Complete Poll Results

- out of 32 surveyed -
(percentages may not add up because of rounding)

Are you a vegetarian?

yes:
no:

4 - 13%
28 - 88%


Why do you think most vegetarians are vegetarian?*

cruelty to animals:
personal health reasons:
environment:
don't like meat:
absolutely no idea:
other:

21 - 65%
9 - 28%
3 - 9%
9 - 28%
1 - 3%
2 - 6%


In general, do you consider eating red meat (beef, pork, veal) about once a day to be:

healthy:
pretty healthy:
somewhat unhealthy:
very unhealthy:

5 - 16%
13 - 41%
12 - 38%
12 - 38%


What about eating turkey, chicken, or fish about once a day?

healthy:
pretty healthy:
somewhat unhealthy:
very unhealthy:

22 - 69%
8 - 25%
1 - 3%
0 - 0%


What do you think of the popular high-protein diet?

it works:
it probably works:
it might work:
it probably doesn't work:
it doesn't work:

6 - 19%
9 - 28%
9 - 28%
5 - 16%
4 - 13%


Comments received about meat, vegetarianism, or health in general:

 I only like chicken but once in a while meat.

Protein powder is really gross...

Anything in moderation is good. Feeling good about yourself and comfortable when you're eating are the most important things.

 I don't think that the issue of eating meat once a day is necessarily the important thing. I know that it is NOT healthy to not eat any protein in a day, so it's not necessarily healthier to be a vegetarian. Vegetarians need to be careful to get protein from other sources like rice and beans or tofu.

Vegetariansism to a point can be healthy, but you need certain proteins that you get from meats! Even though you can get protein from beans and peanuts, there are certain complex proteins that you need to get from other mamals. It is unhealthy, though, to eat an excess amount of protein.

I think that it's a situation that doesn't really need to be bloen up this much.

There is more to the story regarding beef. Not all farms are factories, though it seems the majority (in the US) these days are. I grew up on a farm in the Orting valley raising beef, there are "free-range" farms. I stopped eating it for health and taste reasons, commercially fed beef just doesn't taste that good.
You might review the history of farms and beef in the US. There are good reasons why meat on the hoof was one time a great way to feed the nation. Already, the farm life I knew is now only represented in minature, in tourist attractions (I'm 42!) Maybe it is time cows go the way of the dinosaur, who knows.

 

* More than one answer allowed per respondant


© 2001 Robin Stewart. [Go to main site]