There are many vegetarians in the world. In a study conducted in 2008, there are approximately 7.3 million adult vegetarians, which is only 3.2% of America’s population. Of that, 1 million, or 0.5% are vegans. In England, 2006, about 6%, or 3.6 million people, of their population is vegetarian. 10% of England doesn’t eat red meat. In 2006, this made the UK European country with the most vegetarians. But with every choice, comes rumors and misconceptions. So, how many misconceptions are there about vegetarians? The answer to that would be too many to count, but I’m only going to cover a few of them. After all, vegetarianism is mainly a choice. Some people are vegetarians for religious reasons, for example Jainism. Jainism is when they don’t eat anything that grew in the ground, for example, potatoes. But is it fair that so many people think we only eat rabbit food or that it is easy to be healthy while being a vegetarian? It’s not. As a vegetarian, I decided we don’t deserve to be treated like freaks for not eating meat. We are going to learn a bit about what people think about vegetarians and our diets.

            A common misconception is that it must be easy to stay thin. While it’s true that our main diet is considered to be healthier than the average meat-eater, we can still eat junk food. Chocolate, candy, cheese, chips and cookies, are all consumed by everyone, unless they’re a certain kind of vegan. Veganism is when you don’t eat anything that is considered an animal product, such as, eggs or dairy. Just because we don’t consume meat, mainly red meat, does not mean that we don’t eat any junk food. Generally, we aren’t health obsessed people. For example, I’ve been vegetarian since birth, because my parents do it for religion. I’m not that religious, but I still follow it, because I never ate meat at a young age, and to start now seems odd. Yes, though I am a healthy weight for my height and age, doesn’t mean I always was. When I was younger, I was nearing to be overweight, so I stopped eating chocolate, and junk food, and dropped it all off, and since then, I’ve stayed the same. I have friends who eat meat, but are still skinny. It’s the same for meat eaters and vegetarians. We both have to exercise to stay healthy.

            Another misconception is that it must be difficult to eat out. That is just not true. Most restaurants have food for vegetarians. It’s not that difficult to be a vegetarian, and it’s quite easy to eat out. True, maybe before when there were less vegetarians in the world, it may have been harder, but now, many people have become vegetarians, and so in restaurants it is quite easy to find something acceptable. Worst comes to worst, we ask them to make something without meat. But vegetarianism is a common diet; therefore, almost all restaurants are prepared to have vegetarians come into their restaurant. Finding food as a vegetarian isn’t as difficult as it seems.

            One of the most occurring misconceptions about vegetarians. You must not get enough protein. Meat is not the only way to get protein. Lentils, beans, quinoa, cottage cheese, eggs, and many more. And yes, often, vegetarians eat eggs. The eggs stores sell aren’t fertilized, therefore, they never had a chance to hatch into a chick, because they aren’t fertile, so vegetarians who eat meat, are not cheating vegetarians or anything. Yes, some vegetarians don’t eat eggs either. It’s all about the person’s own opinion and choice. They’re eating something that is simply high in protein. Meat eaters commonly think the best way to get protein is through meat, but clearly, it is not necessary, considering even Greek yogurt has protein. Even peanut butter has protein! Clearly, vegetarians are well off in the protein department.

            Many people also assume that we care if you eat meat in front of us. By my personal experiences, I don’t really mind, and neither do most vegetarians I’ve met. We understand that it’s a choice of being a meat eater, and it’s a choice to being a vegetarian. All we ask is that you don’t constantly list reasons for us to start eating meat. Of course, everyone meets the bigoted vegetarian who wants you to convert to vegetarianism, but we also meet the bigoted meat eaters, who find it weird to not eat meat, which I disagree with. We won’t mind if you eat meat. Eat whatever you want. Just don’t push your beliefs down each other’s throats. It’s all about your opinion, and what you think is right for you. We care about what you say, not what you eat.

            This, in my personal opinion, is the biggest misconceptions. Vegetarianism and Veganism are very different. Vegans don’t eat anything that came from an animal, or grew under the ground. They don’t eat onions, or cheese, or basically dairy products. Or at least some don’t, others are more lenient in their diet, eating things that grew underground. Vegetarians eat everything but meat, and to me at least, fish counts as meat. However for some vegetarians, fish is considered as being part of a vegetarian diet. Also, if you meet a vegetarian, don’t ask them if they eat dairy. The answer to that is an obvious, yes, unless they are lactose intolerant, or just can’t eat or drink dairy for other medical reasons. It’s a proven fact that vegetarians have a healthier diet, and also that being a vegetarians reduces heart problems. Dr. Dean Ornish studied 47 patients, all with heart problems. He separated them into two groups, one group went on the care that doctors usually prescribe, a diet centered on lean meat, poultry and fish as well as medication. This group was called the control group. The other half went on the vegetarian diet, as well as a walk for a half an hour or an hour, three times a week, no smoking and, stress management exercises. This group was called the experiment group. A year later, all the patients had an angiogram, an x-ray that shows the artery blockage in the heart. The control group still needed medication. The experiment group, on the other hand, had wonderful improvements. Their coronary arteries, which had been narrowing, gradually opened about 80%. The only side effect mentioned is losing weight, which isn’t that bad. But a person’s diet is their own personal choice, and you cannot and should not try to change that.

            Every race, every religion, every choice in the world has misconceptions, no matter what the subject. People have made misconceptions, and stereotypes through rumors, which are not always true. For example, Indian people loving curry, or Asian people being very smart. But if you want to get in an argument with people, don’t, because it’s their opinion, and it’s none of your business to change it. True, sometimes the misconceptions apply to some people, but don’t immediately judge a person because of other people you’ve met. That’s not fair to that person. So don’t assume things about people, and always question misconceptions.