Why do vegetarians eat fake meat?

not all vegetarians eat fake meat

its just when you're becoming one, its easier to progress by using alternatives

also there are a lot of recipes and foods they've grown up with that have meat, so they don't want to completely get rid of them, so they just replace the meat parts

also, real meat tasting better isn't necessarily true

I'm not vegetarian or vegan

but i go to my vegan friend's house every weekend, and everything she makes is just great.

so it all just depends on how good the cook is.

A generalisation. Not all vegetarians eat "fake meat". As with just about anything - some do, some don't. Strangely enough, you've done the exact opposite with your next sentence - it's not "many vegetarians" - surely it's ALL vegetarians that claim that people do not need to eat "meat" - otherwise they wouldn't be vegetarians in the first place, would they? If you find a (genuine) vegetarian who claims that people DO need to eat "meat", then please let us know - we need a good laugh. To answer your question, though, the vegetarians who DO eat "fake meat" eat it for a few possible reasons: 1. It's not REAL "meat" - therefore no animal died in order to provide the meal. That in itself should be a good enough reason. 2. They may be recent converts to vegetarianism and haven't had chance to think beyond the tableau of their erstwhile, pre-vegetarian meals (what their meals used to look like, in other words), so they feel they need something which looks very similar to what they used to eat. When confronted by a major life-change, there is often comfort in a semblance of continuity or normality - even if it IS only a veneer. It's similar to a recent ex-smoker trying to find things to do with their hands and their mouths - if there was something which looked exactly like a cigarette, but had none of the harmful effects that cigarettes have, I'm sure a lot of tobacco-quitters would be glad to have that prop to help get them past the cravings and the feeling of manual awkwardness. 3. Sometimes it's cultural. Buddhists in Southeast Asia have made a fine art out of creating things from gluten or soy products which look exactly, even on close inspection, like parts of animals - some even taste almost identical. Mock duck, mock chicken, mock abalone and mock fish are among their many specialties. Even the Buddhists who are non-vegetarians have days or weeks each month or year when, for religious reasons, they do not eat animal flesh, so they often resort to eating the mock duck or whatever instead. 4. Convenience. Something with the shape and consistency of a sausage or a hamburger patty, for instance, is the perfect size and shape for frying on a barbecue or putting into a hot dog bun or whatever. That's very convenient indeed for someone who's been invited to a picnic or barbecue but can't think of anything vegetarian to take with them. (Besides, even real "meat" doesn't come naturally in the shape of sausages and patties - so that's a convenience food for non-vegetarians.) There are other reasons, of course, but those would have to be the main ones.

I do it for the taste of it. I enjoy fake deli meats in sandiwiches and I use fake chicken in a lot of dishes. There are some forms of meat which I miss the taste of, so replacements fill that void. I find them to be acceptable as they are produced without animal cruelty. They are also generally lower in fat and do not contain cholesterol.

I used to eat psuedo meat, but then it hit me, it's exactly as you stated it. My personal beliefs (facts to me) are that human beings were not designed to consume meat or animal by products, so eating false meat like that still go against the nature that my reality projects.

Most people are not raised Vegan, and thus have been raised on animal consumption. Because animal consumption was the main dietary consumtion for an an average american citezin it's hard to give up. I admit, going to mock meats are helpful with the process of going Vegan, but I don't suggest you keep with it.

Because it is socially more acceptable to look like you are eating meat, it tastes good and is often very nutritious.

I just had soy sausages for lunch and they provided 100% of my Vitamin B12 for the day without adding cholesterol or saturated fats to my body.

So, yeah.

=)

EDIT: You can't really compare the tastes as they are SO different from each other, I think they taste GOOD but I didn't say BETTER, I wouldn't say BETTER since I don't think you can compare such different things.

Because meat is delicious, but they don't want to kill the animal! It's not like they're vegetarians because they don't like the taste of meat, they do it because they don't agree with eating animals.

What difference does it make what shape their food is in, as long as it didn't come from a living animal?

Plus I'd rather eat tofurkey that looks like a turkey than look like.... a brick.

Generally speaking, I think people are looking for the seasonings and contexts more than anything else. For example, when you have a craving for a food, it usually isn't just the main ingredient. If you want a porterhouse, a fast-food burger isn't going to cut it, even though both are made from beef. If you're dying for popcorn, you won't reach for corn on the cob, because though both are made from corn, eating them is totally different: the flavors and textures depend heavily upon seasoning and method of preparation.

When I crave fake meat, it's because of the textures and seasonings. I periodically will try bits of meat to see if I like it (I have no ethical objections to some kinds of meat), but I don't. I'm not a fan of the feel of the fat on my lips and in my mouth, and I don't like the "squeak" of meat. I prefer the chewiness without all that.

People ask this a lot and it really makes no sense to me... people always are trying to eat their favorites in slightly modified forms. We have low-fat sour cream, sugarless candy, etc... why not have meatless sausage? (Before you say that it defeats the purpose or is hypocritical, remember that cream is almost 100% fat and candy is designed to be sweet... eating sugar or fat-free versions of it isn't usually questioned. In short, people don't always choose their foods because they're in the mood for its main ingredient.)

Maybe because for them it tastes good. I don't know of anybody who eats a type food because they think it tastes awful.

I eat meat and won't touch any of that fake meat stuff. But if others want to eat it, I don't see why it is any business of mine.that they do.

A lot of vegetarians don't eat fake 'meat'. I don't, and neither do most of the vegetarians people I know. Maybe it's more common to eat it in the US? I'm not sure, but I haven't seen it very much in Australia.

It's still good it's out there though, different strokes for different folks.

because we are meant to eat meat. We have for a million years and our bodies crave it. Meat is not the problem, its the way we raise and slaughter them. The reason so many people stopped eating meet recently (in the last 40 years) is because they saw the torture and cruel treatment of animals in factory farms. You can eat meat from natural farmers, whole foods has a great selection. Also petition for the rights of animals. Animals are our food, but they must be treated with respect!!!