I'm Vegetarian. Is it true what my uncle says?

Question

He says that as a vegetarian I don't get as many vital substances out of my diet.

He says that there is no coenzyme q10 in vegetable sources and also that meat has alot more essential amino acids. Is this

true?

He also says it's not healthy because we have been eating meat for hundred thousands of years and that our bodies need it.

Answer 1

your body makes its own coenzyme q10 you dont consume it

and there has been many studies, all of which concluded that there was no beneficial effects to taking suppliments to increase the levels in your body

sorry but your uncle is talking through his hat, probably about something he thought you wouldnt know about in the vain hope he could prove you are being unhealthy

Answer 2

Nope, it's not true. Our bodies do not need it. All of the essential amino acids are found in non-animal foods.  Eat a varied diet, and you will be healthy.

Humans have never eaten meat like they do now. It's was something that the rich got and the poor did without. Now that people eat meat 3 or more times a day, we have higher instances of diseases that used to only be found regularly in the rich. The standard western diet is not a healthy one.

And who cares about CoQ10? It's found in your own body, in your cells. It's just the latest fad product.

Answer 3

i'm sorry but your uncle is an idiot and a ... donkey.

read up on the nutritional aspect of being a vegetarian and teach him a thing or two.

Answer 4

I know I sound dumb when I say this, but I'm not sure about the coenzyme Q10.  But, I know that he is wrong about the amino acids.  Soy contains ALL of the essential amino acids our bodies need.  He is also wrong about us needing meat.  ALL nutrients we need that we get from meat can be gotten from SOME plant source.  For example, Omega-3's can be easily gotten from flax seeds or its oil.  Vitamin B12 can be gotten from many sources, like soymilk (in which  it is added into, but the soymilk is still vegan).  And don't get me started with protein!

Answer 5

real men eat meat

Answer 6

I think there is some merit to what he says, but you can always buy suppliments if that's the life style you choose.

Answer 7

there are just as many undernourished people who eat meat as there are undernourished vegetarians..  it is possible for an adult to get all of their nutrients without meat or meat products..  there is some debate whether growing children and teens need meat and dairy though..  your uncle is probably just concerned that you won't eat correctly in order to remain healthy..  he may also be worried that you won't respect his choice to eat meat..

we have also been eating flour and sugar for a long time and I assure you we do not need these items in out diets..

reassure your uncle that you will be well-informed and discuss your eating plan with your doctor and then thank him for his concern.

Answer 8

Think about it from this angle.  Humans are omnivorous.  That means that our bodies are designed to gain the exact nutrients we need from both meat and vegetables.  We aren't carnivorous so eating too much meat is unhealthy and we aren't herbivorous so eating too many vegetables is unhealthy.  We are omnivorous so we need a good balance.

Answer 9

being vegetarian is very healthy.

just remember to eat vegetables and fruits.

eat a balance meal

Answer 10

If you eat eggs and dairy you get all you need...now a vegan does have a lot more trouble getting all the nutrients but it is still possible...

Answer 11

Coenzyme Q10 is already present in almost all human cells, and unless they eat a lot of herring or pig hearts, meat eaters aren't getting much from their diet.  

Research suggests that supplementation is of little benefit, with the exception of individuals with heart disease and Parkinson's.

All nutrients necessary for health are easily obtained from a vegetarian diet.

Most people, worldwide, have been eating grain and vegetable based diets for hundreds of thousands of years.  Meat consumption was fairly limited until recent years.

And the "vital substances" your uncle thinks you need include  hormones, pesticides and antibiotics.

Answer 12

Your uncle is incorrect. Q10 is available in both soybean oil and peanuts and amino acids/proteins are readily available in many sources such as beans and nuts.

Answer 13

Tell him to shut his fat mouth!

Hundreds of cultures all over the world don't eat meat. Vegetarians are perfectly healthy. Some of what he says might be true, like there are more of certian things we need in meat, but that doesn't mean that as vegetarians, we don't get enough.

I have an annoying uncle like that too. ;)

Answer 14

don't worry what your uncle says.  I have been a veggie for 30 years and it has done me no harm!  Just make sure you eat a healthy balanced diet. I dont take vitamins or anything like that either

Answer 15

i had to look up coenzyme q10, because i hadnt heard of it. your body makes it naturally and doesnt get it from any dietary source. in the elderly, there is sometimes a need for a supplement, but most people just make enough on their own. essential amino acids, aka protien, are in all sorts of stuff, meat is high in protien, but other things are too, like grains and beans. it is not difficult to get the amino acids you need on a vegetarian diet. The things that you do miss are b12 and omega 3 fatty acids, but i find that more and more things are supplimenting these. i recently discovered that minute maids polmegranite juice that i had been drinking supliments both of these.

as far as it being less healthy, it actually improves your life expectancy and reduces your risk of certain types of cancer and heart disease.

In short meat is not needed and is not healthier.

Answer 16

You might ask your uncle why the American Dietitic Association, the nation's leading nutritional watchdogs, approve of vegetarian diets for all life stages.  And you might ask him why there are entire cultures that have been vegetarian for generations; India could hardly have achieved a population of a BILLION people if we couldn't make it as vegetarians.

Every essential amino acid is found in the plant world.  Nobody with a modicum of nutritional knowledge takes the claim that vegetarians have a hard time getting protein seriously.  And, as many have already pointed out, there is no dietary requirement for coenzyme Q10.

Answer 17

Not true. Co enzyme Q10 is a vitamin-like substance. It's found in wholegrains, and I'm pretty sure most vegetarians and vegans eat those. Plus your body makes it on it's own.

Meat is not essential, rather it is optional.

Yes, humans have ate meat for millenia but does that mean it is essential for good health? No.

[edit] I have not ate meat in 11 years, and I've never had any nutritional deficiencies. A lot of people have been vegan or vegetarian for WAY longer than I have and they are absolutely fine.