cathalie Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 i would classiy myself as vegan but i still will eat fish. i mean it make smy parents happy to know that i do eat it. and i like the taste. but i was just wondering if this makes me a big liar calling myself vegan or vegetarin by still eating fish. i do not eat any other meats, animal or dairy products. so how do you guys feel about this? how do you feel about eating fish? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertSupreme Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 (edited) Well technically a vegan is someone who doesn't consume any animal products (or animals) at all so many will say without hesitation that you aren't vegan and that you're a liar despite the fact that you're closer to being vegan than vegetarian because you go without eggs, butter, milk etc. I personally don't care too much for designating/classifying people, I think it can get a bit out of hand sometimes and so I'm not going to kick up a fuss and call you a liar if you call yourself vegan but eat fish. I think that would be abit childish really. If however calling yourself vegan makes you uncomfortable because you feel like a liar then don't. A good thing to say would be 'I eat a mostly/predominantly vegan diet' Giving up fish was hard for me because I loved it. Well, it got easier when I occupied myself with finding alternatives and experimenting with new vegan foods. A good thing to do if you continue to eat fish would be to say thankyou to the fish when you eat it. You don't want to be eating some and feeling guilty because you're thinking about it meaning you're not vegan. My friend eats a mostly vegan diet but will have fish 2 or 3 times a year. When he does have it he considers it a treat and is really respectful in the way he eats it. And this was a guy that practically threw up if someone else across the room was eating fish a few years back. Anyway, welcome to the forum Cathalie! You might want to post a brief introduction in that section of the forum just so everyone knows who you are. Edited February 7, 2009 by RobertSupreme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisjs Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 Yes it makes you a big liar. I don't think you should eat fish. I don't. I don't see how they are any different than cows, chickens, etc. I think it's great you're eating mostly vegan. But if you are continuing to eat fish, please don't dilute the term by telling others you are vegan. Why does eating fish make your parents happy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acesfull Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 fish fit pretty easily into the "animal" or "living creature" category, and for that reason i do not eat them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertSupreme Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 Best thing for now Cathalie say: "I eat a mostly vegan diet" Why does eating fish make your parents happy? Probably because they share the common belief system of: To get protein you have to eat animal products. When I didn't eat meat from the age of seven, everyone would give me fish like all the time Qoute my family: "Ohmg but what about PROTEIN?! Where will you get your PROTEIN from?! PROTEIN.....But the PROTEIN...(descends into inaudible mutterings). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zack Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 You can say a plant-based diet. Personally, I don't care for labels. Anything you do is a positive thing, do what you feel comfortable with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Im Your Man Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 I ate fish when I was saying I was vegetarian, but just because it's called fish instead of meat, it's still flesh eating and it is not vegetarian - and not vegan at all. Fish consumption skyrocketed +300% in the last 50 years. Millions of fish caught, many of them raised in pens living in water polluted by their own excrements, they're sick and they're feeded with fish flour from the fish of the same specie who died sick (cannibalism) and with grains or other food not meant for fish. Even if the fish is caught in the ocean, flesh of fish is always polluted and intoxicated with mercury. 50% fish contains parasites. Do you eat fish only for the taste? Don't you find it stinks ? If you eat it also for omega-3, there's many vegan source that are better and cleaner : hemp, flax, walnut, etc... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acesfull Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 I ate fish when I was saying I was vegetarian, but just because it's called fish instead of meat, it's still flesh eating and it is not vegetarian - and not vegan at all. Fish consumption skyrocketed +300% in the last 50 years. Millions of fish caught, many of them raised in pens living in water polluted by their own excrements, they're sick and they're feeded with fish flour from the fish of the same specie who died sick (cannibalism) and with grains or other food not meant for fish. Even if the fish is caught in the ocean, flesh of fish is always polluted and intoxicated with mercury. 50% fish contains parasites. Do you eat fish only for the taste? Don't you find it stinks ? If you eat it also for omega-3, there's many vegan source that are better and cleaner : hemp, flax, walnut, etc... more good reasons to avoid fish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Im Your Man Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 Probably because they share the common belief system of: To get protein you have to eat animal products. When I didn't eat meat from the age of seven, everyone would give me fish like all the time Qoute my family: "Ohmg but what about PROTEIN?! Where will you get your PROTEIN from?! PROTEIN.....But the PROTEIN...(descends into inaudible mutterings). lol yeah, I heard this during last holidays. After all the turkey and other meat from Christmas Eve, the next days they were eating for instance a meal like this: almost a complete salmon for each person, with roasted pistachios on this, plus other protein sources like meat, cheese... I was like "are you bodybuilding and I don't know ?" for eating that much proteins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acesfull Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 You can say a plant-based diet. Personally, I don't care for labels. Anything you do is a positive thing, do what you feel comfortable with. i agree. or you could say 'i try avoid animal products or minimize my use of them.' anyone who gets on your case for not being vegan probably isnt 100% vegan anyway. even if you eat all organic and religiously avoid animal products, its impossible to not benefit from suffering or indirectly exploit animals in the society in which we live. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertSupreme Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 Lol IYM! "are you bodybuilding and I don't know ?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nathan Nearing Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 My parents always say things like "Imma gonna eat a burger, get mai protein!" (minus the southern drawl). I've had people ask me things like "Do you take a multi-vitamin? I heard on the news that you vegetarians and such need to take one." But even those things are on the lower scale of stupid when it comes to comments people make about the way I eat. It's not for them though. It's for me. Same with bodybuilding. I'm not lifting so I can get chicks or impress meatheads in the gym, I'm there to challenge myself, that's it. I push myself to my limits everytime. I don't care what others are doing. All I'm trying to say is it doesn't matter if your parents like it or not. It matters if you do. Oh, and yeah, you're not vegan. Fish is pretty high up there on the "DO NOT EAT" list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sinisterkungfu Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 i would classiy myself as vegan but i still will eat fish. i mean it make smy parents happy to know that i do eat it. and i like the taste. but i was just wondering if this makes me a big liar calling myself vegan or vegetarin by still eating fish. i do not eat any other meats, animal or dairy products. so how do you guys feel about this? how do you feel about eating fish? Nevermind calling yourself a vegan, you are not even a vegetarian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
veginator Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 i would classiy myself as vegan but i still will eat fish. i mean it make smy parents happy to know that i do eat it. and i like the taste. but i was just wondering if this makes me a big liar calling myself vegan or vegetarin by still eating fish. i do not eat any other meats, animal or dairy products. so how do you guys feel about this? how do you feel about eating fish? Well, maybe "big liar" is a bit extreme, but obviously if you're calling yourself something that you're not--such as saying you're vegan when you eat animals--you're not being honest about that. I feel the same way about eating fish as I do about eating other animals. Unless, say, someone is eating road kill or a fish that's already been washed up on the beach (or eating a sponge, which lacks a nervous system), eating animals results in their experiencing pain and suffering. I'd no more want to kill and eat a fish than I'd want to kill and eat a human, because of that. Eating fish is also very bad for the environment, and contrary to popular opinion, it's not healthy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xphilx Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 if you are eating fish you are not a vegan. i dont get why someone would even think about consuming fish while calling himself a vegan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medman Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 If you're concerned about terminology, they have a term for you - pescovegetarian. It literally means "fish-eating vegetarian", which doesn't make sense to me, but it's an accurate way to describe yourself to others. If you ate dairy and eggs, you'd be a "lacto-ovo-pescovegetarian", so rest assured that it's an accurate label That said, there is plenty of info on this site (and others) to help understand vegetarian and vegan sources of protein, and to explain the myriad reasons why most of us here don't eat fish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sosso Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 Vegans don't eat fish because fish are not vegetables. Have a look around the site. There's plenty of info about other sources of protein etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sinisterkungfu Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 If you're concerned about terminology, they have a term for you - pescovegetarian. That term is absolutely ridiculous and should never be used in serious conversation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathalie Posted February 7, 2009 Author Share Posted February 7, 2009 so many posts RobertSupreme: yeah i like the taste too, i try hard not to eat it often. but my parents pressure me. and they always seem to buy it or have it out. so that doesnt realy help... 'I eat a mostly/predominantly vegan diet' would work. And thanking for the fish if i do eat it sounds good too. and i think i will introduce myself after this post chrisjs: it makes my parents happy because they believe its a source of protein. they dont beleive that any vegan sources of protein are good for you. they grew up in polish meatlike households, so i guess they know no other way of living without it. I ate fish when I was saying I was vegetarian, but just because it's called fish instead of meat, it's still flesh eating and it is not vegetarian - and not vegan at all. Fish consumption skyrocketed +300% in the last 50 years. Millions of fish caught, many of them raised in pens living in water polluted by their own excrements, they're sick and they're feeded with fish flour from the fish of the same specie who died sick (cannibalism) and with grains or other food not meant for fish. Even if the fish is caught in the ocean, flesh of fish is always polluted and intoxicated with mercury. 50% fish contains parasites. oh wow. that is an eye opener i never knew they had such bad lively conditions. thats just wrong and terrible. I dont approve this at all. this also reminds me of somthing i watched on the documentary channel. About too many fish caught, so whales have less food to eat.. And yes only for the tastes i do find it stinks.. acesfull: thank-you for your insight! and thanks to everyone else. After reading all these posts i haver decided to just not eat fish. i mean to be honest it is my life, and my parents should accept my choices. the way fish are kept, what they are fed and how they are caught is just unjust to me. i just ate some delicous tofu and i realized that the taste of fish isnt so great. neither is the smell. the tofu actually was delicious!! i just wish that in the future there will be many more restaurants that have vegan choices. because somtime sit is just frustrating!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisjs Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 Vegans don't eat fish because fish are not vegetables. Have a look around the site. There's plenty of info about other sources of protein etc.Neither are apples. Despite being named "vegetarian" we eat more than just vegetables. When you try to clarify someone's classifications be sure to be accurate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sosso Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 Okay, how about "vegans don't eat animals or any animal by-products. We do not eat fish because fish are animals." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisjs Posted February 8, 2009 Share Posted February 8, 2009 Okay, how about "vegans don't eat animals or any animal by-products. We do not eat fish because fish are animals."That works! Sorry to have been so harsh, it's just a pet peeve of mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MollyMormon Posted February 8, 2009 Share Posted February 8, 2009 If you like the fishy flavor you can make a mock tuna salad with chickpeas, veganaise, and add some kelp granules. You can also do a mock fish stick or fillet with extra firm tofu and a breading with chopped almonds and kelp granules and bread crumbs. you can also use seaweed or nori and make veggie sushi. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beforewisdom Posted February 8, 2009 Share Posted February 8, 2009 i would classiy myself as vegan but i still will eat fish. i mean it make smy parents happy to know that i do eat it. and i like the taste. but i was just wondering if this makes me a big liar calling myself vegan or vegetarin by still eating fish. i do not eat any other meats, animal or dairy products. so how do you guys feel about this? how do you feel about eating fish? Donald Watson & his wife in the 1940s coined the term veganism to mean people who believe that it is wrong to exploit ( use for our own selfish ends ) animals. http://beforewisdom.com/veg/archive/watsonStartVeganism.pdf So "being a vegan" is about a belief which can be distinct from eating a "vegan diet" which a person can do without the belief. A vegan diet is a diet free of foods derived from animals. Fish are animals. Therefore you are not eating a vegan diet. I don't think that makes you a bad person, just a person who is using the word "vegan" improperly. Quick reasons why I personally do not eat fish:- I don't need to eat fish for my health or to have good tasting food. Given those two things I think a fish's desire to live should be honored the way my desire to live is.- fish suffer just the same as other animals being caught- bad for your health, heavily laden with pollution- with current trends in over fishing and pollution the oceans will be dead within 40 years - no fish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beforewisdom Posted February 8, 2009 Share Posted February 8, 2009 chrisjs: it makes my parents happy because they believe its a source of protein. they dont beleive that any vegan sources of protein are good for you. they grew up in polish meatlike households, so i guess they know no other way of living without it. Your parents are wrong. Your parents presumably can read and have the capacity to learn. These authors are not polish but they are registered dietitians in high standing. They claim, with expertise, that getting more than enough protein on a vegan diet is practical: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=13710 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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