if i dont eat meat is that bad?

Question

like im 12 so like my mom said at my age i should eat meat...and if u dont eat meat do u weigh less then people who do

Answer 1

Wine Snob has it right! As usual once the question sat long enough to get off the main food page the quality of the answers went up.

Just so you know, by your age I'd been total veggie for two years and was the tallest, most athletic kid in my Jr. High. My freshman year of High School I got 'drafted' onto the Varsity Football team since I was bigger than most of the seniors. Being veggie doesn't by itself mean you'll be smaller than everyone else. It does mean that if you eat a good, balanced veggie diet you're less likely to get fat and when you get old enough to have grandkids (like me) you'll be MUCH less likely to have bad bones.

Use those links Wine Snob and all the rest of us have given you. They'll teach you how to eat cruelty-free and be healthier than everyone else around you. Have your mom go through the links with you. That way you both can decide how to eat healthier and cruelty free!

Answer 2

I started to be a vegetarian when I was 13, I have a fast metabolism to begin with so even when eating meat I always weighed less then average which stinks. Not to be rude but I wouldn't listen to you're mom on that, it's really you're choice. Just get alot of pros and cons about being one and show it to you're mom....maybe even try and let you're mom try some of the products from this website(if you live in the us then you can find these usually)
www.morningstarfarms.com

Answer 3

Most of these people have no idea what they are talking about - I'm sorry for all the misinformation on here.

People that don't eat meat often *do* weigh less than those that do - because they eat better. This doesn't mean malnourished.

As far as all the crap being spouted regarding proteins and amino acids - it's rhetoric (that's why not a single one of them can cite actual legitimate research for what they have "quoted"). You can get every single nutrient that you need from a well-rounded vegetarian diet. But remember, a well rounded diet isn't coca puffs, cheese pizza, and mac & cheese. It includes fruits and vegetables with minimal amounts of high fat and high carb foods.

Going Veg correctly can actually help you in many ways. Vegetarians have lower rates of certain types of cancer, are less likely to develop heart disease, and are less likely to have diabetes. http://www.pcrm.org/health/reports/index.html

Vegetarians also tend to have higher IQs. http://health.yahoo.com/news/170005;_ylt=Ar0jfBmeU1ChT3MmcszYXz0Yu7cF

Here's some information that may help to educate both you and your mohter further. http://www.pcrm.org/health/veginfo/veg_diets_for_children.html

Just remember, eating a balanced diet is key. Spend some time online to learn what's correct and what's not. Here are a few resources for you:

http://www.pcrm.org/health/veginfo/vsk/index.html

http://goveg.com/ (be careful about clicking on videos and graphic stuff. Stick to recipes and information)

http://vegetariantimes.com/




Good luck to you! : )

Answer 4

no way, it's perfectly fine not to eat meat! good thinking for wanting to give it up. i was a semi-vegitarian until about 8, then i became a 100% veggie. there are plenty of things you can eat to replace the meat that are actually much healthier! a website i'd like to recommed is http://www.goveg.com/vegetarian101.asp they have lists of food and tons of good info for you to get started and they will send you a free vegetarian starter kit as well. i suggest gathering a list of healthy veggie foods based upon what you like to eat and show your mom how good your new diet will be. =)

and hey dav, your height has nothing to do with not eating meat, that is based entirely upon genetics. i am a veggie, and i am currently 5'6", which is about average for my age. i know short vegetarians, tall vegetarians, and vegetarians in between, so it doesn't matter if you eat meat or not. you will not stop growing until you have reached the height your genetics determined that you will be.

Answer 5

eating meat is bad, and vegitarians and vegans do tend to weigh less but that's a good thing as long as your not a walking skeliton, there's an obesity epidemic we need more thin people in the world.

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 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

No, you can get every single needed vitamin and mineral without meat, beans (kidney beans, black beans, pinto, soy, chick peas etc) fake meat and other soy products and some mushrooms are excellent sources of protein. People who say you need meat are not intelligent. Calcium is obtained from dairy, soy products, blackstrap molasses, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molasses#Cane_molasses
collard greens and some other vegetables have lots of calcium. Spinach and many other things have a lot of iron. heres a list
http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/iron.htm#table1
Take a multivitamin too to get b12.

Answer 8

not eating meat does not guarantee that you will weigh less than ppl that do eat meat. Yes you mom is right, at 12 or at any age you need to eat a proper diet that includes lean proteins. Yes you can subsitute other foods to replace the meat in your diet. But at your age it will be hard to keep a balanced diet without eating meat. Unless others in your house are vegetarian too. If your mom is still making meat filled meals you will have a hard time going meatless and staying healthy.

And if you are thinking about skipping meat just to lose weight that is a bad idea. There are better ways to trim off a few pounds. Talk to your doctor or a dietition.

Answer 9

OK.. sometimes I can not believe the junk that people write..pure ignorance ......Most of the world 's people are vegetarians .. that being said I became a vegetarian at 15 ..people told me I would die..etc etc... It is years now and I am healthier then anyone I know my age......but you must do it right .. if you are serious I will guide you..........but read as much as you can ..educate yourself on this...vegetarians on average live 8 YEARS LONGER then meat eaters ......I wonder why...well I don't , I know why... but yes It is much healthier for you ..let me know if you need more help..

Answer 10

"It is the position of the American Dietitiac Association and Dietitians of Canada that appropriately planned vegetarian diets are healthful,nutritionally adequate,and provide health beneifts in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases.Well planned vegan and other types of vegetarian diets are appropriate for all stages of the life cycle,including during pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, and adolescence.Vegetarian diets offer a number of nutritional benefits,including lower levels of saturated fat,cholesterol,and animal protein as well as higher levels of carbohydrates, fiber, magnesium, potassium, folate,and antioxidants such as vitamins c and e and phytochemicals.Vegetarians have been reported to have lower body mass indices than nonvegetarians,as well as lower rates of death from ischemic heart disease(the number 1 killer in the U.S.);vegetarians also show lower blood cholesterol levels:lower blood pressure:and lower rates of hypertension,type II diabetes,and prostate and colon cancer."


"Appropriatley planned vegan,lacto-vegetarian,and lacto-ovo-vegetarian diets satisfy nutirent needs of of infants,children,and adolescents and promote normal growth.Vegetarian diets in childhood and adolescence can aid in the establishment of lifelong healthy eating patterns and can offer some health advantages."