Vegetarian

[humandraydel]

Re: Vegetarian

I have been a vegetarian for 3 years and vegan for 1.5 years. As others have said, being vegan does require work to make sure your diet is sufficient. I suggest you read a book called "Becoming Vegan" - it'll tell you everything you need to know about vegan nutrition.

Also, check out this website for vegan recipes: www.vegweb.com

[Gabelma]

I have been mostly vegtarian for about 5 years, I did slip whilst pregnant I am afraid and not completely back to absolutely no meat (I was getting dreams about eating raw meat, and couldn't fight my cravings). Like a previous poster I do sometimes buy cheap meat that has been reduced.

However it can be great - I use mostly beans, tofu, cooked wheat (replaces mince in most places) and eat a lot of spinach and brocolli for the iron (I use them in salads) less keen on the meat replacements products.

I do find I am much healthier but having tried vegan, I couldn't do it personally may try again in a few years time, but am considering once we move just getting space for a goat and some chickens.

Charley

[disneysteve]

Vegetarian bacon is gross.

I just found this thread and have other thoughts to post, but I just wanted to say I disagree with this one. My wife and I love Morningstar Farms bacon. We eat it plain with pancakes or french toast or on burgers. Sometimes we make it just for a snack by itself. My mom even tried it one time and loved it. I also have some friends who are observant Jews and keep Kosher and they started using it since they can't have regular pork bacon.

[Fern]

I'mprobably 80% vegetarian, but am concerned about whether i'm getting enough protein and iron from my diet without meat.

My chief protein sources are: Cheese, nuts, sunflower seeds & beans.

[disneysteve]

I'mprobably 80% vegetarian, but am concerned about whether i'm getting enough protein and iron from my diet without meat.

My chief protein sources are: Cheese, nuts, sunflower seeds & beans.

Check out all the veggie fake meat items from companies like Morningstar Farms, Boca, Quorn, etc.

[kilcher]

Wow, lots of vegetarians here!

I've been one for about 10 1/2 years now and run the net's largest and most active vegetarian message board (see signature).

[whitestripe]

i grew up as a vegetarian and didn't taste meat until i was about 5 years old (and hated it! but i was forced to eat it - long story).
all through high school i thought about becoming a vegetarian, but its very hard when you live in a family of 6 and your mum complains about having to cook dinner for 6, let alone dinner for 5 and a separate dish 'for the vego'. once i moved out i thought more and more about it. my DF loves meat, but i cut it down from about 5-6 meals a week with meat, to 3-4. then i visited my dad last year (in another state) and lived for three weeks with virtually no meat consumption, as he and his family are vegetarian also. i came back and decided it was how i wanted to live.
i have now gone 8 months without meat, with no problems. occasionally i will eat fish, i mainly do this when dining out and there are no other items on the menu. i eat eggs and dairy. friends are shocked and surprised and think i must have a hard time doing it, but i never liked red meat in the first place, never liked bacon (made me want to vomit), although was a little fond of chicken. it hasn't been a challenge for me at all, really.
i occasionally eat tofu, but i don't use 'meat replacements'. i probably have one dish a week with beans in it. i have had two blood tests since becoming vegetarian, my protein and iron levels are fine, but my calcium is a little low. other than that i'm all good!

[ScrimpAndSave]

I'm not a vegetarian because I do eat seafood...but I do not eat pork, beef or any other poultry. I have seafood maybe once or twice a month...I live on veggies, yogurt, beans and bulgur wheat! Feels good!

[Johnstone]

I'mprobably 80% vegetarian, but am concerned about whether i'm getting enough protein and iron from my diet without meat.

My chief protein sources are: Cheese, nuts, sunflower seeds & beans.

I found that I lost quite a bit of muscle mass, along with fat, when I became a vegetarian. This lead to a general feeling of fatigue and lethargy, and an obvious loss in strength. Protein is now one of the main things I look for when reading a nutritional labels and maintain a high protein diet through eating eggs (6g), veggie hot dogs (15g), and whey protein powder (39g per milkshake). This has considerably increased my strength, along with very basic calisthenics workouts.

[GREENBACK]

How come us meat eaters don't have to monitor our calcium, Iron, protein, etc., etc,. Pretty obvious answer there. Not an ethical challenge, just an observation.

[disneysteve]

How come us meat eaters don't have to monitor our calcium, Iron, protein, etc., etc,. Pretty obvious answer there. Not an ethical challenge, just an observation.

Actually, most people don't get enough calcium. Women, particularly, should be taking calcium supplements. Anemia due to low iron is extremely common, mainly in women due to menstruation, and many of those women should be taking iron supplements. Eating meat does not eliminate the need to monitor and, often, supplement those nutrients.

[GREENBACK]

Steve, I will bow to everything you say on this subject because of your profession; however, it seems that vegetarians have to keep a much closer eye on these things than those that consume good quality meat.

[disneysteve]

Steve, I will bow to everything you say on this subject because of your profession; however, it seems that vegetarians have to keep a much closer eye on these things than those that consume good quality meat.

I think the problem is that many people decide to become vegetarians without doing their homework. It is perfectly possible to have a well-balanced, healthy vegetarian diet filled with all of the nutrients you need, but it is no different than a non-vegetarian diet. You need to eat a variety of foods: protein sources, vitamin and mineral sources, fiber, carbs, etc. You need to be sure to include certain things. If all you eat every day is bread, meat and potatoes, you will have nutrional deficiencies. If all you eat every day is fruits and vegetables, you will have nutritional deficiencies.

[My English Castle]

I do agree for vegans especially,calcium is a problem. A long-time vegan friend just broke her hip (at 50) and the first thing the doctor mentioned was her low bone density.

[GREENBACK]

You need to eat a variety of foods: protein sources, vitamin and mineral sources, fiber, carbs, etc. You need to be sure to include certain things. If all you eat every day is bread, meat and potatoes, you will have nutrional deficiencies. If all you eat every day is fruits and vegetables, you will have nutritional deficiencies.

Everything you say is so true. From an evolutionary standpoint humans are undeniably omniverous(we wouldn't have canine teeth otherwise). I'm just trying to illustrate that in my limited experience, people who are vegetarians seem to struggle a lot with their chosen diets. I'm not so sure that all the meat alternatives that are promoted for this lifestyle truly fulfill a persons nutritional requirements but I could be wrong.