Is it healthy for a teenager to be a vegetarian?

Question

Okay, so lately my friends are like showing me all this stuff of how they slaughter animals and stuff. and it's really sick, but i've had soo many weight issues since i was like 12, i dont know if it would be safe. i've always known what's happened in the salughter house, but i didnt know how bad it really was, like the details. i wanna be a vergetarian, because i feel bad, but i hate most vegetables. i dont know what i should do.

Answer 1

You need to have a good source of protein. Veggies alone do not supply enough protein. Nuts are a good source and so is Tofu (soy products)

Answer 2

If you really do the research you will find that it is not only safe and healthy to be a vegetarian at anytime in life it is healthier than a meat based diet. If someone wants to disagree with me then they are really not looking at the research. Even the American Dietetic Association said that a vegan diet may be the healtiest diet out there. Of course you can be a vegetarian and still be unhealthy if you have poor food choices. There are healthy and unhealthy meat eaters just like there are healthy and unhealthy vegetarians and vegans.

Vegetables have more vitamins and minerals than meat or milk. The only legimate concern in a vegetarian diet is protein since meat is the biggest source to a non-vegetarian. But seeds, nuts, whole grains, beans, cheese and eggs all are sources of highly digestable protein. Even though the protein may be less than meat your bodies absorb plant based proteins better than animal based.

No matter what people say about whether or not those movies reflect every reality no animal wants to die. Buddha said:

"all beings tremble before violence, all fear death, all love life."

And while we it seems we have eaten meat for a very long time we have no physical characteristics or traits that would enable us in the wild to kill them, I mean without our use of tools or weapons. I would love to see a person try and takle a deer or gnaw a cow to death. Wouldnt happen. And there is debate on if we are suppose to eat meat. Our digestive system is much longer than meat eaters and while we have nails and teeth we do not have claws and fangs like other meat eaters.

"You put a baby in a crib with an apple and a rabbit. If it eats the rabbit and plays with the apple, I'll buy you a new car." Harvey Diamond

Many famous people are and have been vegetarian, I always bring up because meat eaters seem to think that vegetarians arent smart enough to make thier own decisions. Like Einstein could come up the with theory of relativity but was way off about being a vegetarian. Look up some of them may help your decision to see what they have said about it.

But it doesnt matter because if you feel strongly about than you should. Compassion is a wonderful thing. And I am not sure why so many people are interested in telling you to not be, especially when they havent had the joy of being a vegetarian.

Its a long journey, go easy on yourself and others. It can be hard especially when you are young. If you can discuss it with your parents and they will help you there are lots of alternatives to meat. And as an added bonus a healthy vegetarian diet is a great for weight loss. Much less fat, no cholesterol and the complex carbohydrates give you lots of energy. When I became vegetarian 5 years ago I weighed 240 wich is heavy for me it wasnt long after, about a year I would say with exercise where I got to my ideal weight of 170-180 it fluctuates now, I usually get a little heavier in the winter time. I am a vegan now for about the last 2 years and I am in the best shape I have ever been in, with the most muscle mass I have ever had also and being a vegan is the thing that I am most proud of.

Good luck as you get older youll find it is easier to do the things that you believe in and you will find more and more people who share your interests.

Answer 3

When Michael Moore won for Best Documentary for "Bowling for Columbine " he said he didn't deserve it because he had an agenda and that meant he was looking to make you see his point and not being objective.These movies you have watched amount to propaganda and are hardly the truth. While I admire your spirit and it is hard to criticize someone for a Noble intent, you'd actually be doing more harm than good . If we let animals all live they would be staving and be full of diseases. It's survival of the fittest out there and some animals have no natural predators. If these are not culled they will wipe out the weaker animals . It is like that with the seals. Now that the hunt has been all but stopped the cod has been all but wiped out and I am sure you've heard the recent predictions about the worlds ocean populations. Due to over fishing when whaling was more popular the seals have lost their natural predator and the populations have exploded to sizes that threaten fish populations globally. Who's' fault is this ? Ours of course but that doesn't change the reality.

Answer 4

Don't be a vegetarian. It's a strain on yourself as well as the people around you (to have to accommodate), it's not very healthy unless you eat the right vegetables (to get the protein you'll miss out on), and you say you don't even like vegetables. Your not eating of a cow that was gruesomely slaughtered is not going to stop them from gruesomely slaughtering cows. The best alternative is to buy from a company that you know treats their livestock well or at least better than the bad companies. Do some research.

Answer 5

Humans are omnivores, so they're designed to eat meat and veggies. Meat contains important nutrients and proteins and vegetables contain special vitamins and help your digestion. You won't help any cows by becoming a vegetarian, since other people still eat meat and the animals will get slaughtered anyways. But if you DO become a vegetarian eat a lot of nuts and grains and beans to get the needed protein. You can't not like ALL vegetables! Try different ones, I'm sure you'll find something you like. But please don't go vegetarian if you don't like veggies. You'll starve...

Answer 6

Being a vegetarian is not going to harm you as long as you get supplements for the vitamins and minerals provided by meats. I know the slaughtering of an animal was probably pretty traumatic, but it is a way of life. They do slaughter the animals in the most humane way so it doesnt cause much pain or stress for them. You may want to consult your doctor before making this life changing decision.

Answer 7

Ask your friends to look on the internet at all of the e-coli cases that are caused by vegetables; lettuce, spinach, onions; Jamba Juice just had a breakout with their strawberries and one club in NY had over 600 people sick within a week.

In general you should eat a balanced diet. Dont' be so wimpy either. I want to be a vegetarian, like cuz my freinds are? Come, on dont' be so lame.

Be yourself; eat a balanced diet; also there are many studies, that show if you eat mostly meat or no meat, it's unhealthy. Drink lots of water, eat a balanced diet, and tell your friends you support what they do, and they need to support you. Good luck.

Answer 8

Normally I'd say "go for it if you really want to," but if you've had weight issues and you hate vegetables, then you should perhaps rethink this. You shouldn't compromise your own health for anything.

Additionally, the kind of stuff that groups like PETA show us are collections of the most extreme cases of animal abuse and are not representative of the entire meat industry. And yes, as some people have said, it is propaganda.

Answer 9

I should say that sometimes the slaughter house details are exaggerated.
Also humans are supose to eat meat. We're omnivores.
But if you want to go for it. There are several dishes that taste and look like meat but are made from vegetables.
To make you feel better, humans slaughtering animals is a lot more humane than what animals in the wild do.

Answer 10

Absolutely, it can be very healthy for a teenager to be a vegetarian. I raised my children as lacto-ovo-vegetarian, and they are very healthy and happy.

I understand your resistance to eating the flesh of animals, after you consider the way they are killed. Humans were not "meant" to be meat eaters, but they were also not meant to have a nutrient deficient diet of any kind.

The plant foods are wonderful sources of phytochemicals that help keep us healthy. Some work as antioxidants, some as antiinflammatories, pathway modulators, and many other functions.

Plant foods include
Whole grains, like whole wheat bread, oats, barley, brown rice etc
Fruits of all kinds
Vegetables of all kinds
Legumes - beans and peas like pintos, black, lentils, etc
Nuts of all kinds.

So there are LOTS of food to use. If you get enough calories from non processed foods, you will get enough protein, and all the other vitamins and minerals. If you choose a well balanced
L-O-Vegetarian, you will get all of the nutrients you need.

There is a lot of information available if you really are interested.

Good Luck. Lenore Hodges, PhD, RD, LD

Answer 11

It is perfectly safe to be a vegetarian. But it wont help if you don't like vegetables. It is important for them to be in your diet. for your health sake. You do know that you can find diffrent ways to eat them. Broccoli is the best for you than any other and can be steamed or eaten raw with dip. Raw is best but anyway is better than none. And if you keep trying a little bit you may actually learn to like them.
This is not to say that I am for being a vegetarian. That is up to you. But add vegetables to your diet.