Monday, August 31, 2009

Food Labels

2 years ago when I stopped eating meat I had several flimsy reasons which over time grew into strong convictions. If everyone in the world were vegetarian it would end world hunger... The fecal pollution from raising enough livestock for mass consumption is a huge part of global warming... We wouldn't eat our pet dog or cat, and all other animals deserve the same consideration... Cutting out meat and dairy, when done correctly, is healthy and promotes safe weight loss.

People always ask me if I eat fish, as though a fish is somehow less of a living creature than a frog or dolphin. There is the constant comment that "fish is not meat." Fish is indeed meat. The definition of meat is the flesh of a living creature, and it confuses me as to why people make a distinction between fish and all other animals. I am aware Catholics are allowed to eat fish on Fridays, even though they are not supposed to eat meat, and that is where the confusion has been bred. My Dad laments not baptizing me as a baby, as though it somehow contributed to my heathen ways, so maybe if he had then I would believe fish is not meat!

On top of not eating meat, I have chosen not to eat eggs or milk, but I do eat cheese because I am only human. Yes I am aware cheese is made from milk, I can only do so much people. Over the last 2 years I've also had the occasional slice of french toast, and once I popped a tiny shrimp in my mouth in Vegas when no one was looking (okay twice!) I felt worse for being a hypocrite then for murdering the shrimp.

That is why things are beginning to change. I had an omelet this weekend, and forced the image of an egg being a chicken's period out of my head. Then it happened, I ordered the seafood combination at Benihanas and enjoyed every bite of that shrimp and lobster. So I cannot call myself a vegetarian, and while some have pointed out I am technically still a pescaterian, I am just done with being defined by my food choices. The fact is that eggs and chicken really skeeve me out... I love pigs, they are intelligent and beautiful creatures (they also have the longest orgasm of any mammal, look it up!)... and beef just looks like bloody carcass to me. Lobster and shrimp have just never triggered my guilt switch, and instead of being a hypocrite I am just going to move on from the labels and eat what I want in moderation. That makes me a flexitarian, which is the new buzzword with all the healthy running mommas, I guess that is one label I can live with.

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