Taking iron and multivitamins but still craving meat??

Question

My doctor prescribed me iron and multivitamins for being "slightly" anemic. I have been vegetarian for about 5 months now and lately I crave meat A LOT. I even have dreams about eating meat. I didn't miss it at all at the beginning but now I want meat all the time. I don't eat it and remind myself where it comes from but it feels like such a struggle. Any ideas how can i substitute meat so the cravings go away?

Answer 1

Portebella Sandwich with Brie

Buy a pound of portebella mushrooms, some cheap (oxymoronic) Balsalmic Vinegar some jarred garlic and some sundried tomato pesto.

Mix some garlic  with the vinegar and dip de-stemmed portabellas into it.  Bake gill side up on a greased pan until tender.

Cut the shrooms into 1/2" strips and store for upto two weeks in the fridge.

Spread some sun dried tomato pesto onto your bread of choice and bake with some brie on top of it.  When the brie is melted top generously with the portabella slices--don't count the calories.

Answer 2

Veggie burgers, veggie nuggets, etc etc actually taste good and it usually kicks a meat craving. Just test out what you like and don't like. I'm not a vegetarian I have to admit, but sometimes I like a good old Veggie Burger or Veggie Nuggets because I try to eat healthy... and cutting out at least some meat is important. I've tried a lot of veggie meats, and the ones I really can't stand are just the veggie sausage really. Everything else is good. Veggie bacon is a favorite.

Answer 3

Please excuse drneuter... I will never understand why people invent information and share it with others.

There could be several reasons you're craving meat, the most likely being that you've been eating it your entire life up until 5 months from now.

Get yourself a great cookbook, and try some new things.  Cook yourself some delicious vegetarian foods, and you'll be craving THOSE foods before you know it!

Best of luck!

Answer 4

if it's torturing you to not eat meat then maybe your body isn't fit for the vegetarian lifestyle.

Answer 5

Why vegetarian?  

If your heart is set on being vegetarian then you just have to deal with the cravings and desires!

Hard to quit something you crave!  Even harder when you are quiting something that is normal and accepted by the majority of the human race!

Answer 6

mushrooms are meat for vegetarians.

Answer 7

There are tons of analogues out there, some at your local natural foods store, some through mail order.  What people like about the meat is the texture and the seasonings used.  Many analogues try to recreate the texture and use similar seasonings.

Another option is to make your own seitan (wheat meat), which is made from wheat gluten, and cook it as you would meat.

Answer 8

You're having the cravings (and possibly the anemia) because humans are meant to be omnivorous.  We require small amounts of amino acids found only in proteins of animals and have all the digestive mechanisms in the body to properly consume meats.  Still, there are some substitutions that will help replace some (but not all) of the amino acids you are lacking.  You weren't specific as to what type of vegetarian you are, so I am going to cover some of the types of foods some may still eat, which should help you:

Fish (pescavegetarians)

Eggs (ovavegetarians)

Dairy

Nuts, peanuts, soy, beans (vegans)

These will help, but when it comes down to the irrefutable facts, your body does require a well-rounded diet to be at peak health, despite what the vegan crowd and animal rights activists will tell you.  I've known plenty of healthy vegetarians over the years, but I've never once met a vegan who was not sickly.  Still, one of the biggest benefits I've noticed from a vegetarian diet is the reduction of smell from the sweat glands, which you may have already noticed.  Most people eat an overabundance of meat, which leads to excessive body odors.  (It's not as apparent in first-world countries where the average person showers at a minimum of every few days.)  Another benefit is weight control.

I hope this all helps! Good luck!

Answer 9

A lot my vegetarian friends have told me the same thing -- they're happy with their decision to stop eating meat, but they still have occasional cravings.

Try grilling portobello mushrooms -- slice them thin, drizzle them with a little olive oil, and either grill them outside or inside on a grill pan.  Put it on a bun or bread with whatever burger/sandwich toppings you like.  The texture is similar to meat when you prepare it that way, and it helps some people meet their cravings.

Answer 10

You need something, " hearty"......I think I can help you . Why don`t you try making a veggie chili with veggie " beef" and kidney beans. Use all the same veggies as well, mushrooms, canned tomatoes, onions, celery, and sprinkle cheese on top. Get some fresh whole wheat bread, with butter!! Enjoy!! You`re just craving the heartiness of meat. Try making more heartier recipes..

Answer 11

Meat has the same addictive properties as Chocolate!

It might help to use some of the Faux meat products like Boca or Morningstar to get through this phase.

I als find in the transition lots of Greens help also. Green Drinks Like Barely Max  & Fresh Spinach, Kale, Swiss Chard(raw in salads or lightly steamed) which ever ones you like best. Another help Green Smoothies

http://www.emaxhealth.com/14/1182.html

Food is Life & Health & our diets are not meant to make us miserable.

Answer 12

i get meat cravings, too......not because i actually want to eat meat, but because i miss the flavor sometimes.  i keep meat substitutes in my fridge for just such an occasion =)

there really aren't many kinds of meat that you can't find a substitute for.  i keep faux chicken, faux hot dogs, faux bacon, and faux beef in my freezer at all times so i won't mistake my missing the flavor for actually missing the meat.  i've also recently discovered bacon salt.....(www.baconsalt.com) which is completely vegetarian and tastes EXACTLY like bacon!!  i used to put bacon bits on baked potatoes, so now i used bacon salt or broken up faux bacon instead and that usually does the trick =)

Answer 13

It could be that you are craving protein.  Maybe try to make some dishes with lots of beans or tofu.  My personal favorite tofu cookbook is called "The Tofu Cookery" by Louise Hagler.  It's full of meat-like recipes that might help with your cravings.  It has great recipes like vegetarian meatballs and BBQ.

If you don't like to cook, maybe go to the supermarket and buy some fake meats like veggie burgers, veggie ribs, or vegetable sausage--they all have meaty textures and are easy to make.

Answer 14

have the soy meats.... they fulfill that craving but your not eating meat.... have a veggie burger and fries, make a hot dog, make a chicken parm, have pasta with meat sauce... but rest easy knowing none of it is real :)