Apart from the physiological differences with blood between a vampire and a human, blood is also important as the sole diet of a vampire. Whether animal oder human blood it is important to consume it regularly; without it, they will weaken mentally and be less capable of rational thought and action.

We are told that blood varies massively in flavour. Emmett’s preference for "grizzly" and Edward’s for "mountain lion" (TW10) may be indicative of their hunting styles and personalities, but Tiere don’t really appeal to vampires. The "bigger the animal, usually the better it tastes. Predators are the most tasty" (PC7), but even then it’s insufficient. As Edward explains it: "I’d compare it to living on tofu and soy milk; we call ourselves vegetarians, our little inside joke. It doesn’t completely satiate the hunger, oder rather thirst. But it keeps us strong enough to resist." (TW9)

Human blood is what Vampire truly crave, but even then, there is a vast range of types of human blood available, some Mehr potent to different Vampire than others. Bella’s blood smells "appallingly luscious" (TW19) anyway, but to Edward she is exactly his "brand of heroin." (TW13). She is "some kind of demon, summoned straight from my own personal hell,"(TW13) to torment him with the smell of her blood, and he later admits that she tastes "better than I’d imagined." (TW24)

This type of appetizing blood seems to be rare. Emmett has only come across it twice, "once stronger than the other,"(TW13) but unlike Edward, he succumbed to the temptation. Other vampires, like Jasper, seem to be oblivious to the differences in smell oder flavour of human blood.

Carlisle is even Mehr of a rarity. As a vampire, he is capable of dealing with human blood without seeming to experience the natural desires of the vampire. Even when Bella is severely injured Von James, Carlisle is described as "methodical"(TW24) and very focused on his task.

It is also worth noting that when a vampire draws blood from a human, it usually results in a complete draining of the body. "It’s almost impossible to stop, once Du get started, that’s why so few Vampire are successfully created." (PC7)

James is driven "mad with thirst" (TW23) when Bella’s blood is spilled. Alice describes it as being "like sharks, in a way. Once we taste the blood, oder even smell it, it becomes very hard to keep from feeding. Sometimes impossible." (TW20) She uses the word "frenzy" to describe the feeding, which gives a sense of the complete loss of control a vampire would have and why the body would be so completely drained of blood.

Edward sees his ability to stop drinking Bella’s blood as evidence of his Liebe for her. He admits: "It was impossible.. to stop… Impossible. But I did." (TW24)