>Of course, I realize that if I ever join your ranks I will be literally
eating my words one >day :-/

And tasty words they are indeed, Peter!  Much better put than my reply to
Zephyr.  I'm convinced that if we "need" animal products at all, it is
only in tiny quantities.

I have Shelton's booming voice on a cassette tape replying to a
meat-as-necessity questioner saying something to the effect that, "I
haven't eaten meat in over 40 years!  If there's something essential in
meat that I'm lacking, then I'd better hurry up and eat some before I
begin to suffer deficiency symptoms!"

Bob Avery ([log in to unmask])