History of vegetarianism

Vegetarianism is a trend towards an eating style based on the refusal of meat consumption. Vegetarian diets focus on the consumption of vegetables as the main source of the nutrients we need to stay healthy. In addition, they can combine the consumption of vegetables with some foods derived from animals such as eggs, milk or honey.

There are probably very few people today who are not familiar with this style of eating. Vegetarians have been able to earn their place in the world of nutrition, with millions of followers who decide to approach vegetarian food, either for health reasons, weight loss, love for animals, among others.

Next, we will talk a little of the history behind vegetarianism and how it has reached our days in the way it is presented to us.

Vegetarianism in history: Vegetarianism has a long history in the history of mankind. Its beginnings are related to ethical and moral issues, not necessarily to the search for healthy food or weight loss. The truth is that we tend to think that the protection of animals and respect for their lives responds to a contemporary trend driven by current social movements, however there is nothing further from reality.

Since ancient times we already have works such as "On abstinence" by the famous philosopher Pythagoras and "On the consumption of meat" by Plutarch. In these works there is a defense of animals from the point of view of respect for their dignity and life. They are recognized as having a certain rational capacity that allows them to feel, suffer and love as we do, considering it unjust and cruel for human beings to decide on their lives when they can choose other food alternatives.

During the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, several illustrious figures stood out for bringing back the subject of animals to the intellectual discussions of the time. Thus, the positions of animal defenders stand out, who considered human beings to be hypocrites, who on the one hand declared themselves animal lovers but who did not hesitate twice before eating them, as if they had the right to decide on the life of another being only because they possessed better capacities than the latter.

The birth of various revolutionary movements around the world in the mid-nineteenth century, declared defenders of animals, further raised the recognition of these sectors. Such is the case of the Vegetarian Societies of the United Kingdom, who strongly advocated for recognizing the immorality and spiritual baseness attributed to eating meat knowing that animals suffer and that feeding on them is not a necessity, but a choice that lies in the enjoyment of the taste of meat, even knowing all that meat represents.

Today, vegetarian movements have taken on great relevance around the world, millions of people have taken on a vegetarian eating style. Many of them are motivated by love and respect for animals, while others seek to enjoy a healthier diet. In any case, the vegetarian movement is in a good moment, where more and more people are advocating for recognizing the right of animals to live, without us as a superior species having the power to decide about their lives.

In any case, it is a complex issue. The debate on whether or not we need to eat meat has many affiliates in both positions, while some advocate for recognizing animal rights, others have a more utilitarian point of view on the matter.