetarian ). The Vegans , however, do not eat anything that comes from animals, whether meat, milk, eggs or other products.

Many subjects become vegetarians for ethical reasons , considering that it is wrong to kill animals to consume them. Other reasons allude health , religious reasons or environmental issues .

The life of the vegetarian who has chosen not to collaborate with any kind of animal exploitation is a constant contradiction between the deep pleasure of not harming anyone to feed himself and the difficulty in finding food products at prices as accessible as those of animal origin. Given the many interests of the livestock industry, among others, strict vegetarians must fight to organize their food in such a way that it is not necessary to charge four salaries to meet it.

When entering any major chain supermarket, it is normal to be overwhelmed by shelves full of products of animal origin, something that for most people is completely acceptable, but which represents a sad picture for a vegetarian : trays with remains of dead animals, chopped up like cakes, dozens of varieties of cow's milk, an endless number of cheeses and types of cold cuts, not to mention cookies and bakery items that include eggs and milk.

In other words, a large percentage of the products in a normal supermarket include ingredients of animal origin, so vegetarians have two options: that of the less wealthy, which is to buy the basic ingredients to prepare almost all their dishes at home. ; head to specialty stores and spend fortunes to purchase small servings of industrial food.

It is important to note that vegetarianism is far from a diet based on cold salads: from potato omelettes to pizzas, empanadas and cakes , it is possible to prepare a large number of hot dishes without the need to use any product of animal origin. This is not known by many people, since it is not in the meat industry's interest to let them know the delicacies they could savor if they refused to continue supporting the mistreatment and violence of innocent beings.

One of the most absurd questions that a vegetarian must endure, in addition to the previously mentioned silent war that opposes them to ranchers, is being accused of being intolerant for wanting others to imitate their behavior : can someone who opposes them really be intolerant? violence and injustice?