The first thing we are going to do is determine the etymological origin of the term plant. In this case, we discover it with the fact that it emanates from a Latin word: vegetare, which can be translated as “to grow”.
A vegetable is an organic being that grows and has life, although it does not change places by voluntary impulse. Vegetables, in fact, do not have a musculoskeletal system. The term is also used to name everything that belongs to or is related to plants. Plants can synthesize their own food through photosynthesis. They are composed of multicellular organisms (with eukaryotic cells) and can measure from a few centimeters (like moss) to several meters tall (like certain trees).
The concept is rarely used in scientific circles, where it is preferred to talk about plants (a taxon studied by botany, which is a branch of biology). The use of the notion of vegetable is limited to food and nutrition or gastronomy. Plant foods include vegetables (such as greens and tubers) and legumes. Lettuce, tomato, celery, and onion are vegetables. All of these types of foods have a variety of vitamins that help the body in different ways. However, there are many other types of vegetables. Thus, we find vegetables, fruits, cereals, tubers, nuts, algae, mushrooms, natural sweeteners, spices and those known as stimulating plants that allow us to obtain foods such as coffee. Vegetarianism is known as a diet that refrains from the consumption of meat from any animal (cows, pigs, chickens, fish, etc.) and is based on the consumption of vegetables, fruits and cereals. Whoever practices these diets is known as a vegetarian. In addition to all of the above, it is important to note that this diet is taken as a maxim by many people for different reasons and reasons. Thus, for example, there are those who adopt it for religious reasons, those who do it for health reasons or those who are based on ethical criteria. The latter are the ones who decide to become vegetarians because they are against the harm done to animals. There are different types of vegetarians. There are those who do not eat any products of animal origin, such as eggs or milk. In these cases, we speak of strict vegetarians or vegans. It is interesting to establish that vegans not only have strong beliefs in food issues, but also extrapolate them to other aspects of their lives, such as clothing. In this sense, they are opposed to wearing any type of clothing made with animal skins, as well as wool or silk of the same origin. And all this without forgetting that these ideas make them totally reject leisure activities such as the circus, bullfights or theme parks because they consider that they treat animals with contempt.
Choosing to eat only vegetables is often an ethical decision for those who oppose the killing of animals for their meat.
