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Why Do Vegetarians Eat Like That?: Everything You Wanted to Know (And Some Things You Didn't) About Vegetarianism
Book by David A. Gabbe
- GenresNonfiction
276 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 1994
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 4, 2024
A PRIMER AND REFERENCE WORK FOR VEGETARIANS
Author David Gabbe has also written books such as 'David's Pure Vegetarian Kitchen,' 'The Going Vegetarian Cookbook: Delicious, Easy, Low-Fat, & Cholesterol-Free Recipes,' 'David's Vegan Home Cooking,' etc.
He wrote in the Preface to this 1994 book, "After nearly twenty years of vegetarian activism... I've come to be familiar with the questions most often asked about a vegetarian diet. And while so much is now known about the benefits of a vegetarian diet, many people still harbor numerous misconceptions about vegetarianism... So I decided to do a book that would provide short, accessible answers to basic questions about vegetarianism. A primer on the subject for newcomers, as well as a useful reference for veteran vegetarians. For simplicity, I chose a question-and-answer format." (Pg. xi)
He states, "Is 'organically grown' meat a health food? Hardly. All meats, no matter how environmentally-correct they are raised, are loaded with fat, pathogens, toxins, and other waste byproducts. Avoid them like the plague." (Pg. 7) About the reported B12 deficiency of vegans, he argues, "Vegans... are nearly as likely to become B12 deficient as you are of catching sight of a herd of unicorns. Worldwide, of the millions of practicing vegans, only a small number of cases of B12 deficiency have ever been reported. How many? Less than a dozen." (Pg. 46)
He notes that in Frances Moore Lappé's 1971 book, Diet for a Small Planet, "Lappé made this whole business of protein complementing a frightful, complicated affair... Her book was full of graphs, diagrams, charts, measurements, complex formulas---a veritable blueprint that was just too much for most people. However, years later, Lappé admitted that she'd erred in making it seem that so much care had to go into mixing and matching proteins." (Pg. 36-37)
He strongly rejects fish as a "wholesome substitute" for other meats, since "They literally breathe in the poisonous gunk and store it in their fatty tissues. What's more, fish can accumulate incredible concentrations of toxins... By the time the [caught] fish have reached land, they've been contaminated by chemicals and microorganisms... Already in a state of spoilage, the fish are eviscerated, boned, and sliced---processes which spread the surface bacteria and toxins deep into the fish flesh." (Pg. 76)
He summarizes, "animals have at least one desire: to live. Furthermore, they show an awareness of both pain and pleasure. In other words, they possess the ability to suffer. And because of that capacity, they have the right not to be harmed." (Pg. 127) He admits about plants, "plants are alive, and may even possess a certain sensitivity not yet understood by humans. Still, it must be recognized that these living things have to be killed if humans are to survive. And to cause the least suffering in the world, only as few plants as necessary should be eaten." (Pg. 128)
This is an excellent book, and will answer many questions vegetarians of all levels of experience may have.
Author David Gabbe has also written books such as 'David's Pure Vegetarian Kitchen,' 'The Going Vegetarian Cookbook: Delicious, Easy, Low-Fat, & Cholesterol-Free Recipes,' 'David's Vegan Home Cooking,' etc.
He wrote in the Preface to this 1994 book, "After nearly twenty years of vegetarian activism... I've come to be familiar with the questions most often asked about a vegetarian diet. And while so much is now known about the benefits of a vegetarian diet, many people still harbor numerous misconceptions about vegetarianism... So I decided to do a book that would provide short, accessible answers to basic questions about vegetarianism. A primer on the subject for newcomers, as well as a useful reference for veteran vegetarians. For simplicity, I chose a question-and-answer format." (Pg. xi)
He states, "Is 'organically grown' meat a health food? Hardly. All meats, no matter how environmentally-correct they are raised, are loaded with fat, pathogens, toxins, and other waste byproducts. Avoid them like the plague." (Pg. 7) About the reported B12 deficiency of vegans, he argues, "Vegans... are nearly as likely to become B12 deficient as you are of catching sight of a herd of unicorns. Worldwide, of the millions of practicing vegans, only a small number of cases of B12 deficiency have ever been reported. How many? Less than a dozen." (Pg. 46)
He notes that in Frances Moore Lappé's 1971 book, Diet for a Small Planet, "Lappé made this whole business of protein complementing a frightful, complicated affair... Her book was full of graphs, diagrams, charts, measurements, complex formulas---a veritable blueprint that was just too much for most people. However, years later, Lappé admitted that she'd erred in making it seem that so much care had to go into mixing and matching proteins." (Pg. 36-37)
He strongly rejects fish as a "wholesome substitute" for other meats, since "They literally breathe in the poisonous gunk and store it in their fatty tissues. What's more, fish can accumulate incredible concentrations of toxins... By the time the [caught] fish have reached land, they've been contaminated by chemicals and microorganisms... Already in a state of spoilage, the fish are eviscerated, boned, and sliced---processes which spread the surface bacteria and toxins deep into the fish flesh." (Pg. 76)
He summarizes, "animals have at least one desire: to live. Furthermore, they show an awareness of both pain and pleasure. In other words, they possess the ability to suffer. And because of that capacity, they have the right not to be harmed." (Pg. 127) He admits about plants, "plants are alive, and may even possess a certain sensitivity not yet understood by humans. Still, it must be recognized that these living things have to be killed if humans are to survive. And to cause the least suffering in the world, only as few plants as necessary should be eaten." (Pg. 128)
This is an excellent book, and will answer many questions vegetarians of all levels of experience may have.
May 28, 2011
Information about vegetarianism, in question-and-answer format.
The format is good if you want to pick and choose different sections; it's a little repetitive if you read it straight through.
This book is pretty easy to digest; it would be great for, say, a teen that is thinking about becoming vegetarian, or their parents if they want some simple, quick answers.
The book's tone is definitely proselytizing, rather than just presenting information -- that might be good, if you're giving this book to someone to convince them that your decision to become vegetarian isn't a bad one. The information in the book isn't exactly outdated, but I'm sure that if it was written now it would have a little different spin -- for example, when it talks about carbs vs fat vs protein, it doesn't mention anything about a low-carb diets for weight loss, and I'm sure a current book would have at least something to say about that.
If you're looking for deep discussion, thorough research, and balanced viewpoints, this isn't the book for you; if you're looking for a simple introduction into vegetarianism, this could be a good start.
The format is good if you want to pick and choose different sections; it's a little repetitive if you read it straight through.
This book is pretty easy to digest; it would be great for, say, a teen that is thinking about becoming vegetarian, or their parents if they want some simple, quick answers.
The book's tone is definitely proselytizing, rather than just presenting information -- that might be good, if you're giving this book to someone to convince them that your decision to become vegetarian isn't a bad one. The information in the book isn't exactly outdated, but I'm sure that if it was written now it would have a little different spin -- for example, when it talks about carbs vs fat vs protein, it doesn't mention anything about a low-carb diets for weight loss, and I'm sure a current book would have at least something to say about that.
If you're looking for deep discussion, thorough research, and balanced viewpoints, this isn't the book for you; if you're looking for a simple introduction into vegetarianism, this could be a good start.
April 30, 2013
this was the book that converted me way back in the day. that was 18 years ago and i still keep a copy.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews