Is being a vegetarian bad?

Answer 1

No, just as long as you do it right. Make sure you pay attention to your protein intake. Since you're not getting protein from meat, compensate with peanut butter, eggs, and lots of soy.

Answer 2

Being a Vegetarian can be the best thing you ever do for yourself, or the worst thing. It all depends on how you look at it. It also helps if your family/friends support you in your decision, otherwise you will feel like you are on a constant battleground. Do a lot of research before you make the commitment, go to the library and check out a few books- I read the complete idiot's guide to being a vegetarian- subscribe to a few Vegetarian threads, such as www.veggieboards.com.....and then when you're ready, dive in!! It took me 5 years to make the commitment...and the past year that I have been Vegetarian, and now Vegan, has been the best year of my life!!

Answer 3

No .. Im a vegetarian and have been a vegetarian since I was 7 or 8 years old. None of my family are vegetarian or religous so that didnt affect my reasoning. I am healthy and make sure I get enough iron from tablets and other foods e.g spinach! Did you know that for meat eaters they only reccomend to eat one serving of meat per day?

Answer 4

It's not bad unless you don't take care of yourself while you are one. You are getting rid of a lot of your daily protein so you will need to find other things to fill that. I am a vegertarian but I still eat fish so that helps with getting protein. It's also good to go on the vegiterian diet about a month a couple times a year, it helps get rid of toxins in your body. And if you become one and after a while you decide to go back to meat, slow into it, a lot of people I know get sick after they eat meat for the first time again

Answer 5

Not at all! It is compassionate towards animals and it is responsible for the environment and for your health (especially cutting out red meat, regardless) I have never felt better in my life, honestly. Just don't be too preachy about it or the meatatarians may attack! Everyone is entitled to their own lifestlye, however, if someone attacks you for your vegetarian lifestyle, make sure you know the pros and cons of a meat-free diet so that you can hold up your side of the argument. gl!

Answer 6

I would say yes. You need to diversify your food intake as each food has its own nutritional values. I am not against vegetarian,but meat provides a lot of vital chemicals for your body functions.

Answer 7

There is nothing wrong with being a vegetarian. Remember to replace your protien, vitamin D, calcium, vitamin b12 etc. If you are new to this and looking for recipes, drop me a line and I will send you some of our faves. (Myself, my daughter (8) and my son (6) are all vegan)

Answer 8

For your health it depends there are not any studies that show that vegetarians are healthier than somebody who eats a balanced diet including meat.

Answer 9

a reasonably smart vegetarian diet is FAR healthier than a reasonably careless meat-eating diet.


good luck!

Answer 10

Not inherantly, although it can be if not done well. A well done veggie diet is certainly no better than a good meat eating diet, but it can be as good. I think there are a couple of benefits, but they come from eating a wide range of fruit and veg and being health conscious as vegans have to be, not omitting meat, and thus those benefits can be go without actually going veggie. Needless to say a uncarefully planned vegetarian, or especially vegan, diet can lack many essential nutrients and be very bad for your health.

It is well established that eating meat improves the quality of nutrition, strengthens the immune system, promotes normal growth and development, is beneficial for day-to-day health, energy and well-being, and helps ensure optimal learning and academic performance.
A long term study found that children who eat more meat are less likely to have deficiencies than those who eat little or no meat. Kids who don’t eat meat — and especially if they restrict other foods, as many girls are doing — are more likely to feel tired, apathetic, unable to concentrate, are sick more often, more frequently depressed, and are the most likely to be malnourished and have stunted growth. Meat and other animal-source foods are the building blocks of healthy growth that have made America’s and Europe's youngsters among the tallest, strongest and healthiest in the world.
Meat is an important source of quality nutrients, heme iron, protein, zinc and B-complex vitamins. It provides high-quality protein important for kids’ healthy growth and development.
The iron in meat (heme iron) is of high quality and well absorbed by the body, unlike nonheme iron from plants which is not well absorbed. More than 90 percent of iron consumed may be wasted when taken without some heme iron from animal sources. Substances found to inhibit nonheme iron absorption include phytates in cereals, nuts and legumes, and polyphenolics in vegetables. Symptoms of iron deficiency include fatigue, headache, irritability and decreased work performance. For young children, it can lead to impairment in general intelligence, language, motor performance and school readiness. Girls especially need iron after puberty due to blood losses, or if pregnant. Yet studies show 75 percent of teenage girls get less iron than recommended.
Meat, poultry and eggs are also good sources of absorbable zinc, a trace mineral vital for strengthening the immune system and normal growth. Deficiencies link to decreased attention, poorer problem solving and short-term memory, weakened immune system, and the inability to fight infection. While nuts and legumes contain zinc, plant fibre contains phytates that bind it into a nonabsorbable compound.
Found almost exclusively in animal products, Vitamin B12 is necessary for forming new cells. A deficiency can cause anaemia and permanent nerve damage and paralysis. The Vitimin B12 in plants isn't even bioavailable, meaning our body can't use it.
Why not buy food supplements to replace missing vitamins and minerals? Some people believe they can fill those gaps with pills, but they may be fooling themselves. Research consistently shows that real foods in a balanced diet are far superior to trying to make up deficiencies with supplements.

Meat isn't unhealthy by any stretch of the imagination, unless you overdose on it and pig out on junk food. In fact it is very beneficial to a diet.

Can I just quote an earlier answer:

"a reasonably smart vegetarian diet is FAR healthier than a reasonably careless meat-eating diet."

Of course, any smart diet is better than a careless one. Still I would dispute this, all veggie diets have to be more than reasonably smart because there are so many nutrients people normally only get from meat, or come in bigger amounts or better quality in animal products. A careless meat eating diet can still be as healthy as a reasonably smart veggie one.
I would have to say that because veggies have to be clever with their diet, and meat eaters can be careless, this is one of the main reasons veggies are ever on average healthier/less risk from any diseases. Veggies put a lot more work into a diet to make it healthier, and are usually lead healthier lives in other ways, like not eating junk food or drinking or smoking.