When the first modern, Western vegetarian society formed, it acknowledged three reasons of vegetarians: no killing, higher spiritual lifestyle, and health. Do you feel it's still that simple? Source document, just because. http://cttbusa.org/vegetarian_manifesto/vegetarianism.asp
The 3 reasons could be reduced further: the only on that seems necessary one is "higher spiritual lifestyle." I could see where health might be separate, but "no killing" seems to reasonably necessary to attain a higher spiritual lifestyle. My only qualm with these three reasons is that they imply that eschewing animal products is the only way to live a higher spiritual life. I'm not sure if that is the case, but I could see where it would be.
Oh, I always read it as "pick up to three." I'd say the majority of vegetarians use at least one. Mine started with "killing isn't OK" but was based in a spiritual system. ISKCON, In my case. I remained veg after returning to my own spiritual roots. My thoughts are more nuanced today, and I've added health, on a personal, societal, and planetary level. But, as categories, I'm inclined to say they do cover it for vegetarians. Vegan philosophy says animals have inherent rights to be free of enslavement (which includes as a commodity to be killed for food), and that would be a Fourth Pillar. Disclaimer: Since I don't see tractors as better than animal power in many parts of the world (my ongoing oil/animal dilemma), I don't claim to follow vegan philosophy, and therefore am not vegan. Even if I don't eat animals or byproducts. I'm no more vegan, and couldn't be, than I could be Xtian. I don't agree with the basic tenet and it's outcome.
I've decided to be vegetarian. It uses less amazingly less water to make 3 oz. of beans than it does 3 oz. of beef for virtually the exact same protein (not sure what kind of beans they meant in the presentation I attended; plant-based eating). Also, meat apparently contains saturated fat! I'm glad to be rid of it. Whey protein is also going by the wayside. I learned too that we actually don't need half the protein recommended by the USDA (which is 46 grams for women, 54 or something for men; I'd hald to re-google to be certain...). So I'm cutting some protein; no biggy. I won't miss the fat! and am hopeful I'll lose the weight I've been putting on for what seems like longer than it probably is. Snacking will now consist of fruit instead of nuts (I know nuts are good, but I'm frustrated with my weight and one or two handfuls is seldom enough to satiate.
I know some global warming vegans. I don't know them well enough to know their opinions on ethically farmed animals, but their stated reason for being vegan is the global warming effects of factory farming and Brazilian rain de-forestation. The ecological effects of the current meat supply chain seems to be an increasing reason for vegetarianism.
It is true that for arable land that plant based foods you produce more food than if animals are raised on the same land. However meat animals are often raised on dry land that is unsuitable for cropping due to a lack of water. I hate factory farms , hence my subtitle. You won't be rid of it by going vegetarian. Anyway it is not saturated fat you should be worry about but trans fat. It is found in margarine and seed oils. See this thread on how I lost my potbelly. Let Food Be Your Medicine
On fats. Some plants have saturated fats. Palm, coconut are the most common. Plant fats don’t carry cholesterol. Liquid fats, oils at lower temps don’t carry trans fat unless they are hydrogenated, like cotton seed oil made into crisco. Crystallized cottonseed oil. Some meats are trans fats, but not much. Any liquid fat made shelf stable is a trans fat. I live near a lot of dry land farming. Wheat, sunflower, mustard, things we want for seeds. It’s all interspersed with cow calf operations, some of which finish on pasture with no grain leading along the way to slaughter.
