Skeptics Stack Exchange
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Questions tagged [vegetarianism]

Vegetarianism encompasses the practice of following plant-based diets (fruits, vegetables, etc.), with or without the inclusion of dairy products or eggs, and with the exclusion of meat (red meat, poultry, and seafood).

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Does the meat industry cause 414 billion dollars in externalized costs?

About 34 minutes into the 2014 Documentary Cowspiracy, there is a statement by David Simon, the author of Meatonomics, about hidden costs of animal food production. I've added up the costs of animal food production, that the producers, don't…
Amani Kilumanga
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Does going vegan roughly save 600 gallons of water a day?

On average, a vegan, a person who doesn't eat meat or dairy, indirectly consumes nearly 600 gallons of water per day less than a person who eats the average American diet. "National Geographic" https://www.truthordrought.com/water I heard this…
adamaero
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Is a vegan diet nutritionally complete and suitable for babies?

We have a related question of a more general nature, but there has been a lot of talk in Italy on whether to disallow or otherwise restrict vegan diets to people who are below a certain age. This has been prompted by multiple cases of babies and…
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Does animal protein consumption cause inflammation?

This article by Michael Greger, M.D. claims: We’ve known for 14 years that a single meal of meat, dairy, and eggs triggers an inflammatory reaction inside the body within hours of consumption. I've heard similar claims (1) from many other…
user17561
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Does the average American eat 7,000 animals during their lives?

USA Today reports that: The average person will chomp down on 7,000 animals during their lives, according to the Vegetarian Calculator. It breaks down to 11 cows, 27 pigs, 2,400 chickens, 80 turkeys, 30 sheep and 4,500 fish, according to the…
user3179196
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Is it common that North Americans who call themselves 'vegetarian' eat fish?

There's an article titled Vegetarians Who Eat Fish Are Actually Onto Something which says, I’m out besmirching Malibu’s pristine sands to decide if pescetarianism—a vegetarian diet supplemented only by fish—has more to it than guilt-free sushi.…
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Is it possible for dogs to have a vegetarian diet?

I have seen some people claim that dogs can be kept healthy on a vegetarian diet, while other people emphatically deny this and yet more say "No! Unless you're really careful". Can dogs be kept healthy — not just alive, but healthy — on a vegetarian…
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Do most people have no idea where their food comes from or how it’s made?

Mercy For Animals article According to U.K.-based paper The Herald [Plymouth], a new study shows most people have no idea where their food comes from or how it’s made. Vegan organization Viva! commissioned the study, which surveyed 2,000 people…
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How legit is this graph of heart disease and cancer vs unrefined plant foods?

Unrefined Plant Food Consumption vs. The Killer Diseases I insist that our low consumption of unrefined plant foods is largely responsible for our dismal mortality statistics. Most of us perish prematurely as a result of our dietary…
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Can domestic cats be healthy as vegetarians?

I used to hear that dogs can be given vegetarian dog food, but that cats need meat. I'm not sure therefore how to interpret the following PETA claim about cats. Vegetarian Cats and Dogs If you have been feeding your companion animals commercial pet…
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Do vegan diets have lower environmental impact?

The Guardian has a 2018 article, Avoiding meat and dairy is the single biggest way to reduce your impact on earth, which is commonly brought up by my vegan friends: Avoiding meat and dairy products is the single biggest way to reduce your…
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How true are the claims about the dairy industry in this poster?

I came across the following image via social media. It depicts a poster placed in the window of a British cafe. The text of the poster reads: This Is Why We're Ditching Dairy... In celebration of Mothering Sunday, and so, in celebration of all…
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Does vegetarianism cause any decline in the slaughter of animals in the food industry?

Vegetarianism has been around for ages. Much of the vegetarian propaganda revolves around the aim of stopping cruelty to animals, it's one of the stated goals of the movement, if not the main one. Some examples of such claims:: The average…
Vitaly Mijiritsky
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Is plant-based food healthier for humans than animal-based food?

The website attached to the film "The Game Changers" says: The preponderance of scientific evidence suggests that a standard animal-based diet — where foods like meat, eggs and dairy are at the center of most meals — decreases overall health,…
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Does vegetarianism save animals?

A common belief about vegetarians is that they reduce the number of animals that die or at least reduce the demand for meat. But I also heard that less demand for meat will reduce meat prices and therefore increase or at least not reduce the meat…
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