vegetarians vs.meat eaters?

Question

im a veg and i am always hearing from others how i dont have enugh protien and im unhealthy and to skinny,ect.
pepole seem to always think that a vegetarian diet is unhealthy but realy its much healthier than a meat consuming diet.

anyways i would like to hear your opinion.
what do you think is healthier?

to the people who say to be carefull if im to thin im not im 5 ft 2 and about 103 ibs

Answer 1

I'm an omnivore, but I'd have to say being a vegetarian is healthier. You get lots of vitamins and minerals, and less fat and cholesterol. I would be concerned if I did get too thin though.

Fortunately I get the best of both worlds since my wife is a vegetarian. I get some meat, plus I got used / started liking healthier things like soy and broccoli.

You are 5'2" and 103 pounds? That is a little under weight. According to this site people with a small frame need to weigh between 108 and 121 to be in the lowest mortality rate. I'm guessing you are a vegetarian to be healthy? I'd put a little weight on so that you'll live longer.

http://www.healthchecksystems.com/heightweightchart.htm

Answer 2

I would never say that a vegetarian diet is unhealthy, because it's NOT! :) It strikes me as very healthy, as long as you get enough protein. But from what I hear from vegetarians, that's not a big problem, since beans & rice make a complete protein, and many nuts are protein-rich too. Also, if you're a vegetarian but not a vegan, then you can get protein from dairy products as well.

At any rate, I think that following a vegetarian diet is much healthier, in the long run, as long as it's nutritionally balanced. I suspect it would also make for much lower total cholesterol, which significantly reduces risk of heart attacks and strokes. (I don't know how a veg diet affects HDLs vs. LDLs, so I just said "total" cholesterol).

From my answer, I probably sound like a vegetarian. ;) Actually, I'm not. However, I try to limit the amount of meat I eat, and I especially stay away from beef. If I eat too much beef, I feel sluggish, and my bowel habits change. So basically I eat white meat poultry, lean pork, and fish. And once in a while, a bit o' beef. But I consume the most of veggies, fruits, nuts and grains.

In truth, I'm not even sure how well I'd do on a totally meat-less regimen. I have a very fast metabolism and find it extremely difficult to put on weight. I'm slender now, but not skinny. I'm afraid I'd lose even more weight if I went veg, and that would not be pretty. :( But since the majority of people in this country are ABOVE their ideal weight, not at or below it, I think the majority of folks would really benefit from going veg.

Answer 3

hey, check out the longevity of herbivores compared to carnivores! Deers, horses, turtles, etc compared to longevity of dog, wolf, tigers. Its at least double !

Most people eat much more meat than they really need, and it is a shame for the suffering and the waste... Also, meat eaters are getting farmers pharmaceuticals, hormones, biochemical waste lactic acid, etc... Its better even for meat eaters to eat less meat. I've reduced my meat consumption a lot, sorry I was raised as a regular mixed diet person, but I've reduced it a lot. Some vegetables have a lot of protein, so you don't need meat. Just make sure you get all the amino acids, all the kinds of proteins that the human body requires. This will require some thought and management of the types of vegetables you get. Eggs and fish have a couple kinds of amino acids/proteins that other meats just don't have, and parallel to that , some kinds of vegetables may have those extra kinds of proteins that all human bodies need. Sante/ !

Answer 4

I am a vegetarian and found that beans are the best meat substitute, also brocoli has tons of protein. Meat diets carry more problems than benefits. Most pople get too much protein as is. don't listen to others, keep it up.

Answer 5

Both are healthy, being a vegetarian is a personal or cultural or religious choice. Normally man has incisors and canine teeth which are for tearing and shredding meat, so I think he began as a meat eater and then discovered vegetables. Vegetables are good. I eat both.

Answer 6

you said others say you don't get enough protein, you're unhealthy, and too skinny....objectively, if you can be, is there validity in what they are saying?....make sure you get protein in you whether it be from eggs, beans or tofu, a balanced diet is critical to healthy living. yes, a vegetarian diet is healthy, but only if you intake a balance of the nutrients required for a healthy diet. i'm 5'2 as well weighing 125lbs and apparently, i'm stick thin....how thin are you?

Answer 7

being a mostly vegetarian is a lovely idea. i know martina navrotalova felt she had to eat meat to play tennis, tho she wanted to be a vegetarian. All my vegetarian friends started eating meat by the time they reached their 40s because they no longer had enough energy - also one friend said it just got boring.
Thomas Jefferson felt meat should be only a condiment. We have canine teeth - we clearly are designed to eat meat.

Answer 8

actualy a vegetarian is more healthier not so much fat and unhealthy stuff inside and with thw tofu and the vegetables and stuff is good so yea...even though the doc said eating meat is healthy

Answer 9

I believe that God wouldn't have put meat on this earth if He didn't want us to eat it. I believe eating a well-balanced diet and exercising regularly is the key to staying healthy. If you choose to live the vegetarian lifestyle though, more power to you. You have more self control than most of us!

Answer 10

The best diet is one balancing all of your body's nutritional needs---for vegetarians I would say eat tofu or other soy products to get more protein. Personally, tho, I'd kill someone if they took away my steak.