Life and Vincent: Why?

Wednesday, November 04, 2009

Why?

Whenever I go to the doctor's they try to prescribe me with something that comes in capsule form. I usually spot it, and ask them to give me the drug in an alternative form. Today I missed it, and ended up with some capsules that are supposed to line my stomach against the anti-inflammatories I have to take.

Gelatine is made from the boiled down bones and hooves of cows, calves, pigs, and as such is not something vegetarians want to take in any form. Many desserts have gelatine in, making say, a fruit trifle into a non-vegetarian dish. who really wants beef or pork in their desserts? But at least they aren't something we need to take.

Why don't drug companies realise that they are making their medicines inaccessible not just to beggies, but to Hindus, Jews, Muslims? There are perfectly viable alternatives. I don't even understand why Holland and Barrett, a major health food chain, sells its alternative medicines in veggie and non-veggie forms. What a waste of money - non-veggies can take the veggie ones. But at least tha is better than only having gelatine capsules, 'cos veggies just can't take them.

There are a few million of us in Britain alone. Why don't manufacturers and supermarkets notice us.

***By the way, the supermarket chain Asda has only veggie capsules (apart from things like cod liver oil which it would be pointless to use them for) and is the only company I know that actually has a Vegetarian symbol on its toothpaste. Even I never thought of that one before I saw it***

9 comments:

JoJo said...: It never even occurred to me that the gel caps were made from animal gelatin! Although I am not vegetarian (I was in California for years but went back to meat when we moved here), I cannot eat jello b/c I cannot get past what it's made from.; 9:28 pm
Anonymous said...: I know about vitamins, and if you go to a store like Whole Foods, you can get vegetarian ones. You can also get ones without gluten and stuff.

I'm not a vegetarian, but I think that companies are getting better at providing more options.

I learned something today: did you know that the process of making meat produces more greenhouse gases than growing veggies? I was very surprised.; 10:10 pm
ann said...: i know that problem - i check labels for everything - even some E nos. can be meat based. I won't even buy non-meat foods that are labelled vegetarian because regulations allow for a small percentage of meat product

i think some e471 in breads can be meatie, and e120 is carmine, a red food colouring from beetles (cochineal); 10:41 pm
Jane said...: I always try to avoid caplets. It really is scary to think just how much stuff comes from animals.; 12:59 am
jazzy said...: Actually you are right, Val. But don't say we don't need to take desserts. I for one would be nothing without my daily Italian chocolate fix. And I don't mean Vince; just this once.; 1:39 pm
Axe said...: Do vegetarians eat chocolate?
I'm a carnivore, so I don't know where Veggies draw the line with dairy. Because dairy does not constitute KILLING of animals, its just FROM animals.
Fill me in?; 3:48 pm
val said...: Beatlelady, what I understand is that the animals produce methane that contributes to greenhous gas emissions, but frankly, I think that's a poor reason to go veggie. Much better to do something about human pollution. I mean, anyone want a planet without animals just to allow us to go on polluting at our current rate?

Ann, I think I'd better give up eating! I know about the cochineal beetle, but I didn't know it had an E number! Are you sure about the vegetarian label allowing some meat product?

Chocolate should be fine, Axe, just some of the fillings might not be. Dairy does involve the killing of animals (not to mention poor conditions) because calves are taken from their mothers and their mothers impregnated often so that they give a constant supply of milk. Vegans avoid dairy products and eggs, but useless veggies like me would have no clue how to survive. Could turn fruitarian, I suppose!

As for giving up desserts, Jazzy, just avoid the ones with gelatine in. They use it to, well, jellify it, make it less runny, but pectin does a good job and comes from fruit.; 6:27 pm
jazzy said...: Vegetarians don't eat meat, poultry, fish, shellfish and so on. They don't use products of animal slaughter such as animal-derived gelatin and rennet, that is.
Vegans don't even use/consume animal products of ANY kind (includes honey, butter, eggs etc.)
Hope that this answered your question, Axe.; 6:37 pm
ann said...: http://www.food-info.net/uk/qa/qa-fi45.htm

try this link for more info on e numbers; 6:51 pm

Life and Vincent

Wednesday, November 04, 2009

Why?

9 comments:

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