Vitamins and Minerals not in vegatartarin food?

Question

My dad has been saying that without meat, you can't get any vitamens and minerals and that I will live much shorter. I am a vegataerein for 4 months now and I seem fine. Is this true?

Answer 1

In fact, eating meat shortens your life span!! You can get everything you need from a vegetarian diet if you eat dairy and/or eggs. Vegans (who eat no animal products, so exclude both dairy and eggs) need supplemental vitamin B12 after a couple of years. That's all. You can get plenty of protein from soy, rice, beans, and many other vegetable fods. You get iron from leafy green veggies. Veggies are much richer in nutrients (other than grease) than meat.

You do have to eat a varied diet. If you exist on French fries and Pepsi, you will not be healthy, but adding meat to that kind of junk food diet actually wouldn't help much.

Much of the population of India is vegetarian and some families have eaten no meat for centuries and thrive. In America, Seventh Day Adventists eat no meat and consistently outlive people who eat the typlical American diet. Some of the healthiest people I know are long-time vegetarians.

Answer 2

All of the vitamins and minerals including b12 and iron are found in vegetables, so you wont run any deficiencies if that's whats worrying you. You can live without eating meat, but it is important to have a balanced diet. Meats and dairy products contain protein which is essential for good health. You can find protein in vegetables, but studies have shown that meat derived protein is better absorbed by the body so think about it. Anyways, we are all vegetarians in a way, as most of the fruits and vegetables we consume are about 85% of what we eat.

Answer 3

No it's not true.

MYTH: "Vegetarians get little protein."

FACT: Plant foods offer abundant protein. Vegetables are around 23% protein on average, beans 28%, grains 13%, and even fruit has 5.5%. For comparison, human breast milk is only 5% (designed for the time in our lives when our protein needs are as high as they'll ever be). The US Recommended Daily Allowance is 8%, and the World Health Organization recommends 4.5%.

MYTH: "Beans are a good source of protein."

FACT: There is no such thing as a special "source of protein" because all foods -- even plants -- have plentiful protein. You might as well say "Food is a good source of protein". In any event, beans (28%) don't average much more protein per calorie than common vegetables (23%).

MYTH: "Milk is necessary for strong bones."

FACT: McDougall: "Where does a cow or an elephant get the calcium needed to grow its huge bones? From plants, of course. Only plants. … People in Asia and Africa who consume no milk products after they're weaned from their mother's breast grow perfectly healthy skeletons in the normal size for their race. A consistent conclusion published in the scientific literature is clear: Calcium deficiency of dietary origin is unknown in humans. Dairy products contain large amounts of animal proteins. This excess protein removes calcium from the body by way of the kidneys. Knowing the physiological effects on calcium metabolism of eating excess protein explains why societies with the highest intakes of meat and dairy products--the United States, England, Israel, Finland, and Sweden--also show the highest rates of osteoporosis, the disease of bone-thinning."

Answer 4

Got a ?

I have a Vitamin B-12 deficiency I am not a vegan

I want to know what veggies have Vit B-12 ????

Last I read NONE

Best B-12 food source is Pigs liver 1 ea 6 oz meal gave you about a 3 months suppy

Answer 5

check vegan associations pages. they have Dr's who give advise too. but being a 8 years vegetarian and 3 years vegan, ı am quite well too. just before few weeks my Dr wanted a check for b12 and it was normal.and my calcium is always above the limits. because ı eat what a human should eat. our nature is vegan. so don't be afraid but you are newly vegetarian so don't eat rubbish things. try to get some vegi friends and learn what to eat and eat too much fruit and greens. in a year you will see the difference in your life specially in your mind. you will feel perfect. respect your dad but tell him everything you read about vegetarians so his heart will be okey with this desicion. take care

Answer 6

You father knows less about this than you do. Read the following book and insist that he read it as well. Four months is not a long time, and if you're not doing this properly, you might not be feeling any problems yet. This book will help.