Raw Oysters -- animal, vegetable or mineral?

[shakti17]

Does anyone have an opinion on oysters? they are not exactly an animal.... i do indulge on occasion, and have found them quite an energizing food. but are they really vegan? are they really food? hmmmmm..... :rolleyes:

[heabrook]

:eek: !!!

Oysters are not vegan! My dear.. oh dear.. no no no. Oysters are living, beautiful creatures.

Bivalves (a class of mollusk; including oysters, clams, mussels, and scallops) are much more complex than sponges. They don't have a brain, but rather very basic nerve ganglia (bunches of nerves). Because they have nervous tissue, there is an argument to be made for avoiding products that may have harmed bivalves.

They do have a nervous system, which means they are alive. Definitely not vegan.

Another reason to avoid eating sea creatures of any kind is the fact that overfishing has had a devastating effect on the world’s oceans. Trawlers scrape up ocean bottoms, destroying coral reefs and everything else in their way; hydraulic dredges scoop up huge chunks of the ocean floor to sift out scallops, clams, and oysters. Most of what the fishing fleets get isn’t even eaten by human beings. Half is fed to animals who are raised for food, and about 30 million tons each year are just tossed back into the ocean, dead, which greatly disturbs the natural biological balance. Commercial fishing fleets are destroying sensitive aquatic ecosystems at a rate that is quite beyond comprehension.

best,
heather

[juliebove]

Why do you say they are not an animal? Are they not shellfish?

[shakti17]

they just seem a bit less animal than fish, more animal than plant. plants have feelings and nerves too!

hmmmm.....

[heabrook]

they just seem a bit less animal than fish, more animal than plant. plants have feelings and nerves too!

hmmmm.....

what about the other reason that I gave? (edited the post, maybe you didn't see it)

[Kris]

plants have feelings and nerves too

Plants have nerves?? Uh, are you sure about that?

[heabrook]

Plants have nerves?? Uh, are you sure about that?

I missed commenting on that. I wasn't aware that plants had nerve endings.... they are living -- I agree, but they don't have nerves. As far as science is aware at the moment, unless something has happened that I don't know about, plants do not have nerves.

The distinction between the plant and animal kingdoms is based primarily on the sources of nutrition and the capability of locomotion or movement. Plants produce new cell matter out of inorganic material by photosynthesis. They do not have the ability to move around their environment except by growing or being transported by wind, water, or other external forces.

[shakti17]

no, but i am sure that they have consciousness and that they feel pain. i saw this amazing documentary, the secret life of plants (also a book, which i have not read), and they make an amazing case - so much evidence - i recommend this to everyone.

heabrook, yes, as a longtime veg, of course i agree.... i bring this up because i may be moving to brittany, in france, where there are oysters a plenty - a la small fishing villages, definately not large commercial operations... you see tons of oysters all over the beach there.... i just want to be prepared to not eat the oysters.... i was hoping they'd be vegan!

they really are a super food, in my opinion, i hope i don't offend anyone, i am 99.9% veg, but when i eat oysters, it's like "Zing!" such a rush of energy.

i thank the oyster for giving me that, like we can thank carrots too, since they also feel it - i guess it is a matter of eating lower on the food chain... everything is conscious.

[JennaBoBenna]

Does anyone have an opinion on oysters? they are not exactly an animal.... i do indulge on occasion, and have found them quite an energizing food. but are they really vegan? are they really food? hmmmmm..... :rolleyes:


Shakti! Haven't you ever read The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy? :p
Link (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0688156819/sr=1-1/qid=1143835241/ref=sr_1_1/002-1485589-4910401?%5Fencoding=UTF8&s=books) ;)

[juliebove]

Plants have nerves?? Uh, are you sure about that?

Perhaps they are not called nerves, but plants certainly do have feelings! I remember doing experiments in my high school biology class. We hooked a meter up to assorted plants and then did things to them like watering them, playing nice music for them, ripping off a leaf, or burning them with a match. As we did so, we announced what we were doing. When we did the cruel things, the meter went wild. Then to further the experiment, we announced that we were going to do cruel things, but did not actually do them. The meter again went wild. So it is clear that the plants somehow understand us.

We did addition experiments by exposing plants to a variety of music over a period of time and talking to them. Those plants that heard soothing music and were spoken to happily and quietly grew bigger and stronger than those that were yelled at and exposed to heavy metal music.

[heabrook]

no, but i am sure that they have consciousness and that they feel pain. i saw this amazing documentary, the secret life of plants (also a book, which i have not read), and they make an amazing case - so much evidence - i recommend this to everyone.

heabrook, yes, as a longtime veg, of course i agree.... i bring this up because i may be moving to brittany, in france, where there are oysters a plenty - a la small fishing villages, definately not large commercial operations... you see tons of oysters all over the beach there.... i just want to be prepared to not eat the oysters.... i was hoping they'd be vegan!

they really are a super food, in my opinion, i hope i don't offend anyone, i am 99.9% veg, but when i eat oysters, it's like "Zing!" such a rush of energy.

i thank the oyster for giving me that, like we can thank carrots too, since they also feel it - i guess it is a matter of eating lower on the food chain... everything is conscious.

Well, certainly do as you wish. But, to answer your main question they are not considered vegan. (like honey isn't considered vegan).

To each is own though. :)

You make a good point -- everything is energy. Plants are energy just like we are energy.. I guess we just have to make our own personal judgements on what to eat. I think it is amazing that you are moving to France. I hope you enjoy it.

best,
heather

[JennaBoBenna]

Perhaps they are not called nerves, but plants certainly do have feelings! I remember doing experiments in my high school biology class. We hooked a meter up to assorted plants and then did things to them like watering them, playing nice music for them, ripping off a leaf, or burning them with a match. As we did so, we announced what we were doing. When we did the cruel things, the meter went wild. Then to further the experiment, we announced that we were going to do cruel things, but did not actually do them. The meter again went wild. So it is clear that the plants somehow understand us.

We did addition experiments by exposing plants to a variety of music over a period of time and talking to them. Those plants that heard soothing music and were spoken to happily and quietly grew bigger and stronger than those that were yelled at and exposed to heavy metal music.

Daaaang! That's intense!!

[shakti17]

jenna - yes, i have an autographed copy! i'll have to read it again...

julie - yes, those experiments are exactly the type of thing from the secret life of plants - so fascinating

hea -- thanks for your input.... alas, not vegan. i did suspect as much. :(

[JennaBoBenna]

jenna - yes, i have an autographed copy! i'll have to read it again...

autographed?! *jealous* hehehe :p

[Fragola]

oysters ARE animals!!
It is not a matter of opinions here, it is a matter of science! If you look in a biology book you'll discover that if you eat oysters you are not vegan nor vegetarian. :rolleyes:

[sport]

Of course you are not vegan if you eat oysters and besides that you are no longer safeguarding yourself against cancer because they are animal protein. Read "The China Study" and give up the fish.

[heabrook]

Of course you are not vegan if you eat oysters and besides that you are no longer safeguarding yourself against cancer because they are animal protein. Read "The China Study" and give up the fish.

The China Study is a great book.. a definite must have! :D

[vickiesltw]

Does anyone have an opinion on oysters? they are not exactly an animal.... i do indulge on occasion, and have found them quite an energizing food. but are they really vegan? are they really food? hmmmmm..... :rolleyes:

Shakti

Are you vegan or raw or both?

Lil' Brat

[Colin]

From a Biblical perspective, oysters are not considered food.

"For aquatic creatures to be fit to eat, they must have both fins and scales. One school of thought explains that marine animals without fins and scales tend to be bottom feeders, consuming the effluent that sinks to the mud. Having this in mind, we can perceive the reason (Creator God) Yahweh prohibited these marine species. Aquatic life unfit for human consumption includes shrimp, lobster, oysters, clams, crabs, and catfish. Modern science is now finding dangerous levels of harmful, heavy metals like mercury and lead in the flesh of many of these creatures. Yahweh (Creator God) certainly knows best!"
http://www.yrm.org/popularcf.htm

"Shellfish can be placed in a body of water that is contaminated with cholera bacteria, and they will purify the water. Shrimp, oysters, crab, scallops and mussels are particularly efficient at this. They filter large volumes of water every day. Sewage laden with chemicals, toxins and harmful bacteria, parasites and viruses become concentrated in those shellfish. The cause of cholera outbreaks in several areas has been traced to contaminated shrimp, crab, oysters and clams."
http://www.ucg.org/booklets/CU/matterofhealth.htm

I do not necessaraly endorse the websites, but am including them for the booklet information on clean and unclean meats. http://tinyurl.com/ksnwd

[Sharon in Colorado]

I'm not sure, but they could be bottom feeders just like lobster and other crustaceans - they could be toxic to eat anyway.

I don't know which is worse - oysters from the sea or rocky mountain oysters! :eek:

Also I've read the 'energy' you receive after eating animal foods is from the adrenaline that the animal let out during its demise.

[firefaery]

This is something that has troubled me for a long time now! Animals that are killed are terrified-they release adrenaline and cortisol which ends up in their flesh. By eating it you are consuming high amounts of both. NOt something people need more of in their lives (or bodies) In China, there are beliefs that these can be beneficial so animals are purposely tortured before being killed to get as much adrenaline and cortisol as possible into the meat. They believe it makes them more virile. Ugh.

[rawpriestess]

Hi, Oysters are not part of Alissa's plan on the RAW vegan lifestyle, they are not vegan.

[Denise Nicole]

Oysters are an animal and not Vegan. Plants do not feel pain. A plant is living and will "react" to its environment. Music causes vibrations, watering and sun makes them grow, damaging it will make it wilt or try to repair the damage. Plants are not conscience, do not have a soul, and do not feel pain in the sense that an animal feels pain.

[jenna rose]

Does anyone have an opinion on oysters? they are not exactly an animal.... i do indulge on occasion, and have found them quite an energizing food. but are they really vegan? are they really food? hmmmmm..... :rolleyes:


Yes, they are an animal.
No, they are not vegan (and neither are the people that eat them)
Yes, some consider them food, but not those that are vegetarian/vegan and raw vegan.

[Rawkinlocs]

I thought this was locked :confused:

Okay yall...we've established that oysters are food (for those who are not vegan in any sense of the word raw or not) and that they are not vegan.

The OP has been addressed and answered...time to say good night to this thread.