calling all veggies!!!?

Question

Just turned veggie and don't want my health to suffer so any advice would be helpful. Also what cheaper brands of make-up and hair products are animal friendly? If there's anything else you think I should know about please say! Thanks so much

Answer 1

Contrary to what someone above me put, you do not need to take iron tablets. All the iron you need can be obtained through eating dark leafy greens; spinach, kale etc. I've been vegetarian for 15 years, and do not have anaemia. In fact, I know more meat eaters with anaemia than I do veggies!

Just to clarify a few things you will not eat:
Fish (you'd be amazed at the number of people who think they can eat fish and still call themselves a veggie!)
Gelatine (in Haribo and many other sweets, yoghurts etc),
Cochineal (food colouring from beetle shells)
Animal fats
Issinglass (fish bladder found in many beers, wines)
Rennet (found in cheese; chymosin is the veggie substitute)

In addition, vegetarians that do eat eggs will generally only buy Organic Free Range as this ensures better humane standards. The Vegetarian Society lends its approval to a certain type of egg that meets their humane standards and any Tesco's/Sainsbury's will stock this. They will also only certify food that uses free range eggs. Just because a product has the little green 'V', doesn't necessarily mean that it has been produced to the standards that we'd expect. Being vegetarian isn't just about not eating meat, it's about ensuring the welfare of all animals, which is something the Veggie Soc take very seriously.

I also choose not to wear/buy leather. I would consider myself a hypocrite if I chose not to eat it for humane reasons but thought it perfectly acceptable to parade around in leather shoes/trainers.

As for hair and beauty products, Original Source, Body Shop, Urban Decay are good named brands. Most supermarkets also do their own range of hair products. Some of Tesco's own stuff has the Rabbit symbol on the back; this means the product has not been tested on animals by or for Tesco, but do look carefully as some of their other own brand stuff doesn't carry the symbol.
Tesco also do a range called Naturals; laundry detergent, washing up liquid, toilet cleaner, fabric conditioner etc that is also not tested on animals. It's basically the cheaper version of Ecover but lovely stuff.

Finally(!), with regards to your health there isn't a lot to worry about. Supermarkets these days have huge selections of veggie food that contain all the iron, protein, fats, vitamins and minerals you need and best of all it's delicious.

Answer 2

It's actually a lot easier to eat properly as a veggie than a lot of people think. You'll definitely want to take a supplement made for vegetarians, though, especially till you get a handle on things. We don't all always have the time to eat properly. Things you want to look out for are: getting enough protein, getting enough iron, and getting enough omega threes. Protein's easy, especially with the amount of decent veggie burgers out there. I don't know how strict you want to be, but I actually reccommend continuing to eat eggs. You can get them cruelty free and unfertilised. They're a higher quality protein than soy. They also sneak into so many foods that they're kind of hard to avoid. Some veggie burgers are held together with egg white.

Green veggies are your friend. Broccoli contains calcium, and the greener they are, the more iron they have. eat them with citrus, and the iron is easier for your body to process. It is best to eat things in combinations, rather than eating one food at a time. A lot of things, like legumes and green veggies, have amino acids that combine to form a complete protein chain.

Most hair and cosmetic products that are animal friendly are very eager for you to know this. There is no need to shop somewhere special- if they're cruelty free, they should say so on the label. Some of the most surprising brands are- like for instance, manic panic. Then you could look for places like Amphigory that donate a part of their proceeds to animal related causes.

You may wish to look not just at what you're eating but at what you're wearing. I wear leather still- (I enjoy motorbiking and you do NOT want to wear pleather in case of a mishap- it melts!) but I make sure it's from an animal that was used entirely. if you don't want to, vinyl substitutes are becoming increasingly available. Wool sounds like a good deal, but some wool farmers are not what one would wish them to be.

And finally- good luck, don't lecture the meat eaters, and don't yell at your waiter when you get delivered a pepperoni pizza by mistake. They'll hide the pepperoni under the cheese, next time.

Answer 3

Just make sure you get a good selection of fruit and vegetables, green leafy veg is a good source of iron. Nuts and seeds are good for you too. Quorn make some very good *fake* sausages and burgers, but so do Tesco and Asda. These supermarkets also have own-brand toiletries etc that aren't tested on animals. Check the labels to be sure. They're also very good value and not overpriced.
You'd be surprised just how many ordinary foods you can eat as a vegetarian, be it chocolate or chips! Good luck with your choice, and if you happen to stray from your chosen path it doesn't matter, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
P.S. Body Shop is owned by L'Oreal who do horrific things to animals.
P.P.S. Ignore Foxhunter guy, he is absolutely obsessed with vegetarians and vegans not eating meat.

Answer 4

If you eat a variety of foods and take a multi-vitamin your health should be a-ok.

Unfortunately I haven't found animal friendly make-up that is as cheap as the brand names, but I try and think about what exactly I'm paying for vs. how much.

Investing in a good cookbook will help alot! I was given "How It All Vegan" for Christmas and it is awesome! At first building up cooking spices and produce in your kitchen will seem expensive, but as you cook more and more you'll won't have to buy so much as often.

Answer 5

Your health wont suffer by giving up meat. Just eat a well balanced vegetarian diet that includes whole grains, veggies, legumes, fruits and nuts on a daily basis.

Freeman products and citre shine do not test on animals.

Answer 6

Don't know about recipes, why don't you pop into your local charity shop and pick up a cook-book? In mine, we have dozens of the things just waiting to be bought (cheaply), With regard to skin care & make up. All Bodyshop products are animal friendly ie not tested on animals. Good luck!

Answer 7

I have been veggie for 20 years which is two thirds of my life and I am pretty healthy. Always make sure you eat plenty of nuts and seeds for protein, also cheese and milk and eggs if you eat dairy. Lots of grains and pulses and obviously lots of fruit and veg. There are many meat substitutes such as soya and quorn which can be used to make anything. We eat lots of lasagne and blognese and curries and shepherds pie so you really can eat quite normally, it's not all beansprouts and rice cakes!

Answer 8

i'm an omivore. I consume each thing. i'm the mummy of a vegetarian that's a brilliant healthful individual. I do consume lots much less meat than I used to, yet nevertheless consume some meat a pair circumstances a week. FYI: carnivores consume in straight forward terms meat.

Answer 9

GOOD ON YOU!!!
lol i have only been vegy a few months! OK, well be sure to keep up your protein and iron
protein found mainly in - eggs, nuts, cheese, baked beans, and quite a bit on some quorn products,
iron - tomatoes, green vegetables, special k lol!!!

well i am not sure about products, but impulse tests on animals.
I have to go, but email me shoequeen14k for more info!

Answer 10

An important thing that a lot of vegetarians lack is iron, we use a lot of marmite to compensate for this. Just add it to recipes if you dont like the taste. Ive been vegetarian for over 20 years and my children from birth and none of us have had any health problems. Watch out for gelatin in products its made from animal bones!