Sept. 26, 2007 - Religion and social status have always been deal breakers in relationships. But for those navigating today’s dating pool, the currents may just have gotten rougher. No longer is it enough to share an interest in piña colada or getting caught in the rain—today’s singles want to know whether potential partners are fit and how often they work out, among other personal details. And then there’s the friction between vegans and vegetarians.

It might sound counterintuitive; after all, neither group eats meat. But for many vegans—who also eschew animal products like the dairy and eggs eaten by vegetarians—love may not be enough to conquer ideology. “I’m in a relationship with a murderer,” bemoans Carl, one of many vegans who wrote in to the “Vegan Freak” podcast for romantic advice. Carl, who didn’t give his last name, says his girlfriend is a regular vegetarian, and their differences are becoming a major source of tension. In the vegan world that’s not an uncommon dilemma. Bob Torres, one of the show’s hosts, says that dating and relationships are two of the most popular topics on the podcast, which deals with all things vegan.

Vegans are hardly the only partner-seekers with health concerns. Online dating site Match.com has noted a steady rise in interest in the topic among its 15 million members. In 2004 about 15 percent of its members said they exercised regularly. Among today’s members, about 43 percent say they exercise three to four times each week. That’s more people declaring their devotion to exercise than declaring their religion on the Web site. Food has also become a concern; just under half the site’s members want their partner to have a healthy diet, compared to 12 percent three years ago. And these are issues that relationship counselor Ian Kerner, who works with the site, thinks can cause more serious conflict in relationships than political or philosophical differences. “I think people can get past a lot of intellectual debates, because that’s what makes opposites attract,” he says. But getting past a fitness fanatic/couch potato clash? “I can’t tell you how many times I hear people breaking up over things like this,” says Kerner. “It’s a lot about sharing values, about how they sped their time. It’s both scheduling conflicts and different value systems.”

Vegans and vegetarians can get caught in worse dating dilemmas. For many vegetarians and almost all vegans, their distaste for meat runs much deeper than their taste buds; it’s an outward expression of their ethical and moral beliefs about animal cruelty and responsible living. Take John Cunningham, who lives in Baltimore. “If I don’t have to contribute to cruelty in society and this world, I would like to abstain from that,” he says. He’s been a vegan since 2001, and he married his long-term girlfriend (a vegetarian) this past summer. He understands the critical role veganism can play in dating and relationships. “If someone is going to make such a large change in the way they eat, the motivation behind that has to be serious,” he says. “That can’t be taken causally when entering into a relationship.”
Not surprisingly, a number of niche dating sites have popped up to respond to veggie dating demands. Vegan Passions, Veggie Fishing and Planet Earth Singles are all sites that cater to environmentally conscious daters. Planet Earth Singles launched in April (fittingly, on Earth Day) and already boosts 23,000 eco-friendly members, many of whom are among the nation’s 1.4 million vegans or 4.7 million vegetarians. “If somebody is for the environmental movement, they want to support it on all levels, even in their relationships,” says Jill Crosby, the founder of Planet Earth Singles

I LOVE TOFU!!!

EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW EWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!! BALLS EWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!

being in cooking school tofu is the nasties thing i have ever eaten i would rather eat squid

Id rather eat chocolate covered spiders!!!!

WHAT is SO gross about tofu??

It's not any worse than...spaghetti! It's tasteless and comes in a lot of different consistencies.

its that jello like consistancy!!! lol weve talked about this before.....

I know! I still don't get it!


I thought everyone loves jello???

jello is hideous!!! Its made of ewwwwwwwww idk gelatin or something.......fed to sick and old people......it weebles and wobbles but it wont fall down......

I didn't claw my way to the top of the food chain to eat bean curd or lettuce I like my steak medium rare and I don't care if it is unhealthy, I am going to die some day anyway, I might as well be sick when it happens.

I like my steaks medium rare, too.

Uh,oh, Forge, we agree on something .

Tofu?

How can anyone eat that junk when there's good stuff like steaks, burgers, chicken, and fish just waiting to be consumed!

Just call me Knox, World's Worst Vegetarian!

Gypsy,not only does it weeble and wobble but once Jello becomes JELLO,it can't be turned back into a liquid.doesn't that like break the laws of science or something???

*sigh*

Another challenge to add to the ever deepening non event...

I agree with
gardenforge
and knoxman.

Though I don't
eat steak every
day.

And I always try
to work in plenty
of vegetables as
well.

Protein is important,
and no everyone wants
to eat beans all the
time to get it.

Fish, chicken,
eggs, these are
important sources
of protein as well.

I think there's a
balance.

If you don't want
hardening of the arteries,
it's probably best to
not eat steak every day.

actually J.......Ive seen jello go back to liquid, when left out too long.......its a mystery really!!!!

Im not too sure about tofu.....

I am trying to figure out HOW in the hell this question was started YESTERDAY by knoxman at a different community here and NOW it has YOUR handle attached to it??? Can YOU explain this to me???????

Hey, Barbie

Don't know which thread you're talking about here, but I can't take credit for starting it. In my time here, I've NEVER started a thread about vegans and vegetarians. I think you've gotten me confused with someone else. I posted a post a few posts ago, and that's all I've said about this topic.

My honest opinion.

Anyone wants to be a vegan or vegetarian, fine with me. That's just that much more of the "good stuff"(burgers, steaks, chicken, pizza,ect.)left over for me

Barbie, if you'll post where this other thread I supposedly started is, I'd like to take a look at it. Thanks.