silly but serious question

July 26, 2007

my husband and I got into a very lengthily conversation about vegetarianism last

night and it left me with a question I would like to dissect here in the group.

If you eat cheese with enzymes in it or marshmallows with gelatin in it are you

still to consider yourself a vegetarian? I am been a veggie for 3 years but each

day I am learning more and more products that contain animal (or bugs) in them I

try to avoid them once I become aware but. the problem I have in VT is things

like marshmallows vegan ones are something I would have to order, cheese is

another ordeal the list that are rennet free are hard to find. So what are your

thoughts..................

Steph

Sick sense of humor? Visit TV's Comedy with an Edge to see what's on,

when.

July 26, 2007

I'm scanning one of my books for a reference and of course can't find

it. Essentially saying that animal products are in so many of the

things we have no control over. Things like asphalt stand out in my

mind. It may make it easier for you if you realize these products

touch our lives everyday. I would enjoy your cheese but meanwhile look

for sources that are certified to be rennet free.... I've found

parmesian in my supermarket labeled as such and other cheese in a

health food store in town. Especially if you have kids, cheese makes

many meals so pleasing for them (pizza, bean and cheese enchiladas,

broccoli with some cheese, cheese sandwich.

Good luck.

Valerie

July 26, 2007

I' ve always felt that vegetarianism/veganism is a personal

choice/lifestyle. How we keep it is up to us.

Although I personally feel that someone who calls themselves a " vegetarian "

and eats chicken or seafood isn't (vegetarian), I also feel that this person

is still saving (some) animal's lives and (still) making a difference.

I don't feel this is a definitive black-or-white label. Make your commitment

and do the best you can. You answer only to yourself.

Just my opinion......

Ilene, a veteran vegetarian for over 20 years.

On 7/26/07, Steph <mrswalp29 wrote:

>

> my husband and I got into a very lengthily conversation about

> vegetarianism last night and it left me with a question I would like to

> dissect here in the group. If you eat cheese with enzymes in it or

> marshmallows with gelatin in it are you still to consider yourself a

> vegetarian? I am been a veggie for 3 years but each day I am learning more

> and more products that contain animal (or bugs) in them I try to avoid them

> once I become aware but. the problem I have in VT is things like

> marshmallows vegan ones are something I would have to order, cheese is

> another ordeal the list that are rennet free are hard to find. So what are

> your thoughts..................

> Steph

>

> Sick sense of humor? Visit TV's Comedy with an Edge to see what's

> on, when.

>

July 26, 2007

Someone on this group posted this website that lists the rennet free cheese.

They are not really hard to find. Most are carried in my local grocery

chain.

http://cheese.joyousliving.com/

Sue

----

Steph

7/26/2007 7:42:51 AM

vegetarian group

silly but serious question

my husband and I got into a very lengthily conversation about vegetarianism

last night and it left me with a question I would like to dissect here in

the group. If you eat cheese with enzymes in it or marshmallows with gelatin

in it are you still to consider yourself a vegetarian? I am been a veggie

for 3 years but each day I am learning more and more products that contain

animal (or bugs) in them I try to avoid them once I become aware but. the

problem I have in VT is things like marshmallows vegan ones are something I

would have to order, cheese is another ordeal the list that are rennet free

are hard to find. So what are your thoughts..................

Steph

Sick sense of humor? Visit TV's Comedy with an Edge to see what's on,

when.

July 26, 2007

Ilene:

Well said! I agree with you but think you said it much better than I

could have!

I have chosen vegetarianism to improve my personal level of health.

And, so I feel like " cutting back " on the animal proteins is better

(for my health in the long run) than the way I used to eat. I will seek

out truly vegetarian products if they are easily and readily available

to me in my small town in remote NM. But I will not beat myself up if

my marshmallows or cheese contain some animal products. Most likely,

" more " vegetarian products are not available to me in my local

supermarket.

If I'm also helping to relieve suffering in animals and improving other

green (conservation) aspects for our planet, then so much the better.

But I will not be ashamed if I happen to use an everyday product with

some trace of animal in it.

As Ilene said, make your commitment and fulfill that choice to the best

of your ability because you're ultimately doing it for yourself with

the added benefits of " helping out " the planet at the same time.

Jennifer in NM

Momcat <Momcat55

Re: silly but serious question

I' ve always felt that vegetarianism/veganism is a personal

choice/lifestyle. How we keep it is up to us.

I don't feel this is a definitive black-or-white label. Make your

commitment

and do the best you can. You answer only to yourself.

Just my opinion......

Ilene, a veteran vegetarian for over 20 years.

July 26, 2007

I don't eat marshmallows with gelatin in

them or any candy with gelatin in it.

I don't buy cheese with animal rennet in

it. I must admit eating a pizza now and

then that we don't make at home and I

don't ask whether the cheese uses non-animal

rennet. Cheese without rennet can be

either hard to find or hard to figure

out. Sometimes it just says enzymes and

when I ask some grocery people tell me it is

not animal based and some tell me it is.

Therefore I usually wind up not buying it.

I can usually find some at Whole Foods

and now I notice Safeway is carrying some

also.

Gary

--- Steph <mrswalp29 wrote:

> my husband and I got into a very lengthily

> conversation about vegetarianism last night and it

> left me with a question I would like to dissect here

> in the group. If you eat cheese with enzymes in it

> or marshmallows with gelatin in it are you still to

> consider yourself a vegetarian? I am been a veggie

> for 3 years but each day I am learning more and more

> products that contain animal (or bugs) in them I try

> to avoid them once I become aware but. the problem

> I have in VT is things like marshmallows vegan ones

> are something I would have to order, cheese is

> another ordeal the list that are rennet free are

> hard to find. So what are your

> thoughts..................

> Steph

July 26, 2007

Oh, and then there's the issue with beer.

Some beer companies use isinglass which is

made from fish for what are called finings

which are used for clarification or to speed

up the clearing of the beer. I guess wine companies

use finings too but I don't know if they use

fish based finings. I believe Guinness uses

fish scales for finings

" Fining is the process of added a substance that

attracts solid matter suspendde in the liquid to form

a clump that will settle at the bottom of the

container. The most common fining agents are bentonite

and isinglass. Bentonite is a type of clay, so it is

vegetarian. Isinglass is made from fish, so that is

where the story originates. Fining agents are removed

by racking and filtering, but trace amounts of the

fining agents are left.

Less commong fining agents include carragean.

Historically, other substances have been used besides

bentonite and isinglass, such as egg yolks and ox

blood. These are generally not used any more, due to

heath concerns.

Guiness is not a vegetarian beer (big page) because it

uses isinglass. (Note that that page has a major error

on it -- it assumes all finings are animal products,

which is not true.) "

<http://msgboard.snopes.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=108;t=000815;\

p=1>

And yes, I will occasionally but very rarely

have a glass of Guinness. It is moderately

difficult to not either eat or have in your

house some product based on animals.

Cows -> collagen -> collagen-based adhesives

-> used in Sheetrock

http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Spa/2310/parts_cow.html

If I'm wrong please tell me and I'll be

so much happier . . .

Gary

--- Gary Mattingly <gsmattingly wrote:

> I don't eat marshmallows with gelatin in

> them or any candy with gelatin in it.

> I don't buy cheese with animal rennet in

> it. I must admit eating a pizza now and

> then that we don't make at home and I

> don't ask whether the cheese uses non-animal

> rennet. Cheese without rennet can be

> either hard to find or hard to figure

> out. Sometimes it just says enzymes and

> when I ask some grocery people tell me it is

> not animal based and some tell me it is.

> Therefore I usually wind up not buying it.

> I can usually find some at Whole Foods

> and now I notice Safeway is carrying some

> also.

>

> Gary

>

> --- Steph <mrswalp29 wrote:

>

> > my husband and I got into a very lengthily

> > conversation about vegetarianism last night and it

>

> > left me with a question I would like to dissect

> here

> > in the group. If you eat cheese with enzymes in it

> > or marshmallows with gelatin in it are you still

> to

> > consider yourself a vegetarian? I am been a veggie

> > for 3 years but each day I am learning more and

> more

> > products that contain animal (or bugs) in them I

> try

> > to avoid them once I become aware but. the

> problem

> > I have in VT is things like marshmallows vegan

> ones

> > are something I would have to order, cheese is

> > another ordeal the list that are rennet free are

> > hard to find. So what are your

> > thoughts..................

> > Steph

July 26, 2007

Greetings Group! Seems like a good time to post this interesting link I found

recently while surfing the net regarding HIDDEN ANIMAL PRODUCTS.

http://www.ivu.org/faq/ingredients.html

IT IS QUITE LENGTHY SO FOR POST I'LL PUT A SNIP-IT....

Hidden Animal Products

It is very difficult to avoid animals products in this 'modern day and age'.

Here is a list of some common things that surprisingly contain animal

derivatives and others that are safe.

Casein: This is a product made when milk is heated with an acid, like lactic

acid. This stuff mostly occurs in " no-lactose " soy cheeses like Soyco, Soy Kaas,

AlmondRella, Zero-FatRella, HempRella, and TofuRella Slices.

The labels say " lactose-free " (lactose is another milk derivative), but that

doesn't mean they are therefore vegan, as we used to incorrectly assume. Soymage

soy cheese is 100% vegan, but it's kind of gross. Vegan-Rella is also totally

vegan. Casein is also used in plastics, adhesives, and paint manufacturing.

Caseinate: Casein mixed with a metal, like calcium caseinate or sodium

caseinate.

Chewing Gum: Some chewing gums contain glycerine. Wrigleys gum contains a

vegetarian source of glycerine.

Margarines: Can contain fish and other marine oils. Many margarines contain

whey.

Nougat: Usually contains gelatine.

Pasta: May contain egg, especially if fresh. Some pasta in Italy contains

squids's ink; this can easily be recognized because the pasta is black.

Pastes: Glues. May be animal or fish derived.

Pastry: Animal fats used in most shop-baked pies etc. Check ingredients.

Phosphates: Derived from glycerol and fatty acids. May be from animal bones too.

Rennet: An enzyme taken from the stomach of a newly killed calf. Used in the

cheese making process. Look for rennin or the words " made without animal

rennet " .

Shortening: Can be made from animal fats. Used in the food industry especially

pastries and biscuits.

Stearate: This usually comes in the form of _calcium stearate_, and it is found

in hard candies like Gobstoppers and Sweetarts as well as other places. It comes

from stearic acid, which usually is derived from tallow, or animal fat. Stearate

is also used in vinyls (like car seats) and plastics.

Sweets: Watch out for gelatine, eg.: wine gums. Nearly all mints eg.: Polo,

Trebor, Extra Strong etc contain gelatine. See also Nougat.

Whey: Liquid part of Milk

Www.ivu.org

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July 27, 2007

Hi,

As I told you in my introduction I do not consider myself a vegetarian.

I eat very very little meat but then I want to make sure that the animal

has not suffered during it's life and when brought to slaughter. This is

very important to me.

BUT I don't eat any sweets or yoghurts (or just anything) with gelatine

in them, I also try to avoid those pills made like little capsules in

which is the medicine as a powder as these capsules are made from

gelatine (ok, sometimes there just is no other product your doc or

pharmacist (word?) could chose for you instead and if you really need

the pill...). Cheese, milk, eggs, any other animal products I only eat

from organic raised animals. I don't even eat cakes colleagues bring to

work on special occations as they could use eggs from unhappy hens or

gelatine... Most people think I am weird.

Tina from Germany

>Steph asked:

>If you eat cheese with enzymes in it or marshmallows with gelatin in it

are you still to consider yourself a vegetarian?

July 27, 2007

wow Milli thanks so much this is so helpful.

Steph

Take the Internet to Go: Go puts the Internet in your pocket: mail, news,

photos & more.

July 27, 2007

wow! joining this group really opened my eyes! I learned a lot through

everyone's post. my brother mentined that gummy bears is made of gelantine. my

best friend said there is vegetable gelantine but I don't know if there really

is vegetable.... I also eat very litttle meat so I consider myself a part-time

vegetarian. =)

" Schlenker, Martina " <martina.schlenker wrote: