What do you say to people who try to talk you out of being a vegetarian/vegan?

I don't advertise that I am one in real life. I've had several people tell me "I didn't know you were a vegetarian" after knowing me for years. However, people manage to find out and of course my family knows. I can't tell you how many times I've been told ridiculous things about how it's not healthy, Hitler was a vegetarian (he wasn't but whatever), it's not natural etc. etc.





What do you say?|||Are you an adult? Then it's fairly easy to smile and move on. If people feel like lecturing you on it, then you let them, smile, and walk away. You have every right to stand up for yourself and say that you don't need to listen to their ignorance. Tell them you'll be happy to have this discussion in the proper time and place and once they've actually learned some facts.



If you want to be superior, then single line responses are a great way to go.



"Being a vegetarian isn't natural. We were meant to eat meat."

"Is that so? Hmmm, I haven't seen a study yet where eating farm raised processed meat is natural, do you have research on this I could read?"



"Hitler was a vegetarian."

"Is that so? Because most historians know that isn't true, but perhaps you have read a recent study saying this? I'd love to see it. Could you forward it to me?"



"It isn't healthy"

"Is that so? Hmmm, that's interesting since most dietary and disease groups recommend a vegetarian diet. Could you forward studies to me that say that vegetarians are unhealthy on a whole?"



Problem is, once you go that route, you better have your crap together to be able to quote studies, not blogs or bad information sources. You had also be ready for a debate from someone who feels that "it's a personal choice that affects no one."|||Those people telling you that vegetarianism/veganism isn't healthy - are they as healthy as you are? If not, then just tell them that they could be as healthy as you if they'd switch.





Otherwise, point out to them that you eat a well-balanced diet and you're healthy, not overweight, and have energy. As for natural, you eat more natural foods than processed foods with synthetic flavors or additives than they probably do.





Hitler wore clothes. Should we all be nudists in protest?|||I keep it short to show that my choices aren't up for debate. If someone tells me it's not healthy, I'll tell them that my doctor disagrees and that I've never felt better. The end. If someone tells me it's not natural, I tell them that my dietary choices are not their concern. If someone ever compared my diet to Hitler's, I don't think that's worth any more than a head shake and an, "Um, okay." (If I'm feeling witty, maybe, "Jack the Ripper was an omnivore. So what?")





Just go with the quick answers that end the conversation. Don't get dragged into it. If they keep pushing and you need to, say, "I'm not commenting on your food choices and I'd like to be shown the same courtesy. Cut it out, okay?"





It sounds blunt, but you don't owe them an explanation.|||I wouldn't say that I advertise being a vegetarian but anyone who knows me well knows that I am one...eating does come up from time to time in relationships. My friends don't try to talk me out of my choices but if they did I would just tell them that they should save their breath.


I might defend my side but that would depend on what was said and who said it. Some people are not worth arguing with you can't reason with the unreasonable.|||I say that it's my own moral decision and I don't want to eat meat because I don't want to be a part of all that cruelty.





Being the only vegetarian in my grade gives me some people who don't understand. I don't tell everyone I'm a vegetarian. I keep to myself.


:) Have a nice day!


-PEACE|||I just tell them that it is a personal decision and one that I am happy with. If they persist, I remind them that I accept and respect their decision to choose their own diet (and all of its implications) and ask that they do the same.|||I have the opposite situation in my family. Vegans that push their politics on me (sister and brother). Works both ways and in both cases it's wrong.|||The same thing you tell people that try to talk you out of being an omnivore (Its none of your business what I eat)|||Hitler was a veggie.|||Listen to them and eat meat! It's good for you.|||I just ignore and say I eat what I wanna|||Well, it's not natural - that much is true. Humans are omnivores biologically speaking, and in my personal opinion, vegetarianism is a first world luxury. If you were one of the millions (billions?) of people who go hungry every day in the world, you'd eat meat and be glad that you had it. For some, it's their only source of protein.





But we live in a world of supermarkets and megamarts, where we can eat what we want and only limited by our own budget and the latest claims by whatever quack "doctor" says is or isn't good for you. That said, can you live as a vegetarian and live a happy and healthy, productive life? Of course you can, and there's nothing wrong with that. I don't judge individuals - they can eat what they want. Just don't come to my barbecue and get all huffy if I don't have veggie burgers.





In my experience, it's most often the way around - vegetarians/vegans telling us how wrong/immoral/unhealthy or whatever it is to eat meat. Whatever. It's your lifestyle, your choice, you can do what you want but your family gives you a hard time. Is that really so bad if you consider all the people who go hungry every day and you live a lifestyle where you can choose what to eat right down the nutritional supplement? Nah, it's not so bad.|||Ask if they'd also like to discuss your sexual preferences, as they are just as personal, and just as unlikely to affect them.





Ask them for one good reason to eat meat.





Veggies live longer, they have less cancer, there's no chance of 'not getting enough protein' (yawn) in the western world, and B12 and iron are pretty easily dealt with. Eating veggie is greener (it takes fewer resources to produce and process vegetables, and vegetables don't produce the same amount of waste as animals). You're far more likely to get food poisoning from eating animal products than from vegetables.





Meat is wasteful. If the whole world went veggie, there'd be enough food for everyone.





The Hitler thing is ridiculous (as well as untrue). Osama Bin Laden, Stalin, Pol Pot were all meat eaters - so what does that prove?





Ask them why they care. I just tell people I prefer animals alive, thanks. If they use the 'if everyone stopped eating meat, there'd be no animals' argument, suggest they continue eating meat to make sure that never happens. Listen to their arguments and nod and smile then walk off. Don't rise to it. It's their problem, not yours.





Say - hey you're right, thanks. Then forget about it.|||Tell them it's just what you choose to do and don't get into an argument about it. Because people who try to talk you out of it or tell you it's bad, really are just feeling threatened since you're making different food choices than they are. I've gone through it (and still do from time to time) with my family. Just keep doing what you know is right and try to not let what they say get to you. I know it's easier said than done and I still struggle with it at times.


Check out the website www.thekindlife.com. I go there when I need to vent about something b/c everyone is very supportive and knows we're all going through the same thing. It's also a great source of information and advice...your maybe you can help someone else.


Another suggestion to empower yourself against the naysayers, is to read the book "The China Study," by T. Colin Campbell. It's incredible! I was vegetarian off and on for over 15 years, then decided to go vegan a little over a year ago. At first I did it "for the animals" but now I continue to do it for my own health. That book points out so many scientific research studies that were done that all point to the fact that consuming animal protein is NOT good for us! Seriously...read the book, it'll change your outlook on stuff and make it so much easier to eat healthy when you know the ramifications of not!