Would you ever be a vegetarian?

Question

I've asked a couple of very close friends if they would do this:

Eat a vegetarian diet for ONE day out of EACH week. 52/365 meals a year would have no animal products.

I'm wondering what the "general public" thinks of this.

Do you think you could do that? And, would you ever? Why or why not?

Answer 1

I was a vegetarian for 4 years. When I got pregnant I started craving meat, and not just any meat...RED meat. I found out that there are vitamin and mineral combinations in red meat that you can't get in other foods. So I started eating meat again. After the baby was born I went back to a (mainly) vegetarian diet, but had concerns for my children's protein needs.

Today we eat a varied diet. Red meat is rarely eaten in our house. Mostly, if we eat meat it is poultry or seafood. We eat vegetarian meals a few times a week. Everyone likes them, and nobody feels like they are "missing" anything.

I think, today, that the healthiest diet is one that is varied. There are nutrients and amino acids that are in meat products that can be hard to get with a strict vegetarian diet (although not impossible). As long as you don't overdo the meat it isn't going to hurt anything. We eat alot more fruits, vegetables and whole grain products than meat, but sometimes meat is okay.

I think that balance is key to good nutrition. Some people will say,"I just don't like vegetables that much." To them I would say,"I make a lentil loaf that you would swear is meatloaf. I can make bean and cheese enchiladas that are so good that you will never miss the meat." and "You should try my eggplant parmesan!"

There are alot of things that vegetarians can eat that are not vegetables. Grain products, like cereals, breads, pastas, cakes, pies. You have to know how to balance amino acids in order to get complete protein absorption with a vegetarian diet. If you don't get enough protein your hair will start falling out, and worse things can happen.

So, I would and do eat vegetarian frequently...just not exclusively. I think that I am healthier for it.

Answer 2

I am a vegetarian. That is 1460/1460 meals per year ( 4 small meals a day). I used to love meat and I swore I would never give it up. But now after Mad Cow and Bird Flu and pork just being dirty anyway, I no longer eat meat.

Answer 3

I;m a vegetarian and I'm surviving. It does require alot of discipline but since someone it commited to something , then it shlnd't be that bad. Bbeing a vegetarain isn't that bad, there are many vegetarian restaurants which all offer a wide variety of vege foods that are very tasty and delicious.

Answer 4

I've been a vegetarian for over 10 years... Anybody could do it! There's a huge variety of colors and flavors out there why eat meat?

Answer 5

Sure. Why not? Vegetarian food is readily available and far better for you (for the most part). And in good restaurants, it's usually better than the other stuff they serve because they have to rely on spices and flavours rather than a slab of meat.

Answer 6

I would never be a complete vegetarian. I love meat just too much. But I have had days when I don't eat any meat, such as Easter week.

Answer 7

I'm a vegetarian!

"Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet. " ---Albert Einstein

Answer 8

I've been a vegtarian for 10 months now. I've always wanted to be one but my parents weren't really supportive and if I wanted to eat, I would have to eat meat.

Once I got to college, it was much easier. I could have whatever I wanted.

I really like it. I've lost so much weight since I'm not consumming so many calories and I'm just much healthier.

Doesn't mean I don't crave a piece of meatloaf once in awhile...

Answer 9

I generally like to keep my meat consumption at a minimum. I would do your plan. It is good to mix up your diet. Just make sure you eat other healthy things on the other six days.

Answer 10

I gave up meat for Lent once. It was a very telling experience. For a few weeks I found myself craving meat, but then I got used to it. I might try something like that again, sure.