In 2012 a Vegetarian Resource Group (VGR) survey found that about 3% of adolescents ages 8-18 are vegetarian or vegan. This would mean that there are 37 vegetarians or vegans at Liberty High School

At vrg.org the Vegetarian Resource Group describes the often unclear difference between vegetarians and vegans. “Vegetarians do not eat meat, fish and poultry. Vegans are vegetarians who abstain from eating or using all animal products including milk, cheese, other dairy items, eggs, honey, wool, silk or even leather.”

Some common reasons for switching to a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle include health, the environment and ethical issues.

Sophomore Jacob Goodman has been a vegetarian all his life and chose to continue to be one on his own.

“I chose to continue to be a vegetarian because it’s a really healthy lifestyle,” Goodman said. “I can eat whatever I want and not gain a lot of weight. It’s good for basketball in my opinion.”

Though non-vegetarians find it hard to believe, most vegetarians say that it is not strange at all to keep meat out of their diets.

“I never really liked [meat], the taste of it especially, so just I never felt the need to eat it,” Goodman said.

Senior Daniel Evans, a former vegetarian, had a different reason why he became one.

“It was a new year’s resolution with my brother,” Evans said. “He was doing it and I’d always kind of wanted to be a vegetarian and so it was something to do together. I was a vegetarian for three years.”

Though this lifestyle choice has been around for many years, there are still some concerns that people need to be aware of if interested in changing to vegetarianism.

“It was really off and on in the beginning and I got sick a lot because I wasn’t really educated on how to be a vegetarian,” junior Cheyenne Jackson said.

Jackson has been a vegetarian for eight years now and is proud to be thoroughly involved in the vegetarian lifestyle.

School Nurse Karla Hausman warns students about the possible problems about being a vegetarian, but says that there are some healthy profits.

“One of the benefits to the vegetarian diet is a lower rate of heart disease, lower cholesterol,” Hausman said. “On the negative side of that, you could be lacking your iron or protein, become anemic, or have an electrolyte imbalance. It’s not always a balanced diet.”

If considering becoming a vegetarian, Hausman recommends talking to your doctor or even a dietitian.

“Especially at your guys’ age, where your body is going though so much change and so much growth,” Hausman said. “You don’t want to deprive your body of any nutrients.”