Should I become Vegitarian?

Question

I am turning 11 in one month, and I think I should become vegitarian. I do not think that it's right to slaughter animals just to eat. I know, you probably think i'm young, but I know all about it, and you wouldnt slaughter your dog or cat, would you? I am not dissing meat eaters, but you know?! I think people should be able to choose what they want to eat, as long as it includes dairy, fiber, and protein. Meat is protein, but so are my many, MANY protein bars, and my soymilk protein shakes (not lactose... just healthy) will fill in. Anyways. I think I should become a vegitarian! And I eat really healthy 4 an 11 year old.

Answer 1

11 is young but if you are determined work with your parents and Dr to be sure you are getting all the elements you need to grow properly - protein and fats are essential to a tween-teen body and improper balance can stunt your growth and cause severe depression as well as potential brain damage, I may sound extreme but diet plays a key role in physical and mental heath. There is an excellent site for tasty recipes at:Vegweb:http://vegweb.com/ Good Luck and take care!

Answer 2

It's Ok to be a vegetarian as long as you substitute your protein intake in a satisfactory manner. You are still growing so you have to be really careful to get a balanced diet. You mention protein bars and soy milk as protein substitutes; you may also want to consider pulses as a good healthy form of protein. Barilla have a new high protein pasta that is called Barilla Plus which is also high in fibre. Because you are growing, I would be weary of eliminating milk-based products as they are a great source of calcium. Make sure that you eat plenty of Broccoli and Spinach which are also great sources of calcium. A rule of thumb is, the darker green the vegetable, the more nutrients it contains. Make sure that you mum agrees with your new nutritional regimen before emabrking on vegetarianism. If she doesn't cook the right things, you will not get the nutrition you need.

Answer 3

That is excellent. i stopped eating red meat when I was twelve & i haven't gone back.

Research it as well as you can. Both to reenforce what you are doing to yourself, and also to defend it to others.

Other people will feel guilty about feeling meat, & will attack you for not doing so.

Also, many people are misinformed on the health issues, & how healthy eating a vegetarian diet is, if done correctly. If you are well informed you can rebut their comments. Doctors tend to warn you of the health issues rather than tell you of the benefits, because many people don't eat correctly when they become vegetarian. You seem to be on the right track with thinking of supplements. You can't just eat what you did before minus meat, you have to make sure all your nutrients are in there.

goveg.com has some excellent recipes. I have eaten so many new foods since becoming vegetarian and am so much healthier for it.

Leafy greens are good to keep up your iron levels.

Good luck! you'll feel so much healthier!

Answer 4

Well, I became vegetarian right around the age of 12. The only thing to watch out for is to make sure you are doing it in a healthy way so you are still getting all the nutrition you should.
If you're serious about this, just do some research on it, I think it's a fine idea.
Good luck!

Answer 5

NO!!!!! you should not become a vegitarian a girl your age needs to eat protein for muscle strength and you don't eat cats or dogs protein bars and shakes are a lot different than protein from meat also in the mean its not just about the protein theres other vitamins and minerals that you would be depriving your body of.....but the decision is not up to me...its up to you

Answer 6

There are many benefits to a diet containing meat. Many vegetarians claim that meat is unhealthy. This is a blatant fallacy.
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.

Answer 7

way to go! :)
that's really good that you're thinking about it. go for it.
dont believe others saying vegetarianism is bad for you. it really isn't. it's much better to be a vegetarian for you than eating meat.
you should research and maybe get your parent/s to help you work out what you need.
instead of protein shakes, you can easily eat foods that contain protein. its a common misconception that meat is the only source of protein, but there's so much out there! also, many people often overestimate how much protein you actually need. too much animal protein can be bad for you too, causing kidney stones and other things.
some good source of vegetarian protein are legumes, nuts, seeds, and beans, like kidney beans and especially soy beans. tofu is a really good source. and yummy if made right.

you could go to your doctor to get a blood test to also see how your iron levels are. iron can be found in lots of foods too, like green leafy vegetables, peas and wholegrains, enriched cereals and legumes.
when eating things with iron, its also a good idea to consume something with Vitamin C, which helps you absorb the iron. so have an orange/orange juice.

be sure that you eat well. if you're just going to eat the same meals minus the meat, you wont be very healthy. so if you eat meat and 2 veg and just get rid of the meat, that isn't very good for you.
also, younger people think that being vegetarian means you just eat pasta and bread, but you need to eat lots of fruits and veggies.

hope that helps you :)

Answer 8

becoming a vegetarian strictly speaking is bad for you, however with the right diet it could fine. Dairy fibber and protein are only a few things you need in a diet. If you become a vegetarian talk to a dietitian he/she will make sure you get a balanced diet (this message is brought to you by someone who really likes to eat meat)

Answer 9

Being a vegetarian is a GREAT idea you will be much more healthy. And it's very wrong to slaughter all the defenseless animals when we have so many other things to eat. Here is my theory Half the time with meat the animal was abused leaving bad energy, now when you eat this food with the bad energy it makes you more angry. But I'm a sort of spiritual person

Answer 10

Sounds like a good idea, but talk to your parents about this first...
Also, protein bars and shakes aren't the only way to get protein. You can still get it from dairy products, wholegrain breads and cereals, soy products, tofu, etc.
Good luck!