Noodles with olive oil, steamed vegetables and a simple salad are the only things Ashley Eastman eats for dinner. Eastman, a gender dance alternative health studies major, has been keeping away from any animal product for three years.
According to a survey conducted by Ohio University Dining Services in October, 94 of the 1,719 students who participated in the survey, or 5.5 percent, answered that they are vegetarians.
People become vegetarians for many reasons, including health, environment concerns, animal rights or just because they do not like taste of meat.
Eastman became interested in animal rights four years ago and resolved to live as a vegetarian. However, after one year, she felt that not eating meat was not enough, and she quit eating dairy products as well.
Even though dairy doesn't kill an animal
at often times dairy animals ' cows ' are still abused Eastman said. And plus when cows cannot produce milk anymore
they still are slaughtered for beef.
Certain religions have important dietary guidelines. A precept of some Hindu castes forbids the killing of animals or consumption of meat.
Renuka Suryanarayan, a journalism doctoral student, came from a Brahmin, or priest caste, family in India. She has been a vegetarian since childhood. She was not even allowed to bring meat into the kitchen because Hinduism is supposed to be a non-violent religion, she said.
In India, Brahmin families have a pooja room, or prayer room, in their houses. Not having meat in house is part of prayer, she said.
Even after coming to Athens, Suryanarayan has strictly adhered to this religious rule. She eats homemade rice and vegetarian curry three times a day, bringing a lunch box to campus with her.
There are also thousands of vegetarian dishes in India that are so tasty that Suryanarayan does not feel like eating any meat, she said.
Christopher Coski, an associate professor of French, said he became a vegetarian about 12 years ago when he was in graduate school.
Coski said that it is hypocritical to let someone do the job of slaughtering animals when he is not willing to do it himself.
I don't like people doing my dirty work for me
he said.
Coski said it is sometimes not as easy to be a vegetarian in foreign countries as in the United States. He spent two or three years in France, where basically every dish is a meat dish.
Eastman said it is much easier to live as a vegetarian in Athens than in other places because many stores have an organic food section. They sell tofu, soy milk and other items that are not always available in small towns. Many restaurants in Athens have menus for vegetarians and vegans as well.
Barbara Nakanishi, coordinator and clinical dietitian at the Diabetes Center Education Program, said that it is very important for people to know the safe way of practicing vegetarianism. People who do not eat any animal products should make sure that they are getting enough nutrients. For example, people can get Vitamin B12 from enriched cereals or something fortified with Vitamin B12, she said.
It is also recommended for vegetarians to be experimental
Nakanishi said, by eating a variety of foods and not to rely on one source for nutrients.
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