I have recently turned Vegetarian.?

Question

I was wondering,
1) What made you become a vegetarian?
2) What you eat that is quite enjoyable?
3) How do you get all of the protein and nutrients that you need in order to stay healthy.

I just saw a movie called Our Daily Bread and was horrified by the military precision and lack of caring for the animals that were getting slaughtered. The butchers didn't seem to care at all about the comfort of the animals. They just slaughtered them with reckless abandon, and didn't even flinch when an animal was suffering and in pain. I am a very strong Christian and God has given us dominion over the animals, not just for our sick amusement or pleasure.

Answer 1

Congratulations on a great choice that will benefit your health, and the planet. Being a vegetarian really has no religious implications, but if it makes you feel better knowing you aren't causing needless suffering to our animal friends, all the better.

I became an vegetarian after a Buddhist friend encouraged me to read Diet for a New America, by John Robbins. John Robbins was heir to the Baskin-Robbins ice cream empire, and turned his back on the multi-million dollar family fortune because he disapproved of the horrible practices in the dairy industry. That took some serious inner strength if you ask me.

As I became more educated about the food industry, I was shocked to learn what is involved in getting meat, poultry and fish into the stores. If you really want to see something terrible, go to the www.meetyourmeat.com and watch the video. From the chemicals and hormones that are pumped into everything, to the horrific, cruel practices used in raising and harvesting animals, I realized I could never be a willing participant in this. I won't even eat soup that has a single bacon bit in it. I know my lone effort won't change the food industry, but as Gandi said, "you must be the change you wish to see in the world."

As for what I eat, I basically eat all the foods I ate before except for meat, fish, eggs, and poultry. I try to avoid dairy as much as possible, but I still eat cheese because it's just a part of so many dishes I like. Cheese doesn't actually kill animals, and if the milk comes from organic, free-range farms, the animals are treated well. I tend to like Italian dishes, because there are so many that are made with just vegetables - eggplant, mushrooms, pastas, tomato's. I also make a lot of different types of pasta salads. All you have to do is look around and you'll find every culture has non-meat dishes that you probably already eat. In this country, we are conditioned to feel that each meal must have a meat portion in order to be complete, but I sometimes make an entire dinner out of baked potatoes and a salad, and fell VERY FULL. There are HUGE cookbooks devoted entirely to vegetarian dishes.

There is a HUGE misunderstanding about vegetarianism and nutrients. If you read the book, Diet for a New America, you'll learn right away that the LAST thing you need to worry about is protein. Nobody dies from protein deficiency. People die from eating TOO MUCH of the foods associated with protein, meat, cheese, milk, eggs, bacon, butter, which coincidentally cause heart disease, high cholesterol and strokes. Protein is what KILLS people in this country!

Virtually ALL food has some protein in. Many vegetables (such as soybeans) have as much protein as meat. The staple foods - rice, soybeans, lentils, potatoes, wheat, corn - all have protein. Look at a cow. How does it grow so large, and pack on so much muscle, without eating meat? Obviously because it gets protein from VEGETABLES.

The only concerns for vegetarians are:

1) Vitamin B-12. B-12 is only found in meat, so you MUST eat foods fortified with B-12, or take a daily vitamin. In a modern society, it's almost impossible to not get some amount of B-12 as a part of a prepared food (breakfast cereal for example)

2) Omega-3 fatty acids - found in eggs, but also available as a supplement, or in flax seed oil, or flax-bread.

3) Eating a variety of different foods that contain protein, so you get all the essential amino-acids. If you are an ovo-lacto vegetarian (meaning you eat eggs, milk and cheese products) you don't have a thing to worry about. If you are a true vegan (only vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds & berries) you have to be a little more selective in your diet.

Hope this helps, and congratulations again!

(PS - IGNORE momoftwoboys' comments. She is TOTALLY ignorant. A diverse plant diet will provide all the essential amino acids, and you can get VEGAN supplements of B-12 and Omega-3's. I've been a vegetarian for six years, and I'm in perfect health. Listen to someone who lives the lifestyle, not someone who comments on it.)

(PPS - To the poster below... if your girlfriend eats fish, and occassionally meat, then she IS NOT a vegetarian. A vegetarian does not eat ANIMALS, and fish are animals.)

Answer 2

Thank you! I am a vegetarian too, and am loving it.

1) I had always loved animals, but read about KFC's cruel practice of slaughtering animals and soon watched more factory farm videos. The last straw was when I saw animal testing pictures. I never ate meat again.

2) Fake meat is actually good if you make it right. I recently bought tofurky and made a fake turkey sandwich... my friends tried it and said it tasted just like turkey! Whenever there is a barbecue or something where there will only be meat I eat the side dishes and even a burger with a bun with ketchup and lettuce etc but no patty! Or I will bring my own gardenburger patty. I eat a lot of fruit, too.

3)I buy these good burritos with protein at Costco. Nuts are good and have protein, too. The best way to get all of the recommended vitamins are vitamin fortified cereals or you can take a multivitamin.

Answer 3

I'm going to be adapting a "living food" diet this summer. That's when you eat only veggies and fruit with grain, rice, nuts and seeds. You do that for 3 months, then you begin to incorporate fish or chicken back into your diet slowly. I don't really care for meat to begin with. I'm doing this for a medical reason and this particular diet has proven to help those with it.
For protein, have you tried a powder supplement? They make soy protein powder. I'm all for soy since I am also lactose intolerant/mildly allergic to milk (I get a rash from it on my arm).
And you know, I am a Christian, too. I do believe that we were given dominion over the animals, but at the same time, the way that they are treated is terrible. It's hard for me to think of any animal being abused as they often are in slaughter houses. Just because they're to be eaten does not mean that we can just be cruel. I know a man who hunts and he writes a poem about the beast he's just killed every time out of reverance and respect.

Answer 4

My girlfriend is vegetarian, but only because she doesn't like the taste of meat. She still eats fish, which she likes, and also eggs, she also gets plenty of protein from peanutbutter. She will eat meat if she absolutely has to, but very rarely enjoies it. I know some foods she enjoies are fresh fruits, cereal and milk, rice cakes, granola, fruit juices, spinach, and non-iceburg lettuce.

A couple things to remember about killing animals for food and the movie you watched:

1) Not all meat is obtained that way. Why not try buying your meat from the Ahmish? Their slaughter methods and care of the live animals are probably significantly different. It's probably better for you anways.

2) The movie probably had hand-picked scenes that were exceptionally brutal or cold looking, and may not be an accurate representation of what typically goes on when animals are slaughtered. I could be wrong on this, but typically such movies are known for hand-picking examples. It may have even been staged for all I know. If you could actually see what goes on most of the time, you may see a different picture. You might want to research the movie and its sources.

3) God instituted the eating of meat in Genesis 9:2-3, knowing full well that animals must be killed to be eaten. Look at how predators kill their prey. This happened because we live in a fallen would (ie, it's our fault), but it is still how it is. (This doesn't mean we HAVE to eat meat, only that we are allowed to, and in most cases encouraged to.) It is natural. I would also be curious to see the degree of suffering that the animals experience during slaughter. From my understanding they are typically shot in the head- instant death, no suffering. You may have seen post-mortem nerve spasms that only looked like suffering, when the animal was already brain-dead.

4) Meat ain't the only animal product obtained through slaughter of animals. Are you wearing leather shoes? Is there any leather in your wardrobe or car? Are there any animal additives in any of the "non-meat" foods you eat? Are any of the other things you own made in part of full from animal products? Are you aware of how many animal products are around you? (If you are, you are one step above me, I just know it is more than we realize sometimes.)

There is nothing wrong with being a vegetarian. That is your perogative, and in God's sight it is totally ok. Just make sure you are doing it for a good and informed reason. It can be a big decision and have a significant impact on your health, for better or worse. And if you ever decide to have a baby, you better be VERY SURE you are getting enough protien.

I haven't said anyting above to be critical, just to make you think. And I hope I have achieved this. God bless!

Answer 5

I too became veggie because I decided that I did not personally want to kill animals for food so it would be hypocritical to do otherwise.

Since then I have discovered Buddhism and there have been a number of food scares about meat in the UK so I think I'll stay veggie on an ethical basis.

We (my wife and 12 yo daughter) eat most kinds of food. As someone said, protein isn't much of a problem. We eat roasted vegetable fajitas, chili 'non-carne', pasta with sun-dried tomatoes / veggie pesto. Lots of Indian food is veggie. We've experimented with tofu and paneer (a kind of cheese) and enjoyed cous cous. I make a mean burger out of a large flat mushroom stuffed with cheese and breadcrumbs! A nice snack is pannini bread with cheese, avocado, tomato and pesto, warmed in the oven until the cheese melts. And of course pizza! (Just don't overdo the cheese/ fats!)

In fact, I've not found many dishes outside roasts that I can't veggify!

Here in the UK we also have a good range of veggie alternatives made from soya or mycoprotein (related to mushrooms) for meat. It comes in chunks or minced and takes on the flavour of the sauce or whatever you cook with it.

More for my daughter we do take a multivitamin + iron and omega capsules (you can buy ones in a vegetarian alternative to gelatine). But protein comes from beans and pulses, peppers (capsicums) are loaded with vit C and dairy for calcium and vit D.

I've not noticed any 'loss of energy' being veggie. I'm 50 and walk 4 miles to work so it doesn't seem to have done any harm!
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Answer 6

1) Natures dictates that humans are ominvores so we should eat meat, however, I became vegetarian when I realised that Western society violates nature for an easy life. The lives of animals farmed for meat are purely for human satisfaction, which is never ok, in countries such as Kenya where tribes hunt food as nature intended, I see no problem. Also it is better for the environment to follow a plant based diet as more energy can be produced per acre of plant crops compared to animal. I became vegan when I realised that it is not socially acceptable for adults to drink milk from the breast of their mother so why is it acceptable to drink milk from the breast of another animal. 2) Hmm foods that I enjoy, well bread is my weakness but then so is chocolate and the hotter and spicyer the food the better (including chocolate). I pretty much throw everything in a pan and see what the result is - I find that my cravings for particular foods at 3 in the morning actually throw out somw nice combinations. 3) As for the nutrients, just the 5 a day but then loads of nuts, seeds, dried fruit and pulses, wholemeal grains & bread - as a student this is great, cheap meals & beans on toast all round then

Answer 7

Unfortunately, your body is that of an omnivore, you need to eat meat or animal products in order to be healthy. All the butchers I've seen do it in an assembly line but are quite so vicious as you describe. In any event, without meat, your body will need B vtamins, iron, and protein. You can get a lot of protein from veggies but not COMPLETE proteins. There are chemicals that humans cannot make and need to eat, amino acids from animal muscle are among them. You can try supplements but I'm going to tell you now that the manufacturers have to get the vitamins from an animal.
Another issue you will have to acknowledge is that most plants have a nervous system more complex than our own and plants react to stimuli as much as animals. There is no reason to believe that plants cannot feel pain either.
Why don't you go to a local butcher and ask him about how he does it and see if he is more humane. Then just buy your meat from him. Created, evolved or whatever, your body was meant to eat both meat and plants, so you will have to come to terms with killing something for dinner. If you are really not able to stomach meat right now, talk with a doctor to be sure that you are getting the right supplements, an over the counter daily vitamin will not do it.
Good luck.

Answer 8

I turned vegetarian,or rather alkalarian,after studying the teachings of Dr. Robert O. Young(great grandson of Brigham Young).. ps I am a Christian as well.(not Mormon)

I consume and juice, tons of raw vegetables,wheatgrass, etc.
and eat some fruits,grains and seeds.

One source of protein is Broccoli,which is approx. 40% protein...nuts,seeds,and beans(soy etc..) or legumes are also very good sources.(organic on everything, when possible)

I might recomend a very good book to start out with in aiding you in the new lifestyle. "The PH Miracle" or "Sick and Tired" by the same author Dr.Robert O. Young (4x phd.)

Answer 9

I became a vegetarian largely for economy and simplicity. I anjoy many things--- getting enough protein is not a problem (Broccoli is one of the highest protein foods) More vegetables, more casserole type things. I make a "burger" largely from oatmeal with seasonings, form it with a canning lid, and bake it in the oven. I eat them instead of meat. No problem, really, though it takes a bit of getting used to.

Answer 10

I figured that if I didn't feel comfortable killing the animal, I didn't deserve to eat it. And when I learned how the ranching process works, I never wanted to eat it again.

If you want some real answers, go ask in the Vegetarian section.