Any advice on being a vegetarian?

Question

After lots and lots of thought I think I am going to go through with becoming a vegetarian. For a few weeks I haven’t eaten red meet and I think I have seen and herd enough horrifying things to become a veggie. My mom and dad don't really support it because I don't like beans and they think I won't get enough protein, but I think we can make it work. I would like to know things like kinds of imitation meat that tastes the best, if I should take vitamins and what kind, and everything else I need to know. I have done a lot of research and know a lot. I also have a good, good reason for going veg, it's not just because I want to call myself that. I could use all kinds if information and support as long as they are kind things. Thank you!

(I want to hear everything about being a vegetarian! = )

Answer 1

hey i recently just went vegetarian 2 weeks ago..but i have slowly progressed over a year to it... because of my sisters..my fav food products for red meat are boca burgers, and boca shredded meat, so i can still have my tacos and they taste awesome!! and they do contain protein in the them,. and then for chicken and hot dogs, i use the morningstar brand...seriously the morningstar hotdogs are insanely good you could even trick your parents, my bf had no clue they weren't meat there that good...and if your worried about protein eat some peanuts they have a ton of protein in it, and i just take a daily women's vitamin supplement, but if you eat your veggies,fruit and nut,wheat products you will be very healthy its all about moderation...and i recommend this book called SKINNY B*TCH its not telling you how to be skinny, it tells you how to transition to vegetarian and talks about all the right foods for you and how to get all the proper nutrients and it has this awesome cheat guide in the back... i use it all the time...!! good luck!!! also if you want to stop drinking milk try rice milk its sooo good!!!

Answer 2

I've been vegetarian for almost a year now. And I haven't eaten red meat in almost two. But there's one thing you have to remember: you have to eat healthy! Because there is a lot of good stuff in meat (even though I disagree with eating it) that could be hard to find in non-meat things. So you must be dedicated to being healthy about it. And after a while it is very easy. If you stick to the diet, complexions usually clear, you get leaner, etc.

Go you!

Answer 3

well come to the world of vegetarain because of you more and more animals will save their lives thanks :) We are vegetarian for centuries as we follow Jain religion form more do visit my web site at http://jainism.co.nr

Proteins: Body's protein needs can be provided by either animal or plant sources. Mixed protein diet obtained from various plant sources is better than animal protein and is recommended in diabetes, renal diseases and liver diseases. Mixed protein diet from different plant sources has been the pattern of diet in India for all vegetarians.

Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates are mainly found in plant foods; like cereals, grains, fresh and dry fruits, legumes, vegetable, greens, nuts etc. plant carbohydrates include' large amounts of starches, sugar and fibers which are important for gut functions. The body is better suited to a high carbohydrate diet than a low carbohydrate diet. In fact 55% of the food intake should be carbohydrate. All animal products do not contain carbohydrate which is essential for body.

Fat: Plant fats differ from animal fats in two different ways 1) they are cholesterol free 2) they generally contain more polyunsaturated fat and less saturated fats. Plant fats usually have higher polyunsaturated fat value than animal fats.

A diet which is low in cholesterol and which contains fat of a high PIS value is associated with a lower incident of coronary health disease.

Vitamins and Minerals: plant foods are rich in many vitamins and minerals.

Vitamin D: Vitamin D is obtained by exposure of skin to sun light and this is not a problem in India.

Calcium: The vegetarians can meet their needs for calcium from dairy products. Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) Dark green vegetables are good sources of Riboflavin as are legumes and whole grain cereal.

Iron: The problem of iron deficiency is relatively common but vitamin C significantly enhances absorption of iron hence it is advisable for vegetarians to include with each meal a food high in vitamin C which as lime, citrus fruits or juices.

Zinc: Zinc is found in large number of plant foods.

Fiber: Fiber is found only in vegetarian food like whole grain cereals, legumes, greens, fruits, vegetable etc.

Thus in vegetarian foods all requirement of nutrition for body growth and maintenance is fulfilled. One can have a complete and balanced diet provided we take enough food which is as close to nature as possible in maintaining sturdy and disease free body. It is equally helpful in curing many diseases.

ADVANTAGES OF VEGETARIAN DIET:

More & more evidence is surfacing that directly links a prolonged non- vegetarian diet to diseases as cancers, heart diseases, diabetes, asthma just to name a few.

1. LOGEVITY: Vegetarian can expect to live 4-10 years longer then the non-vegetarians.

" Source: Seventh day Adventists study

2. LESS HEART DISEASE: Because of low fat, saturated fat and cholesterol content of the vegetarian diet the risk of heart disease is lowered. High blood cholesterol levels are associated with increased risk of heart disease.

3. LESS CANCER: Up to 40% of all cancers are diet related. Cancer death rates have been associated with obesity and high fat / low fiber diet. Vitamin A & C are thought to be protective against colon cancer. Low fat diets protect against prostrate and breast cancer. Indoles, lignans, isoflavones, protease inhibitors which are present in plant foods and shown to be potent anti carcinogens.

4. LESS BOWEL DISEASE: Diverticular disease and appendicitis occur more frequently with low fiber intake as in meat diet.

5. LEES OBESITY & LESS INCIDENCE OF DIABETES: It is easier to plan a low fat diet for a vegetarian then for a meat eater. The fiber in plant food dilutes the energy & provides a satisfying meal without all the calories. Diabetes over the age of 40 seems to be related to

Answer 4

first, to be vegetarian is to dedicate to taking care of yourself and your health.

       you will have to find ways to include more vegetables in your menu, which can be very exciting at first, but very annoying after a while. it will linger on your mind sometimes that the week will end and you have not eaten peas, cauliflower or papaya. you have to learn how to cook them, and you can find the recipes on internet or in books (you have to eat them, and if your mom doesn't want to cook you vegetarian, then going to restaurant or eating out almost every day might become an impediment - hope not though).

       don't forget to drink milk and eat dairy products - these are very important sources of nutrients that can't be replaced on a healthy vegetarian diet. also when you are vegetarian, the "unbalanced"( -- considered by some) percent of fat-vitamins in the cow milk becomes unsignificant, because you don't eat meat anymore, so there will no longer be any excess of animal fat or protein in your body.

       and also never think that if you have not eaten right one day, then you can take some vitamin/mineral supplement and replace the missing nutrients: fact is that, supplements are not good for your body, it's the result of a recent study. they might even decrease the life span. because sometimes they hardly assimilate, and they become just some chemicals you ingest. and other times, they assimilate too much and cause alot of damage ( excess of vitamin D supplement can kill). remember that body never gets any less or any excess out of natural food like fruits and vegs and grains - it gets exactly as it needs.

       don't worry very much about the hidden meat products in the expected-to-be vegetarian products, because slowly you will find out. It is important to be first of all vegetarian by heart, and after that by body. It doesn't matter if you have been tricked into eating some meat products, as long as your long term goal is to not eat meat.

       one big benefit is that you will feel contempt with yourself, physically and mentally. you will never have to count calories, or search the fat percent, though sugar still remains a matter to take care of.

       you might feel a bit tired at first, and loose some weight, thing which is allarming for many. but, as per our norms, the healthy-eating people are thinner. and you will slowly gett all the energy you need, and after a while, you will feel very good.

       there are some very nice health benefits too: a fit looking body, a glowing skin, no more acnee at all ( i truely find this the best way to get rid of acne forever - it just disappears in 4-5 months), stronger hair, and with more volume, you will be more resistant to the temperature variation, better sleep, more calm personality... well, that's about all i can think of now. no PMS at all, before those days, and feeling great during those.

      and as for your friends at school, they should rather respect you more for that.

good luck :)

P.S.:  you said that you don't like beans. that is ok, because beans can be replaced with lentils and chick peas ( from the protein point of view ). and in order to get all the proteins that exist in meat, eat daily "rice+lentils" or "rice+chickpeas", along with the usual vegetables and dairy products. it's the best meat supplement, and people from vegetarian countries eat like this (asia).

Answer 5

One Word: pursue and dont give up if you want to become one really bad.

Answer 6

talk about it! do you have a myspace? you can advertise the lifestyle on there! get the word out and save some lives!

if you are worried about vitamins, take some supplements.

you rock for not eating meat!

Answer 7

allveggielinks.com

goveg.com

vegweb.com

vegconnect.com

veggieconnection.com

ecomall.com

vegetarian books:

1. 15-minute vegetarian : 200 quick, easy, and delicious recipes the whole family will love / Susann Geiskopf-Hadler and Mindy Toomay.



  

2.    

Amber waves of grain : traditional American whole foods cooking & contemporary vegetarian, vegan & macrobiotic cuisine / Alex and Gale Jack ; foreword by Michio and Aveline Kushi ; illustrations by Rod House.



  

3.    

American wholefoods cuisine : 1300 meatless wholesome recipes from short order to gourmet / Nikki & David Goldbeck ; preface by Barbara Haber.



  

4.    

A beautiful bowl of soup : the best vegetarian recipes / by Paulette Mitchell ; photographs by William Meppem.



  

5.    

The best of Lord Krishna's cuisine : favorite recipes from The art of Indian vegetarian cooking / Yamuna Devi.



  

6.    

The best vegetarian recipes : from greens to grains, from soups to salads : 200 bold-flavored recipes / Martha Rose Shullman.



  

7.    

Betty Crocker easy everyday vegetarian : meatless main dishes you'll love!



  

8.    

The big book of vegetarian : more than 225 recipes for breakfasts, appetizers, soups, salads, sandwiches, main dishes, sides, breads, and desserts / by Kathy Farrell-Kingsley.



  

9.    

Cafe Flora cookbook / Catherine Geier with Carol Brown.



  

10.    

Carb-conscious vegetarian : 150 delicious recipes for a healthy lifestyle / Robin Robertson.



  

11.    

Classic vegetarian cooking from the Middle East & North Africa / Habeeb Salloum.



  

12.    

Compassionate cuisine : gourmet vegetarian recipes & the philosophy and culture of caring / Vrnda Devi.



  

13.    

The complete book of vegetarian grilling : over 150 easy and tasty recipes you can grill indoors and out / Susann Geiskopf-Hadler.  



  

14.    

The complete idiot's guide to being vegetarian / by Frankie Avalon Wolfe.  



  

15.    

Complete vegetarian cookbook / Charmaine Solomon.



  

16.    

The complete vegetarian handbook : recipes & techniques for preparing delicious, healthful cuisine / by Kathy Farrell-Kingsley ; illustrations by David Pollard.



  

17.    

The contented vegetarian / Matthew Drennan and Annie Nichols.



  

18.    

Cook 1.0 : a fresh approach to the vegetarian kitchen : breakfast, lunch + dinner / Heidi Swanson ; foreword by Art Smith. (



  

19.    

Cooking the Cuban way : culturally authentic foods, including low-fat and vegetarian recipes / by Alison Behnke and Victor Manuel Valens.



  

20.    

Cooking the Vietnamese way : to include new low-fat and vegetarian recipes / Chi Nguyen and Judy Monroe.



  

21.    

The enlightened kitchen : fresh vegetable dishes from the temples of Japan / Mari Fujii ; photographs by Tae Hamamura ; translation by Richard Jeffery.



  

22.    

Entertaining for a veggie planet : 250 down-to-earth recipes / Didi Emmons.



  

23.    

Ethical markets : growing the green economy / Hazel Henderson with Simran Sethi ; foreword by Hunter Lovins.



  

24.    

The ethnic vegetarian : traditional and modern recipes from Africa, America, and the Caribbean / Angela Shelf Medearis, author of Ideas for Entertaining from the African-American Kitchen.



  

25.    

Everyday Greens : home cooking from Greens, the celebrated vegetarian restaurant / by Annie Somerville.



  

26.    

The flexitarian table : inspired, flexible meals for vegetarians, meat lovers, and everyone in between / Peter Berley, with Zoe Singer ; photographs by Quentin Bacon.



  

27.    

Fresh food fast : delicious, seasonal vegetarian meals in under an hour / Peter Berley and Melissa Clark.



  

28.    

The gluten-free vegetarian kitchen : delicious and nutritious wheat-free, gluten-free dishes / Donna Klein.



  

29.    

The healthy hedonist holidays : a year of multicultural, vegetarian-friendly holiday feasts / Myra Kornfeld ; illustrated by Sheila Hamanaka.  



  

30.    

Hope's edge : the next diet for a small planet / Frances Moore Lappe and Anna Lappe.



  

31.    

How to cook everything vegetarian : simple meatless recipes for great food / Mark Bittman ; illustrations by Alan Witschonke.



  

32.    

How to cook everything. Vegetarian cooking / Mark Bittman ; illustrations by Alan Witschonke.



  

33.    

India's vegetarian cookery / Monisha Bharadwaj ; photography of India by Jenner Zimmermann ; food photography by Will Heap.



  

34.    

Living among meat eaters : the vegetarian's survival handbook / Carol J. Adams.



  

35.    

Living in the raw gourmet / Rose Lee Calabro.

  

36.    

Low-carb vegetarian / Margo DeMello.



  

37.    

Low-carb vegetarian cooking : 150 entrees to make low-carb vegetarian cooking easy and fun / Sue Spitler with Linda R. Yoakam.

  

38.    

Mediterranean harvest : vegetarian recipes from the world's healthiest cuisine / Martha Rose Shulman.



  

39.    

Mediterranean vegetarian cooking / Paola Gavin.



  

40.    

New vegetarian cooking : 120 fast, fresh, and fabulous recipes / Rose Elliot.

  

41.    

One-dish vegetarian meals : 150 easy, wholesome, and delicious soups, stews, casseroles, stir-fries, pastas, rice dishes, chilis, and more / Robin Robertson.



  

42.    

Passionate vegetarian / by Crescent Dragonwagon ; illustrated by Robbin Gourley.

  

43.    

The PDQ (pretty darn quick) vegetarian cookbook : 240 healthy and easy no-prep recipes for busy cooks / Donna Klein.

  

44.    

Quick-fix vegetarian / Robin Robertson.

  

45.    

The Real Food Daily cookbook : really fresh, really good, really vegetarian / Ann Gentry with Anthony Head.

  

46.    

Regina's international vegetarian favorites / Regina Campbell.



  

47.    

Silk road cooking : a vegetarian journey / Najmieh Batmanglij.



  

48.    

Twelve months of monastery salads : 200 divine recipes for all seasons / Victor-Antoine d'Avila-Latourrette.

49.    

Vegetable soups from Deborah Madison's kitchen / Deborah Madison.



  

50.    

Vegetarian / recipes, Dana Jacobi ; general editor, Chuck Williams ; photography, Bill Bettencourt.



  

51.    

The vegetarian bible / Sarah Brown.



  

52.    

Vegetarian cooking for beginners / Fiona Watt ; illustrated by Kim Lane ; photography by Howard Allman ; recipes by Catherine Atkinson.



  

53.    

Vegetarian cooking for dummies / by Suzanne Havala.

  

54.    

Vegetarian cooking for everyone / Deborah Madison ; [photographs by Laurie Smith ; illustrations by Catherine Kirkwood].



  

55.    

The vegetarian family cookbook / written and illustrated by Nava Atlas.

  

56.    

The vegetarian meat and potatoes cookbook / Robin Robertson.

  

57.    

Vegetarian recipes from around the world / by Sue Townsend and Caroline Young.



  

58.    

Vegetarian sandwiches : fresh fillings for slices, pockets, wraps, and rolls / by Paulette Mitchell ; photographs by Ondine Vierra.



  

59.    

Vegetarian suppers from Deborah Madison's kitchen / Deborah Madison.

  

60.    

Vegetarianism and teens : a hot issue / Kathleen Winkler.

  

61.    

The wild vegetarian cookbook : a forager's culinary guide (in the field or in the supermarket) to preparing and savoring wild (and not so wild) natural foods, with more than 500 recipes / "Wildman" Steve Brill ; foreword by Arthur Schwartz.



  

62.    

A year in a vegetarian kitchen : easy seasonal suppers for family and friends / Jack Bishop ; photographs by Richard Jung



  

63.    

Yoga kitchen : recipes from the Shoshoni Yoga Retreat / Faith Stone and Rachael Guidry..  



  

64.    

You don't need meat / Peter Cox.

Answer 8

Wow, that's a lot to answer. And you do deserve an answer to it all. However, it would take me forever to type out all that I could tell you.

Would you be interested in a bunch of podcasts by someone who's been doing this for years as well as speaking about it and listening to what other vegetarians/vegans have been going through including those new to the lifestyle or even just considering it?

Colleen from Compassionate Cooks has wonderful and informative "Vegetarian Food For Thought" talks you can listen to on a bunch of topics including how to tell others, how to respond to their reactions, how to deal with family and friends, how to travel as a veg*n and so much more including nutrition. There's also veg fact sheets at her site. She does have books and DVDs too though I haven't actually seen those but I did see her talk live a few months ago and she's very good.

The main thing with your doctor is to tell him/her. S/he'll probably want to make suggestions and possibly take blood samples to check for deficiencies (ours does every single time with my daughter who's getting annoyed by it and yet thinks it's funny how the doc is puzzled by how good all her levels are). Allow the doc to do this so you'll have a baseline just in case you do have troubles later but also so you can prove you are doing just fine and won't need an intervention and IV meat infusion at some point. Doctors have also been told meat and dairy are the best sources for all kinds of nutrition. Those industries are very invested in keeping people eating them.

I don't like a lot of meat analogues/substitutes. I do like some that are eaten instead of meat or subs. It was easier for me to accept them if I saw them as veggie patties and then I wasn't comparing them to the taste and texture of meats. That said, Amy's is great and a great company as is Turtle Island (they do tofurkey but my daughter raves about their sausages and jerky -- she also likes Field Roast). Some other good subs are Sunshine, Dr. Praeger's, Yves lentil patties, Nates meatballs. But you'll find there's a lot you can make yourself and there's a lot of other food you haven't discovered yet because you have been in a meat-centered environment. Explore. The worst thing that will happen is you don't like some plant food (so keep giving beans a chance; there's many different kinds and while I love beans I don't like all of them including soy and fava).

You might crave meat for awhile. It's what you've known so when you get hungry your brain might go there not because you need it. One thing that is helpful is avoiding the television for a while. Those ads are expertly designed to get you out for that stupid fourth meal.

There are a bunch of different milk alternatives and they all taste a little different. I personally like Edensoy and most of the Pacific milks especially the vanilla versions but they call all have different uses. Hazelnut is good in coffee. Vanilla Soy is excellent in Chai. Rice, plain soy and oat can be good in recipes including mock mac & cheese. Almond might be good in baked goods. Coconut can make some amazing ice cream among many other things.

Try to get organic soy and corn products (as well as anything else so it's not contaminated with chemicals or genetically modified)

For good books, there are several and it depends on what you are looking for. Recipes? Nutrition? About? How to? Animal Compassion? Here are some suggestions to explore:

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Vegan Living

The China Study

Raising Vegan Children in a Non-Vegan World

The New Food Revolution and Diet For a New America

Becoming Vegetarian and Becoming Vegan

Mad Cowboy and No More Bull

But there are many others.

A great website to explore nutrition and other aspects of Veg*n life as well as put yourself at ease is the International Vegetarian's Union FAQ page. It's like an Ask Yahoo, Vegetarian & Vegan section all on one page.

Finally, try to find a Veg Fest in your area. Those are great for finding like-minded individuals and finding out more, especially the latest. They often will have tons of foods to taste which is really helpful and some pass out coupons too.

Relax and have fun. You're on a great new journey.

Answer 9

If you really want to do it, just do it. And honestly people don't need as much protein as is commonly believed. Soy "meat", nuts, grains, are really good sources.  A sneaky way to get some protein (and I don't like beans either) is to make a taco with rice, black beans, salsa and anything else non meat that you like.  Even if you don't want to go vegan, "Vegan:The new ethic of eating" is a good book to get you really motivated.  Take vitamins, but make sure they say they are vegetarian because a lot of other ones have vitamins derived from animal sources.  The most important thing about it I would say is READING LABELS!  And if you are going out, do research on the place you are going....you would be AMAZED at some of the things they sneak animal things in. It's REALLY gross...chicken fat in one kind of Rice a Roni rice, for example.

Answer 10

MorningStar products are SO GOOD!

The imitation meat sasuage patties are delicious and I have them for breakfast a lot, their veggie burgers are really good, and they also make a lot more vegetarian options that are actually craveable.

As far as the protein goes, you should try drinking Soy Milk. Its high in protein and if you get the right brand is really good! Silk Soy Milk is the best in my opinion. I would start with the Silk Vanilla or Silk Chocolate if I were you.

Good luck! =)

Answer 11

i stopped eating meat when i was three sometimes a cow Burger sounds good but then I see a face of a little calf eating hay maybe that would work for you I have never cheated

Answer 12

It is wonderful.

I started around a week ago.

It is the best way to fight global warming and so much healthier.

Answer 13

The vegetarian population ratio is increasing throughout the world. At least there are few (people like u) are still concern for others and the future of the earth. Keep moving!