I am wondering if it is a good idea to become a vegetarian?

Question

Whenever i eat meat, i feel kinda bad, because both my friends are vegetarians. i wanted to become a vegetarian since i was nine years old, but my mom wouldn't let me because she says i don't get enough protien and all that stuff. i tried telling her that there are a lot of things that can substitute meat, but she doesn't believe me. i really need help on this!

Answer 1

Yes its a good idea.

Go to www.pcrm.org and find the .pdf file of their vegetarian starter kit. Let your mom read that. That should clear her up. If not, go to www.vegsource.com and have her check that site out. And if for some reason she is really thick skulled buy her a book called The China Study and have her read that. You'll be on your way to becoming and veggie (with the whole family in tow) in about a week or two.

Good Luck!

P.S. Remember that protein needs are completely blown out of proportion in the US. Your body needs only 5% of your calories from protein to function properly. The WHO recommends 10%-15% of calories from protein. According to these guidelines you could eat nothing but potatoes and get enough protein. The number of cases of protein deficiency yearly in America could be counted on one hand, if that.

Answer 2

People all over the world have been vegetarian and healthy for centuries - or more. Something like 80% of the population of India does not eat meat.

The trick is to eat a variety of fresh, whole foods. If you eat nothing but soft drink and fries at McDonalds, that's no healthier than eating a burger! Offer to cook some interesting ethnic vegetarian food for your family - Indian or Thai or Italian. If you include dairy in your diet, you get LOTS of protein and vitamin B12, too. Ask your friends to teach you about some good things to eat. Do their families eat veggie? Maybe a parent can help you with cooking tips and even with talking to your mother.

If your mother still refuses to respect your choice, then you may have to try to eat what she says you must until you are a little older. Maybe she would be willing to have one non-meat day each week? Once you are an adult, you can make your own decisions about food.

Answer 3

I wouldn't worry about the amount of protein (you can drink protein shakes, etc--I really like the Spirutein ones) but some people start to feel run down on a vegetarian diet, possibly from too many carbs or a lack of certain amino acids. I know where you are coming from because I feel bad about eating meat and I used to be a vegetarian. I'm considering becoming one again, but in a much healthier way this time--less processed food and more proteins, fruits and vegetables. Also you can supplement amino acids if you need to. Maybe you could try cutting back on meat for a while to see how you feel, and let that guide you. Some other sources of protein you can add--eggs, beans, cheese, nuts (including soy), soy milk, milk, etc. Good luck!

Answer 4

Protein is important. We need the iron, especially women. Limiting red meat consumption is always a good idea, cut out pork and beef, or rather limit how much of it you eat, go for fish and chicken instead, and some soy substitutes. Watch out for the 'fake' meat products, they can contain a lot of salt and fat. Eat lots of dark green vegetables to help you get enough iron in your diet. Meat provides protein that can help curb hunger until you have your next meal..Eggs are a good source of protein too. It's the red meats that you should limit, but cutting meat out of your diet all together seems drastic and unnecessary. Hope this helps a bit.

Answer 5

There is endless debate on the benefit or harm of a vegetarian diet. For example, there are plenty of non-meat sources of protein but some folks are convinced that it isn't the proper kind of protein your body needs. All said and done I think it boils down to a moral choice, if you have moral objection to eating animals, then you will probably be fine replacing them in your diet with soy, etc. Convincing your mom is a different matter altogether. Try showing her some web sites that feature a scientific, nutrition based argument for vegetarianism and maybe she will be convinced.

Answer 6

There are a lot of good reasons to go vegetarian. It's actually healthier, just as long as you do get your protien from other sources. Also it's better for the world at large, economically speaking. It takes a lot more land to raise one serving of meat than it does for most other kinds of food. Think of all the people we could feed if we all went veggie!

Answer 7

have you ever thought that maybe (just maybe) your friends are pressuring you into being a vegetarian so that they won't have to see you eat meat at lunch?
peer pressure is a huge thing these days.
don't let your mind get carried away by what a few people say.

but then again, if you believe that eating meat isn't the right thing then don't eat meat.
i had a friend who "became" a vegetarian because her other friends were vegetarians too.
guess what happened?
she lied.

people do strange things to fit in.
but i repeat, if you don't like eating meat, and feel bad when you eat it then please, do what you want.

Answer 8

Meat is very important in your diet. There is specific iron, called "heme iron", that is present only in meats, not in any other food source, and it is more readily absorbed than any other kind of iron. In fact, 75% of the iron from meat is absorbed, as opposed to the 15% that is absorbed from other sources. Iron is VERY crucial to your diet, especially if you are female. If you are thinking about changing your diet, I suggest you talk to a nutritionist or at least your primary doctor first to discuss the health and nutrition risks. As opposed to what many people think, it's not how much you eat, but what you eat that keeps you healthy and in shape. Don't let your friends influence you like that. A vegetarian lifestyle may work for them, but may not work for you. As I was saying before, be careful with you diet.

Answer 9

A well-balanced vegetarian diet is very healthy. Do some research and show your mom that you can easily get enough protein without eating meat. Here are some sites to get you started:
http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/index.htm
http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/teennutrition.htm
http://www.pcrm.org/health/veginfo/index.html
http://www.goveg.com/healthConcerns.asp
http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_fit/nutrition/vegetarianism.html

Answer 10

If you want to become vegan it's gotta be becasue you really want to not to fit in with your friends. I'm a part time vegan. which means i eat no meat or any animal products when around my parents. they recently became vegans for health reasons and since "they know better now" I eat the same as them. and with my husband I eat meat.